Choices
and Decisions Do
you seed or sod? This section covers seeding new areas or overseeding
existing turf.
Check local agriculture
experts for type of grass most suited for your climate. But here's the
basics for baseball field seed:
90/10 blue
fescue mix.
This is 90% fescue and 10% bluegrass. This is a nice mix for outfield
grass and common at most fields maintained by a park district. After mowing,
this usually is 2 inches or longer.
80/20 blue
rye mix.
This is 80% perennial rye and 20% bluegrass. It is sometimes called sports
turf mix. This mix is good for infields if not the entire field. This
can be mowed as short as an inch long.
bermuda grass
seed.
In the hot climates this works for the entire field and can be mowed to
3/4 inch long.
Sources
and Suppliers
Suppliers I've used
and am satisfied with: Horizon, Sierra Pacific Turf Supply.
There are others of course, but these folks provide bulk supplies to landscapers
and park districts and I've found that they understand what baseball fields
need.
Tips & Hint for seeding
- In the northern
climates the cooler grasses work best - rye, bluegrass, fescue.
- In the southern
climates the hot grasses work best - bermuda.
- In the transition
climates it is sometimes a combination depending on the time of year.
For example, bermuda in the hot summer, but overseeded with perennial
rye throughout the season and heavily before winter. Pro teams use Chaparral
perennial rye.
- Seed needs to be
kept moist and in contact with dirt to germinate. That's why you drag
the infield turf after seeding in the 10 step turf maintenance program.
This works the seed and topdressing together and down to the soil. Keep
the top 2 inches of topsoil moist for the seedlings.
- When seeding a
larger area, till in topsoil/compost, roll flat, lightly rake to scarify,
spread seed, lightly rake, roll flat, fertilize, and then start a watering
program. Keep the seeds moist. Once they germinate and sprout you can
cut back on watering a bit.
- Overseed rate is
6 to 8 pounds per thousand square feet. One 50 pound bag is good for
a high school size infield. One 50 pound bag can overseed 2 little league
infields.
- Apply seed to new
areas at double the rate as overseeding.
Mistakes to avoid
- Don't just lay
the seed on top of bare spots. It will float to the edges when you water
or the birds will eat it. Either way you still have a bare spot.
- Find the best lawn
in your neighborhood. Quite often the maintenance and growing practice
there is NOT what you'd do for a sports field. You not only want your
turf to look nice, but it needs to stand up to competitive play. Home
lawns rarely are the same as a sports field.
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50 lb bag
of blue/fescue
for the outfield area
blue/fescue
up close
50 lb bag
of sports turf
80/20 blue rye
thin area
that is
overseeded
raking
the top soil and
compost smooth before
putting out seed and
rolling it
rolling
a newly seeded
area at second base
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