Management of Grass Athletic Fields in Nebraska & North Central States

Amanda Folck, Assistant Extension Educator: Turfgrass Management, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture 

Athletic fields are some of the most challenging turfgrass areas to maintain. Season-long foot traffic in all types of weather can destroy a field, plus playing schedules rarely allow for aggressive turfgrass management practices that are essential to keep turfgrass stands thriving and safe for athletes. Athletic fields require significant inputs of labor, fertilization, irrigation, aerification, and overseeding to maintain safe playable fields and extend the life of the field as long as possible before the inevitable renovation. Athletic fields in Nebraska and north central states are often initially seeded with Kentucky bluegrass and occasionally turf-type tall fescue.

Mowing 

Mowing should begin as the turfgrass begins to grow in early spring. Athletic field managers should mow frequently enough to avoid removing over one-third of the existing leaf blades. Removing significant leaf tissue even once in the season will cause undue stress and reduce rooting. Compared with Kentucky bluegrass lawns mowed at 3.0 to 3.5 inches, mowing heights on athletic fields range from 1.25 to 2.5 inches. It is preferable to maintain mowing heights as high as feasible due to the type of play. Lower heights of cut result in reduced root growth, which requires more frequent mowing, irrigation, pest control, fertilizer, and increased labor. Therefore, the athletic fields are more expensive to maintain than when mowed at higher heights. Do not adjust mowing heights up or down during the year. Mow at the same height throughout the year. 

Fertilization 

Nitrogen (N) application on athletic fields should total between 4.0 and 6.0 lbs. N/1000 sq. ft./year, depending on the desired quality, type of grass, and amount and timing of traffic. A higher amount of N is applied with more traffic usage in the turfgrass area. If a field is damaged from intense traffic or a game is played on wet soil, fertilization should be increased to help the turfgrass recover. Timing for two-thirds of the annual nitrogen should be applied after Labor Day, though spring-use fields require slightly more N during the play period. Fast-release sources should be used in the fall and/or when the most play is occurring on the field. Slow-release sources (Table 1) are normally used in spring and summer to avoid growth flushes. Soil testing should be done every two to three years to determine the need for supplemental applications of other nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium. More information can be found in the “Simplifying Soil Test Interpretations for Turf Professionals” NebGuide.  

Table 1. Fast and slow-release nitrogen sources found in fertilizers for athletic fields. 

Irrigation 

Irrigation is essential in sports fields because turfgrass growth must be maintained throughout the year to withstand or recover from traffic. Watering deeply and infrequently upon the first signs of drought stress encourages a deep-rooted turfgrass stand. Cool-season turfgrasses tend to have deep roots in spring and fall and shallow roots in summer.  Irrigation amounts should mirror the depth of the root system, watering to the bottom of the roots and keeping them moist, not soggy or dry. The first signs of drought stress are a bluish-gray hue to the grass in the afternoon heat or footprints that do not recover immediately (Figure 1). 

However, overseeding is constantly required on athletic fields, and thus, seedlings require frequent and light irrigation. Irrigation is most effective and is less likely to cause disease when applied in the early morning. Avoid heavy irrigation before field use to minimize compaction. The amount of water in athletic fields should be 1 inch of water per week from irrigation or a combination of irrigation and rain. Irrigation uniformity is essential to the performance of an athletic field.  Periodic audits of the sprinkler system is helpful for documenting output and to identify flaws in head-to-head coverage, pressure irregularities and broken parts (Figure 2). 

Aerification

Aerification is often overlooked in athletic field maintenance but is critical for a playable, healthy field. Compaction on athletic fields is intense and must be alleviated routinely to ensure safety and aesthetic integrity. Timing for aerification for cool-season grasses occurs during the growth of grass in mid-spring and early fall. Do not aerify before a traffic event due to increased compaction and time needed for recovery of aerification. Aerification tine diameter should be a minimum of 0.5 inches, penetrate 2 to 4 inches deep, and punch 20-40 holes/sq. ft., which affects less than 3% of the surface area (Table 2). Multiple passes from roll-behind type aerifiers are required because these machines usually only punch 6-12 holes/sq. ft. For heavily trafficked areas on high-use areas like soccer goal mouths and between the hashes of football fields, aerification should be done at least four times during the season. On native soil (soil-based) fields, hollow tines should be used as often as possible, whereas solid tines can be used more often on sand-based fields. Cores can be broken up with a drag, a piece of chain link fence, or another suitable tool. During the playing season, solid tine aerification is used to reduce compaction and improve water and air movement into the soil. Overseeding should be combined with aerification whenever turfgrass density needs improvement. 

Table 2. The approximate number of holes punched/sq. ft. and % surface area affected given aerification tine diameter and spacing. 

Overseeding

Regular overseeding will improve or maintain stand density when exposed to the rigor of athletic traffic. With fields originally seeded to Kentucky bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass should be used outside of the playing season or whenever the field will not be used for six or more weeks. On fields originally seeded to turf-type tall fescue, tall fescue should be used outside of the playing season or whenever the field will not be used for six or more weeks. Kentucky bluegrass and especially tall fescue are not fast maturing as seedlings and thus cannot withstand traffic shortly after germination. Perennial ryegrass is only used for overseeding in warm-season grass (ex., bermudagrass) athletic fields, but is not used in cool-season grasses unless it is necessary. Athletic field managers will often seed immediately before games or practices, so the players will “cleat in” the seed for excellent seed-soil contact. Following seeding, adequate irrigation is required for germination and establishment. A starter fertilizer at 1.0 lbs. of P₂O₅/1000 sq. ft. applied at seeding will improve the establishment and avoid any herbicides that will affect seedlings (Table 3). 

