Boise Seminoles & Braves: Field Maintenance
Thursday, April 2Year-Round Field Maintenance Schedule
FIELD MAINTENANCE SCHEDULEWinter
- Arrange for maintenance of equipment. Inventory equipment.
- Monitor goose issues with field and move “coyote” manikin as needed.
- Assist with preparing field, particularly infield, and making it playable for February practices and early March games.
- Assist with training of coaches and players on proper field maintenance care and care of field maintenance equipment owned by Seminole program.
- As soon as grass is thick enough mow as short as possible and fertilize with high iron fertilizer (or just ironite).
- Aerate soon after some active growth appears.
- Overseed with Blue Grass Mix Only.
- Compost and sand the infield as soon as growth has begun. Composting and organic materials should be applied on the infield and sideline grass at least once or twice during the season- usually spring and fall. This can be purchased from Zamzows in bulk truckload or bags or steer manure from Home Depot for about $1.00/bag. One 40-bag pallet will do both infields and sidelines on the main field.
- Start on fertilization soon after aeration, if following overseeding, allow a week or so after growth begins before you fertilize. Use Nigh Nitrogen fertilizer in the spring.
- Water schedule varies by year, the Parks Department determines when irrigation water will be turned on based on weather conditions.
- Sprinkler replacement, repair and synchronization.
- Pre-Emergant Crabgrass Killer should be timed when the local forsythia are in full bloom. This usually occurs at the end of March or early April. This needs to be monitored closely as the pre-emergant application window is very short.
- Deep root watering is preferable to short period daily watering schedules. This is a challenge at this location due to the layout of the irrigation system and the soil condition.
- Mow as much as needed to keep a short groomed field. During peak growing season mowing may be required every 3-5 days. The “Grasshopper” should be used at its lowest setting for both the infield and outfield.
- Weed control for NON-GRASS area’s: this should begin once temps reach 60s and continue throughout the season. Roundup concentrate is the preferred choice. Mix “Hot” and add a drop or two of dish soap as a thickening agent. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH ROUNDUP- WHEREVER YOU DRIP OR SPILL YOU WILL KILL.
- Weed control for grass: general week control (2 4 D) should be applied as often as needed when weed growth is noticed (clover, dandelions etc..). Applied when these are young and have gone to seed is preferable.
- Fertilize with low nitrogen fertilizer in the summer as needed.
- Use winter formula fertilizer in the fall.
- Fall composting.- same as spring procedure.
- Continue projects to improve drainage—need September Saturday work day.
- Rehabilitate mound and home plate areas on both fields.
- Till both infields and dress with diamond dust before freezing weather.
Handout: Seminole Handouts