Mizzou Sports Field Manager Josh McPherson’s Use of Universe Fraze Mowing Featured During Mizzou Soccer Match on SEC Network+
Columbia, MO; September 8, 2014: In June, University of Missouri Sports Field Manager Josh McPherson became the 1st SEC Sports Field Manager to utilize Universe fraze mowing. Friday night, Mr. McPherson was featured during the Mizzou soccer match on SEC Network.
Universe fraze mowing, a new cultivation practice adapted from an existing European practice, debuted in the United States in March, 2013. Friday night, Mizzou Network featured Mr. McPherson and his decision to make Audrey J. Walton soccer field the 1st SEC field Universe mowed. Josh spoke of the reasoning for using the outside the box technique during the Mizzou v Northwestern soccer match on SEC Network+. See the feature here: http://youtu.be/sBwkOEWqu4c?list=UUsWz3SZVLdg3g51HSN4lPNA
Walton Field was one of five college soccer fields to be Universe fraze mowed in 2014, and one of 19 total fields in the US. Unique to Mr. McPherson’s use of the technique at Mizzou, Walton Field had the shortest regeneration window before it’s next use. Also unique, Walton Field was the 1st soccer field ever maintained by Universe fraze mowing developer Jerad Minnick. Minnick, President of Growing Innovations and creator of Growing Green Grass, is a graduate of Mizzou and alumni of Mizzou Athletic’s Sports Turf intern program.
About Growing Innovations: Growing Innovations is a natural grass support and education firm dedicated to a single mission: Establishing How Natural Grass Fields CAN Take More Use. Through creating and sharing new and improved concepts for natural grass field construction and maintenance, Growing Innovations illustrates a new world of possibilities for natural grass fields. Because “if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got”. www.GrowingInnovations.Net
The world-class Stub Hub Center in Los Angeles has become the latest addition to the list of facilities to put fraze mowing into practice . In a demonstration/ field day this week, the training field for the MLS club Chivas USA was fraze mowed and renovated with pieces of the KORO renovation process. Stub Hub Center, formerly known as Home Depot Center, is home to Chivas USA, the back-to-back defending MLS Champion LA Galaxy, US Soccer, and several of the United State’s highest profile events;
The renovation was organized by STS Services (Jock Eddington) of Phoenix, AZ and Campey Turf Care (Simon Gumbrill) of Manchester, UK. The rest of the renovation/ demonstration team was made up of Mr. Paul Burgess (Real Madrid), Jerad Minnick (Maryland SoccerPlex), Julie Adamski (Maryland SoccerPlex), Kevin White (Seattle University), Brian Wood (Commercial Turf & Tractor) and Mr. Jose Maria Aldrete (Chivas Guadalajara). The Stub Hub Center staff, lead by Mr. Shaun Ilten, played an absolutely vital role as well. Kudos to them for all the support and the open mind to proceed!
The Chivas training pitch is a tight mix of bermudagrass and ryegrass. But as every grass field experiences, an organic layer was beginning to accumulate and poa annua was starting to populate. Mr. Ilten, Stub Hub Center’s Head Grounds Manager, recognized that fraze mowing and the KORO renovation process could be something that could not only help with keeping those challenges from increasing… but also create an even stronger and traffic tolerant surface for Stub Hub Center year round.
Renovation Goals:
1) Eliminate/ reduce poa annua population
2) Increase durability of the field by cleaning out/ breaking up organic layering and de-compacting sub-base
3) Create a strengthened bermudagrass base to act as stability for the inner-seeded ryegrass
4) Keep the entire surface smooth to increase playability by the high level teams
Fraze Mowing
To start the renovation, the field was fraze mowed. With frazing, the challenges of the field: thatch, organic build up, ryegrass, poa annua plants and poa seed: were removed off the surface while leaving the base of bermudagrass below. As fraze mowing multiple fields in 2013 has demonstrated (Fraze Mowing Results), the Universe® rotor on the Field Topmaker cleaned the material off the surface and left the bermudagrass rhizomes to re-generate.
