Lanco Amenagement Inc.1110 Place Verner

Laval, QuebecCanada, H7E 4P2

Tel.: (888) 664 -7489Fax.: (514) 664-4555

e-mail: tancoetotatnet

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Call 1(800) 817-1889 use FastFax# 1160498 and/or Circle 116 on Postage Free Card

Irrigation Mgmt. continued from pg. 20

inspect each sprinkler head to ensureproper turning, arc, distance of throw,and full retraction. Develop a repairlist. Staff members should monitor thesystem during daily maintenance andreport any variations. Recheck the sys-tem monthly and after aeration, heavyroller use, or any maintenance proce-dure that might damage the headsand/or pipes.Note the rotation time of each of the

heads under normal operating condi-tions. For syringing, you can then pro-gram the time for one rotation of theheads within a zone. Also, slower thannormal rotation of a head or series ofheads can alert you to a problem.Water bubbles or puddling quickly

signals a broken pipe. A drop in pres-sure when the system is operating willbe harder to detect, but is often thefirst sign of a problem. If possible,include flow meters, circuit diagnosticself-testing, and other diagnostic aidsto detect problems in the irrigationsystem design.

Striking the right balanceThe timing and frequency of irriga-

tion represent a compromise betweenthe needs of the turfgrass and theneeds of the field's users. There will besome give-and-take on both sides, butthe users win more often than not. AsDr. Jackie Butler used to say, "Thereare no grass problems, only peopleproblems."For scheduled play, keep the field in

the upper half of field capacity (formoisture levels), a bit on the dry side,but not bone dry and not saturated. Aslightly drier field is less subject tocompaction and it provides more solidfooting. A saturated field is slick, toosoft, and much more susceptible towear damage.Anyway you approach the matter,

turfgrass needs the benefits of properirrigation. So pick the most criticalevent day, or days within an extendedevent, and manipulate the irrigationprogram to deliver the optimal mois-ture levels for play during those mostcritical periods. Good luck! 0

Ross Kurcab is turf manager for theDenver Broncos and is a member ofSTMA:s Certification Committee.

22 sports TURF

lion; by T. ~l Wilkinson, and

; diagnosis, funda-mental bioi gy, ,an control of turfgrass weeds.Demonstrates how to identify turfgrass pests, when andwhy they occur , the damage that may take place, the lifecycles of the pest, plus culture, chemical and other man-agement strategies designed to keep pest damage to a

minimum. 720 pp. 4031 $85.00

Golf Course Management & Construction, by JamesC. Balogh. Comprehensive summary and assessment oftechnical and scientific research on environmental effectsof turfgrass system construction and maintenance. Bookfocuses on golf courses and also discusses turfgrass sys-tems for residential and commercial lawns, parks andgreenways. Excellent intro to the concepts of non pointsource environmental impacts of turfgrass manage-ment. 978 pgs. 4017 $80.00

Human Resource Management for GolfCourse Superintendents, by Robert A. Milligan,

Ph.D. and Thomas R. Maloney, CornellUniversity. Providesbasic management principles and techniques for golf course man-agement. Divided into three sections: Framework forManagement; Staffing, and Directing. learn to improve your plan-ning abilities, build leadership and communication skills, maximizeemployee performance, etc. Use these methods and principles toensure effective management and operation of your facility. 189pgs. 4018 $36.00

Guide to Golf Course Irrigation System Design andDrainage, by Edward Pira. Completely revised with new exercis-es, practical examples, numerous new figures, and expanded sec-tions covering a wide variety of irrigation system components.Guides the reader through every phase of an irrigation program -from design to construction- program scheduling to operation andmaintenance. A reference for managers and superintendents toplan effective irrigation systems, ensure appropriate capacity, easyinstallation and practical operation and maintenance. 400 pp.4004 $59.95

Color Atlas of Turfgrass' Diseases on Golf Courses, by Dr.Toshikazu Toni and Contributing Author, Dr. James B. Beard.Presents over 350 high-quality color photographs of all the majorturfgrass diseases that occur on both warm and cool season grassesand is international in scope. The standard color guide to diseasediagnosis and pathogen identification for golf course superinten-dents and turfgrass practitioners. Maps are included to assist in dis-ease identification by providing geographical locations where eachdisease/pathogen is likely to occur. It also provides color photos ofstep-by-step guidance on diagnostic techniques for laboratoryanalysis which can be used by practitioners. 140 pages. 4005$79.95

