College and professional football fields aren't like your front lawns, or even most high school fields. They have a full-time crew of groundskeepers that use their smarts to keep the grass looking its best--even after four quarters of running, blocking, tackling and passing.

First, the grass. Groundskeepers plant most ball fields with Kentucky bluegrass. That's a certain kind of grass, like beagles are a certain kind of dog.

Kentucky bluegrass grows by underground rhizomes. Rhizomes are special stems that grow horizontally under the ground. Turfgrass blades and roots grow out from the rhizomes. The roots help hold the grass in place and helps the pieces that get torn out during a game heal more quickly. Kentucky bluegrass is also disease- and heat-tolerant, so it doesn't need a lot of extra care.

Even with this great grass, some spots on the field just can't cope with all the heavy play. So, the groundskeepers cover the field after every game with ryegrass seed, another kind of grass. Because it grows faster than Kentucky bluegrass, it helps keeps the field looking good for the fans and the cameras.

All this soil-science works hand-in-hand with the field's design. Most pro and college fields have a system of pumps under the field to water the grass and to take away excess water so the field never gets too muddy!

Scientifically yours,

Twig