The best ways to keep your football field in good shape – Scioto County Daily News

If you don’t take care of a football pitch, things can look a bit rundown over time. These are the best ways to keep your football field in good condition. Make your land greener than ever.

Move your field when possible

If you have extra space, move your field around as much as possible. This will allow high traffic areas to heal and regrow. Therefore, players will have a better time playing.

Keep the lines clear

Keeping paint lines and markings clear is crucial to football gameplay. Without the proper markings, referees cannot make the right choice. Keep the markings clear with a plotter and make sure they are visible and straight.

Inspect your field regularly

Performing a regular inspection of your field is crucial for its maintenance. Check your field once or twice a week to make sure everything looks OK. Test the soil, re-fertilize if necessary, and pay special attention to areas that need extra care.

Check your mowing procedure

Ensuring your field is mowed correctly is key to keeping your field looking great. Thick layers of grass clippings can mean that mowing your field is sporadic. Having ragged ends on the grass probably means your mower blades aren’t sharp enough. Keep your mower blades sharp and make sure you mow your field properly.

High traffic areas

One of the best ways to keep your football field looking good is to over-seed high traffic areas on the field. Keeping high traffic areas seeded will allow them to regrow and recover as much as they can on their own. Keep referee runs and goal mouths heavily seeded.

Aerate the field

Ventilation is crucial to keeping a football pitch spotless. It can be difficult to keep track of everything, but you should take the time to aerate your field often.

Set new areas for goalkeepers to warm up

Allowing goalkeepers to practice and warm up outside the goal area will help distribute the wear and tear on your pitch. Set different areas for goalkeepers to train and distribute clothing where possible.

Check your drainage

Regularly checking your field after heavy rains is essential to maintain good drainage. If you notice that water is pooling in a specific spot or there is a lot of mud after a rain, you will need to develop creative solutions. Use aeration, add fine soils or even re-level the field with a crown to ensure successful drainage.