Pictures are worth a thousand words. So is the case in showing the impact that turf colorant applications have on turf grass and conifer trees. Several test strips were made on Kentucky Blue grass in November as it was going dormant as well as blue spruce needles and branches. The Tru Mark SwitchBack Kameelyan Blue Turf Colorant was tested using different dilution ratios, from 1:10, 1:20, and 1:30, 1 part colorant to different parts water. Although not tested, a dilution ratio of 1:40 should provide adequate results when costs are a significant factor and where touch up operations are necessary.

Tru Mark also supplies the SwithBack Kameelyan Bermuda Turf Colorant for those below the cool grass regions.

Earlier blog posting on the subject can be read at
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/2009/06/painting-lawn-grass-and-fariway-turf.html and http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/2009/11/painting-living-tree-for-holiday-season.html

The turf colorant was applied using the Model E-100 12-volt diaphragm pump technology and a spray nozzle bracket modification, Part # 90010-121-0021 with an extended horizontal clamping rod to produce increased line width. The the standard spray wand was adapted for tree spraying using the Conversion Fan Spray Tip Kit
Part Number: 90010-121-0022.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

What should you cover a confer tree (with needles, evergreen type) that has a brown color where you want to make it look greener.

Given the formulation of the DuraStripe Aerosol Paint I would not apply this material to a living tree, especially one that keeps its needles from year after year. I’m afraid the absorption of the material by the needles would be destructive to the tree.

The Aerosol Chalk product would be a better temporary solution, however we do not make this formulation in a green or turf green color.

What I might suggest is finding an arts and craft or hobby store, Office Max, Office Depot, Staples that sells Tempera paint. This paint can be used on many different surfaces and is removable. It comes in powder or paste. I would dilute the material to a one to one ratio and apply using a pump-up hand sprayer that is used by turf companies.

A bulk latex field marking paint product could also be used for covering the tree with little adverse impact. Also you consider a bulk chalk solution but at this time a green color is not being offered by Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker. You would apply the bulk paint and chalk using a pump-up or airless sprayer after being diluted.

Finally another product solution you might consider is a turf colorant. A turf colorant is typically used on dormant grass during the non-growing and dry seasons. This product is diluted typically to 10-20 to 1 ratio and has a longer duration then traditional turf paint. It can be applied using a pump-up or airless sprayer after dilution.

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Customers continue to evaluate time versus supply cost savings when selecting products and services for their sports complex operations. Some customers are willing to pay more per applied gallon of field marking to eliminate their paint mixing operations.

A majority of field marking marking paints are formulated to support different dilution ratios to achieve the lowest cost per diluted gallon while ensuring sufficient coverage and brightness.

Some of the field marking equipment requires some amount of paint dilution due to viscosity of the paint and the lower pressure pump technology.

Shipping costs also have an impact on field marking paint selection since avoiding the transport of water which can be added locally and mixed makes since for many customers.

There are more customers looking for convenience and saving time as part of paint mixing operations, in many cases eliminating the need to spend time diluting field marking paint before application.

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker has been testing a field marking paint formulation that is designed to be ready to use directly from the manufacturer, no additional water required and subsequent paint mixing prior to use.

The SwitchBack Cheap Seats Ready to Use (RTU) formulation is for immediate use. The sports field marking paint has anti-settling agents to minimize the solids from separating from the mixture while stored in 5-gallons pails.

Cheap Seats RTU sports field marking paint is ideal for 12-volt low pressure low volume diaphragm pump technologies that typically operate near the 45 psi range.

Check out some of the images where Cheap Seats RTU, white has been applied to a sports complex football field along with SwitchBack Ground Boss Tiger Orange.

For further information contact Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker, (800) 553-6275, TruMarkAthletic@gmail.com.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Most synthetic turf paints are formulated to stick to the different synthetic turf fibers, e.g., nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene. Also many of these synthetic turf paints are designed to be removed using a special cleaning agent which is formulated for their respective ingredients.

If you use a standard natural turf paint on synthetic turf it will start flaking off as soon as it experiences foot traffic because it doesn’t have the binders/adhesives in the formulation.

Most bulk synthetic turf paints are designed to be applied without dilution whereas most natural turf paints are diluted before application. The synthetic turf paints are normally applied (undiluted) with a high pressure airless sprayer (puts out at least 900 psi at the pump) to help atomize the paint.
http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/Products/Paint.html#BulkSynthetic

Labels: Product_Review, Sports, Turf _Tips

SportsTurf Managers Association (STMA) has been doing research and documenting the differences and benefits between natural grass versus synthetic turf sports fields. Some recent publications help communities and sports turf manager tell the story to those that will be paying the bills as well as using the surfaces.

STMA's Natural Turf Benefits Informational Sheet.
"It is becoming more common that high schools and parks and recreation departments are replacing their natural grass playing surfaces with synthetic fields. The reason is often due to the belief that synthetic surfaces are less expensive and easier to maintain than natural surfaces. Synthetic is not an effective replacement if lower maintenance costs are the goal. In addition, it is not a solution to natural grass fields if they are being replaced for aesthetic reasons because they are worn out in the center at the end of the season. The following resource provides a detailed look into the benefits, disadvantages and cost effectiveness of maintaining natural grass fields for recreation."
http://www.stma.org/_files/_items/stma-mr-tab2-3300/docs/naturalgrassfields.pdf

STMA has produced a MS PowerPoint slide presentation that can be modified for an individual facility purpose. This 32 slide presentation puts some of the technical language in layman's terms to help a city council, school board, and booster club understand the whole picture between the debate on natural grass and synthetic turf. The presentation makes some excellent points on environmnetal benefits, participants health benefits, injury, player preferences, construction costs, maintenance costs, and uses a case study illustration.

As Fall sports get under way, it is important to make certain your fields are safe and playable. STMA has put together educational bulletins to help your facility be at its best.

• Football/Soccer Field Safety and Maintenance Checklist
• Baseball/Softball Field Safety and Maintenance Checklist
• Football Practice Techniques that Help to Minimize Field Wear
• 8 Steps to an Easy Field Facelift
• Top 10 Tips on How to Create a Successful Partnership with your Field Provider

When it comes to field marking tips Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker has produced helpful information for a variety of field marking tasks, from a desktop field layout tool (soccer, rugby and lacrosse), laying out field stencils to include the amount of paint needed, items to consider when selecting a field marking unit, and painting strategies.

Labels: Sports, Trends, Turf _Tips

Here's a new technology that benefits the sports turf industry and makes for safer field of play. Raptor Nails--Engineered Polymer Composite Nails--are relatively mower and landscaping equipment safe.

• They are similar in dimension to a 60 penny nail (6 inches in length and 1/4 inch in diameter) at 1/5th the weight and are not susceptible to corrosion and oxidation.
• Manufactured by Utility Composites Intl, Ltd, these nails are UV resistant, and virtually unaffected by chlorine, acids and solvents such as gasoline and oil with about twice the tensile strength of nailed wooden connections.

These nails are a great combination with the multi-colored marking whiskers for helping establish sports field intersections, keeping twine tight when line striping and holding tarps and protective field covers in position as well as custom field and large block letter stencils.

Labels: Product_Review, Sports, Turf _Tips

Dr Andrew McNitt discussed the fundamentals of turf grass management for athletic fields as part of the STMA Midwest Regional Conference in Ames, IA, June 24-25, 2009. He related many of his tips to several of the field plots that Dr Dave Minner was conducting at the ISU turf plot area as part of the trade show the previous day.

Here are the ideas that were shared with the conference attendees:

• Keep the mower height constant and mow often. Stress in August (less water and a lower height with sports field use) is the worst time to change the mower height.
• When removing grass clippings you are removing one third (1/3) of your fertilizer. This is another reason for mowing more often to minimize the thatch.
• Fast release fertilizer (urea) is the most effective for healthy turf grass. Light frequent applications that must be calibrated is perferred. Phosphorous is held by the soil so if there is mature grass there should be very little danger of having a phoshorous run-off in to surface water drainage. Dr. Minner's turf plots reflected this recommendation based on the fertilization amounts and the rates of application.
• Penn State (Beaver Stadium) turf grass specialist implements a "lean & mean" practice in September by cutting back water and fertilizer. You don't want the grass to lush otherwise you'll increase the damage due to divots from traffic.
• Don't skip on the quality of seed. The critical note is to buy the grass seed by weight not by seed count! For example a seed mixture that is 80 percent Kentucky Blue Grass and 20 percent perennial rye grass by seed count will actually be 50/50 by weight. Since Kentucky Blue Grass takes so long to establish the Perennial Rye Grass will just out compete it given this percentage by weight results. Dr McNitt stated for high use areas to seed with perennial rye grass because it quickly establishes itself. He supported Dr Minner's research results in that it far better to reseed at a much higher rate one time then to make repetitive seeding with smaller amounts. Dr Minner's turf plots posted in photo album format reflected these recommendations.
• Tall Fesc)ue needs to go through 2 cool seasons (e.g., spring and fall, or fall and spring) to provide a wear resistant capacity.
• Consider using good quality compost in your fertilization and seeding process.

Labels: Demos, Testimonials, Trends, Turf _Tips

Dr. Dave Minner, Iowa State University Turf Grass Extension Educator, performed a field trial to learn the effects of herbicide application (broad leaf control) associated with the seed germination.

This test did not follow recommended label instructions, off-label application, on 5 different products.

He was trying to determine whether there were adverse impacts to seed germination and plant growth.