Fraze Mowing Off Thatch and Organic Matter w/ the KORO Universe® Rotor
Fraze Mowing w/ KORO Universe®
The bermudagrass rhizomes exposed to the sunlight began to re-generate and run across the ground immediately. That network creates a base of natural stability in the sub-soil.
De-Compaction
Following cleaning, the sub-surface profile was de-compacted using the Imants Shockwave w/ 8″ blades. Shockwave, a soil wave de-compaction machine, is ideal for a heavy soil sub-surface that needs softened.
Imants Shockwave De-Compacting Sub Soil
Imants Shockwave De-Compacting 8″ Deep
Incorporation of Sand Into Soil Surface:
With the thatch, organic matter, poa annua, poa annua seed bank and ryegrass removed, followed with the sub-soil de-compacted… 1/2″ of sand was added to the surface. Using an Imants RotoKnife to slice up the top, sand was worked down into the soil profile to promote infiltration, reduce compaction potential, and to provide air space for stronger plants.
Imants RotoKnife Slicing Profile to Incorporate Sand
Seeding Ryegrass Into Bermudagrass Base:
Ryegrass was seeded into the bermudagrass base of the field following cleaning off, de-compaction, and sand incorporation. With bermudagrass rhizomes beginning to re-generate across and through the soil surface, they will prove natural stability for the ryegrass that is seeded down into the soil. The resilience of ryegrass will sustain heavy amounts of traffic without divoting or wearing away at the crown of the plant because of the bermudagrass reinforcement.
3 Days Following Fraze Mowing, Bermudagrass Beginning to Regenerate
Sun Setting Following Seeding of Ryegrass Progresses
Conclusion:
With the beautiful Southern California sunshine beaming down on it, the ryegrass seed will now germinate and fill in quickly. The low sun angle and mild temperatures will inhibit complete bermudagrass regeneration, but that is ok since the bermuda is there for reinforcement and playability, not turfgrass cover. Within 4 weeks time, the training field will be available to be back on-line for the busy winter season at Stub Hub Center… and absolutely bullet proof by the time Chivas USA returns for the start of the MLS season in January.
THANK YOU to all the participants of the field day and the demonstration of the renovation practices!! THANK YOU to Mr. Shaun Ilten and his staff and Stub Hub Center for the support and for the open mind to try the new renovation techniques. And THANK YOU to Assistant GM of Stub Hub Center, Mr. Kyle Waters, for his time and for hosting the group for the LA Galaxy v. Real Salt Lake Playoff match at Stub Hub Center Stadium. Stub Hub Center is one of the world’s finest… Mr. Ilten and Mr. Waters are absolutely majors reasons why!!
More updates to come on the re-establishment. Keep the questions coming!
The impact of fraze mowing bermudagrass is beginning to show. Fields that were “cleaned off” at Maryland SoccerPlex and at FC Dallas Park are all setting themselves apart.
Maryland SoccerPlex fields that were “cleaned off” are illustrating improved wear tolerance, even just 6 weeks after fraze mowing. During a lacrosse tournament last weekend, SoccerPlex Patriot bermudagrass fields hosted 34 lacrosse matches per bermudagrass field in rainy, humid conditions. The durability from the fraze mowed fields was far superior. The treatments have been the same; no fertilizer and 1 pass w/ 3/8″ hollow coring tines on 1″ centers; accept that the non-fraze mowed fields were scarified to promote recovery. The results follow….
Fields Not Fraze Mowed:
Day 1: Bermudagrass Field That was Not Fraze Mowed
Day 7 of Recovery on Fields Not Fraze Mowed
UPDATED
Non Fraze Mowed: Day 14 of Recovery From 34 Lacrosse Matches
Because bermudagrass is so quick to recover, it is accepted before such a lacrosse event that the bermudagrass will nearly be completely worn away. The bermuda is able to recover completely within 2-3 weeks even at this pace.
