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The Yahoola Softball complex is made up of four 200' fields in a wagon wheel style.
The turf is Tiftsport Bermuda grass while the skins are red sand, typical of what is on all ballfields.
The turf has done great except for one stubborn spot of brown patch. We treat this as soon as it shows up in the growing
season with Daconil every week or so and this has worked real well. Curse that fungus!!!
We aerate the fields 3 to 4 times a year with a core aerater starting in early May after the grass has greened up at least
25%. Of course after aerating there is what resembles "cat shoo shoo" all over the fields. We eliminate these with
a metal drag mat pulled behind a gator (a John Deere gator, not a real one).
After dragging we apply a dose of Ammonium Nitrate at 1 pound per 1000 feet. We then water via irrigation for 3 times
per week at 30 to 40 min per zone. This brings the Bermuda on nicely and chokes out any weeds that may be present.
Speaking of weeds, Our weed regimin consists of using Pendulum preemergent. This is a broad spectrum herbicide that will
get many of the grassy and broadleaf weed seeds that plague ballfields. We apply at the rate of 75 to 100 pounds per acre
as the bag suggests.
There is more than one way to do this job so speak with your county extension agent to find out what works best in your
area. We are in north Georgia.
As a post emergent defense, We use the old stand bys, 2-4-D and MSMA. These have worked well for us. Of course the idea
is to have a turf so healthy that this kind of defense will be kept to a minimum.
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For any questions on how we do what we do, feel free to click my name and e-mail me!
Richard Giadrosich
Lumpkin County Parks and Recreation
365 Riely Road
Dahlonega Georgia 30533
706-864-3622
Fax: 706-864-9106
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