Dr. Minner is looking for time saving steps to help sports turf managers because of the limited opportunities and time to establish a new seed bed, reseed/overseed areas of turf while still controlling broadleaf weeds.

His findings showed that there were almost no impact to seed germination when herbicide is applied at the time of seeding. Two products showed some impact to seed germination when the herbicide is applied 7 days after seeding. There were no noticeable impacts to the seedings at 14 and 21 days after seeding with herbicide application.

A couple images are shown in a photo album depicting the field trial.

To learn more about Dr Minner's research and field trials check the ISU website.

Labels: Product_Review, Services, Turf _Tips

During the first annual Midwest Regional STMA conference at Iowa State University, Ames, IA two students put on a demonstration of the custom logo field painting process.

The referenced photo album steps you through the process with some explanations of what was being performed and specific guidance to help field operations staff when doing the same operations on their fields.

They reiterated the importance of shaking the aerosol can well before using and storing them upside down to improver their overall performance.

Have a printed image of the custom on hand is helpful to eliminate mistakes before they happen.

Painting a white background will help your other colors standout.

Where possible you should consider using a plant growth regulator (PGR) to eliminate the need to repaint these custom logo as often. Read a related Tru Mark blog entry for more PGR details.

Check out additional field painting strategies that were documented as part of a 2004 STMA conference. Also there are rules of thumb on the amount of paint to use for field painting, especially field logos. Read more answers to frequently asked questions on field stencils, painting, and storing stenicls.

Labels: Demos, Sports, Trends, Turf _Tips

Tru Mark had the opportunity to repair a Wind Weight Tarp, 26 foot diameter (TAF 3426), for the home plate area. Several holes were discovered during the inspection.

A local tarp and awning company, Norfolk Awning Co., 710 W. Norfolk Ave., Norfolk, NE 68701, (402) 371-0440, Ron Skiff, was consulted on the proper material and procedures to be used. He asked that a sample of the material be provided so he could match the patch material and the correct adhesive cement.

The following is the list of material and process used to repair a Wind Weight Tarp. A photo album is available for tarp repair items used and application process.

Supplies include:

• tarp patch material as the same as the tarp,
• adhesive cement to match with tarp material,
• scissors for trimming the patch material,
• roller for creating a uniform pressure across the patch,
• flat solid surface, and
• cleaning material to include towel(s) and cleaning solution such as Simple Green.

Procedures followed to complete the tarp repair:

1. access the bottom of the tarp surface,
2. identify and clean the surface of the tarp with water (and cleaning solution),
3. create patch (rounded edges),ensure plenty of overlap to the damaged area,
   
4. apply adhesive cement to both the tarp and patch(rough side if available),
5. apply patch and then compress from center to outside edge using a roller if possible, ensure you have the solid flat surface under the tarp so the patch is applied evenly,
6. let adhesive cure for 15 to 30 minutes,
7. check workmanship.

Do not limit the amount of adhesive applied to both the tarp and patch. The rolling device will remove excess adhensive when pressure is applied from the center to the edge to the patch.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review, Sports, Turf _Tips

Dr. Dave Minner, Iowa State University Turf Grass Extension Educator, shows how Syngenta's Primo MAXX, turf grass plant growth regulator (PGR), added to field marking paint can save your staff time painting sports field lines. Review more images from the turf plot trail photo album.

His turf plot trial supported the 1st Annual Midwest Regional STMA Field Day and Educational Conference, June 24-25, 2009.

The turf grass trial reflected three conditions, diluted paint applied with no Primo (the control), 1/2 ounce of Primo per diluted gallon of paint, and 1 ounce of Primo per gallon of diluted paint. The turf trail started on June 7th and results witnessed June 24th by conference attendees.

The turf was mowed twice a week during the 17 day period (approximately 5-6 times).

Results indicate that sports turf managers can save time by not having to stripe sports fields as often as normal, 14-21 days versus the traditional 7-10 days.

The image shows that the center stripe area has no Primo added to the paint, while the striped line on the right has 1/2 ounce of Primo per diluted gallon of paint and the left line has 1 ounce of Primo per gallon of diluted paint.

Check with your local golf course superintendent to see if they are using a turf grass PGR and their Syngenta supplier and PBI/Gordon Corp Embark distributor.

Tru Mark posted an earlier blog entry concerning two PGRs, Embark and Primo.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker desktop sports field layout tools can be used on BlackBerry mobile smartphone devices.

Tru Mark business operations recently updated to a BlackBerry Curve 8900 which is protected by an OtterBox Defender case.

So why is this so important you may ask?

Well, BlackBerry devices run an an application that supports .xls extensions, better known as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. The particular application we are using is the Sheet to Go (spreadsheet) version of the Documents to Go by DataViz, Inc., www.dataviz.com/upgrade.

Again, why is this significant?

Several years ago Tru Mark developed several sports field layout tools using traditional functions implemented in a MS Excel spreadsheet. Please check out the following website pages for more details.
Soccer Field Layout Tool http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/SoccerFieldCalculator.html
Lacrosse Field Layout Tool http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/LacrosseField.html
Rugby Pitch Layout Tool http://www.athleticfieldmarker.com/RugbyField.html

OK, now we can use the desktop sports field layout tools on a mobile smartphone device. You can now calculate field dimensions and their associated intersections (staking positions) right on the field of play. This is especially important if a desktop calculation needs to be changed on the fly.

Once you have down loaded the sports field layout tool template (.xls file) to your desktop filing system you are ready to download the file to your Blackberry device. Using the BlackBerry Desktop Manager application you'll select the Media Manager option [Start], then select Devices (right side of selection window) under the Connected Devices. Go through the file selection process using Add to Library option then navigating to the stored .xls file, select file and click on Add. Next select the folder under My Devices (lower portion of the application window) and copy file to the BlackBerry Device (I used the media card location and created a folder called datafiles) using the "copy without conversion" option.

After completing all your synchronization steps you are ready to access your Blackberry device and the associated data file (sports field layout tool). From you main menu locate the Sheet to Go application and start the application. After start up verification/registration you can Open a file by navigating to the .xls file name stored on the BB device.

The data input fields work similar to an MS Excel operation. Navigate to the data cell, select Menu button, then select Edit Mode and enter your field dimension for that particular cell. Once you accept this entry the calculations are automatically updated just like on the desktop.

It helps to have printed spreadsheet available to verify all the cell locations and resulting intersection calculations. What is nice is you can save each different layout dimension with a different file name to quickly recall this spreadsheet for further changes and review purposes.

Please provide us feedback on this mobile smartphone application and spreadsheet operation. We are always looking for ways to help you save time.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Over the past several months we have received numerous calls from individuals trying to improve their property's landscape appeal. This may be a real estate agent trying to improve the eye appeal of a property on sale or golf course superintendent improving the tee box, fairway, or the greens on a golf course. In most cases the contact is trying to turn lawns greener due to poor grass quality or the grass is in a dormant state (brown).

Given this assumption Tru Mark's best application product is going to be a turf colorant versus a traditional bulk latex paint product.

We have recently introduced a turf colorant for both Bermuda and Blue Grass/Fescue turf grass varieties. This product is formulated so you can achieve a dilution ration of 9 gallons of water to 1 gallon of colorant, in other words for every gallon of colorant you’ll generate 10 gallons of diluted liquid. A recent test my a customer reflected that they achieved good results with a dilution ratio of 15 gallons to 1 gallon of colorant.

These turf colorants are an excellent solution for making turf grass divot mix for golf course tee boxes another high use areas. These colorants make the divot mix look similar to the surrounding turf grass versus a brown spot for several weeks prior to the grass maturing.

Each diluted gallon of colorant will cover approximately 100 square feet (Normal house paint is marketed to cover approximately 300 square feet). We are being more conservative due to the turf depth (up to 3" in length). Therefore one gallon of colorant will cover 1,000 square feet.

These colorants are not inexpensive, one gallon will cost in the neighborhood of $85.00 to $100.00 per gallon and a 5-gallon pail will cost $399.00 to $500.00 plus shipping and handling ($40 per 5-gallon pail). This colorant is very “strong” when it comes to a staining so you have be very careful about porous surfaces like concrete.

Here's is a rough price comparison on 100 square feet application without shipping and handling costs included.
Turf Colorant, $85/gal covers 1000 square ft (10 gallons diluted) (9:1 ratio) or $0.085 per square/ft
Latex Paint $20/gal covers 200 square ft (2 gallons diluted) or $0.100 per square/ft

Check the Tru Mark website for the turf colorant information.

For applying this colorant or bulk latex paint you have several options. For the least expensive equipment option we would recommend the Shurflo battery operated backpack sprayer.

For a three wheel battery operated walk-behind unit we would suggest the Model E-100 with the Paint Boom Accessory (or just use the spray wand accessory that come standard).

Bulk latex green paint can be purchased for around $100.00 per 5-gallon pail. You will probably have a challenge getting the “right” color green. This type of product is diluted at 1 gallon of water to one gallon of paint. Ground Boss Green Sweep turf paint is our particular product.

For golf fairways a traditional spray boom applicator can be used.

Labels: Testimonials, Trends, Turf _Tips

Some of the Tru Mark products we offer are used for a variety of purposes that we didn't originally foresee.

Here's an example from a customer that is responsible for marking a cricket pitch in the United Kingdom. Here's his story on how these sports field marking whiskers are being used to help save time setting up their cricket pitch.

"I help with the ground on a cricket pitch.

