Grounds Maintenance

• Annual aerification reduces compaction and allows air and water to get to grass roots, preventing the growth of weeds.
• Maintained turf areas are annually over-seeded with approximately 4500 lbs of Kentucky Blue Grass/Perennial Rye mix.
• Filling in bare spots and sparse turf areas helps grass compete against weeds.
• Soil tests are performed every two years to measure pH, organic matter, and nutrients/soil fertility.

• Based on soil test results, the turf is fertilized between 2 and 4 times per year with a product from Earthworks, a local company, made primarily of composted chicken manure.
• In the spring, one application of synthetic fertilizer is the carrier for pre-emergent broadleaf weed control.

• Excluding Athletics, the campus is maintained at three inches, which helps prevent weed seeds from germinating by shading the weed.
• Clippings are not collected, as they return helpful nitrogen to the soil.

• In-ground irrigation systems have sensors and only activate as needed.
• The use of water cannons for supplemental watering for athletic fields is done manually.

• Herbicides are used as a last resort to contain large infestations of weeds or keep weeds to a minimum in high-profile areas.
• Any chemicals are applied in the early morning hours before faculty, staff, and students start moving around campus.
• When diluting chemicals for application, companies recommend a range of active ingredient. We use the low end of the recommended range.
• Most chemicals are applied with a handheld pump sprayer or pressurized tank sprayer.
• In the event the boom sprayer is needed, the guidelines are as follows:
  • Timing and Roles: Two crew members arrive at 5 a.m.: one applicator and one assistant to flag and monitor the area.
  • Caution flags are removed in accordance with the regulatory product labels. Most labels stipulate waiting until the spray has dried. The EPA determines a very conservative safety level for these products and then dictates a 10X buffer to ensure public safety. We adhere carefully to these protocols, and always err on the side of caution.
• Fungicides are only applied in areas that receive supplemental irrigation, or as-needed in cases of an extremely wet summer.

Depicted in the Grounds Maintenance Map are:

• Meadow: Areas mowed once-to-twice per year, full of grasses and perennials.
• Organic: Areas that never receive synthetic herbicide application.
• Boom Spray: Large areas in which herbicides and fungicides are distributed using a boom sprayer to keep weeds to a minimum (high-profile areas and athletic fields).
• Minimally Managed Natural Area: Grassy areas mowed every six-to-eight weeks, in which herbicides are not normally used.
• Green Roof: Roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium.

Please note: Not articulated in the legend but visible throughout the map are Wooded Areas: Areas with a dense tree canopy and/or that exhibit all four of the following layers (canopy, understory trees, shrubs, and herbaceous vegetation).

View the Grounds Maintenance Map