Purchasing used commercial turf equipment can be a very cost effective way to get the best looking turf for your money. You can get high quality hardware at a fraction of the retail cost. However, it is essential to do your homework before purchasing any piece of used equipment so you dont end up investing in a money pit. Here are a few helpful pointers on how to maximize the benefit you receive from a piece of used machinery, both before and after the initial purchase.

Whether your are a high school, a park or a state university, maintaining your athletic fields plays a huge role in the reputation of your team. In the following you'll find some tips and common practices for maintaining your sports fields with basic commercial turf equipment.

1. Mowing
Mowing your field is vital to the life of your turf. All mowing systems work around the "1/3 Rule," which means that no more than 1/3 of grass leaf should be cut off at any single mowing. Since mowing increases the density of your turf, you'll also want to cut as often as possible. Balancing these two rule can be easy with the right equipment. When shopping for commercial turf equipment you should look for something that will allow you to easily measure for the 1/3 Rule, but will allow you to work the field as often as possible.

2. Aeration
One of the biggest problems with many fields is soil compaction. Aerating your field can breakup the soil, allowing for a thick turf and soft field of play. Purchasing the right aeration equipment will allow you to aerate your field quickly and effectively. One awesome piece of commercial turf equipment is the SISIS Aer-Aid Javelin.  The SISIS Aer-Aid Javelin doesn't just put holes in the ground, but actually uses air pressure to aerate the entire root system. You may also want to consider used commercial turf equipment. We carry a number of models that may be perfect for your field.

3. Fertility and Irrigation
To promote a thick green field for your players, you will also need to keep a well-watered and fertile field. While shopping for commercial turf equipment for your field, you'll also want to look for good irrigation equipment. One awesome provider of commercial irrigation equipment is Kifco, Inc. Kifco makes a wonderful water-reel that is easy to use and can irrigate your field in a single pass as well as options for spreading fertilizer.

4. Seeding
Finally, seeding your field will help fix patchy areas as well as ensure thick, green turf. We carry a number of pieces of commercial turf equipment for just this purpose. The SISIS Veriseeder is a phenomenal piece of commercial turf equipment. Contact us to learn more about commercial turf seed equipment.

When you want to take care of your field, you'll want the right approach and the right equipment. C. S. Trading carries the best new and pre-owned equipment on the market. Contact us to learn more about any of our mowing, seeding or aeration equipment.

Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association, Rounds 4 Research

The Carolinas golf industry took a major leap forward last year with the success of the first annual Rounds4Research.com auction raising more than $55,000 for turfgrass research. This year’s auction promises to be bigger and certainly broader with Georgia, Texas and Virginia joining the program.

CS Trading at the GIS Show in San Diego

We will be attending the GIS show this year Booth Number 1717.

By David I. Rhodes

David Rhodes has worked in both golf course management and groundsmanship and is an examiner for the Royal Horticultural Society and the Institute of Groundsmanship. He has lectured in the maintenance of natural and synthetic turf maintenance and writes for the trade press in UK, USA and New Zealand.

Introduction

The origins of artificial turf lie in the United States of America. The first installation in the UK was in 1971 at Islington, London.

There are several definitions of maintenance in various dictionaries, but they are all in a general context. To be more specific, the Sports Council/Hockey Association definition from their publication Artificial Turf Pitches for Hockey reads: