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Football Fields - Sportsgrass.com

FOOTBALL FIELD TURFGRASSES

Seeded Fields need to have time to establish with 2 months  to 12 months required depending on species.  Time must be allowed for fields to mature and establish when seeding cool season grasses for football use.  Aggressive fertilization programs coupled with correct irrigation are essential to maintaining a field. Practice fields for rotational purposes are an important part of the maintenance program for football fields.  Overseeding of Perennial Ryegrass can help with wear, but there is not substitute for the ability to lay a field out-of-play while it repairs. It also needs to be done while the field is out of play for good establishment to occur.

WARM SEASON

Bermudagrass is the DOMINATE choice for Football due to Bermuda's excellent turf quality and the ability to be mowed low for faster Athletic usage speeds. Overseeding with Perennial Ryegrass in the fall is usually done to help keep wear minimal and provide for a green field color.  Perennial Ryegrass should be used because it does NOT stain clothing as  bad as Annual ryegrass.

TRANSITIONAL

In the transitional zone Tall Fescues and Bermudas are both used.  There really is NOT a perfect choice for this area.  Tall Fescue requires a 2" height for adequate maintenance and also is a bunch type requiring high rates of re-seeding to avoid and repair any damaged areas. 

Bermudagrasses are impacted by their off color during winter dormancy and the higher risk of plant loss due to winter kill from low temperatures.  Bermudagrass fields must also be overseeded each fall with Ryegrasses (during a break in schedule) to avoid playing on dormant / brown fields in the fall.  Additional re-seeding of ryegrass as the season progresses is usually required. 

Kentucky Bluegrass is also used in the more NORTHERN parts of the transitional zone.  Maintenance is usually around 1-2 inches with 2 inches preferable.  It does have one big benefit and that is that the rhizomes repair damaged turf over time without re-seeding.

COOL SEASON

Here in this area Kentucky Bluegrass is the DOMINATE choice.  Its aggressive growth and recuperative abilities (rhizomes) make it the # 1 choice.  It is also considered a safer playing surface because of the cushioning effects of its thatch layer.  Bluegrass is though slow  to fully establish, taking generally 1 year to mature.  You can generally seed in spring with use beginning in the fall.   Perennial Ryegrass is often added to mixtures of Bluegrass for field use, especially for fast repair jobs.

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