The "square" has 20 wickets side by side like a bowling alley surrounded by the oval outfield. Each wicket will have a set of stumps (three bits of wood sticking up) that need to be centered. When we start the new season we have to painstakingly remap these and ensure that they are all square again etc. This can take us 2-3 days, and we will also need to do it several time during the season as the paint fades etc.

We thought it would be a great idea to use the whiskers to mark the square out at the ends so that we can just find the tufts and go from there.

Each "wicket" is 66 feet long and 10 feet wide and must be lined up correctly (otherwise it looks a mess!) and as there are only two of us volunteers, anything we can find to reduce time is welcome."

Check out their Unsworth Cricket Club web site.

Labels: Product_Review, Services, Testimonials, Turf _Tips

Area Field Marking Services and Requests

We have had numerous visitors call or email requesting contact information on field marking services in their area.

Here's your opportunity to post your field marking services and as well as requests through the comment section of this blog. In addition we'll add your posting to our Links Service Providers web page.

Please add appropriate contact information to include name, address, telephone numbers, FAX, email, and web site address.

Are you considering adding field marking operations to your business operations? We can help with how to prepare for a bidding process when it comes to amount of time to stake a field, string, and then paint a sports field, as well as the equipment and paint supplies needed. Send us an email: TruMarkAthletic@gmail.com.

Also post your guidelines and tips how to save time and supplies for field marking operations.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

We continue to receive interesting questions to problems that customers ask about that typically can be solved using our products. Here's one of the more recent questions that we answered.

"We are in need of a system to paint a circle on the ground with a diameter of approximately 20”. This could either be paint or lime or similar but must be environmentally friendly. The circle must be completely filled in and have well defined edges. They are to be used for aerial mapping targets. We would need some way of dispensing this quickly. We would need it for someone on foot who would only have one hand free, and to also use on a quad. We would be looking at creating approximately 40-50 targets each time. Would you have anything that fit’s this description, or any ideas if we had to get something custom made?"

And here is how we answered their challenge.

Here are a couple suggestions that I can offer.
1) Depending on how long you want these “targets” to last you could decide on the aerosol chalk (more temporary, yet eco-friendly) or EcoStripe water based paint (more long lasting yet environmentally friendly.
2) These products can be applied by hand in an inverted fashion after shaking. I would design a sleeve (similar to a beer can flexible insulating sleeve) and attaching a string/cable of the desired length with a spike or ballast device to mark the center of the circle.
3) A center point is fixed and then the aerosol product is applied following the stretched string in a circle.
4) While someone is scribing a new circle another team member can be filling in the previous painted circle.

The aerosol can of chalk or EcoStripe will cover close to 50 square feet. At about 2 square feet per target you should be able to cover those 50 targets with 2-4 aerosol cans.

The standard T-tip applicator provides for a nice uniform spray fan that works well for establishing a crisp boundary line.

There is a spray wand applicator which will reduce the bending over. This tool typically costs in the neighborhood of $25.00. The string arrangement would still work for this operation.

If you need a more permanent target then I would suggest the Durastripe aerosol field marking paint that can be used effectively on grass, rock, debris, etc. This is considered a permanent marking paint.

If an aerosol can not be used because of the pressurized can then you can use bulk acrylic latex paint or liquid chalk, dilute the paint at 1 gallon of water to 1 gallon of paint. You can put the diluted liquid in a manual pump-up sprayer used for herbicide or pest control. Also you could use a battery operated backpack sprayer. The liquid chalk will dissolve much quicker than the acrylic latex field marking paint.

One gallon of diluted paint/chalk should cover 100 square feet or 1-2 gallons of diluted paint/chalk.

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences recently released a "Report to THE SYNTHETIC TURF COUNCIL On the Research Project SURVIVAL OF Staphylococcus aureus ON SYNTHETIC TURF."

The objective of the study was to examine the survival of S. aureus on infilled synthetic turf systems and natural turfgrass under different environmental conditions and to evaluate the effectiveness of various control agents applied to the synthetic turf in both indoor and outdoor situations.

The report concluded "Commercially available antimicrobial treatments as well as detergent significantly decreased the survival rate of S. aureus present on these natural grass and crumb rubber infilled synthetic turf indoors although every experimental unit inoculated tested positive for the presence of S. aureus for the first 4 hours and a number were still positive 9 days after inoculation."

The report stated, "It is difficult to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of various treatments in an outdoor environment because the bacteria do not appear to survive very long under these conditions whether treatments were applied or not, but both detergent and fabric softener applied to the surface around the time of bacterial inoculation seem to reduce S. aureus survival somewhat. Exposures to UV light and higher temperature seem to be the most effective disinfectant under the conditions of this experiment."

Twelve references were cited in the report besides a regime of 10 indoor and outdoor treatments to include: Untreated control, Low rate S. aureus, High rate S. aureus, antimicrobial 1 hr prior, Surfactant 1 hr prior, Antimicrobial 25 days prior, A+S 25 days prior, Kentucky bluegrass, Detergent post, and Detergent 1.5 hr prior.

Labels: Product_Review, Services, Turf _Tips

The Ultimate Frisbee sport, not called Ultimate, is growing across the country, at the high school, collegiate, and community levels. A recent Ultimate Frisbee article in the New York Times reflected the growing sport for woman.

The field of play has its own field marking requirements which is published in the 11th edition of the Official Rules of Ultimate, page 16, Appendix 1. The field of play is a rectangle, 70 x 40 yards (64 x 34 meters) with a 25 yard (23 meters) end zone depth. There is a 3 meter and 5 meter boundary line for participants and coaches, and then the spectators and equipment respectively.
http://www.upa.org/files/11th_ed_Final_3_6_07.pdf

The Ultimate Frisbee Players Association has a lot of information and references associated with the sport.

To help stake out and stripe an Ultimate Frisbee field of play you can use the soccer field layout tool to establish the corners of play. I would recommend using the overall size of the boundary, specifically the 5 meter spectator boundary as the "field of play", then use the goalie box dimensions for the 3 meter boundary and the soccer penalty box for the primary field of play dimensions (70 x 40). The soccer penalty kick spot can be used for the Ultimate Field Marks.

Wikipedia has a good description of the Ultimate Frisbee sport.

Check out the recent twitter posts that have Ultimate Frisbee in the text and the number of Ultimate Frisbee groups in Facebook.

We would like to hear from you about why you like the sport and the reason you believe it growing across the country.

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Kansas State University horticulture department increases their Sport Turf Management focus in their curriculum.

“The growing field, increasing professionalism in the sports turf industry and the number of opportunities made us feel like it was an area where students needed to be prepared,” Steve Keeley said, professor specializing in Turfgrass Science.

Read more about the background that lead this land grant college to increase their focus in this growing profession.

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/story/turf_management040909.aspx

Labels: Services, Trends, Turf _Tips

What are the true costs over a 10 year life cycle of traditional soil based field, sand based field, and turf field with infill?

SportTurf magazine of the SportsTurf Managers Association (STMA) March 2009 issue, article by Curt Harler, "Wetness and Wealth--Key Foes of Native Soil Fields", included a very informative sidebar with information from Dr. A.J. Powell, University of Kentucky. The figures below help explain the dichotomy in the question "Contractors Always Sell Grass First Really??"

• Even if a new grass field may only net $5,000 profit (versus $100,000 for synthetic turf)


• Knowing the risks of a grass Grow-In vs. an engineered system that can perform immediately--Surface performance unquestioned


• Surface performance identical to the elite competitors


• Few hidden costs with Engineered system


• Easy to minimize maintenance costs of synthetic Infills--some spend zero dollars


• Easy to exaggerate maintenance costs of grass--what the costs have been or should be

Comparing Sand vs. Infill
	Current-Sand Field	New Sand Field	New Infield (high end)
Initial Const.		$1,000,000	$1,000,000
Maint. 1st yr	$40,000	$40,000	$25,000
10 yr Maint.	$458,600	$458,000	$326,190
10 yr Total	$458,600	$1,458,600	$1,326,190
Avg Cost/yr	$45,860	$145,860	$132,619
Soil Based vs. Infill
	Soil Field Contract	Soil Field DIY	New Soil Field	New Infield
Initial Const.			$50,000	$600,000
Maint. 1st yr	$20,000	$7,000	$15,000	$3,500
10 yr Maint.	$229,358	$80,275	$172,018	$40,120
10 yr Total	$229,358	$80,275	$220,018	$640,120
Avg Cost/yr	$22,936	$8,028	$22,202	$64,012
Grass vs. Infill
	New Soil	Current Soil	New Sand	New Infield
Initial Const.	$50,000		$600,000	$800,000
Maint. 1st yr	$15,000	$15,000	$40,000	$25,000
10 yr Maint.	$172,018	$172,018	$458,600	$326,190
10 yr Total	$220,018	$172,018	$1,058,600	$1,126,190
Avg Cost/yr	$22,202	$17,202	$105,860	$112,619

Labels: Product_Review, Services, Turf _Tips

The Weather Channel has become part of most golf superintendents and grounds keepers on-line tool kit. What other on-line and smartphone tools are you using to help with your turf operations?

Here's a recent article that sheds some background information on the Weather Channel.
http://www.greencastonline.com/FeatureArticle.aspx?Paid=94066

Many field marking operations have to plan for "make-up" days due to rain or irrigation conditions. The Weather Channel can help with planning for the "what-if" situations.