Weed Control 

A vigorous, healthy turfgrass stand will be resilient to weeds, so proper management practices should reduce the need for weed control. Almost all herbicides will negatively affect turfgrass seedlings (Table 3), so refer to product labels before using herbicides. Avoid using most preemergence herbicides – mesotrione and  topramezone are exceptions - to control crabgrass since they will also prevent the emergence of overseeded grasses. Treat crabgrass postemergence during late spring and summer. Broadleaf weeds like dandelion or clover can be controlled with herbicides applied from September through late October. 

Annual bluegrass (Figure 3) is becoming a common problem in athletic fields, and more information can be found in the publication titled “Annual Bluegrass Control” listed under the additional sources at the end of this publication. It is important to read and follow all label instructions.

Table 3. Label restrictions for herbicides when applying prior to or after seeding. Refer to the label of a specific product before use. 

Disease Control

Adequate nitrogen fertilization reduces the presence of most diseases in Kentucky bluegrass. If diseases like dollar spot, rust, or red thread are common on a field, it indicates that more annual nitrogen is needed. However, excessive nitrogen on athletic fields may increase brown patch and pythium incidence. Brown patch and pythium should only be treated preventively as weather dictates, when they have been identified as recurring problems on the field. Another less common disease is gray leaf spot, which affects perennial ryegrass or tall fescue. Common diseases in Kentucky bluegrass in Nebraska and the north-central United States are summer patch and necrotic ring spot (Figure 4).

 These are root-infecting diseases that are difficult to control and most common in turfgrass with excess thatch or a history of quick-release nitrogen use. On fields with a history of infection, preventative fungicide applications in early summer can be effective, but control can be variable. For necrotic ring spot, applications should start in mid– to late April followed by a second application one month later. For summer patch, applications should be made after 2-inch soil temperatures reach 65°F in mid-afternoon for five consecutive days and repeated 28 days later, applications must continue throughout the summer. Most effective control requires aerification before application and heavy irrigation after application. More information on disease control is listed under Additional Sources. 

Insect Control

White grubs are the most common insect pest in Nebraska and the north central US. These insects feed on roots in August and September, which in turn can create an unplayable or even dangerous field. Though finding about 10 grubs/sq. ft. is considered the treatment threshold in lawns, almost no grubs can be tolerated in fall-use fields. Therefore, white grubs are best treated preventively on fields where they have been identified as a recurring problem. Insecticides should be applied in early to mid-July and watered with a half-inch to an inch of water immediately after application. Preventative insecticides for white grubs include imidacloprid, halofenozide, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, or chlorantraniliprole, which are available under a variety of brand names. Curative or rescue treatments may be needed if feeding damage is detected during field use. Trichlorfon is usually the most effective product for white grubs after damage is detected. Check the label of your specific product for re-entry periods to accommodate the use of the field after application. More information on white grubs is also listed under Additional Sources. 

Growth Regulators

Growth regulators are becoming more common on fall-use athletic fields to slightly reduce mowing needs during the off-season. However, growth regulators should be used only on high-maintenance fields not in need of recovery from the previous season. Products containing trinexapac-ethyl are the only products that should be considered for field use. Time the final application of the year so effects wear off just before play starts, so the last application should be about six weeks before the first use. Trinexapac-ethyl can also be combined with field paint to extend the visibility of the paint. Refer to the label instructions for specifics. 

Topdressing (only for Sand-based Root Zone)

Topdressing should not be considered unless all other cultural management practices have been maximized. Topdressing will improve seed-to-soil contact and aid in thatch management. Topdressing sand-based root zones with the same or similarly sized material need to be in the current root zone. Topdressing is most effective following aerification. 

Table 4. General calendar for maintaining athletic fields in Nebraska and the north central United States. 

Additional Sources: 

1. Richmond, D. 2023. Turfgrass Insects: Managing White Grubs in Turfgrass. https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-271/E-271.pdf. Purdue University, Extension-Entomology.

2. Giesler, L. 2009. Necrotic ring spot and summer patch diseases in turfgrass. https://turf.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.ianr.agronomy-horticulture.turf/files/media/file/Necrotic-Ring-and-Summer-Patch.pdf

3. Latin, R. and J. Stewart. 2008. Gray leaf spot. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/bp/bp-107-w.pdf. Purdue University, Botany Department.

4. Giesler, L. J. 2009. Brown patch. https://turf.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.ianr.agronomy-horticulture.turf/files/media/file/Brown-patch.pdf 

5. Giesler, L. J. 2009. Pythium blight. https://turf.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.ianr.agronomy-horticulture.turf/files/media/file/PythiumBlight.pdf

6. Reicher, Z. and R. Gaussoin. 2010. Annual bluegrass control. Pub 2010c. https://turf.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.ianr.agronomy-horticulture.turf/files/media/file/AnnualBluegrassControls2010c.pdf

7. Kreuser, B. 2015. Simplifying soil test interpretations for turf professionals.  https://turf.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.ianr.agronomy-horticulture.turf/files/media/file/Simplifying-Soil-Test-Interpretations-g2265.pdf

Originally known as Professional Series: Maintaining Athletic Fields (2012), University of Nebraska-Lincoln Turfgrass Science Program, Pub. Turf 2012d Pro Series By Zac Reicher.

Reviewed by John Fech, Horticulture Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension, and Adam Thoms, Associate Professor in Horticulture and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Iowa State University.

Updated August 27, 2025