Order online at www.industrybooks.com

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM AND RETURN

PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY ALL ORDERS

INCLUDESHIPPING& HANDLING

1-2 bks $7.503-6 bks $10.007-10 $15.0010+ $21.00

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Charge your order by phone call 1-800-396-3939

Order online at www.industrybooks.como Payment Enclosed

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_4031 (ontrolling TurfgrassPests $85.00 IL residents add 8.25% sales tax ..Name

4017 Golf (ourse Monogement& (onstruction $80.00 Title-Company

4018 HumanResourceManagementfor Golf (ourse Superintendents $36:00 . Type of Business- Street

_4004 Guideto Golf (ourse Irrigation SystemDesignand Drainage $59.95City State ZipCountry

Telephone Fax_4005 (olor Atlasof TurfgrassDiseaseson Golf (ourses $79.95 ALL SALES ARE FINAL

ADAMSBOOKGUILD • 2101 South Arlington Heights Road, Suite 150 Arhngton Heights, IL60005-4142 • Tel: 1-800-396-3939 • Fax: 847-427-2037 Please allow 4' weeks for defivery ST4

sponsTURfhttp://www.sportsturfonline.com

by Steve and Suz Trusty

Spring training isn't the WorldSeries, but for many playersit's every bit as important.

This is the starting point: the doorwaythrough which you must pass on theroad to the Big Leagues.Spring training gives seasoned vet-

eran players the opportunity to workout kinks and hone their skills. It givesnewcomers an opportunity to test theirtalents and try to earn a slot inthe line-up. It gives "wannabes"a chance to showcase their beststuff and try to prove they canmake it in professional baseball.For team managers, spring

training is a time of promise. It'sthe first chalk stroke on theclean slate of a new season.Pressure is intense. Spring

training is the proving ground.It's the point where all the plan-ning, plotting and negotiatingshould begin to payoff in theform of a winning team.All these hopes and dreams

rely heavily on the polished dia-mond and patch of perfect turfthat make up the spring trainingbaseball field.

daily maintenance requirements areintensive, to say the least.Spring training is all about playing

ball. There's tremendous pressure toget in all the scheduled games, evenwhen the entire season is plagued byan opposing force with the power of EINino.The weather this season has

brought special challenges to sports

grooming the basepaths, painting andlining, and mowing the turf.In view of all that, this year's mid-

season maintenance may be moreimportant than ever.

The line upBaseball is a game of inches. Part of

mid-season maintenance is re-check-ing

Spring training is just as much a proving ground forthe sports turf manager as it is for the players andteam managers. Here, Baseball City's grounds crewwraps up its maintenance procedures with some fin-ishing touches. Courtesy: Trusty & Assoc.

Unlisted playersSpring training is just as much a

proving ground for the sports turf.manager as it is for the players andteam managers. With careers in thebalance, field conditions had better benear perfect. Initial field preparationbegins long before that first "play ball!"of the spring training season, and the

turf managers and every member oftheir crews with excessive rain, dam-aging storms, fluctuating tempera-tures and prolonged cloudy skies. It'sbeen harder and has taken longer toaccomplish all the standard dailymaintenance procedures - preparingthe mound and homeplate area,

24 sports TURF• http://www.sportsturfonline.com

the accuracy of the field layoutmeasurements. Using the apexof homeplate as the referencepoint, all the distances must bechecked: to the mound, bases,foul lines, outfield fences, andso on.Base settings must be veri-

fied prior to reworking thebasepaths. Any adjustments tothe on-field mound or themounds in the bullpens mustbe made during mound renova-tion. Finally, fresh lines wrapup these maintenance proce-dures.

Mound renovationand rebuilding

For mounds, consistency isthe key maintenance issue.Pitchers need to warm up and

pitch the game from surfaces that areuniform. Any variation in the underly-ing firmness or the top surface of themound will affect the throw and thepitcher's consistency.Besides the key game field, spring

training sites generally have multiplepractice fields that are used almost

constantly. For each field, the infieldmound and the bullpen mounds mustnot only meet regulations for heightand layout, but must be identical inconsistency.Ideally, this consistency extends to

all mounds on all fields used by ateam. Daily use by different pitchersfor different lengths of time makes ithard enough to retain this consisten-cy. Factor in slight variations in sunand shade patterns, temperature, andprecipitation within the micro-cli-mates of each field, and the jobbecomes even harder.Individual sports turf managers