Labels: Services, Trends, Turf _Tips

STMA Regional Conference and Exhibition to be Held at Iowa State in June 24-25; Second Regional Conference Coming to the Northeast

STMA, in partnership with eight chapters from the Midwest, will be bringing national level education and a trade show to Ames, Iowa, June 24-25, 2009. Topics will include weather fundamentals for Sports Turf Managers, fertilizers, communicating with user groups, project management and operations management, and environmental stewardship. Attendees will be afforded an intimate look at the Iowa State University athletic facilities, as well as an in-depth view of some of Dr. Dave Minner’s sports turf specific research plots. STMA encourages attendance by Sports Turf Managers and crew alike, and will be providing education for all levels of experience.

Registration costs for the two-day Midwest Regional event will be $75 for an STMA Member (National or Chapter Only) and $95 for a non-member and will include meals. STMA has also negotiated significantly reduced hotel rates. Exhibition space will be $195 per 200 square feet for an STMA Member and $295 for a non-member and will include an 8’ table for a tabletop display and two full conference registrations. Additional space and a product demonstration area will be available for a fee.

Additionally, there will be a second STMA Regional Conference on a date and a location to be determined in the Northeastern U.S. Back by popular demand, STMA and six chapters are partnering to bring the second consecutive Regional Conference to the Northeast, after last year’s extremely successful event in Philadelphia, Penn. at Lincoln Financial Field and Citizen’s Bank Park.

According to Dr. Mike Goatley, STMA Conference Education Chairman, You will not find a better sports turf specific educational experience outside of the STMA Conference and Exposition held every January,” than these two Regional Conferences.

Put June 24-25 on your schedule and start talking to your employer about making sure that you are able to attend this incredible educational opportunity if it is in your area of the country. Also, keep checking back at STMA.org and your inbox for updates on the second Regional Conference in the Northeast. If you have any questions, please contact STMA at 1-800-323-3875 or STMAInfo@STMA.org.

Labels: Services, Sports, Turf _Tips

We are always looking for firms that we can refer local organizations to, especially when it comes to field layout and field striping operations.

Here's our first to make a growing list.

Frazier’s Field Repair
http://www.fraziersfieldrepair.com
Sports field construction, renovation, and maintenance, serving Ohio. Fine grading, infield mix dirt, and pitching mound construction, infield lip removal, and much more.
Troy Frazier, located in the Ohio region.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

Purdue University has developed a simple yet informative fertilizer application calculator that just about anyone can understand and apply.

They recommend fertilization rates in pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet or lbs N/1000 sq ft.
You can use our fertilizer calculator at
http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/fertcalc/Fertilization%20calc.html or you can use the handy instructions below.

If you chose to calculate it yourself, use the following two steps:
Step 1. Calculating the amount of fertilizer/1000 sq ft:
Desired rate in lbs N / 1000 sq ft ÷ % nutrient = Total fertilizer needed / 1000 sq ft

Step 2. Calculating the amount of fertilizer to treat the entire turf area:
Total fertilizer needed / 1000 sq ft X Area to be treated in sq ft = lbs fertilizer needed to treat the area

For example, how much fertilizer do you need to apply a 16-8-8 fertilizer at 0.75 lbs N/1000 sq ft to an 8000 sq ft lawn?
Step 1. Calculating the amount of 16-8-8/1000 sq ft:
0.75 lbs N / 1000 sq ft ÷ .16 N = 4.69 lbs 16-8-8 / 1000 sq ft

Step 2. Calculating the amount of 16-8-8 to treat the entire 8000 sq ft turf area:
4.69 lbs 16-8-8 / 1000 sq ft X 8000 sq ft = 37 lbs 16-8-8 needed to treat an 8000 sq ft lawn

You’ll need 37 pounds of 16-8-8 to treat the 8000 sq ft lawn at 0.75 lbs N/1000 sq ft. More information of choosing fertilizers, fertilization schedules, calibrating spreaders, and more can be found in AY-22: Fertilizing Established Lawns.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

Once again the frigid cold weather in the Midwest reminds us of spring and warmer weather and greener vistas.

Each spring and fall season Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker makes special offers that customers are sure to take advantage. This year is no different with two special offers.

When purchasing a non-wind weighted tarp for that baseball or softball field there is a special price offer on the sand bags, both the 10# and 20#. There is a 15% price reduction when purchasing a set of 8 sand bags at the time of the non-wind weight tarp purchase. These UV protected bags with a carry strap are sure to make the grounds staff and coaches happy when placing and removing a tarp.

Also, this spring Tru Mark is offering a Heavy Duty String Winder when a customer purchases a EZ-70 Stow-n-Go Field Marker. This is a $79.95 value that will be shipped with the field marker.

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

New products and pricing are available for Aer-flo Inc. products, manufacturer of wind weighted tarps, protective covers for turf, sidelines, and track surfaces.

A 2009 addition is the non-wind weight tarps, major league style (round) which are replacing the wind weighted "standard" tarps (octagon shaped). These new tarps come in sizes 18', 20', 26', and 30' diameters. These tarps come with grommets that are spaced every 36 inches. The standard color is forest green while custom colors are priced at 10% more than the standard color pricing. Consider the Tru Mark Sand Bags for holding these tarps in place, the 10# and 20# weather protected bags with inserts and a carrying strap make for quick and safe placements.

Custom sizes are available for both the non-wind weighted and wind weight tarps.

Aer-flo suggested retail pricing does not include shipping and handling charges. However, Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker does offer its customers a total price including shipping and handling for each of the wind weighted and non-wind weighted tarps. Tru Mark also offers pricing to include shipping and handling on the Cross-Over Zone Turf and Track Protectors and Bunt Zone Infield Protectors. These products are shipped normally by package carrier unless there is a multiple item shipment. Other products requiring a shipping and handling price quote since they will be shipped by LTL common carriers include Bench Zone Sideline Turf and Bench Zone Sideline Track Protectors.

Aer-flo does offer custom logos for their tarps and protective cover products. These logos are now printed on material (vinyl) that is then heat welded to the underlying material whether it is a tarp or protective cover. This far superior printing and attachment method will ensure long duration of bright colors and material performance.

To get a custom logo quote please send an image of the art work, JPEG preferred format(.jpg) but others are usually accepted (.bmp, .gif, .pdf) as long as there is sufficient detail. Custom logos add 10 business days to the manufacturing process. For estimating purposed these custom logos will be priced at $4.00 per square foot or less depending on size and detail. Send a price quote request to TruMarkAthletic@gmail.com.

Labels: Product_Review, Sports, Turf _Tips

How do the pro football stadiums maintain a crisp looking set of goal posts? Well it isn't easy, however there are some steps you can take to give a vibrant splash that will last a couple seasons.

Given the advances in paint technology there are still some very fundamental steps that should be followed to paint and repaint football goal posts.

1. Clean the existing surface with a cleaner (e.g., paint thinner), removing the grime. For example an indoor facility will have oils in the air from food preparations.
2. If possible lightly sand the surface and wipe clean.
3. Add a priming coat to the goal post and allow it to adequately dry. Match the priming agent with the paint that is being used. Many of the manufacturers have formulated the primer to work specifically with the goal post paint.
4. Apply at least two coats of paint, allowing each coat to dry before the next application. One coat of paint, no matter the manufacturer, will not be sufficient to produce a good quality sustaining application.

Labels: Turf _Tips

Over the past 5 years more community colleges and university systems as well as professional associations have increased their educational, certification, and training offerings in turf grass and landscaping management.

For example, Rutgers University has the following course listings:
Two Year Golf Course Turf Management Certificate Program
Three-Week Golf Course Turf Management Short Course

The Henry Indyk Annual Three-Day Athletic Field Construction & Maintenance

Athletic Field Special Topics: Understanding Synthetic Fields

Athletic Field Special Topics: Baseball/Softball Infield Skin Construction & Management

Pesticide classes

Sports Turf Manager Association (STMA) is offer a professional certification program to enhance their member benefits and their associated employers' value in a critical resources. The Certified Sports Field Manager (CSFM) program has a growing list of CSFM professionals. All turf managers should have the CSFM reading list available and many of these books on their shelf with many paper-clipped and marked up pages.

Labels: Services, Trends, Turf _Tips

Additional research is being conducted to consider the amount of water being used in turf grass application around the country compared to row crop operations in the US.

A remote-sensing scientist at California State University-Monterey Bay has applied a computer simulation that revealed the environmental impact based on care of the grass.

Turfgrass is the single-largest irrigated crop in the United States, three-times more than corn. It’s more important to help conserve the water supply than to keep turfgrass green year round.

In many communities the replacement of natural grass fields is being considered to increase the playable time on the field as well as conserve water. The newer synthetic turf products are resulting in better environmental results according one leading industry manufacturer.

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

How do you prepare a 12-volt diaphragm pump system to survive winter storage requirements?

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

What does it take to convert a Toro mower chassis into a self-propelled riding line striper? Well with some Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker parts and some ingenuity by Brad Foster of the Vancouver School District, Vancouver, WA a new line striper was born.

The school district purchased some Tru Mark and commercial parts to outfit a new line painter. The total cost of the parts (Tru Mark) were less than $2,000, to include two 20-gallon tanks, pumps (Shurflo 12-volt 3.3 GPM no flow control), switches, tank and pump connectors, brackets and hoses, spray assembly parts for the line striper assembly. Brian spent several hours creating and installing mounting brackets on the Toro chassis and configuring on the parts, connections, and hoses. He also added a line guide to the front of the unit to add more "guidance" for the operator. Check out more of pictures of the converted Toro mower to a field marking line striper.

We continue to receive interesting requests from current and prospective customers. We would be interested in learning about your project and how we can help.

