How to Dry Turf

Outdoor sporting events can sometimes be compromised by a wet playing field. Sports like baseball, football, soccer and some track and field events suffer from too much water on the playing field turf. Wet turf can lead to injuries, and if the ground is wet, the turf is much easier to uproot and destroy. Fortunately, drying out turf is not terribly difficult, though it can be time consuming if your field gets hit with a lot of rain. With a few basic groundskeeping supplies, you can dry out the turf on your field and begin playing.

Things You'll Need

  • Push squeegee or push broom
  • Shovel
  • Calcined clay dry mix
  • Heavy rake
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Push as much standing water off of the turf as you can with a squeegee or push broom. Push the water to an area where the water will not flow back onto the playing field.

    • 2

      Dig a drainage ditch off to the side of the playing field. Use a shovel to dig a trench that is 6 inches deep. Use the trench to channel the water you pushed off of the turf. Try to dig the trench in an area with a downward slope so the water will run downhill and away from the turf. Push the water with your squeegee or broom from the turf into the drainage ditch.

    • 3

      Look for any remaining puddle of standing water on the turf. Pour some calcined clay dry mix onto the puddle. Rake the dry mix into the puddle. The calcined clay is an absorbent material, much like cat litter, that will help dry out the turf. Allow the calcined clay to soak up the water for several minutes.

    • 4

      Add more calcined clay dry mix if the area is still wet or soggy. Rake the area flat so there are no humps in the field.