High-Level IPM at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field

Hasak, Quinton; Lampman, Joellen

High-Level IPM at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field

Abstract

Doubleday Field is a much loved, historic ballfield owned by the Village of Cooperstown, which has set a policy to try and eliminate pesticide use on Village property. The facility is subjected to intense traffic, hosting over 300 games this year, rain or shine, as well as community events. With the support of the NYS IPM Program, Doubleday Field was managed during the 2012 season using high-level IPM. Many of these practices continued under new management in 2013. While largely successful, weeds continue to be an issue and weed management needed to be revisited. In 2014, high-level IPM with the support and recommendations of the project team was continued, with an eye towards the compelling case study and educational opportunities to help garner support from players and educate the public about IPM. 2014 proved to be an undemanding year for turfgrass management, and strict adherence to the core cultural practices of mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and overseeding provided a relatively pest free playing field. It was determined that no alternative pesticides were necessary to control weeds or insects in the field. Weeds in the warning track and under the bleachers continued to cause some issues, but the addition of warning track material and diligent manual raking and flaming kept these issues under threshold levels. In 2014, high-level IPM with the support and recommendations of the project team was continued, with an eye towards the compelling case study and educational opportunities to help garner support from players and educate the public about IPM. 2014 proved to be an undemanding year for turfgrass management, and strict adherence to the core cultural practices of mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and overseeding provided a relatively pest free playing field. It was determined that no alternative pesticides were necessary to control weeds or insects in the field. Weeds in the warning track and under the bleachers continued to cause some issues, but the addition of warning track material and diligent manual raking and flaming kept these issues under threshold levels. Doubleday Field is a much loved, historic ballfield owned by the Village of Cooperstown, which has set a policy to try and eliminate pesticide use on Village property. The facility is subjected to intense traffic, hosting over 300 games this year, rain or shine, as well as community events. With the support of the NYS IPM Program, Doubleday Field was managed during the 2012 season using high-level IPM. Many of these practices continued under new management in 2013. While largely successful, weeds continue to be an issue and weed management needed to be revisited. In 2014, high-level IPM with the support and recommendations of the project team was continued, with an eye towards the compelling case study and educational opportunities to help garner support from players and educate the public about IPM. 2014 proved to be an undemanding year for turfgrass management, and strict adherence to the core cultural practices of mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and overseeding provided a relatively pest free playing field. It was determined that no alternative pesticides were necessary to control weeds or insects in the field. Weeds in the warning track and under the bleachers continued to cause some issues, but the addition of warning track material and diligent manual raking and flaming kept these issues under threshold levels. Doubleday Field is a much loved, historic ballfield owned by the Village of Cooperstown, which has set a policy to try and eliminate pesticide use on Village property. The facility is subjected to intense traffic, hosting over 300 games this year, rain or shine, as well as community events. With the support of the NYS IPM Program, Doubleday Field was managed during the 2012 season using high-level IPM. Many of these practices continued under new management in 2013. While largely successful, weeds continue to be an issue and weed management needed to be revisited. In 2014, high-level IPM with the support and recommendations of the project team was continued, with an eye towards the compelling case study and educational opportunities to help garner support from players and educate the public about IPM. 2014 proved to be an undemanding year for turfgrass management, and strict adherence to the core cultural practices of mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and overseeding provided a relatively pest free playing field. It was determined that no alternative pesticides were necessary to control weeds or insects in the field. Weeds in the warning track and under the bleachers continued to cause some issues, but the addition of warning track material and diligent manual raking and flaming kept these issues under threshold levels.

Date Issued

2014

Publisher

New York State IPM Program

Keywords

Community IPM; Athletic Fields; Turfgrass

Types

report