Labels: Demos, Services, Sports, Turf _Tips

Synthetic turf installation and maintenance activities continue to generate increased interest by the park and recreation industry, customers, and users. National Park and Recreation Association held a synthetic turf workshop at their annual convention in Baltimore, MD.

What is the true cost of these installations and the maintenance costs was a theme during this workshop held at the Baltimore Ravens football stadium on October 21, 2008. The workshop was hosted by Jeanette M. S. Tansey, Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks, with presenters including Jeffrey L. Bruce, President, Jeffrey L. Bruce & Company, LLC, a national landscape architectural firm, and Graham Hayes, CEO, Dedicated Operational Contracting, LLC.

Jeff Bruce covered some of the critical decisions in installing a new synthetic turf systems. There are four primary areas that a customer should ensure is part of the project,
1) hiring an engineer that is familiar with the soil types and synthetic turf installation in your area,
2) ensuring that an experience construction company with establishing a base for the turf carpet has been hired,
3) a reputable turf product has been selected for the environment and type of play expected, and
4) an experienced turf installer that has a reputation of not having to come back for repairs on seams.

The presenters emphasized that the Sports Turf Managers Association's Synthetic and Natural Turf Grass Guide as a valuable tool.

Graham Hayes stated that because many of these fields are installed between Memorial and Labor Day the crews on site experience tremendous schedule pressures. It is imperative to have a knowledgeable inspector on site to verify compliance with specifications, e.g, soil base is laser leveled, rock base meets particle size and depth and is packed, sand infield mixture with crumb rubber, trenches are properly filled and packed, amount and type of glue used, etc.

They re-emphasized that the synthetic turf fields are not maintenance free and require activities to maintain their warranty clauses.

Many of the existing turf problems are attributed to poor base construction, in appropriate infield material application and mixture, not maintaining the appropriate infield depth (turf fiber laying over thus wearing much quicker and being exposed to UV which degrades them), allowing problem seams becoming a big maintenance issue, etc.

It was highly recommended that during budgeting for a turf system that yearly maintenance be included, possibly a maintenance contractor visiting on-site at least yearly and be done in conjunction with the general contractor's annual site visit.

The workshop concluded with a walk-through of the facilities to include maintenance facilities, turf field, sky box, and press box.

Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips

Over the past 5 years several paint manufacturers have developed field paint formulations for synthetic turf application, permanent and removable. Along with the removable field marking paint these companies have developed removal agents to help with cleaning of the paint from these turf fibers. The challenge comes on the paint removal process which includes labor and tools to make this as cost effective as possible.

We've identified some equipment that is being used as well as a typical process, i.e., spray on removal agent, agitate the turf, and rinse with water, repeating this process as necessary. With more and more multipurpose turf fields being installed and users wanting to utilize these fields for different sporting events there is an increase in paint application and removing maintenance operations. Unless you operate a professional facility your resources are limited. Volunteers don't necessarily like to be out brushing the turf to remove paint.

Some customers want a very quick removal product without much cleaning activity. Right now the lowest cost product with the least manpower cleanup expenditure is aerosol chalk. You apply this material just like aerosol field marking paint using an inverted can and an aerosol striper. Once the product dries in performs like traditional field marking chalk (calcium carbonate or marble dust). Removal involves dragging the line with your feet or brushing with a short bristle brush and rinsing with water to remove the dust residue.

For turf paint removable and permanent products you have several options depending on the longevity and traffic requirements along with the cleaning agents that are developed for the particular paint manufactured.

Now to some of processes and product examples available for turf paint removal.

• Using a rotary accessory on a edge trimmer.

• Removing excess water.

• Rotory Brush using a 5.5 hp engine.

• Synthetic Turf Tips

• eco Chemical paint removal equipment products

• temp line product gallery

• stihl bristle brush accessory

• Kromer field maintenance equipement

The challenge is to use a cost effective piece of equipment that reduces manpower and still does a good job. Most field maintenance operations already have a utility vehicle so a tow behind cleaning unit would seem to be a good solution. The product will have a sprayer to apply the removal agent with a storage tank, a turf brush that has a rotary motion, and a sprayer to apply a rinse with a storage tank, with a power unit to support these operations. What is your idea and solution?

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

We continue to receive a fair number of emails asking what size is a youth soccer field should be depending on the age as well as the corresponding penalty and goalie boxes.

Here's a typical question, "We have been using the Soccer Field layout Tool (not the next generation). But when we do some of the smaller fields U12 or U10, should we maintain the same size Goal Box and Penalty Box even though the field is smaller. Or should we scale back the Penalty and Goal box? If we scale it back, how do we decide how far to scale it back?"

We searched through many different references and have not found any "hard and fast" rules to help answer the question.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

Once in a while we get a question concening a marking application that is not directly related to sports field marking yet may be solved by using field marking products.

Brian posted the following situation, "I am looking for a paint I can apply in a non-sports application. It is for an outdoor trail that is a combination of gravel and asphalt. The trail will
be used for 6 hours. After use, I would prefer something that will wash away over time via foot traffic and weather without having to wash it off.

Also, I'd like something I can apply with a paint roller or traditional
paint sprayer. We will not be painting straight lines but rather patterns.

Any suggestions?"

Here's a couple options that we offered to Brian that may help solve his requirement.

You can purchase our aerosol chalk product that is a temporary application. With the T-tip nozzle you can free hand the chalk application. Each can will cover approximately 200 linear feet
of striping. This product performs like typical dry chalk that is applied to sports fields. Once it dries it can be removed by foot abrasion or water.

If you have access to a pump-up sprayer that is used for pesticide applications you can apply diluted external flat latex house paint. I would dilute the paint at least 1 gallon of paint to 1 gallon of water. You can achieve about 100 square feet per diluted gallons or about 300 linear feet.

Just ensure you mix the paint well before mixing in water. I would use a paint paddle with a cordless or electric drill to ensure good mixing. We would be glad to sell you some field marking paint however you'll get about the same performance for external flat latex house paint (Tru Mark's SwitchBack Cheat Seats) for your non-sports surface.

Even in a diluted formulation you should have good success with a paint roller. The
paint will dissipate quicker due to weather and traffic when it is diluted.

I hope this helps.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

We have a customer that uses well water for mixing the field marking paint. Here's his question,
"One question, we dilute our current latex paint with well water (i.e. hard water). We have had some issues with the quality of the lines. Is there any additive we can use to soften the water we are using that would help the paint and water mix a little better?"

Here are a couple suggestions you might try.

We've heard people us Downey fabric softner in the paint mixture. I have not personally tried this. I doubt that this would hurt the grass at say 1-2 ounces per 5-gallons of diluted paint mixture. One thing with using a soap like mixture is it acts like a surfactant and will help with
the bonding affect on the grass. Unfortunately this may have an adverse side affect of producing foam which pumps do not like. If you are using a return line then this may cause problems. I would add this as the last step in your paint mixing (after adding the water which should be poured into the mixing container versus using a hose and exposing the water stream to air).

I will use a little dishwasher soap in my weed killer (2-4-D) application to get a better bonding affect.

There is a flow-conditioner product for acrylic latex paint that may help called "Flotrol". The product is sold to provide a smoother paint texture during application. It can be found in most paint and hardware stores. I've found no foaming problems with this product in our Model E-100 field marker.

Another product that I use to help clean the pumps during the final rinse cycle is "pump protector". It is another pump lubricator and acts as means to keep any residual paint in suspension when left in the system. I've had no problems mixing this with paint (or in the next mix batch of water) and no side affects on the grass. There are two different manufacturers of this type product and you find it in most paint and hardware stores. I've found no foaming problems with this product

I would first try Downey, then the pump protector product to see if that improves your paint mixing performance.

Often times the quality of the paint will have a direct impact, the more finely ground solids in the paint will produce better quality mixing operation.

Labels: Turf _Tips

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker's home town, Norfolk, NE 68701, hosted the 2008 Nebraska American Legion Class A American Division Baseball Tournament, August 1st - 5th. A few image highlights can be found in a Snapfish Album.

Tru Mark supplied wind weight tarps for the pitcher's mound and home plate to protect these high traffic areas from nightly irrigation operations. A photo album shows images of the packaging and shipping of the tarps and their applications to the field of play.

Tru Mark's General Manager Mark Hall assisted field staff for the duration of tournament play. Duties included striping all foul lines, coaches boxes, base path, and the home plate area using the SwitchBack Ground Boss paint. The field was painted on July 31st and again for the championship series August 5th.

Additional field operation tasks included cleaning the bases with TrailBlazer Solar Wash twice for the two sets of bases and rinsing with water and cleaning with a wire brush between each game. Solar Trail did an excellent job of removing the dirt build-up and restoring the new look for the bases. The pitcher's mound, plate and bases were sprayed with aerosol white chalk between games to further enhance that professional field appearance. Six cans of aerosol chalk were used for the tournament.

Tru Mark provided and applied Diamond Pro Mound and Home Plate Clay between each game. The clay was mixed with a small amount of water between games which provided a superb packing material to speed up field turnover. Four 50 pound bags were used for the 15 games played. As the games progress fewer amounts of clay applications were needed. The mound had originally been prepared in the spring with clay bricks so there was an excellent base to work with.

During the turnover of each game the field was dragged with a motorized unit and hand dragged with brooms around the edges and along the baselines. Home plate and first base line were chalked for each game and third base ever other game. The field was briefly watered with an inground sprinkler system and by hand for the pitcher's mound, home plate and base paths.