Then that is compared to the fields that were fraze mowed 6 week prior to hosting 34 lacrosse matches in 4 days. Results:
Day 1: Field That Was Fraze Mowed
Day 7 of Recovery on Fraze Mowed Field
UPDATED
Day 14 of Recovery: Fraze Mowed Field from 34 Lacrosse Matches (W/ Soccer Camps/ Clinics All 14 Days)
The results speak for themselves. Yes, in both pictures the field is extremely worn initially on Day 1. However, look closer and compare the amount of green tissue remaining on the ground in the fraze mowed picture compared to the field not fraze mowed. The field not fraze mowed is nearly all dirt where new bermuda will need to push back up through the soil or have sprigs added to the area. The fraze mowed field still has nearly 75% cover, so the plants can quickly grow back in the worn area.
Keep in mind that fraze mowing took place only 6 weeks prior on 3 fields:
Fraze Mowing w/ KORO Universe Field Topmaker
Field Comparisons In 6 Weeks Before 34 Lacrosse Games
Because of the increase in durability of the fraze mowed bermudagrass, it is recovering in only 1 week. Not only does this allow the field to recover faster, but it can allow for the fields to sustain even more play. Win. Win.
So WHY is the difference so vast already?
1) Re-growth is more durable: Just 6 weeks after the field was cleaned off completely, the re-growth back up through the soil is much stronger. The number of growing points has multiplied and the cleats go into the soil instead of thatch to reduce shearing/ tearing/ increasing traction.
2) Organic removal reduces moisture and compaction potential: During the 4 day lacrosse tournament, wet and rainy conditions prevailed. The drying speed of the fraze mowed fields was much faster than the non-fraze mowed fields, and the 3 fields that were “cleaned off” historically hold water the longest. WHY? The organic layer was removed, so water was not held in the organic layer as long and allowed to soak into the native soil faster. The organic removal also reduced the compaction potential at the soil surface.
The FC Dallas Training Field is also experiencing similar superior wear tolerance:
FC Dallas 1st Team Training Field:
Organic/ Thatch Build Up in 2012
Thatch/ Organic Build Up AFTER Fraze Mowing in 2013
The pictures also illustrate the difference in the quality of the bermudagrass re-growth. Without having to grow up through thatch and having more growing points, the picture illustrates how much stronger the bermudagrass is after fraze mowing. Additionally, the poa is removed as well.
The FC Dallas Training field has been in use daily for nearly 3 months and is illustrating superior wear tolerance, especially through the high traffic areas:
On Tuesday of last week, KORO Universe® fraze mowing was introduced to bermudagrass in northeast eastern North Carolina. The results of the process continue to be amazing:
Celebration Bermudagrass Cleaning w/ KORO Universe at Shallowest Depth
Celebration Bermudagrass Cleaned Out Deeper w/ KORO Universe
Mat of Thatch & Organic on 419 Removed to Expose Stolons & Rhizomes
Mr. Sam Green, Director of Business Development at Aqua Aid, set up the demonstration in North Carolina. Mr. Simon Gumbrill of Campey Turf Care (Manchester, UK) and Mr. Hans DeKort of Imants (Reusel, Netherlands) were both in attendance, along with Mr. Andrew Green from McDonald Design Group to evaluate the potential of the process. The potential for the golf market is very big, for de-thatching/ durability/ and for cleaning up to prepare for overseeding.
More updates to come on the re-establishment of the bermudagrass!
THANK YOU to everyone that took part in the demonstration at Maryland SoccerPlex on Monday, June 3rd. Heavy rains Sunday night limited to the amount of work that was able to take place, but that did not limit the discussions and information sharing between the nice sized group that gathered.
Special thanks to Mr. Simon Gumbrill of Campey Turf Care (Manchester, UK) and Mr. Hans DeKort of Imants (Reusel, Netherlands) for taking the time to be with us. And special thanks to them for building and providing the turfgrass market with such well build and precision machines. The relationship between Campey and Imants is absolutely “Perfecting Play”.
Also, thank you to Mr. Niels Dokkuma from SGL Concept (Netherlands) for joining us. The age of growing grass year round w/ lights for even non-shaded fields is coming… and SGL is leading us there. Exciting things ahead!!
And additionally, a thank you for Mr. Yousef Bagdady for joining us from Garden & Farm (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Garden & Farm is one of the finest turfgrass equipment distributors in the world, and Mr. Bagdady being with us illustrates why. The idea sharing was beneficial for us all!
