Beacon Athletics: Soil Amendments

Where some see dirt, we see soil.

It's more of an art form than anything. Maintaining your infield takes skill, know-how, and the proper materials. Not just the proper equipment. The right materials are Beacon Soil Amendments. From Beacon ProBricks, Magic Mix®, Turface™, and Diamond Pro® soil amendments come all the necessary ingredients for building and maintaining a top-notch infield. But what are the various soil amendments, and what's the difference?

Soil Amendments & Conditioners.

These are materials that are incorporated into a soil to improve its overall performance, such as calcined or vitrified clays. Depending on the soil they are added to, they can provide one or more of the following benefits: reduced compaction, increased water percolation rates, increased water-holding capacity, or increased pore space (amount of air space) in the soil. When a soil is amended, it is critical to mix the amendments in as thoroughly as possible for the most effective result. This is accomplished by either roto-tilling the amendment into the existing soil or by aerifying the soil, topdressing the amendment on top, and then dragging it into the aerification holes.

Topdressings.

On a properly constructed infield skin, there will be a 1/4" to 1/2" layer of loose material right at the surface. This material, and the layer it creates, is called a topdressing because it dresses the top of the infield skin. This layer should be made up of a material that will not compact and stays somewhat loose to reduce friction when a player slides across it. The three most commonly used materials for infield topdressings include calcined clays, vitrified clays, and crushed aggregates. By knowing the capabilities of each of these materials, groundskeepers can craft the topdressing mix that will perform the best for the soil and weather conditions at their facility. These materials can be used alone or combined together to achieve the desired result on an infield skin.

Drying Agents.

As their name implies, drying agents are materials used to absorb excess water on turf, bare soil, or infield skins in order to make a field playable faster than if it were left to air dry. While there are various materials available on the market, the most common drying agents are the calcined clay products. They provide the most long-lasting benefit to a field while having very few drawbacks, unlike many other products. Typical grade sizes will run between the equivalence in size of very coarse sand to fine sand.

See Field Tips for more information, including Recommended Infield Skin Topdressing amounts.