A team of 4-5 were used to prepare the field for play in under 20 minutes, typically in under 18 minutes. A Kubota RTV 900 was provided by Dinkel Implement for the duration of the tournament which hauled all the rakes, brooms, tamp, bases, chalker, chalk, 5-gallon pails of clay, aerosol chalk, and string line. This unit was a real time saver and minimized compaction on the field.

Labels: Demos, Services, Turf _Tips

We receive some interesting challenges over the years. Many of website visitors have thoughtful questions that we might not have considered before. This one might be a more typical question from someone not familiar with field marking operations. Here's the dialogue followed by several suggestions.

"We are a little Chamber of Commerce putting on a fund raising Pasture Putting and Picnic event featuring 9 Miniature Golf holes, each decorated by local businesses. We are going to rent a "lime spreader" machine from AA rentals that use some kind of chalk product, to mark the edges of each "hole". AA rentals has told us they don't sell the chalk or powder or whatever the product is called that goes in this walk behind spreader. I can not find anyone locally who sells the chalk, if that's what it is, or paint. Can you help me? We don't need that much, we only need it to last a day."

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

During annual Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) conference there are workshops to help ground maintenance staff save time and money for their organizations. One of the more recent "how to" work shops covered field marking strategies without using manufactured field stencils.

Mike Hebrand of Athletic Field Design has developed two formulas for two very common shapes that you'll likely paint on sports fields. The formulas require that you know the traditional measurements of the shapes beforehand and then have string and stakes (and a tape measure) available to layout the dimensions of the stencils before you paint them.

Check out these ellipse and star/pentagon freehand formula descriptions.

Labels: Sports, Turf _Tips

A recent website visitor asked the following question, "I line over 30 fields at our soccer complex in Houston,Texas area. Also can you recommend a paint. I am using a Graco field lazer liner. I am paying $25.00 for a 5 gallon bucket. That the lines are only lasting a little over a week. Is there any such paint that will last at least 3 weeks."

Here's our response with some recommendations.

You are receiving the best pricing on bulk latex paint (5-gallon pails) that I've recently encountered. It is hard to get a paint to last much longer than 10-14 days since the grass is growing and mowed at least once a week if not more often.

If you are basing your purchase primarily on price you'll probably not find another paint that will do any better. A better quality field marking paint is normally going to be priced closer to $40 to $50 range but it will still be hard to get the paint to last much more than 14-21 days. Since Graco FieldLazer only offers one spray tip applicator per pass it is less effective in covering both sides of the blade of grass when the grass blade is not standing close to vertical.

You might try and not dilute the paint as much (may already be doing this?). The better quality
field marking paints will have more solids that are ground finer and titanium dioxide (whitener) in the formulation. This will allow for increased dilution ratios, however the costs are going to significantly increase to more than double what you are currently paying. If the paint is not harming the grass at all then I would just dilute the paint with less water and see how that works.

I've sprayed undiluted paint with the Graco FieldLazer without any problems other than it takes a little longer to get the pump primed first. I always start out with priming with water to help this process.

You might mow the lines before you stripe which will help reduce the mowing off of the lines
when the rest of the field is mowed more often. I would not cut more than 1/2" of grass height from the standard height to avoid putting additional stress on the grass.

Another suggestion is to not irrigate for 12-24 hours after you've striped thus allowing the paint to fully dry as well as not painting until the grass blades are dry, late morning or afternoon.

You could try adding 1-2 ounces of a growth regulator to 1 gallon of diluted paint to slow down the grass growth. You normally only spray every 3rd or 4th week of the growing season. You do not want to over apply these products. If you have to overstripe your lines make sure you take your mixture ratio into consideration. There are several different types of growth regulators, for example Embark by PBI Gordan Corp. and Primo Maxx by Syngenta. You'll need to find a chemical distributor for these. You should check with your local golf course superintendent for some recommendations. Primo Maxx is typically priced at about 2-3 times that of Embark.

Labels: Turf _Tips

We've received several emails over the last six months concerning adding temporary marking lines to existing synthetic turf fields.

For example here's the question from Scott, "One question I have about synthetic fields. Say you have a football-lined synthetic field and you want to run three youth soccer fields cross-ways once a week. Is there any way to mark the field quickly (some type of tape, chalk, paint) and on a temporary basis (play football the next day)?"

I could offer several options to help him, yet he gave me some very performance oriented statements, "mark quickly", "temporary basis", and "next day".

The "next day" requirement is critical to the solution set as well as how much manpower and equipment you have on hand to do the removal process.

Here's what Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker suggests as a course of action.

Given your requirements my proposed solution would be to use aerosol chalk. It goes down line aerosol paint but after it dries it performs like traditional powdered chalk (marble dust or calcium carbonate). You can use a typical floor and sidewalk brush to remove the line. You may want to spray it down with water, especially if you are doing this every week over a season.

You can use the bulk or aerosol removable/temporary paint but this requires more manual labor and/or mechanical equipment along with a cleaning solution to remove the the painted
temporary line. TrailBlazer Rally Day would be the bulk latex paint solution we would recommend. While the StripeX would be the aerosol removable paint solution along with their respective removal agents (TrailBlazer Trail Wash and StripeX Removal Agent).

Another possibility is using a temporary, reusable field lining system such as Port-a-Field by CS Platinum Sport Products and Tru Mark's Sand Bag product line for anchoring the corners.

We hope this helps.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

We continue to receive positive feedback on our rugby field layout tool.

The original tool was built using the MS Excel spreadsheet formulas and focused on starting with a centerline through the center of the two goals and the center of the field.

Please send us an email at TruMarkAthletic@gmail.com and we'll gladly send a link so you can download this latest upgraded rugby field layout tool to your desktop (we will not share your email address!).

Learn more about rugby field dimensions at International Rugby Board, Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker Links and Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker FAQ.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

We continue to receive positive feedback on our Tru Mark lacrosse field layout tool.

The original tool was built using the MS Excel spreadsheet formulas and focused on starting with a centerline through the center of the two goals and the center of the field.

Please send us an email at TruMarkAthletic@gmail.com and we'll gladly send a link so you can download this latest upgraded lacrosse field layout tool to your desktop (we will not share your email address!).

Learn more about lacrosse field dimensions, NCAA Men’s Lacrosse sanctioning body and US Lacrosse Women’s sanctioning body at Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker Links and Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker FAQ.

Labels: Services, Turf _Tips

During small engine setup and preventive maintenance procedures do you verify the revolutions per minute (RPM) setting to ensure optimum performance? Have you considered using a small tool to verify the engine RPMs and hourly usage? We found an inexpensive tool to help setup the "governor" on a Briggs & Stratton 17.5 HP Overhead Valve (OHV) 4-cycle single piston drive unit for our RS-500F Out-in-Front Athletic Field Marking unit.

We are using the Tiny-Tach, standard model with reset feature, TT226R-2C, by Design Technology, Inc. This easy to implement unit can be connected to an engine using existing housing bolts/screws, a standard grounding wire for a common connection point, and a RPM sensing wire that is wrapped around the spark plug wire. We use this Tiny-Tach tool to verify that we are generating sufficient RPMs for battery charging in support of our 12-volt diaphragm pump operations. This is a valuable tool for Briggs & Stratton distributors and small engine repair specialists as it is offered in their B&S distributor catalog. Here are a couple features that make this a sure bet for small engine operations:

• Simple hour meter with tachomter that is just 1.5" tall by 3" wide
  
• RPM to 9,990 (we were looking for 3,600 RPMs on the B&S engine)
• Reset for the hour meter so we could transfer to other units as necessary
• Updates every 2.5 seconds
• Standard wire length is 6 feet for flexibility in securing the unit
  
• Estimated battery life is 5+ years
• One year warranty

We ordered directly from the website for $36.95 plus shipping and handling.

This should be one of those important yet inexpensive small engine tools for your overall tool kit inventory.

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Have you found yourself in a situation where you could use more light on a subject while needing your hands free to accomplish important tasks? Here's an innovative product using new LED and battery technology while incorporating a familiar spring loaded clip solution, called the Clip N Lite system by Moneke Gear.

Everyone with a tool box, glove box, vehicle trunk, fishing boat, camping gear, repair and handyman shop will find an application for this very versatile and light weight solution to putting light on your target without having to use your hands.

• Every turf manager, golf superintendent, and lawn care specialist should have this tool issued to them when working in tight spaces, having limited daylight, and poor indoor lighting conditions. This product may be even more valuable than a traditional treble light when working in confined spaces.
• How about for you anglers looking for night crawlers at night wishing you had both hands free to capture and safeguard that precious fishing bait.
• Master craftsmen in the plumbing, carpentry, electrical, and HVAC business will find many uses for this light weight tool.
  
• All Boy Scouts should be equipped with this very handy device for those late night bathroom breaks, land navigation skills at night, and reading your scout handbook while in the tent before the next big day's merit badge events.

What makes this product so innovative and valuable to just about everyone?

• The Clip N Lite Hands Free LED 5-Ultra Bright White is Moneke Gear's most popular style offered in a black case with 5 ultra bright white LED's, 3-way switch, low beam emitting (3 LED's angled down 35 degrees) or high beam with all 5 LED's emitted.
• The low beam shines as a floodlight emitting a 10-foot circle at 20 feet and the high beam shines at a 15-foot circle at 20 feet.
• The well made clip provides clear line of sight when mounted below the bill of a cap, or clip the system to provide direct or indirect lighting.
  
• Clam shell packaged product includes 2 high performance CR2032 lithium batteries, 2 spare batteries and Moneke's unique battery storage case.
• 48hour battery life with 10 year shelf life
• 10,000hour LED bulb life
• Dimensions 3 3/8” Length x 2” wide / weight 1.5 oz

I found the best pricing for this time saving LED system at WalleyeFishingLure.com, home to Nebraska Custom Tackle.

