New fields... Removing rocks? Any Help?

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Jul 24, 2013
91
6
We worked with our city to renovate two fields this off season! We had a park where backstops and dugouts were installed, but never fields. We cut the sod, irrigated and red rocked.. BUT now we are having rocks migrating up... every time we drag, and as we constructed the fields we are getting rocks. Fine for practice now, but I wouldnt want to slide on it.

Short of manually picking them up... Anyone have tricks or tips... or maybe non$$$ equipment that can turn over and soft out stones?
 
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
We have always invited as many as we can get for a pick up party prior to practice. Parents, players and coaches walk around and pick up as many rocks as possible. Focus on the bases first, then the baselines, then the infield. It takes a while to get them all picked up....]
 
Jul 24, 2013
91
6
JEE I DIDNT THINK OF THIS!!!! ;)

We have been, and continue too.. I am just trying to see if there is a mechanical advantage I can get so they are playable sooner, and I dont have to blast my schedule of games all to heck.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
We worked with our city to renovate two fields this off season! We had a park where backstops and dugouts were installed, but never fields. We cut the sod, irrigated and red rocked.. BUT now we are having rocks migrating up... every time we drag, and as we constructed the fields we are getting rocks. Fine for practice now, but I wouldnt want to slide on it.

Short of manually picking them up... Anyone have tricks or tips... or maybe non$$$ equipment that can turn over and soft out stones?

There are some $1000 rock hound tractor drag attachments that work. But that is $$$. Picking up rocks manually is probably the cheapest.

But you don't want to be doing this every day. You are going to have to find out the root cause.

So are these rocks coming up from your irrigation layer or rocks in the material you used for the infield? And how deep is your gravel layer? How is drainage?

It is not unusual for new/redone fields to have issues that need to be addressed. The times I have similar issues on new/redone fields it was mostly due to an unforeseen problem with the installation. Not going deep enough for the gravel/drainage level, water not draining as expected or just the wrong mix of the dirt/clay chosen. Normally not anyone's fault - there is a lot of variables in doing field installs.

One time it came from overwatering the field or water retention at the gravel level (i.e. poor drainage). When you get a lot of water retained at this level of the field makes the rocks come up even if the upper layer appears dry. Even rocks will rise if there is enough pressure to go up.

Also good to know your exact dirt mix - i.e. what your infield is REALLY made of. There is an easy test: Analyze dirt mix on your baseball field to correctly fix problems
 
Last edited:
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
Daughters high school coach handed them all solo cups, spread them out across the infield and had them walk across it picking up all the stones.
 
Jul 24, 2013
91
6
There are some $1000 rock hound tractor drag attachments that work. But that is $$$. Picking up rocks manually is probably the cheapest.

But you don't want to be doing this every day. You are going to have to find out the root cause.

So are these rocks coming up from your irrigation layer or rocks in the material you used for the infield? And how deep is your gravel layer? How is drainage?

It is not unusual for new/redone fields to have issues that need to be addressed. The times I have similar issues on new/redone fields it was mostly due to an unforeseen problem with the installation. Not going deep enough for the gravel/drainage level, water not draining as expected or just the wrong mix of the dirt/clay chosen. Normally not anyone's fault - there is a lot of variables in doing field installs.

One time it came from overwatering the field or water retention at the gravel level (i.e. poor drainage). When you get a lot of water retained at this level of the field makes the rocks come up even if the upper layer appears dry. Even rocks will rise if there is enough pressure to go up.

Also good to know your exact dirt mix - i.e. what your infield is REALLY made of. There is an easy test: Analyze dirt mix on your baseball field to correctly fix problems

Probably some of both.. Infield mix was clean. City prepped the underneath layer, working with my fields guy, and then spread it out. I think their method and not cleaning it enough pre red rock led to some mixing that didnt need to happen....
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
I wonder if some type of farm equipment store might have something you could rent.

Wouldn't want to use it all the time be might get you started then maybe do it again mid-seseaon.
 

Josh Greer

DFP Vendor
Jul 31, 2013
934
93
Central Missouri
Maybe check with a local equipment rental company to see i they want to donate a Saturday (which should be more than sufficient) Bobcat with a RockHound attachment in return for a banner promoting their business in the outfield. Community helping community is always the way to go.
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
I don't know about any equipment, but I remember talking about this problem with another coach in our program years ago. He said to me "You clearly didn't grow up on a farm. Over the winter/spring thaw cycle, the ground throws up rocks." So hopefully it will settle down once the weather turns permanently warmer (assuming you're in a cold weather area now).
 

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