Putting Fields to BedPutting Fields to Bed

Put your best foot forward this fall with these baseball field repair and maintenance tips.


As the MLB season is coming to a close, we’re looking at putting our fields to bed for the upcoming polar coaster. No matter what the woolly bear stripes are predicting, we never truly know how harsh and long the winter months will drag on. In some climates the winter unpredictability won’t allow for repair before games commence in April. This is why fall baseball field repair is vitally important. Before heading into the winter put your baseball field to bed in preparation for a successful spring with these tips:

  • Create a comprehensive plan. The fall is the best time to create a comprehensive plan to prepare your field for the spring. When creating your plan, consider your coaches, players, administration and stakeholders. Are there parts of the stadium that need extra TLC or is there extra dollars that may allow for new features on the field? Did players have any issues with the bullpens this seasons or have stakeholders placed importance on the exterior of the stadium? Map out the details of what needs to be ready come the next season.
  • Fix and repair common wear areas. After a long season there will be parts of your field that will require extra attention. Utilize grow covers to repair common wear areas on your grass and add more soil and dirt where needed. Additionally, consider over-seeding, top dressing, aerating and sodding the field for more spring green up in April and May.
    Conduct soil tests. To ensure the field is safe and playable come spring time, perform soil tests to ensure the composition of your field is balanced. At the end of the season you can determine what material will need to be brought in to be added to your dirt mix to combat against bad hops.
  • Repack dirt wear areas. Don’t wait for the spring to repair and repack common wear areas on the diamond. Set the correct height and measurement by repacking the infield, home plate, mounds, bullpens and batter’s boxes.
  • Clean and repair all equipment. Conduct an equipment audit to ensure all repairs and maintenance is performed on the equipment you’ll rely on come spring.
    Infield Repair. Fix the infield with general maintenance before covering for the winter. Add dirt to any low spots and level off the field. If your budget allows, fall is a great time to laser level the field.
  • Edging. Edge grass and infield dirt and conduct lip repairs to even out any buildup that formed throughout the season.
    Major repairs. Any major repairs and renovations in or outside of the stadium should be started and completed before opening day in the spring. Once play commences, major facility projects or field upgrades will become more difficult to complete.

By putting your best foot forward this fall, your field will have ample time to repair and reset for a successful spring season. For more turf and maintenance tips, be sure to follow our blog series!