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

We continue to receive positive feedback on our soccer field layout tool.

The original tool was built using the MS Excel spreadsheet formulas and focussed on starting with a center line through the center of the two goals and the center of the field.

Please send us an email at TruMarkAthletic@gmail.com and we'll gladly send a link so you can download this latest upgraded soccer field layout tool to your desktop (we will not share your email address!).

Learn more about soccer field dimensions and laying out and striping a soccer field at Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker.

Labels: Product_Review, Turf _Tips

Have you ever visited another soccer facility and picked up some great operational tips?

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker recently visited the Portage Soccer Complex at 4422 Bishop Rd., Portage MI 49002. This community facility has been well designed and maintained with excellent field drainage, a central building for registrations, meetings, concessions and facility operations and maintenance, and hard surface parking with curbs. Field operations are primarily conducted by some dedicated volunteers, the ones I met were Vern Genisio and David Rice.

The Portage Soccer Complex is home to Portage Soccer Club and the AYSO Region 74. The complex has expanded with access to additional fields next door and a new indoor complex, Portage Soccer Zone.

With delivery of a Tru Mark self-propelled Model RS-500F Vern Genisio is incorporating another time and supply saving tool to his operations. He mentioned that the complex had invested in a new tractor to handle their aeration duties as well as their new pull behind mower. They recently invested in a deep tine aeration with sand top-dressing service to help with a two fields that weren't draining as well as expected.

Storage is always a challenge at most sport facilities. The Portage Soccer Complex has some well thought out and installed tools to help with their daily operations and year around storage requirements. From soccer goal nets to tool storage the facility personnel have integrated some space and time saving features.

Check out Vern's many Portage Soccer Complex facility operational and maintenance tools and equipment.

Review some additional images of the Portage Soccer Complex and the RS-500F Field Marking Operations. See how easy the unit is filled with field marking paint, the foot pedal operations, the floating paint shoe assembly in action, and "making a straight line in less time".

Please share your time saving tips and tricks.

Labels: Demos, Product_Review, Turf _Tips

During some recent business travels Tru Mark had the opportunity of applying a water-based synthetic turf paint on existing soccer field lines of a synthetic turf field at Wyzata High School, MN.

This particular turf field used a crumb rubber infield with sewn-in football field lines and the soccer field touch lines (sidelines). This field is used by a local lacrosse club as well. The field had been previously painted several times and the paint build is significant reminding me of gum in a carpet situation. The football field hash marks were painted along with soccer goalie, penalty, and center circle and the standard lacrosse markings. The soccer field lines were painted yellow and the lacrosse field lines painted red.

The customer asked Tru Mark to over stripe the existing soccer field painted lines with the TrailBlazer Solar Trail, Bison Gold, permanent synthetic turf paint. There was no attempt to remove the paint that had been previously applied. The existing paint appeared have a very strong bonding agent, similar to rubber compound, and was concentrated at painted intersections. Also a lot of the paint had been applied to the crumb rubber infield making it just about impractical to clean the lines effectively before reapplying turf paint. During the striping operation we did not use a string to guide us, just the existing line.

Lesson Learned: Avoid overstriping at intersections when painting synthetic turf surfaces. Plan ahead when to start and stop your striping. For example, Minnesota Metro Dome uses a 4" x 4" cardboard spacer at the edge of the sideline when painting the 5-yard lines to ensure separation.

Lesson Learned: Whenever time allows and precision is needed pull a string to guide your striping operations, especially on synthetic turf surfaces.

Lesson Learned: Under application of paint on synthetic turf surfaces is preferred. Reduce the amount of pressure on your line striper to minimize over application and over spray. Practice your walking speed, stop and starting procedure, on a test strip when possible.

Labels: Demos, Turf _Tips

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker general manager, Mark Hall, along with Darrell Ervasti of D.Ervasti Sales, and TK Products representative participated in synthetic turf cleaning and painting demonstratation. The demonstration team visited Minnetonka High School in the suburban Minneapolis, MN area, home to a $2.4 million baseball and multipurpose synthetic turf sports field and grandstand area.

The demonstration included the cleaning of an existing painted baseball coaches box along the 3rd baseline using TrailBlazer Trail Wash cleaner, applying TrailBlazer Moon Daze paint as a test stripe, applying the same paint over the cleaned area as well as over stripping the coaches box along the 1st base line. Besides the physical labor for turf cleaning Tru Mark used the Graco FieldLazer as the line striping unit. The FieldLazer was outfitted with a RAC 5 SwitchTip LL5419. The Moon Daze paint is designed for multi-game application without any dilution and was applied directly from a 5-gallon pail.

Two weeks after the application several images were taken of the painted surfaces. There was not flacking of the Moon Daze paint nor any degradation due to traffice and wear activities. The customer was very pleased with the performance of this new formulated paint for synthetic turf fields.

A series of pictures were taken and are listed with captions in a on-line Picasa Web Album.

Lessons learned from the demonstration include:
1) grooming the synthetic turf fibers before painting to achieve a more vertical standing position for more uniform paint application,
2) a long handled short bristle brush for less wear and tear on the back,
3) access to running water and cleaning rags,
4) using a taut string line to help the operator achieve straight painted lines
5) backpack or hand sprayer for applying the Trail Wash cleaning solution,
6) drip rag for wiping spray tip to avoid any dripping when moving between application areas,
7) after stopping the spray gun/tip application, pull back the paint striper to avoid paint dripping on unpainted turf
8) use a cardboard sheet (old refrigerator box) for test pattern and tip height adjustment

Labels: Demos, Turf _Tips

Early in our product development as well as product upgrades we received and continue to receive questions about what athletic field marker is the best solution. To answer this question we need to ask several additional questions to help match the right field striping solution for a particular operation.

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker developed a short tutorial that may be helpful for organizations and individuals that are considering an equipment purchase, especially when deciding to convert from aerosol paint to bulk latex paint operations. For those contemplating switching from aerosol to bulk latex field striping operations you should refer to this frequently asked question response.

The tutorial "How to Select an Athletic Field Marker" is a first step in analyzing your situation and the options available. This tutorial is available through the web site and as a PDF download (48KB).

For example, here are a series of questions that will help in your field marker selection:
- is this a volunteer organization,
- are there dedicated volunteers or staff striping your fields,
- how many people are involved with the field striping operations,
- what type of maintenance staff do you have access to,
- what experience level does the field marking staff have relative to the types of equipment being considered,
- do you need specific equipment maintenance experience such as small engine operations,
- will this equipment be used for multiple sports field striping operations,
- how many fields are being striped at any given time,
- do you have access to water at your field locations and other support services such as electricity or CO2 compressed gas,
- where is your equipment and supplies being stored,
- is transportation to multiple locations an issue,
- are parts easily accessible either from vendor or local supplier,
- how many common replacement parts are proprietary or can only be purchased from the vendor
- what type of warranty is provided with the equipment,
- is a operational manual available and does it have trouble shooting steps
- what level of service should be expected on a yearly basis or even weekly, and
- what does the yearly maintenance expense for the equipment generally run?

We would encourage you to list those those appropriate questions you believe are important to your field marking operations. Then ask these questions of prospective vendors.

Do you have an interesting story to share about a field marking experience?

I can remember the first time I helped volunteer to stripe a local practice football field. The spray wand and hose is attached through a separate quick disconnect. After using the spray wand and rolling it up on the hose holder I continued on with other line striping operations. Later in the day as we were cleaning up we needed to drain the spray wand and hose. You probably already know how this ends. After turning off the pump motor I failed to relieve the pressure at the spray wand and hose before disconnecting the hose from the quick disconnect. As I kneeled down to preform the disconnect the pressure from the hose was quickly released through my hand and subsequently paint was deposited on my face. This volunteer received a free face painting and just a little bit of harassment. Oh well, thank goodness for acrylic latex paint and the easy cleanup. The other good thing was we were using a low volume low pressure 12-volt diaphragm pump unit so there was low risk safety issue with my eyes. However, using eye protection is always a good preventative measure when operating equipment.

Labels: Turf _Tips

With any organization, whether paid staff or volunteers, it is important to development a team concept for working with your customer whether that is a sports organization, city recreation staff, a vendor, or a field participant.

The Sport Turf Management Association has been developing a educational material for its members as well as visitors to their web site. One of the more recent publications is a tutorial on Fundemental of Project Management.

One of the nuggets from the material is on "Document the Progress Using Photography."
The sports turf manager should document the project’s progress pictorially. The more pictures you can take during the building process the better. It is suggested that you photograph the project from the same positions daily. This will provide a historical time lapse of the project. Make sure that you communicate to the construction team that you will be photographing the project for future reference. Take pictures from more than one angle.

An often discussed topic at all the STMA annual and state chapter conferences is the subject of overuse of sports fields. Another recent document "Strategies for Dealing with Overused Athletic Fields," helps everyone supporting a sports operations to understand the tradeoffs involved. The document was published by S.T. Cockerham, University of California, Riverside, CA.

Labels: Turf _Tips

A customer asked recently about field marking equipment, field paint, and a custom stencil for their football program. "We are looking to paint all the regulation lines as well as a 3' border on the field, a 45 to 45 yd line stencil and to either do a checker board pattern in the end zones. We are also looking for a custom stencil price quote that would fit between the 45 yard lines."

Here's a series of comments in response their request.