develop their own "ideal" moundmaterial based on the preferences ofplayers, coaches, the manager, andeven the team owner in some cases.Managers must also consider thephysical characteristics of the field orfields, climate and environmental fac-tors, and available materials.The material needs to retain suffi-

cient moisture to remain consistentwithout becoming dry, slick or toomoist, even in a doubleheader. Itneeds to resist drying and cracking,yet provide the firm surface necessaryfor good footing.After selecting the preferred

mound material, the sports turf man-ager must determine the precise mois-ture level within the material formound building, renovation andrepair. The moisture level will varyslightly to accommodate such weatherconditions as heat and humidity lev-els.At each specific moisture level, the

sports turf manager must also deter-mine the precise point of compactionthat will allow each new layer to stickto and bond with previous layers. Themound must be one solid structure,but must retain the desired level offirmness.Depending on weather conditions,

the amount of play, and the window ofworkable time available, mid-seasonmaintenance of the mound may rangefrom a slightly more intense form ofdaily mound preparation to a strip-ping and reworking of the upper levelof the mound.Wear is greatest on the flat top

plateau. Problem areas often formaround the pitching rubber, on thefirst base and homeplate sides, andalong the front slope that faces homeplate. The edges where the mound

meets the turf may also need atten-tion. Wear in this area is greatest onthe edge facing homeplate.Minimal mid-season maintenance

will include checking the level andseating of the pitching rubber. Anyproblems with slope will requireremoving the rubber and reworking

the mound to whatever level is neces-sary to correct the problem.

If time and weather permit, theentire plateau area may be reworkedto ensure proper bonding and a flat,level surface. Generally, the upper sur-face of the front slope will also requirereworking.

Thousands worldwide have used the Verti-Drain®deep-tine aerator to relieve compaction. You mustsee it in action to believe it!

Compacted and poor draining soils canbe improved dramatically opening themup so air and water can move freely. Rootscan then grow deep, creating stronghealthy plants resistant to pests, weeds,disease, drought and hard play.Verti-Drain's unique parallelogram

design forces each tine backwards instantlyas it penetrates the soil making new path-ways. This underground shattering effect isa Verti-Drain exclusive!To really see the dynamic action of the

Verti-Drain phone now for our informationpacket including our new, free video.

Verti-Drain Greens Model 7316, justone of nearly a dozen models availabletofit virtually every budget.

VERTI-DRAIN®RedeximriA,"'!'

Verti-Drain's patented parallelogramdesign shatters the soil. Coring tines arealso available on all models.

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Circle 117 on Postage Free Card

Apri/1998 25

Once the materials have beenremoved from areas that need to bereworked, repair procedures are thesame as those used in regular dailymaintenance: sweep out any loosemound material, fill in a smallamount of pre-moistened moundmaterial, and pack it in firmly. Onthe plateau, use a level or longer"level board" to ensure a flat, levelsurface. With any re-working, fre-quent measuring will be neededto maintain proper dimensions,height and degree of slope.

Batte -8 bo repairMid-season maintenance gen-

erally includes reworking the bat-ter's box area. If time and weath-er factors permit, homeplate canbe removed and reset followingthe same general repair practicesused on the mounds: If reworkingis not possible, the sports turfmanager must at least ensurethat homeplate is properlyplaced, well-seated and level with thesurrounding clay material.

pat ar n lip r 0 1Lips develop when infield clay

builds up in the turf bordering skinnedareas. To avoid ball "hops" and protect

Consistency is key to mound maintenance.Pitchers need to warm up and pitch the gamefrom surfaces that are uniform.Courtesy: Trusty & Assoc.

player safety, there should be no dif-ference in feel when stepping into the

transition between the skinned areaand the turf. Ideally, regular dailymaintenance with a rake or broomalong the inner and outer edges of the

basepath will have minimized lipbuildup.If lips are present, pressur-

ized air from a blower or a high-pressure stream of water from ahose can be used all along thebaselines. Follow with the nor-mal daily broom or rake treat-ment.Most sports turf managers

check the baseline during mid-season maintenance. Run astring line first along one side ofthe basepath, and repeat alongthe other. Cut away any turf thatis growing into the basepathwith a hand edger, and that spotis repaired.Mid-season maintenance gen-

erally requires a deep working ofthe skinned material in thebasepath. After working up the

surface with a scarifying drag, addi-tional material can be added if neces-

Call 1(800) 817-1889 use FastFax# 1180498 and/or Circle 118 on Postage Free Card

26 sports TURF • hffp./lwww. sportsturfonline. com

When the Ump says "PLAY BALL!"•••will the field be as ready as the players?

