How to use these seasonal field management schedules
Tip: Click on the shaded blocks in the schedules for suggested actions to take during that time frame.
First decide the management level you use on your fields. Are you able to provide high, medium or minimal management?
Schools and community parks are able to provide different levels of field maintenance based on their budget and the resources on hand that include labor (knowledge and experience), equipment and products. Other factors play into shifting resources, such as desired quality, type of field and use (practice vs game fields).
Evaluate your situation and determine if you are more likely to describe your field maintenance program as high, medium or minimal/low management.
General seasonal management schedules are available for spring sports, fall sports, spring and fall sports and year ’round sports. The operations listed on these schedules will need to be fine-tuned over time based on the particular field, your goals, results, observations, climatic conditions, etc.
| High Management Fields |
Medium Management Fields | Minimal Management Fields | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Expectations | High safety Very high visual quality |
High safety Reasonably high visual quality |
High safety Good visual quality |
| Grounds Manager | Educated in sports field management and experienced | Experienced with some education in sports field management | Knowledge and experience may be limited |
| Staff | Adequate staffing | Adequate but could use more | Limited support for field work |
| Equipment | Have all that is needed including : mowers, spreaders, aerifiers, rollers, irrigation system | Have mowers, spreaders, aerifiers, the ability to provide irrigation | Have the basics: mowers and spreader |
| Products | All products necessary for a high quality field | Fertilizer, seed and occasionally topdressing materials | Fertilizer and some seed |
| Budget | Beyond adequate for products, equipment and soil testing services | Adequate for products and equipment, possibly soil testing services | Limited to only the basics, mowing and possibly fertilizing |
Printer-friendly .pdf versions of field schedules
| Field use: | Resource management: | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring only | High | Medium | Minimal |
| Fall only | High | Medium | Minimal |
| Spring and fall | High | Medium | Minimal |
| Year-round | High | Medium | Minimal |