We have a couple different field marking options that will do the standard line striping as well as support the wide boundary marking and end zone striping.

To prepare a custom stencil price quote we need a better quality image to work from. We suspect there may be a lot of detail in the logo and it may be difficult to replicate all this detail and still maintain a reasonable cost. We would appreciate a good quality image from the graphic art department if at all possible (.jpg, .eps, .pdf).
Please send a image of your logo to mailto:turmarkafm@eselling4u.com.

Both the Model E-100 and the Graco FieldLazer allow for the use of the Paint Boom Accessory for wide boundary painting and your checker board end zone painting.

The Model E-100 is a walk-behind 12 volt diaphragm pump technology, low pressure, low volume unit, while the FieldLazer is a gasoline power high pressure, high volume striper.

You can download some product information on the Model E-100 field striper from our web site.

For a standard field paint operation you will use on the order of 15 to 25 gallons of paint. This includes the standard boundary lines, yard lines, hash marks, and sideline numbers.

For field stencils our rule of thumb is 1 gallon of diluted paint per 100 square feet. By adding the 3 foot border you'll use on the order of another 10 gallons. For the end zone checker board paint you will typically use about 0.5 gallons of paint (on 1 to 1 dilution ratio) per 100 square feet. Each end zone has 4500 square feet (150 x 30) for a total of 9000 square feet or approximately 45 gallons required.

Adding a custom logo, say 25' x 25' will add an additional 3-5 gallons of paint.

The total diluted gallon usage based on the number of linear and square footage you'll produce 150 gallons of diluted paint.

For each full field painting operation you'll need a total of 70 gallons or 14 5-gallon pails of a SwitchBack Cheap Seats paint formulation. A Columbia Blue will be a custom paint requirement.
For the field marking paint are you planning to purchase all the paint at one time?

To reduce on the cost of shipping and provide more diluted gallons of paint per gallon shipped we would suggest the SwitchBack TrailHead MVP formulation which will provide up to a 8 gallons of water to 1 gallon of paint dilution. This would be approximately 4 5-gallon pails of TrailHead MVP ($100 per pail of white + S&H ).

A very good quality product that has been well received is the SwitchBack Ground Boss formulation (4 to 1). This would be approximately 8 5-gallon pails of Ground Boss ($50 per pail of white + S&H).

For a football season with 6 home games you are looking at between 30 to 50 5-gallons pails of paint. For the custom color you'll need to add about $50 per pail to the white color pricing.

Please refer to our 4 page Field Marking Strategies tutorial (PDF format) on some tips and tricks.

Check out some pointers on using Sport Field Stencils.

Labels: Turf _Tips

As sports turf enthusiasts and field maintenance specialists we see the all to common turf "wart", the divot, caused by sports play. Unfortunately the divot repair typically produces an even more noticeable "wart" for several days.

Tom Russell, Golf Course Superintendent, Missoula Country Club, has perfected a divot mix to minimize the noticeable "wart". He has incorporated sand, water, green paint, compost, and seed using a cement mixer.

To help speed up the recovery of the existing turf and help accelerated the seed growth consider a new product by Growth Products called Repair Plus. According to Growth Products Growth Plus is a unique blend of organic nutrients, biostimulants, natural wetting agent, humic acid and growth promoting rhizobacteria< (PGPR). Growth Products states that Repair Plus should be be mixed with top dressings and seed to heal damaged turf roots and accelerate new growth. It will encourage desired grass species to fill quickly and avoid undesirable grass varieties.

Now using Growth Plus and the prescribed divot mix formula your sports fields may not suffer the noticeable turf "wart" phenomenon.

We periodically get calls about adding a growth regulator to the paint during field marking operations. This technique will slow the growth of grass so the lines will not be mowed off as quickly. Several years ago Iowa State University conducted turf trials using two of the most common grow regulators at that time, Embark and Primo Maxx. I've spoken to several turf managers who have used these products and all agree that less is better, 1/2 oz. per diluted gallon of paint seems to work the best. Just make sure you don't double stripe when using the growth regulator. Syngenta Primo Maxx PBI/Gordon Embark

Do you have a favorite receipe to improve your sports turf surfaces? We'd love to you hear your solution and the story behind it.

Labels: Turf _Tips

With more news about communities installing synthetic turf sport fields we've included a couple blog links that you may find useful.

The Florida hurricane season puts sports fields out of commission for many days and weeks after torrential rains. Many communities are now investigating and some have started the installation of these synthetic turf fields to increase the use of their sports fields. For example, Ted Hendricks Stadium, 4800 Palm Ave., Hialeah, FL 33012, recently installed a multi-purpose field without sewn in lines. They decided because of the multiple sports events they would use removable field marking paint for the different sport seasons.

Weather conditions and the value of real estate in Europe is driving soccer (football) clubs to install synthetic turf fields. This is helping them use these new playing surfaces for many more activities, especially promoting soccer at the youth level. FIFA, The Federation Internationale de Football Association, has several references concerning their standards for the synthetic playing surface.

Ohio State University Buckeye Turf Podcasts

Michigan State's Turf Grass Center Blog

The Green View Blog - The Green View provides news and information to help homeowners get and keep a great looking lawn.

As Good As Grass Blog

The Synthetic Grass Blog

The Artificial Grass Blog


The Sports Turf Research Institute - STRI is the independent market leader in turfgrass research and agronomy. It is the UK's national centre for consultancy in Sports & Amenity Turf and a recognised world centre for research.

Baseball Field Maintenance Blog

Labels: Turf _Tips

Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker representative, Mark Hall, along with Darrell Ervasti of D. Ervasti Sales Co. visited the Fargodome, Fargo, ND on May 17, 2007.

It is time for a synthetic turf face lift as the existing turf paint has faded and needs to be repainted. The short dense (no infield material) synthetic turf is about 7 years old with inlaid lines for the football field except for logos, hash marks, and outside boundary markings. The synthetic turf is one continuous cover and is rolled and stowed when not used. The field paint needs to wear well and not flack off due to the rolling operations.

Several months later the team went back to apply the first of two coats of TrailBlazer Solar Trail field marking paint. Refer to the on-line album for images.

D. Ervasti Sales provided their newest paint formulation, TrailBlazer Solar Trail, a permanent field marking paint for synthetic turf (paint application for nylon, polypropylene, and polyethylene or a combination turf fibers). The enclosed images are the paint application using a Graco FieldLazer (RAC 5 standard spray tip LL5521) without use of the paint shields. The hash marks being painted are the perimeter marks around indoor football field.

Solar Trail is a permanent synthetic turf paint and was applied with no dilution which is the recommendation of the manufacturer.

The Solar Trail Label and MSDS recommends that the paint should dry completely within 6-8 hours.

Also demonstrated was the Solar Wash cleaning agent which was used a couple of times to clean up due to a paint drip or mistake was made during application. This product can also be used to remove the paint after it has dried.

With a short dense field turf the spray tip was within inches of the surface.

Tru Mark found that the paint flowed well and application was uniform while using the Graco FieldLazer. Although not tested the RAC 5 spray tip LL5419 would be recommended since the paint was not diluted.

Stay tuned for more field marking demonstrations.

Labels: Demos, Turf _Tips

A national professional sports turf grass organization is writing the encylopedia on turf management by engaging university researchers, professional grounds maintenance leaders, and commercial enterprises. Here's one of the more recent publications that is receiving a lot of interest.

• Sports Turf Managers Association's (STMA's) Synthetic/Natural Turfgrass Guide and Advisory Bulletins.
• Determining the right sports field for your athletes. A series of survey questions to help turf managers, facility administrators, school boards and city councils determine the benefit of natural and synthetic turf fields.
• Is Your Turf Conditioned for the Season? By Dr. Gil Landry, Jr., University of Georgia, 09/28/01. Just as an athlete's conditioning doesn't show up until the second half or last quarter of a game, good soil conditions often are not apparent until late in the season. Soil aeration is as important to field performance as aerobic conditioning is to an athlete. And just like an athlete, a field can't be conditioned overnight. A field should be on a conditioning program that begins before the season and continues throughout.

Baseball Field Maintenance, A General Guide for Fields of All Levels. A 26 page guide jammed packed with a broad range of information for personal supporting field operations.

Are youth baseball sports your passion? Then check out a major league baseball's initiative to help organizations foster youth development and facility operations. Toro announced its support for the Baseball Tomorrow Fund by donating equipment and discounts for grant recipients.

Tru Mark Field Painting Strategies, learn some of the tips and tricks collected from various sources and condensed into a easy reading tutorial. Four page guide covers the customer, field marking paint, plant growth regulators, precautions, football season preparations, game week activities, field marking tools, paint mixing, field striping, and painting logos from manufactured stencils and do-it-yourself layout.

We would like to hear from you on what has worked well or reference material that has really helped your field operations and customer support.

Organic Versus Synthetic Products for Turf

Are you considering whether to use organic products versus a more traditional synthetic series of products on your natural turf lawns and sports fields? LawnandLandscape.com article provides a good introduction on what to consider

“Consumers need to recognize that to maintain healthy lawns, it is essential that organic and synthetic coexist,” adds Delaney, Tom Delaney, director of government affairs for Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). “There’s a misperception that because it’s organic, it’s safe and because it is synthetic it is not, and that misleads the public. It is about choices and what works.”

Labels: Turf _Tips

SportsKnowHow.com web site provides Rules and Governing Body information for a variety of sports. Besides Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker this is a good place to start your web research.

Athletic Business Magazine web site has an excellent listing of sport field design specifications that are in PDF format.

Labels: Sports, Turf _Tips