More to come w/ the re-growth of the fields. We are absolutely on track to re-open by 1 week from today… June 15th. A sneak peak at the results so far:
Patriot Bermuda Greening 5 Days After Cleaning Off
Thinnest Area Prior to Patriot Bermuda Being Cleaned Off 6 Days Before
Fraze mowing bermudagrass w/ the KORO Universe® Field Topmaker rotor became an active practice on dormant bermudagrass at FC Dallas Park in March. Now for the 1st time, the practice has been used on bermudagrass greening up and starting its summer growth at Maryland SoccerPlex (NW side of Washington, DC). The Patriot bermudagrass on 7 fields at SoccerPlex has been actively growing for about 3 weeks… so fraze mowing is taking place right at the time of transitioning the rye grass overseeding out of the bermudagrass.
Fraze mowing 2 fields took place on Thursday of last week, May 30. The top 1/2″ of the field was removed w/ the benefits being:
1) rye grass removal
2) poa annua and weed seed removal
3) thatch/organic build up removal
4) smoothing the surface of the top of the field
With all the removal, the bermuda stolons and rhizomes were exposed to the sunlight to be allowed to green up completely and actively grow across the field instead of fighting to get up through the shade of the thatch/organic and competition of the rye/ poa.
Fraze Mowing w/ KORO Universe Field Topmaker
Bermuda Plants Exposed w/ Removal of Rye, Poa, Weed Seed, and Thatch/ Organic Build Up
Stolons & Rhizomes Exposed
Following the “cleaning off” via fraze mowing, the fields were scarified at 1″ deep w/ a verticutter in 2 directions to cut the stolons and rhizomes to increase the number of plants and promote lateral and leaf growth. Each point the bermuda is cut will promote growth and increase density as the fields fill-in.
Following fraze mowing and scarifying, the fields were put into a heavy watering cycle to keep the bermudagrass soaked down in the soil… much like sprigs would be soaked when they are planted from sprigging. The water will help the remaining dormant plants to green up and start to grow.. and reduce the stress of the fraze mowing.
In 5-7 days time when leaves have re-generated and can be foliar fed, foliar bio-stimulant will be applied to promote more leaf and shoot growth. Because the leaves were removed from fraze mowing, the photosynthetic surface has been removed. Thus the additional of carbohydrates, amino acids, and plant hormones will provide food and energy to promote quicker regeneration . 1/2 lb of ammonium sulfate will also be applied, along granular polymer coated nitrogen (N) to release at 1/10th lbs N a week for the next 18 weeks and polymer coated phosphorous (K) to also release at 1/10th lbs K for the next 18 weeks.
The 2 fields clean off on May 30th re-open on June 15th to full play. (so closed 16 total days) Stayed tuned to track the re-establishment!
En 30 Enero 2013, hemos hablado de la concepto de “Fraze Mowing” pasto bermuda con la nueva máquina Universe® rotor de la nueva Koro Field Topmaker. ¡La reacción y el intercambio de ideas fueron absolutamente increíbles! Nos parecía que estábamos en un potencial avance para el manejo de thatch.
En 23 Marzo, el concepto se ha convertido en una realidad como el Universe® hizo su debut mundial. Los resultados hablan por sí mismos…
Universe® Koro Field Topmaker Rotor Makes It’s World Debut
Fraze Mowing w/ Universe® Field Topmaker rotor at FC Dallas
Rye Grass & Thatch Removed. Stolons & Rhizomes Exposed to Put on Leaves and Grow Laterally
El ryegrass (Lolium perenne) fue eliminado, junto con el thatch, capa orgánica, y las semillas de mala hierba. Dejo atrás una capa de estolones y rizomas que inmediatamente generar hojas y comienzan a crecer lateralmente. El tejido de la planta restante, se crecen nuevas hojas en 4-7 días…inmediatamente mostrando una superficie verde. En un periodo de 14 a 21 días, el crecimiento activo tendrá la superficie del campo casi completamente cubierto con fuerte y durable plantas, lista para mantener tráfico pesado. “Fraze Mowing” aplana las ondulaciones en la superficie, haciendo la cancha plana como una mesa de billar. ¡En general, los resultados fueron absolutamente espectaculares!
