Turf Maintenance In The Off-Season: 5 Priorities

Just because most sport seasons were canceled in Connecticut this year, it doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to skip off-season athletic field and turf maintenance in the coming weeks and months.

When it comes to maintaining your sports turf during the off-season, the five most important areas to prioritize are:

1. Pest mitigation – Proper maintenance helps to reduce the population and occurrence of pests, which minimizes the need for chemical application and other interventions.
2. Soil aeration – Exposing the soil to air in the offseason is essential to ongoing turf health, since aeration helps encourage water movement within the soil. Aeration can only be done during the off-season, when the field is not in regular use.
3. Irrigation – A comprehensive and sensible irrigation plan is essential to maintain the health and appearance of your fields. When irrigating the grass, consider the composition and condition of the soil, the kind of grass that’s planted, and how the field will be used throughout the year.
4. Mowing – Even when the turf is not in constant use, it is important to mow it regularly. The height to which turf is maintained depends on the sport it’s being used for. A number of environmental conditions – including the type of grass and soil composition – determine how fast the grass will grow, and how often you have to mow.
5. Fertilization – Proper fertilization helps the grass to grow strong, healthy and thick. Choosing the right fertilizer for your turf, soil, and climate is essential, so do your research – or better yet, hire a pro to do it for you!

The offseason is approaching for many summer sports fields – are you ready with a plan for offseason maintenance? Diamond Landscapes & Athletic Fields can help. From field design and renovation to year-round athletic field maintenance in CT, we’re a team you can count on! Contact us today to learn more.