Turf-Tec International
How To Analyze Your
Soil Conditions On Athletic Fields

Below is a step by step method of analyzing the soil conditions of your sports field. The soil is the literal foundation of your entire turf management program. If your soil is not in good health, it is only a matter of time before you have other problems that in many instances, lead to loss of turf.

Step One:
Examine the soil profile for layers of unlike material.

Layers of unlike materials form on almost all turfgrass areas. They are caused by natural and man made reasons. Whatever the reason for their development they will cause problems with turfgrass growth. The layers will also impede water and air movement as well as tie up vital nutrients needed for deep root systems.

Any layers under turfgrass areas should be examined closely with a Soil Profile Sampler. Turf-Tec makes several different types of Soil Profile Samplers, choose the one that best suits your needs.

For golf greens, the Soil Profile Sampler or Mascaro Profile Sampler work well to reveal the profile and show layers as well as overall soil and grass root health.

Mascaro Profile Sampler	Soil Profile Sampler - 6" deep and 12" deep model.

Mascaro Profile Sampler - MPS1-S Click here to see this item in the Turf-Tec Virtual Catalog	Turf-Tec 6" Soil Profile Sampler Click here to see this item in the Turf-Tec Virtual Catalog Turf-Tec 12" Mascaro Profile Sampler Click here to see this item in the Turf-Tec Virtual Catalog

For hard ground, rocky areas and native soil areas, the New Heavy Duty Mascaro Profile Sampler is the best tool. This tool extract a cross section of the soil profile with this 7" deep, 3" wide and 1/2" thick sampler. This Heavy duty sampler has a 30 inch long handle and the reinforced cutter blades allow reliable use even in hard soils. The cutter blade opens with the aid of a specially designed hinge exposing the Soil Profile with unmatched quality.

Another Quality tool are the Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler, these small samplers extract a 1/2 inch diameter core sample. The Stainless Steel composition of the Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler make them excellent for the collection of core samples for analysis. They are small enough to be kept anywhere so you will never be without a soil sampler again.

Heavy Duty Mascaro Profile Sampler Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler Stainless Steel - 1/2 inch Diameter

Heavy Duty Mascaro Profile Sampler for taking soil profiles in hard soils. Introducing the new Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler - 1/2 inch diameter sampler (13 mm). This tool that is the smallest diameter tubular soil sampler in the business. Its entirely made of Stainless Steel.

Turf-Tec Heavy Duty Mascaro Profile Sampler - MPS2-S
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Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler Stainless Steel - 1/2 inch Diameter - TSS1-S - Click here to see this item in the Turf-Tec Virtual Catalog

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Step Two:
Examine the soil profile particle size to determine the analysis.

When taking a soil profile, it is also a good idea to examine the soil particle size. First take a composite of the entire rootzone, dry the soil and pass it though a set of sieves for analysis. Compare your results to the established sports field construction specifications to determine your soil particle size. Also, if you notice and different layers in the soil profile, they may warrant running separate sieve analysis on each section.

Brass Sieve Set	Acrylic Sieve Set

Brass Sieve Set - BS1-S Click here to see this item in the Turf-Tec Virtual Catalog	Acrylic Sieve Set - AS1-S Click here to see this item in the Turf-Tec Virtual Catalog

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Step three.
Analysis for compaction, shallow roots and prevent player injury.

Compaction is probably the biggest problem on athletic fields. Their small size and permanent boundary lines only make these problems worse. Compaction problems are often worsened by poor soil conditions as was examined in step two.

Compaction will create problems because the soil becomes so hard that grass roots cannot penetrate and grow. This will also cause water and fertilizer to run off hard soils.

To determine if compaction is a problem you can use a Turf-Tec Penetrometer. This gravity operated tool gives you readings in percentages. If the readings are around the 50% range that signifies that the soil has good pore space with 50% for solids, 25% for water and 25% for air. If readings are higher, compaction will affect root growth as well as playability and may also raise concerns with player safety.

Turf-Tec Penetrometer

Turf-Tec Penetrometer - PN1-S
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Step four:
Thatch and mat analysis.

After taking a soil profile sample, examine the profile to determine the depth of thatch and mat. Thatch and mat layers can cause many problems with water and air movement to the grass roots. These layers, when detected with the Soil Profile Sampler, should be monitored with a Digital Thermometer during periods of stress to avoid the loss of turf due to spontaneous combustion or wilting. Ideally you only want 1/4 inch of thatch and 1/4 inch of mat (decomposing thatch) for a total of 1/2 inch of material on an athletic field, any more material and the thatch will cause many problems and must be monitored with a digital thermometer, especially during periods of hot and moist conditions.

Turf-Tec Digital Thermometer

Turf-Tec Digital Thermometer - DT1-S
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Virtual Catalog

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