How to Make Outfield Grass Patterns at Home

You’ve no doubt sat in the stands of your favorite baseball stadium, admired that meticulously lined outfield grass and thought, “Wow, my lawn would look great like that!” Well no problem, slugger. Step right up to the plate and take a swing at these tips from Major League Baseball’s most legendary groundskeeper, Roger Bossard of the Chicago White Sox, who is in his 44th season with the team and consults for 14 other teams, plus four football teams.

Step # 1: The Greenest Grass Nutrients 

To get the proper contrast, you need a thick, green lawn. Instead of the standard four applications of lawn nutrients, Bossard suggests six or seven, to darken the grass for “a better striping effect.”
Cut the lawn Any length, any direction.
Bust out your roller Lawn flatteners can be attached to your mower or pushed by hand. They start at $100. Try Home Depot or Lowe’s.

Step #2: Start to Roll

Begin at an edge Trail the flattener behind you as you walk a straight line across the lawn. Bossard begins at second base and rides straight to the warning track in center field. Because this is the most important step, Bossard ties a string from his start point to his end point to guide him. “The truth of the fact is you’re basing your whole system on the first line. If you screw up one line, the whole thing is screwed up. That’s why the night before, I don’t allow a mower to drink.”
Turn around Go back against the line you’ve already made but in the other direction, going over the edge of the first line by two or three inches. Repeat until the lawn is done.

Step #3: The Coveted Checkerboard 

After going vertical, go horizontal, following the exact same procedure. Again, the first line is crucial. Going over what you’ve already done won’t harm your previous good work. “Believe it or not, when you do the pattern over and over, it doesn’t undo what you’ve done.” Degree of difficulty: Like dragging a kid on a sled for quite some time.