Talkin' turf: how San Diego successfully delivers fertile ground, despite never-ending challenges

Parks & Recreation, June, 2004 by Carol Drummond, Steven Remley

Wiregrass (Sporobolus indicus), more commonly known as "smutgrass," is an invasive perennial that forms stiff upright clumps that can also cause athletes to trip on multi-purpose fields. When mowing crew members detect a wiregrass presence, they make every effort to control it by using a flail mower that mows closely and knocks down the clumps. Also problematic are tall seed heads that are difficult to cut with a reel mower. A rotary mower is used to successfully eliminate the seed heads.

Booming Blades

Two years ago, the development of an enhanced sports turf maintenance program was put into place. Previously, all turfed sites were maintained in the same ways, regardless of the type of turf and the frequency of its use. These sites were mowed once per week, and aerated and fertilized three times per year. Sites that were being used for active sports play were in obvious need of an enhanced level of maintenance, compared to more passive use sites. The new enhanced maintenance program not only increases mowing schedules but also increases the frequency of aeration and fertilization. Turf is mowed twice per week, and aerated and fertilized up to eight times per year. Four heavily used sports fields were selected as good "trial sites" for the enhanced maintenance program, and their appearance improved so significantly and recognizably that the park and recreation department received numerous positive comments from users specifically in regards to the turf quality and playability at these sites. In an August 2002 department performance survey, several comments were made regarding San Diego's turf. "San Diego has one of the most beautiful park and beach facilities I have ever seen," says one resident.

Six percent of the 1,400 acres that are mowed each week are on areas known as "joint-use fields" where staff go to 47 elementary and middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District to maintain the turf at these sites. At most school sites, there are no turfed fields and children play on fields made of decomposed granite. In a joint-use field agreement, the city performs all maintenance of the fields, and the school district provides use of the fields to neighboring communities during non-school hours. These agreements benefit the school by providing a turfed field for the children attending school, and benefit the community by providing Families with additional recreation resources. Based on its success, another 10 joint-use field agreements are expected to be added over the next two years. In addition to maintaining regular park sites and joint-use fields on school sites, the mowing crew is also responsible for maintaining approximately 80 acres of turf at San Diego's Mount Hope Cemetery, where flat and upright stone monuments and rolling terrain present a real challenge; but a challenge that the mowing crew handles with ease. Special care is given to Mount Hope Cemetery that is visited by thousands of people each year who come to remember their loved ones buried there.