With no rain in the forecast , how can we renovate dead and dormant , nonirrigated athletic fields this fall to make sure we have playable fields in the spring of 2025 ?

Q & A WITH PAMELA SHERRATT

This summer , severe drought has significantly impacted the central and eastern United States , with the Ohio River Basin being the hardest hit . Under drought conditions lasting two to four weeks , most cool-season grasses will go dormant but recover with adequate rainfall .

Recovery from normal summer dormancy with rain and cooler weather may take a couple of weeks for full green-up . For example , Kentucky bluegrass can stay dormant for several weeks due to active perennial parts like crowns and rhizomes , which can regenerate new shoots and roots . To check if your turfgrass is dormant or dead , examine the crown at the base of the plant above the soil . Hydrated crowns indicate the grass is still alive , while dehydrated and brittle crowns suggest it is dead .

The best time to do renovation work on cool-season fields is in the fall , but the success of fall renovation of non-irrigated fields relies upon timely rain to aid in seed germination and establishment . If there is no rain , the challenge becomes how to renovate so that grass is in place for spring sports . You have several options .

First , determine whether you will seed this fall , wait and apply seed as a “ dormant seed ” in late winter , or wait until spring 2025 to seed . The timing will depend entirely on whether rain is forecast before the fall renovation window closes . If drought conditions continue after the fall renovation window has closed , there are options to get grass into and onto the playing surface between now and spring .

Seed into the dead grass : Use a slit seeder or aerator to sow seed into the soil , deep enough to bypass the dormant / dead grass and thatch . Tall dead grass could be mowed low / scalped to lightly expose the soil surface . Fraise mowing would achieve the same result . For small areas such as goal mouths , a sod cutter could be used to slice under the dead grass and thatch layer . This is the type of seedbed preparation normally carried out after a non-selective chemical application where the goal is to kill weeds and replace the ground cover with turfgrass without tilling the soil . You can ’ t

spray a non-selective herbicide right now though , as the vegetation is dormant and it will not take the herbicide up . The seed that has been sliced or applied with aeration is in place to germinate when conditions are right next spring , and the dead vegetation prevents soil erosion and conserves near-surface soil moisture .

Topdressing with good quality topsoil and / or compost will further aid soil moisture conservation , improve surface evenness , and help improve native soil composition , especially those soils low in organic matter content . Many compost materials are high in phosphorus , so their addition could also eliminate the need for additional phosphorus from supplemental fertilizer next spring .

Prepare the seedbed as outlined above , or till the soil and hydromulch . Hydromulching involves spraying a slurry mixture of seed , mulch , water and often a tackifier ( a binding agent ) onto the soil . Research by Gerald Henry , Ph . D ., and Jared Hoyle , Ph . D ., showed that a hydromulching mixture can significantly aid in seed germination , protect the seed against the elements , and prevent soil erosion . Hydromulching also results in lower weed infestations compared to tilling alone . Tilling the soil offers an opportunity to improve the soil and correct surface levels . However , tilling / disturbing the soil , particularly in spring , can cause major weed problems because it can disturb the seed bank . But covering the seedbed with a material like hydromulch is a great way to aid establishment and limit weeds .

Similarly , tilled soil or a scalped and exposed seedbed can be sodded . Non-netted sod is a great way to get 100 % ground cover of desirable turf species established in a relatively short period of time , as long as irrigation during the sod establishment period is sufficient . SFM

Pamela Sherratt Sports turf extension specialist The Ohio State University

Questions ? Send them to Pamela Sherratt at 202D Kottman Hall , 2001 Coffey Road , Columbus , OH 43210 or sherratt . 1 @ osu . edu

Or send your question to Dr . Grady Miller , North Carolina State University , Box 7620 , Raleigh , NC 27695-7620 , or grady _ miller @ ncsu . edu

50 SportsField Management | October 2024 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com