renovate soccer field

[Jim Stockwell]

Our soccer club is thinking of taking on a field renovation for our park system that doesn't have the funds/manpower etc.

It's 2 acres, 'developed' in 1997, and is in terrible shape. Relatively level - probably too level - and very compacted - lots of areas where puddles develop and leave bare spots. Several different grasses and lots of weeds. This was a 'gift' from a developer of a nearby apartment complex. Outside of cutting the grass the county has never done anything to it.

We've thought about 1) just verti-draining it. 2) Core aeration, drag the cores back in and overseed. 3) Core aeration, amend and overseed. I figure that's in order of time and cost. Water is NOT available.

First question - given two acres - how much soil amendment would we need?

Second question - I'm in favor of just verti-draining - any simpletons like me out there?

TIA

[Rtom45]

Walk away from it. If a developer left it, you can bet there's no usable topsoil and a whole host of other potential problems. Unless you are able to get water there and are willing to spend big bucks, you will always be fighting a losing battle.

[woodycrest]

aerate heavily ,top dress with compost, then overseed with clover....

[Jim Stockwell]

Okay - 2 votes in.

Let's say there is no usable topsoil and we were willing to spend big bucks. What's a ballpark range for the cost? It doesn't get used much now so time is not an issue - say not use it till next fall (2006).

[Rtom45]

I'd say ballpark of $100,000. About 6 years ago, we put in 12 acres of recreational fields and our cost was over $600,000. We had woods cleared, water brought in, regrading and some imported topsoil. We should have spent another couple hundred thousand, we've been struggling to improve the fields since day one. If you are serious about playing a soccer "season" this is no small project.