Untimely rain showers shortly before a scheduled game or tournament isupsetting to players and fans, and a major challenge to groundsmaintenance staff.And if favorableweather quicklyreturns, thedemands on thegrounds' staff toget the waterremoved and thefields ready for playcan be intense.

Use the WaterHOG JUNIOR to pick-up standing water fromtroublesome spots and completely remove it. Play can resume sooner on adrier, and safer, playing surface. The JUNIOR is simple to operate, easyto clean, and effective on infields, athletic fields, sensitive golf turf, andhard surfaces like tennis courts and running tracks.

~~TERHOGEQUIPMENT, INC.

Englewood, CO

800-495-4429 303-843-6243 Fax 303-843-9284A STAR Products International Com an

Circle 119 on Postage Free Card

sary. Again, each sports turf managerhas a preferred material for this area.Adjustments in the mix may be madeduring this reworking to compen-sate for unusual weather condi-tions.After scarifying, use a leveling

drag to correct any high or lowspots and level the surface.General daily maintenance proce-dures provide the finishing touch-es for a firm, lower surface and alight, looser top layer that willallow players' spikes to get a goodhold without pulling out chunks ofclay.

In the turfTurf bordering the baselines

should be free of skinned areamaterial following lip repair. Anymound material that has workedits way into the surroundinginfield turf should be cleared awaywith a rake or broom.Wear and compaction are greatest

in the area between the mound and

with a soil conditioner, deep tine aera-tion, or water injection for compactionrelief. Core aeration is generally use-

full only if the compaction issevere enough to warrant the sur-face disruption the procedurecauses.In normal conditions, turf in

other areas of the field showsminimal wear. Repairs should bemade to any high or low spotswithin the turf areas. Follow nor-mal in-season schedules for fertil-ization, irrigation and mowing.Wrap up mid-season mainte-

nance with painting and lining,and the polished diamond is onceagain ready for play. 0

homeplate. Again, time and weatherconditions dictate which procedurescan be used to reduce the stress.

Bullpen mounds must not only meet regulationsfor height and layout, but must be identical inconsistency to the infield mound.Courtesy: Trusty & Assoc. Steve and Suz Trusty are part-

ners in Trusty & Associates basedin Council Bluffs, Iowa. Steve is

executive director of the Sports TurfManagers Association.

Maintenance in this specific area mayinclude spike aeration and topdressing

AERA-vator®

"This past.summer, our goal was to aerate allof our athletic fields on a regular basis allsummer (once every 3 weeks was the endresult). The Aera-Vator" proved to be a veryversatile and valuable addition to our .turfprogram. We use it in hard compacted soilswhere core aeration would not penetrate. Wewere able to loosen up areas prior to gameswithout having a negative effect on play.Overall we are very pleased with the varity ofturf tasks we can use the Aera-Vator on. It isreliable and has become a very importantpiece of our Turf Maintenance Program."

Paul M. EdwardsonPark Maintenance Mgr:City oj Bloomington, MN

~

RST The Multi·Purpose Tool VersatileRODUCTS, Enoughfor Golf or Sports Turfl

800·363·8780 OUTSIDE GA. 912/382·4768SALES REP & DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOMED.

Call1(800)817-1889useFastFax# 1200498and/orCircle120on PostageFreeCard

The Diamond Demon ... machines designed toput your baseball or softball fieldsinto great shape with a minimum

of time and effort.

The Demon plows, pulverizes, drags, rolls and brushesthe field in one simple operation. It's versatility

enables the operator to use all five functions,or three, two, or just the roller and brush.

Diamond Demon also offers a 4' modelthat can be towed by a 16h.p. garden tractor.

DIAMOND DEMON~ INC..4115 SouthernAire * St. Louis, MO 63125

Phone/Fax: 314-487-1753

Circle121on PostageFreeCard

Apri/1998 27

sportsTB'f

-seasenrasses

Selecting the proper seed variety canimprove the overall performance of your turf.

by Victoria Wallace

T urfgrass selection affects thedensity, uniformity and over-all consistency of your playing

surface. Correct selection can improvea field's quality and playability, and cangreatly reduce potential concerns ofsports turf managers.In cool-season climate zones, the

sports turf industry relies primarily onKentucky bluegrass, perennial rye-grass and tall fescue. Over the past 20years, turfgrass breeders have provid-ed athletic field managers and otherlandscape professionals with vastlyimproved cultivars of these turfgrasses.

