How to Water a Soccer Field

Keeping a soccer field healthy improves the experience and safety of every player who uses it. Watering a soccer field is a delicate balance between keeping the grass green and strong and accidentally oversaturating the field and turning it into a muddy mess. Every soccer field is different depending on its elevation, layout and grass type, but there are a few tips you can apply to any field to ensure that it looks and feels its best. A good field enhances the way soccer players can move, so correct watering is critical if you want your team to succeed.

Instructions

    • 1

      Install an automatic irrigation system. If your field is newly seeded, it will need to be watered three or four times a day, which is difficult to handle with manual watering.

    • 2

      Add enough water to the field to moisten the top 2 inches of the soil. This is the primary watering goal you should set for each irrigation, especially if your field is newly seeded.

    • 3

      Follow this pattern until your seedlings reach at least 2 inches in height. A this point, you can begin less frequent but deeper watering, usually once per day.

    • 4

      Watch your grass for turf stress. If you see footprints in the grass or it begins to turn blue, it is time for another round of watering. If your turf is wilting, you need to water it immediately to prevent damage or dead spots.

    • 5

      Avoid allowing players to train on a field that is brown or dry. This can cause irreparable harm to the field. Instead, nurse the field back to health with regular watering, and games can resume when the grass is strong again.

    • 6

      Apply water to your soccer field in the evening or early morning. Midday watering is ineffective, as a large amount of the water simply evaporates instead of soaking into the soil.