“We’ve had a few years to see how it’s reacting,” said Venegas. “The results will vary from year to year, but the one test site I always look at is the LCHS baseball field. Once soccer is over with, that field is about 75% turf and a large area of it is just beat up and dirt. By the time baseball season starts, the field is almost at 99% restored, maybe 100%.”
La Cañada’s parks are primarily made of Bermuda grass, which goes dormant during certain times of the year. The biostimulant has been used to keep the field from going dormant or dying during the year, especially on parks where sports are played. The city then allows the grass to go dormant in December and August, when it’s used the least.
Venegas said the rain storms have been responsible for the fields looking particularly healthy this year.
“The La Cañada Junior Baseball Softball Assn. kicked off their season this week and they’re going to play La Cañada High baseball field for joint use,” city parks and recreation superintendent Carl Alameda said. “They’ll be using a lot of parks in La Cañada during the season and it’s necessary to keep them maintained.”
Alameda added La Cañada has seen an increase in park use in recent years and has had to enforce the park closures in August and December.
Athletic Field Specialists’ formula was in development for many years and was put to use in La Cañada three years ago.
“The formula is from years and years of research and we’ve been applying it for years,” said company President Alan Aragon. “It took about 10 years of using different products and the best of different products, we just make the applications. It’s safe and non-toxic and it has no odor.”
Aragon added that it’s not a type of fertilizer.
“It’s like a conditioner for the soil, it works with the amino acids of the grass.”