Kentucky bluegrassKentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

has long been a favorite of athletic fieldmanagers. Known for its ability tospread vegetatively via tillers and rhi-zomes, Kentucky bluegrass produces adense turfgrass surface.Its rhizomes contribute to the turf-

grass' tensile strength and allow theplant to recuperate from injury easily.On sports fields, capacity to re-growand recover from divot injury is crucialto turf density and overall uniformity.Kentucky bluegrasses exhibit excel-

lent cold tolerance, and can survivewell into the USDA's Hardiness Zone 2.However, compared to other cool-sea-son turfgrasses, Kentucky bluegrasscan be slow to germinate and establishitself from seed.

Soil temperatures cause tremendousvariations in germination. If soil tem-peratures are above 60 degrees F, ger-mination can occur within 10 days.However, cool spring temperatures ofless than 55 degrees F can result in aslower germination range of 14 to 21days.Kentucky bluegrass generally

requires moderate to high levels of fer-tilization to maintain its density andoverall health (3 to 4 lbs. per 1,000sq.ft. per yr.). If bluegrasses are main-tained at lower fertility levels, turf issubject to greater environmental stressand pressure from pests.Over 120 cultivars are listed in the

current NTEP High MaintenanceKentucky Bluegrass Trial, and this isonly a partial representation of thenumerous varieties on the market.Varieties differ in color, blade width,heat tolerance, aggressiveness, seedyield, plant height, density, pest resis-tance, green-up, and fall color reten-tion.Aggressive bluegrass cultivars,

such as Limousine, P-105 andTouchdown, exhibit the most dense lat-eral growth. They have excellent recu-perative potential, but may produceexcessive thatch unless managed prop-erly.For fields that host spring sports,

early green-up is an important consid-eration. It indicates that the turf has

28 sports TURF• http://www.sportsturfonline.com

resumed its active growth. Varietiessuch as Dellwood, Washington andGeorgetown green-up more quicklythan other bluegrasses. They startgrowing earlier in the spring season, sothey are better able to recover frominjuries associated with spring sports.On the other hand, bluegrass vari-

eties such as Ram I, Classic andChallenger retain their color late intothe fall season. This indicates thatthey have an extended season of activegrowth, which makes them better ableto tolerate stress and recover from lateseason injury associated with fallsports.Varieties such as P-105, NuGlade,

Limousine and Ram I exhibit betterpersistence under a low height-of-cut,and still maintain density and recu-perate from wear easily. This canenhance playability, foot traction andball roll in such sports as field hockeyand soccer.Eagleton, Ram I, Nustar, Belmont,

Dellwood, Midnight and Preaknesshave faired well in the low mainte-nance category. They show good toler-ance to heat and drought stress, lowfertility soils, and pest pressures.These varieties are useful in the Mid-Atlantic and transition regions of theU.S., where heat tolerance is particu-larly important. They can delay thewindow of summer dormancy andallow active growth to continue longer

into the season, so turf exhibitsimproved recuperative growth.

Perennial ryegrassTurf-type perennial ryegrass

(Lolium perenne) has long been a sta-ple of sports turf managers acrosstemperate regions and transitionareas in the Ll.S, Its ability to germi-nate and establish quickly allowsperennial ryegrass to get a footholdwhile other grasses wait to germinate.Seeding with perennial ryegrass canextend the window of opportunity foroverseeding, and can add some flexi-bility to the seeding schedule of theathletic field manager.Recognized for its excellent wear

tolerance, perennial ryegrass performswell on heavily used fields and onareas of intense wear within individ-ual fields. Ryegrasses tolerate com-pacted soils and are able to competewith weeds such as annual bluegrass.There are approximately 100

entries in the current NTEP PerennialRyegrass Test. The top rated varietiesinclude: Palmer III, Pennant II,Premier II and Brightstar. They pro-vide a high-density turf that can com-pete with Poa annua.Recent breeding efforts have devel-

oped many positive improvements inturf-type perennial ryegrasses. Someof these include: a rich, darker greencolor; finer blade width; lower growthprofile; improved disease resistance;improved heat and wear tolerance;and improved mowability. Also, mostnew perennial ryegrasses contain anendophyte that provides resistance tosurface feeding insects and improvedturf vigor.

