JOHN MASCARO ’ S PHOTO QUIZ
ANSWER
From page 17
The green spot on this unirrigated fi eld is fairly easy to diagnose . When a worn area in the goalmouth of this high school fi eld was thin , the coach told the sports fi eld manager that he had been given some sod and wanted to do a repair . Since it was the middle of the summer and the fi eld has no irrigation or access to water , the sports fi eld manager told him he was better off putting some loam and seed down later in the year toward the fall in place of trying to resod the area . He also suggested that he just use the sod somewhere else . A couple of weeks later , the sports fi eld manager observed the sod on the fi eld . The area was never properly leveled out before the sod was installed and a low area at the center of the repair was the only area that received an adequate amount of water due to a dry summer . In addition , this low area in the sod also was being mowed at a higher height due to the depression , also contributing to the greener area . The sports fi eld manager reported that the coach had , “ Good intentions , but a bad outcome to what might have been good sod .” This photo also illustrates how higher mowing heights during periods of stress – including times of drought – can increase turfgrass health and survivability .
Photo submitted by Matt Tobin with Pioneer Products and David Hart , sports field manager at the City of Brewer ( Maine ).
John Mascaro is president of Turf-Tec International
If you would like to submit a photograph for John Mascaro ’ s Photo Quiz , please send a high-resolution digital photo to John Mascaro via email at john @ turf-tec . com . If your photograph is selected , you will receive full credit . All photos submitted will become property of SportsField Management magazine and the Sports Field Management Association .
sportsfieldmanagementonline . com January 2023 | SportsField Management
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