Las demostraciones que fueron durante el fin de semana en el FC Dallas Park, había tres canchas recibir el proceso de renovación Koro, (corte para limpiar el thatch, capa orgánica, ryegrass, semillas de mala hierbas/ suelo reciclar/ buen arrastre). Un campo “fraze mowed” con la nueva Terraplane rotor, haciendo su debut en EE.UU., los otros dos campos fueron limpiados con el Universe®, haciendo su debut mundial. Una vez que los campos se han limpiado, el KORO Recycling Dresser (suelo reciclar) permite que el aire a permear el perfil del suelo. El topdressing o topeo que la máquina de reciclar hizo, cubrió los estolones y rizomas muy bien y apoyo la regeneración más rápido. Sr. Allen Reed se hizo el primer director de campo de estadio profesional de alto nivel en el EE.UU. para usar el KORO Recyclying Dresser en un campo de estadio, siguiendo los gustos de Sr. Paul Burgess, director de campo para el Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Real Madrid).
KORO Recycle Dresser on FC Dallas Stadium
MUCHAS GRACIAS a Sr. Miles Studhalter, Sr. Allen Reed, y Sr. Tom Jones de FC Dallas Park para creer en el concepto de “Fraze Mowing” pasto bermuda con la maquina Universe® que fueron los primeros en haber demostrado y funcionar. Su creencia y reacción ha sido esencial trayendo el concepto a la realidad. Eran convencidos que el practica de limpiar el rye grass, thatch, capa orgánica, y semilla de mala hierba provea una superficie más fuerte y más durable. ¡Muchas Gracias de nuevo para ellos, son los mejor de los mejores!
Además, gracias a Sr. Joe Pemberton director de campo, instalación de entrenamiento a Manchester United, para proveer la reacciones durante el proceso. Joe estaba en le EE.UU. en una vacaciones breve y paso para observar el debut de la maquina Universe®. Fue un privilegio para ver a Sr. Pemberton, es completamente uno del mejor director de campos. ¡Gracias a él para permitir que nosotros hagamos tantas preguntas!
Y definitivamente, unas gracias especiales a Imants BV (@ImantsBV) de Reusel, Holanda y Campey Turf Care Systems (@CampeyTurfCare) de Manchester, Inglaterra para el desarrollo una herramienta fantástica y creativa, el Universe®. El liderazgo de Imants junto con Sr. KO Rodenberg (KORO) y Campey Turf Care Systems está completamente cambiando el mantenimiento de campos de deportes alrededor del mundo. ¡Sr. Simon Gumbrill de Campey fue esencial para el debut de la maquina Universe® en Dallas, Tejas, gracias a él para tomarse el tiempo para venir a los EE.UU. para dirigir, ensenar, y nos ilumine a las nuevas ideas! Simon, ¡Muchas Gracias!
En conjunto, las demostraciones de fin de semana fueron un éxito. “Fraze Mowing” pasto bermuda con la maquina Universe® ya no es un concepto. Se ha convertido en una práctica de mantenimiento. ¡Gracias a todos por hacer posible!
Modern Fraze Mowing w/ Universe® Field Topmaker rotor at FC Dallas Park
Its been 5 weeks since the Universe® KORO Field Topmaker rotor made its debut “cleaning out” bermudagrass in Dallas, TX. The weather could not have been more challenging for re-growth w/ the continued cold and prolonged bermuda dormancy period in the south.
But that challenging weather makes the results of the re-growth even more amazing. The hypothesis is that bermuda that is “cleaned out” during active growth will be green within 4-7 days. The field will then become playable again within 14 days. But even for low maintenance fields, they technically are “playable” on Day 1….. Yes, there is little to no green, but the stolons and rhizomes remaining create a stable surface. Here is the progress:
Mowing For 1st Time on Day 16
Re-Growth at Day 24
Bermudagrass Re-Growth at Day 24
It is to be re-stated that when this process took place on March 24th, the 419 bermudagrass was still dormant. AND since, Dallas has experienced one of its coldest springs ever. The re-growth process has been slowed by frost several times … Yet still at 5 weeks w/ nearly dormant bermuda, the fields are to the point they are. The hypothesis of less than 14 days on active bermuda seems pretty safe at this point don’t you think?!? Welcome to the New World!!
