A Couple of Photos From of the Colts Practice Field

In advance of rookie mini-camp this past weekend, I stopped by the Colts Complex on West 56th St. last week.  Here are two photos of the patriot bermudagrass overseeded with ryegrass:

Look for more photos of the field after this past weekend's mini camp later this week.  Bermudagrass season in quickly approaching.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Baseball Field Drought Stress in Late April

This is the first in a number of posts this year on current events that may effecting your field.  Can you ID the issue with this field?

This blue/ryegrass playing surface is under drought stress in late April early May.  Why?  A couple of factors:

1. The team lowered the height of cut.  Cutting below 2 inches will require extensive and skilled water management practices
2. The thought that it is cool at night, so the field will not dry out.  Incorrect!  Turf can dry very quickly in the spring and fall in the midwest due to the lack of humidity and the presence of 100% sunlight and strong wind.

Bottom line, do not be afraid to run the irrigation.  You may need longer run times in the spring and fall than you need in the summer......  This field will definitely bounce back.  In fact, with the rains of the past two days, it is probably green again.

To learn more about drought stress, click HERE, to see a Turf Tip from Purdue.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!

--Jamie

@JamieMehringer

Infield Drainage for Baseball and Softball Fields Along the Back Arc

Infield drainage is typically a topic for discussion anytime I give a presentation on infield mixes, grades, etc.  So, when the J&D Turf team was tasked to remedy an infield drainage issue at University of Indianapolis, Tom Mahaney and Steve Berg chronicled their work with photos.

Before we get to the photos,  lets lay out a couple of items in regards to infield drainage:

1. Do NOT install drain tiles under the infield mix.  The infield mix should be engineered and maintained to eliminate downward movement (percolation) of water.  All water during rain events should run off the infield.
2. Due to item #1, positive surface drainage must be achieved on ALL infields.  For baseball and softball, surface drainage should be between .5% and 1%.  Keep in mind, if a softball field does not have sod in front of dugouts, surface drainage should be NO MORE than .5%.  Does your infield conditioner run off your infield?  Chances are, the infield has surface drainage exceeding the limits listed above.
3. Purchase and manage a good infield mix.  Be careful when purchasing infield mix!  To learn more about infield mixes, click HERE and HERE.

So, lets explain what the existing conditioners were at Baumgartner Field at University of Indianapolis:

1. Native soil.
2. Due to existing topography, the grade falls from the RF foul pole to the 3rd base dugout.
3. Bluegrass/Ryegrass surface
4. Infield Mix - Dura Edge Classic 
5. Conditioner - Diamond Pro Professional Calcined Clay
6. Mound Clay - Dura Pitch Mound Clay 
7. During rain events, water would run from RF under the tarp and become trapped.

The solution:

Install a six inch wide trench:

Next, installation of a 4 inch perforated drain tile and 6 inches of USGA drainage gravel.

Then, installation of 6 inches of USGA rootzone sand all the way to the surface.  Then the existing sod was re-installed.  DO NOT seal off drain tiles by placing native soil over drainage gravel.

Finally, an edger was used to run across the trench/slit and expose 3 inches of the sand.  The bluegrass will grow into the sand.

The location of the drain tile while the tarp is on the field.

Lastly, the field ready for play the day after installation.

Mission accomplished!

Best of luck to the Lady Greyhounds as they begin the road to the D-II College World Series.

Click HERE to learn more about Dura Edge Classic and Dura Pitch Mound Clay.

Click HERE to learn more about Diamond Pro Professional Calcined Clay.

Click HERE to learn more about UIndy softball

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!

--Jamie

@JamieMehringer 

Should I Overseed My Patriot Bermudagrass Field?

The answer to that question is up to the user and the grounds staff.  Here are two photos taken on Thursday and Friday this week.  The first photo is from the Colts Training Camp fields in Anderson, IN at Anderson University.  This was not overseeded in the fall.

The greener plants in the upper left of the photo are some "volunteer" annual ryegrass.  This field will be cleaned up with a Katana spray in the next 7 days.

Next, a photo of the Colts practice facility field at the Colts Complex off of west 56th St.

This Patriot bermudagrass field was overseeded with Barenbrug Turf Star Elite Ryegrass at a rate of 20 lbs per 1,000 sq ft.  The ryegrass overseeding will stay until the completion of mini-camp in mid June.  At that time, a Revolver application will be applied and then it is back to bermuda and growing the field in for the start of practice after the conclusion of training camp.

So, overseeding is up to the end user and the grounds staff.  Both fields are playable, but one is obviously a bit greener.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Youth Mound - Cutout Completed

I wanted to post a final photo of the mound and the tearshape cutout at Lafayette Youth Baseball.  Here are the before and after photos:

The fields are designed to host pitchers from 48 and 53 ft.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Removing Infield Lips Via a Sod Cutter

The J&D Turf crew was back in Lafayette today.  After edging the three fields late last week, the next task was to remove the remaining lips.  This was accomplished the old fashioned way using a sod cutter.  Here are a few photos:

Removing the sod with a sod cutter:

Removing the sod:

Next, remove the infield mix under the lip with a box blade:

Finally, re-install the sod:

What causes lips?  Dragging practices (Too close to the edge), poor infield mixes with poor silt/clay ratios (SCR's), not edging on a frequent basis (once a month), overall excessive use of a field.

This field has an infield with a high SCR.  Wind alone causes lips, much less dragging.  Here is a photo from today.  Dragging the infield with prevailing winds of 30 mph.

The infield renovation starts tomorrow.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Riviera Bermuda in Jasper, IN

I was in Jasper, Indiana today.  I stopped by the varsity football field.  The field is riviera bermuda grass.  Here are a few shots of the field.

The bermuda is greening up nicely.  The darker green turf is from a light fall overseeding.  This field will have no problem getting back to 100% cover with an aggressive fertilizer program.

Look for additional posts on bermuda grass work this summer.  Can your field be a fit for bermuda?

To learn more about riviera bermuda grass, click HERE.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer