Surviving the Seasons: Turf Field Maintenance Across the Year

Spring blossoms, wintertime frosts, and ever-changing variables across the year call for proactive turf field maintenance that ebbs and flows with the seasons. Taking the time to learn defensive facility care is well worth the effort; in this post, we’ll address essential artificial turf maintenance strategies and seasonal considerations to keep in mind as you maintain your field throughout the year. 

Spring & Summer Strategies to Prepare for Successful Seasons

While you may not have to worry about a mowing schedule with your artificial grass field, the thriving spring and summer months introduce a variety of environmental challenges for facility owners. 

With the emergence of flourishing plantlife and wildlife activity, vigilant field clean-up and perimeter growth removal are key aspects of warm-weather care. On a daily/weekly basis, walk the field and remove natural debris, animal waste, and take note of any encroaching weeds or plants that may need to be trimmed, pulled, or relocated before roots damage the turf perimeter. Alongside frequent trimming and removal, persistent weeds and/or invasive pests may need to be managed with player-and-environmentally-safe weed/pest control chemicals. 

Other common warm-weather turf field maintenance recommendations include: 

• Inspecting & Restoring Field Drainage Systems: Snowmelt and excessive spring precipitation can lead to premature turf damage. To protect the edges and base layers of your artificial turf grass, a professional drainage inspection and upkeep is recommended. If drainage channels are blocked or water is allowed to pool around the perimeter of the field, erosion and muddy conditions can gradually affect the integrity and longevity of your artificial turf system.

• Redistributing or Refilling Infill: Restore the playability, safety, and protect your turf field with weekly brushing to redistribute infill evenly across the field and realign the artificial grass fibers in a singular direction. On occasion, your field may also need a refill or professional redistribution; we utilize state-of-the-art grooming technology and offer like-new infill refills to restore the optimal performance of your field.  

• Spot Repairs & Sectional Replacements: Before the competitive fall season begins, the warmer months and longer days are the best times to invest in necessary repairs and replacements. From minor turf tears and line restriping services, to larger patch replacements of worn-down turf grass, our field repair specialists at Keystone Sports Construction can help you refresh your entire field for less. 

In addition to year-round maintenance requirements such as vigilant monitoring, grooming, and debris removal, here are some helpful considerations to keep in mind for your fall and winter maintenance plans. 

Safeguard Your Facility During the Fall & Winter Months

As the weather cools down, it’s essential to address any issues that may have developed over the summer months, such as compaction, seam separation, or infill displacement. During the fall/early winter months, you may also need to increase your debris cleanup duties in response to leaves, heavier animal traffic, and other seasonal changes. 

While the off-season is better suited for major repairs and replacements, quick-and-effective services like decompaction, deep field cleaning, and infill refills are common services we provide during the mid-seasons. 

Despite artificial turf’s ability to withstand harsh fall/winter conditions, we recommend frequent snow and ice removal to prevent damage to the turf fibers and player safety issues. If using a deicer or other chemical products, be sure that they are approved for use with artificial turf or the track/court surfaces you plan on clearing.

If your field will not be used during the winter months, you can also consider covering the surfaces with tarps or turf blankets. While not necessary, installing an additional layer of protection can enhance turf longevity and reduce total maintenance costs/labor. 

Have other maintenance questions or need assistance with facility upkeep? Our field maintenance professionals at Keystone Sports Construction are here to help.