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| HORTICULTURAL PERLITE SOLVES COMPACTION PROBLEM AT NEW STADIUMS Soil compaction caused by hundreds of students on a day-in and day-out basis, limited grass recovery time and water ponding are problems all too familiar to stadium grounds keepers. The situation at St. Louis University High School was no different at their two athletic fields. An extensive renovation plan for their main stadium involved the construction of a new grandstand and press box, a concession building, equipment storage building, tracks, and soccer and football fields with an automatic irrigation system. As water ponding was a problem with their upper practice field, a solution was sought for the new stadium. Horticultural Perlite Specified Natural soil in the stadium area was a hard clay that had little or no permeability. As a result, water ponding and compaction was a problem. At the suggestion of their stadium manager, Emmet Hanick, horticultural perlite was specified on the basis of extensive studies in Japan that indicated that horticultural perlite would limit compaction of park and stadium turf areas subject to heavy foot traffic. 3000 Cubic Feet of Perlite Used Existing clay soil was disced to a depth of 8 inches and horticultural perlite was spread on the surface in sufficient quantity to form a 1/3 perlite 2/3 soil mix. Fertilizer was added and the three elements blended together. The entire playing field was contour graded with an 8 inch crown down the center of the field. The field was seeded with Kentucky 31 fescue and covered with a straw mulch. A total of almost 3000 cubic feet of horticultural perlite was used for the project. Dimensions of the soccer field are 120 x 68 yards and the adjoining football field 120 x 53 yards. No Evidence of Compaction After hundreds of soccer and football games, Hanick reported "the soil had not compacted and remained soft to the touch." He added, "the untreated upper field was spotty with dry areas and a hardened clay surface that did not allow penetration of moisture, while the turf in the new stadium recovered rapidly after play and remained in lush condition." "AFTER HUNDREDS OF SOCCER AND FOOTBALL GAMES THE SOIL HAD NOT COMPACTED AND REMAINED SOFT TO THE TOUCH." "An additional benefit of the new, softer playing surface is the fact that no serious play injuries were sustained," said Paul Martel, head football coach. According to Father Thomas W. Cummings, President of the school, "our only regret is that we did not renovate our fields earlier with horticultural perlite - we are delighted with the tremendous improvement in both the appearance and the performance of our turf." "WE ARE DELIGHTED WITH THE TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT IN BOTH THE APPEARANCE AND THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR TURF." |