Tall fescueTurf-type tall fescues are popular

athletic field grasses in the Mid-Atlantic and transition regions of theU.S. They are becoming increasinglypopular in cooler, temperate regions,and on multi-use fields with heavyplay and limited supplemental irriga-tion.Recent tall fescue releases have

improved upon the coloration of pastvarieties. Their dark green colormatches more closely with that ofKentucky bluegrasses and turf-type

perennial ryegrasses. New turf-typetall fescues have improved tolerance tothe traffic and lower heights-of-cutassociated with sports fields.A study completed at Rutgers

University in 1995* identified differ-ent categories of tall fescues andexamined the wear tolerance of thetall fescue groups. The group labeled"lower growing vigorous" types con-tained a lower growing, but more vig-orous tall fescue than the "dwarf' type.They proved to be excellent for athlet-ic field use.These types, such as Rebel Jr., had

a greater number of tillers per unitarea than the other categories of turf-type tall fescues. In general, tall fes-cues perform best when a one- to two-inch height-of-cut is used for sportsfields.Tall fescue prefers to grow in warm

soils. In northern climates, where soiltemperature cools early in the season,the active growth of tall fescue turfwill slow more quickly. The turf willpossess a decreased ability to recoverfrom injury during the fall season. If aheavy fall schedule is permitted on tallfescue fields, the turf cannot activelyrecover from injury.

MixturesPerennial ryegrass compliments

Kentucky bluegrass nicely in top-qual-ity sports turf mixtures. Perennialryegrass' rapid rate of germination,wear tolerance, endophyte presence,and lack of thatch production add tothe recuperative potential, cold toler-ance, and natural winter injury resis-tance of Kentucky bluegrass.Mixtures of the two species can

vary based on the level of intendedactivity of a field and on plannedmaintenance schedules. For highmaintenance fields with minimal tomoderate activity, either 100%Kentucky bluegrass or a blend of 80%Kentucky bluegrass/20% perennialryegrass (by weight) is recommended.Fields with moderate maintenanceschedules that must tolerate moderateto heavy levels of play should be seed-ed to ratios of 70-60% Kentucky blue-grass/30-40% perennial ryegrass.When adding Kentucky bluegrass

to mixtures, moderate to aggressive

Apri/1998 29

"On au r playingjields,we can't afford to haveanything but the bestgrass available."

AndreBruce, Head Groundskeeper,Kansas City Chiefs facilities

That's why the KC Chiefs use Magnum Blend

featuring Omni and Penguin Perennial

Ryegrasses.Magnum withstands the stress of

heavy play, low mowing, and regenerates

Circle 122 on Postage Free Card

sHlnsTURFhttp://www.sportsturfonline.com

varieties should be included(Limousine, P-105 or Touchdown).They have proven their ability torecover from injury quickly.A higher percentage of ryegrass is

recommended on heavy-use fields,where wear can be critical and there isless opportunity for the turf to recover.100% turf- type ryegrass blends arerecommended on fields where play isheavy, maintenance is low to moder-ate, compaction is prevalent, and aturf cover needs to be maintained.Ryegrass may be repeatedly over-

seeded on areas that are particularlyworn, even if the remaining portions ofthe field continue to use abluegrass/ryegrass mixture. For high-use fields, oversee ding is strongly rec-ommended with all mixtures or blends.

Typically, tall fescues can be used incombination with Kentucky bluegrassand/or perennial ryegrass. A popularformula has combined 80% turf-typetall fescue, 10% Kentucky bluegrass,and 10% turf-type perennial ryegrass.Because tall fescue spreads only viatillers, the rhizomatous bluegrasshelps keep the turf knitted togetherwhile the ryegrass provides additionalwear tolerance.

Be aware that over time, thespecies population within the turf of agiven playing surface will change dueto a variety of factors, such as wear,overseeding, and susceptibility toenvironmental stresses. Also, bear inmind that turfgrass selection cannotprevent or alleviate problems associat-

ed with a poorly constructed field, orproblems associated with compactionfrom unrelenting and incessant, heavyuse.However, proper seed selection can

improve the overall performance anddensity of your turfgrass. This goes along way toward providing a safe play-ing surface. 0

Victoria Wallace is technical agron-omist for Lofts Seed, Inc., and publicrelations co-chair for the nationalSTMA.

*References: Ventola, M. w 1995.Wear Tolerance and Recovery of TallFescue Cultivars under SelectedMaintenance Regimes. Master ofScience Thesis. Rutgers University.

30 sports TURF• http://www.sportsturfonline.com

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