On Jan. 30th, we shared in a discussion about the “concept” of fraze mowing bermudagrass w/ the new Universe® rotor for the new Koro Field Topmaker. The feedback and idea exchange was absolutely fantastic! It seemed we were onto a potential breakthrough for bermudagrass thatch management.
Last Saturday, March 23, the “concept” became reality as the Universe® made its world debut in Dallas, TX at FC Dallas Park. The results speak for themselves:
Universe® Koro Field Topmaker Rotor Makes It’s World Debut
Modern Fraze Mowing w/ Universe® Field Topmaker rotor at FC Dallas Park
Rye Grass & Thatch Removed. Stolons & Rhizomes Exposed to Put on Leaves and Grow Laterally
The rye grass overseeding was removed, along with the thatch, organic layer, and weed seed bed. Left behind is a mat of stolons and rhizomes that will immediately re-generate leaf blades and begin to grow laterally across the ground. In bermudagrass weather (FC Dallas bermuda is primarily dormant for a few more weeks), the plant tissue remaining will push out leaves in 4-7 days.. immediately giving the field surface a green appearance again. Then within 14-21 days, active growth will have the field surface nearly completely re-covered with strong, durable plants ready to sustain heavy traffic. Fraze mowing also smoothed any undulations in the surface, making the fields as smooth as pool tables. Overall, the results were absolutely spectacular!!
During the weekend demonstration, FC Dallas Park had 3 fields receive the Koro Renovation Process (Fraze mowed to clean out the thatch, organic layer, ryegrass, and weed seed/ recycle dressed/ smooth drug). 1 field was fraze mowed w/ the new Terraplane rotor, making its USA debut… then 2 fields were cleaned out w/ the Universe® ,making it’s world debut. Once the fields were cleaned out, the KORO Recycling Dresser ameliorated the sand… allowing air to be infused back down through the profile. The topdressing the Recycler created covered the stolons and rhizomes, allowing them to be protected and encouraged re-generate even faster. Mr. Allen Reed also became the 1st high level professional stadium groundsman in the USA to run the Recycling Dresser on a stadium field, following the likes of Mr. Paul Burgess of Real Madrid’s Estadio Bernabeu.
KORO Recycle Dresser on FC Dallas Stadium
THANK YOU to Mr. Miles Studhalter, Mr. Allen Reed, and Mr. Tom Jones of FC Dallas Park for believing in the concept of fraze mowing bermuda w/ the Universe® enough to be the 1st to have it demonstrated and performed. Their belief and feedback has been essential in bringing the concept into real life. They were convinced that the practice of cleaning out the rye grass, thatch, organic, and weed seed would provide a stronger, more durable playing surface going into the future. Thank you again to them.. they are the best of the best!!
Also, thank you to Mr. Joe Pemberton, Head Groundsman of Manchester United’s Carrington Training Ground, for providing feedback during the process. Joe, in the USA on a short holiday, stopped in to observe the Universe® debut. It was a privilege to see Mr. Pemberton, he absolutely is one of the world’s very best Field Managers. Thank you to him for allowing us to ask so many questions!
And finally, a very special thank you to Imants BV (@ImantsBV) of Reusel, Netherlands and Campey Turf Care Systems (@CampeyTurfCare) of Manchester, UK for the development of such a fantastic, forward thinking tool in the Universe®. Imants leadership, along with Mr. KO Rodenberg (KORO) and Campey Turf Care Systems are completely changing sports field maintenance around the world. Mr. Simon Gumbrill of Campey was essential for the debut of the Universe® in Dallas, thank you to him for taking the time to come across to the USA to lead, teach, and enlighten us to new ideas! Simon, Thank You!
Overall, the weekend demonstration trials were a complete success. Fraze mowing bermudagrass w/ the Universe® is no longer a “concept”. It is now a developing maintenance practice. Cheers to those who helped make it possible!
Fraze Mowing w/ Universe® Field Topmaker rotor at FC Dallas
Growing Green Grass #GrassCanTakeMore® 