Q: Can you give me a good resource on caring for sports turf? Our football and soccer fields need an “extreme makeover.”

A: As the father of a soccer-playing son, I see wide variations in field conditions. Some are pristine green and some look like a plowed field. To keep a field in playable shape, volunteer managers must compromise with scheduling needs, use good tools and have a thorough understanding of the field’s soil type and drainage. The University of Georgia has a good reference called Athletic Field Management. Turf specialist Clint Waltz says Clemson will have a new publication “Designing and Maintaining Bermudagrass Sports Fields” ready by mid-summer. Go to Georgia Turf to get lots of information about maintaining turfgrass in Georgia.