At Citypark, It’s Goodbye Old Sod, Hello New
St. Louis City SC replaced its nearly two-year-old field this week. Director of Stadium Grounds Josh McPherson says that the three-week gap in play at Citypark provided a good time to replace the grass.
“These sod on plastic fields that we have are made for instant play, not necessarily long-term growth,” McPherson says. “What happens with the sod on plastics, the organic layers kind of build up in them, and you’ll start having drainage issues, footing issues.”
On Tuesday, workers with Bush Sports Turf removed the old grass. The Illinois-based company has worked on similar projects with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs. Once removed, the sod was transported to St. Louis Composting where the spoils will be reused. Workers then leveled the field using a laser and prepped it for the new sod.
St. Louis City SC’s pitch is made up of a combination of Bermuda and rye grasses. The new grass was harvested on Wednesday in North Carolina, then loaded into refrigerated tractor-trailers where it made the journey to Missouri.
Just 24 hours after harvest, the 50-foot long spools of sod were rolled out at Citypark. Before St. Louis City SC’s next home game on May 11, workers will make final adjustments to the grass and give it time to grow.
PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Workers with Bush Sports Turf install new sod on Thursday, April 25, at Citypark.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Joseph Diulio loads up his tractor bed with mounds of dirt and grass.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Alex Peters holds a bundle of plastic that lined the Citypark field.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Gerardo Hernandez, left, and Austin Novak load up a tractor with old sod.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Andrew Marking levels sand and dirt after the old pitch was removed.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Antonio Gomez looks on as he fills up tractors with old grass and soil.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Trucks removed layers of old grass from the field at Citypark.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Alex Peters removes a plastic lining from the field.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Workers remove the old field inside of Citypark.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Layers of dirt line the walls of a large tiller that was used to remove the old field.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Piles of dirt and grass sit in a parking lot near Citypark. The old field was transported to St. Louis Composting to be reused.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Sprinkler systems soak sand as workers remove layers of old grass.
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PHOTO BY SANA'A ABOU ANTOUN
Andrew Marking brings spools of new sod to replace the old field.
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PHOTO BY SANA'A ABOU ANTOUN
Workers lay out 50-foot long spools of sod.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Workers make incremental adjustments to recently installed sod.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Workers roll out spools of sod on top of compacted sand and dirt.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Newly installed sod comprised of Bermuda and rye grass.
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PHOTO BY SANA'A ABOU ANTOUN
Footprints are imprinted in a compacted layer of sand and dirt.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Joseph Diulio lines up two pieces of sod.
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PHOTO BY ZACHARY LINHARES
Spools of sod are brought to the field by a forklift.
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