Baseball Field Rake

Baseball Field Rake

Yard Tuff ATV Drag Harrow – 48in.W, Model# DH-045 $79.99 Pull behind your ATV or lawn tractor to prepare and cover seed beds and lawns before and after planting. Also good for leveling playing fields and baseball diamonds. Dethatcher Type: Drag, Operating Width (in.): 48, Tine Type: Galvanized mesh, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 60 x 48 x 3…

Midwest Rake Pro Lute Rake $59.99 Saw-tooth design makes this tool ideal for breaking-up and grading soil and top dressing. 30″ Magnesium/Aluminum head with strong wrap around bracing. 82″ powder-coated handle connected to head with solid metal plug….

Midwest Rake Field Rake $50.87 Designed specifically for professional baseball ground crews and landscapers. Extended striking edge is designed for grading and rounded teeth offer smooth nongouging raking action. 66″ powder-coated aluminum handle with vinyl grip and strong wrap around bracing system that distributes the brace-to-handle stress over the entire surface of the handle, reducing handle failure. Made in U.S.A. No. 120…

Baserunner Rake – 36 Inch $85.59 Heavy duty rake has a telescopic handle that adjusts from 39″ to 70″and breaks down for convenient storage The high grade aluminum head was designed specifically for the sports turf industry….

24 Field / Aggregate Rake $72.31 The Field/Aggregate Rake is available with a 24″ or head unit, featuring an extended striking edge that was engineered specifically for grading, and rounded teeth on the opposite side of the head that offer smooth non-gouging raking action. The Field/Aggregate Rake also features a durable 66″ aluminum handle with vinyl grip, and strong wrap-around bracing that can take a real beating and still pro…

24 Dual-Purpose Rake $69.23 The Dual-Purpose Rake features a 66″ aluminum handle with vinyl grip and a 24″ or 36″ head with sturdy wrap-around style bracing and small scarifying teeth on one side, and long general purpose teeth on the other. The versatility of this rake makes it a top choice for field maintenance….

Stackhouse LB-Liner 25 Lb. Capacity Dry Line Marker $94.95 This 25-pound capacity liner puts out a 2″ and 4″ line, a unique feature that most 2-wheel liners don’t offer. This is a must for those small jobs and touch up duties around the field. The easy reach shutoff is also a must for ease of transportation between jobs. The LB-Liner rides on 8″ wheels and will give years of trouble free service….

Midwest Rake 24 Inch Aluminum Maintenance Rake $48.95 The 24 Inch Aluminum Maintenance Rake is designed for institutional use. It features a durable yet lightweight aluminum construction and oversized teeth for easy field grooming. Use one side to rake and the other to level….

How Alternating Lawn Mowing Patterns Can Benefit Your Lawn

Do you strive for the perfect lawn? Do you want your lawn to rival even the best kept baseball diamond outfield, soccer field and golf green (before a game, of course)? Have you gotten down to measure individual blades of grass to make sure they are the same height? OK, maybe that’s going a bit far, but you know what I mean. Some of us take extreme pride in the condition of our lawn and the way it looks. We want folks to drive by and ‘ooh’ and ‘aahh’ at the shape and symmetry of a perfectly manicured yard. There are several things you can do that will help your yard look healthy and ready for the most highly paid sports star.

Lawn Memory

When you brush or comb your hair in the same way, over and over again, it gains a memory and begins to fall in the same way. Lawns are the same when they are mowed in the same direction and pattern over and over again. Not only will the grass lay in the same direction but small ruts can start to appear in the soil from the wheels of your mower. The tires and the weight of your mower push down and compact the soil into ruts that follow your typical mowing pattern. This can be especially true of you mow when the grass and ground are wet.

Alternate Directions

Most of us follow a pattern when we mow that is the easiest and quickest way to complete the job. We fall into a routine and think nothing else about it. It’s important to remember, though, that blades of grass are like leaves on a tree. They take in the sun and, through the process of photosynthesis, nourish the plant. When grass is forced to lay in only one direction, it loses some of its ability to gain the sun because only one side of the blade is being used. Simply changing the direction that you mow can help the grass lay in a different way or even stand up straighter. Not only will this help the grass remain healthy, it will make your yard look fuller.

Alternate Patterns

The pattern that you mow your yard in should be varied every week. Actually, the best thing to do is to develop four or five patterns and use them consistently through the summer in rotation. That is, if your yard is large enough. Some side yards and small sections of yard can make it tough to use different patterns. In these cases, make sure to at least go in different directions, as mentioned above. For the larger sections of yard, try to make sure that the patterns you use are at least at ninety degree angles to each other. 45 degree angles are best. Not only will this help the individual blades of grass stand up straighter, it will allow you to make sure that the blades of grass are cut evenly.

It’s easy to find instructions for various patterns on the internet that can make your yard look great. Alternating straight lines or creating a checker board pattern can really help your yard stand out from the neighbors’. Professional grounds keepers use rollers on the back of their mowers to help the grass lay in different directions so shades of light and dark make your straight lines or curves really stand out.

A Few Other Suggestions

Make sure that the blades on the mower are sharp. This will insure that the grass is cut cleanly and not ripped at the top. Find the best height for the particular kind of grass you have in your yard. Different species of grass will look better or worse at different lengths. Do your best not to cut off more than the top one-third of your grass and, if the clippings are small enough, it is best to leave them on your lawn as opposed to raking them up or bagging them. The clippings will decompose, returning nutrients and further nourishing your yard. Raise the height of your mower deck when the weather is hotter. If you cut your yard too short in hot weather, it may burn and die.

About the Author

Brian Jenkins is a freelance writer who writes about large businesses for home owners such as Scott’s, Lawn Doctor and TruGreen

leveling freshly tilled ground for grass?

This past winter I had 2/3s of an acre cleared of stumps and brush. When the ground thaws I will install sprinklers and roto till the soil for grass planting. I would like to know the best option rather then raking the ground smooth. Tilling leaves high and low spots that need to be leveled and settled before the grass goes down. Would just a drum roller be best? perhaps to go as far as the fence type material used by baseball fields to level the infield? Raking that much space would just not be possible from a labor standpoint. Your thoughts?

I think a drum roller would compact the ground too much. Buy some chain link fencing, and drag it behind your yard tractor or lawn mower.

Perk Explains Need To Rake Fields Better

It is very easy to get into the habit of pulling off the ball. This is especially true for power hitters. Have you ever seen a power hitter hit a home run and thereafter, he can’t couch the ball? What happened? The home run took him out of himself. So as he pivots, he is also pivoting his head. Read the rest of it here: Click Here