March 29, 2018: The turf at the Central Stadium “Dynamo” named after Lev Yashin has successfully overwintered and looks excellent for the end of March. Now, on its way to the first season, the grass is to undergo several process operations. The heating system has been recently started and, after complete melting, the football field will be cleaned off the dead grass with a mounted rake, scarified (a deeper mechanical brushing) and will undergo a special product treatment.
Next, there will be a very critical turf oversowing process. A thin layer of sand will be added on top of the field in order to protect the seeds and even small indents. The field will then be aerated by piercing the turf with special equipment up to 10 cm deep. This operation will help the air to reach the roots and loosen the top layer.
After such preparation, the field will be fertilized with minerals and growth additives. The field will be covered with a special material when the temperature drops below zero. At the final stage, the grass will be mown on a regular basis. According to the agronomist, the turf at the Dynamo Stadium is going to reach its best condition by the end of May to the beginning of June.
The turf had been cultivated in the Volgograd region for two years before it could be delivered to the Dynamo Stadium in 324 rolls and laid on the field in the middle of October 2017. The total turf area comprised 7,524 square meters. The design of the turf field at the Dynamo Stadium has several strong advantages comparing to other stadiums.
For example, the turf heating system consists of polyethylene pipes d25mm running across the field with 25-meter spacing. Their total length is above 33 km. The system can work in manual and automatic modes when heat supply is controlled to ensure optimum conditions for the roots between +11°C and +25°C. Wherewith, the system takes into account the outdoor air temperature and the ground temperature trying to ensure comfortable conditions not only for the roots but also for the stems and prevent frost damage. On the other side, the system will not allow the heat media to go above +45°C in order to prevent root death.
The automated watering system with 24 sprinklers will allow the filed to be watered using individual programs or to be humidified (it is usually done to remove excess heat and soften the grass) within 6 minutes, which is compliant with the FIFA international requirements. A usual watering process takes approximately 15-25 minutes depending on the turf condition.
The new turf was presented at the celebration of Lev Yashin’s birthday anniversary on October 22, 2017. The celebration was participated by the Dynamo veterans, current players and young club members.