Our spring Green aerification has come and gone. This is one of the most important cultural practices we do. With out aerification our greens would slowly deteriorate. Greens would become spongy, would not hold golf shot, and ball roll would be very inconsistent. On the maintenance side of things isolated dry spots would increase, disease and insect damage would rise in severity. That means more money spraying chemicals to control all all the problems that wold arise from not aerating.
Green aerification does a number of things. 1. It improves the exchange of air and water between the atmosphere and soil. The exchange involves the downward movement of oxygen and water into the soil and the upward movement of carbon dioxide and other toxic gases out of the soil. The Bentgrass absorb oxygen through the root system. Roots need oxygen and aerating is the best way to give them oxygen. 2. It aids the green in moving water through the soil profile. A dry green is a happy green. 3. Thatch removal, Bentgrass is a big thatch producer. Too much thatch causes greens to become spongy, hydrophobic, disease and insect damage would rise. Spongy greens will not accept a properly hit golf shot and ball roll would be very inconsistent. So it is very important that we manage thatch with aeration.
We use 2 different aerators. 1. Floyd McCay deep drill machine. The Floyd McCay machine drills a 3/4'' hole 10'' deep on a 5''x5'' spacing. Roots will find these 10'' channels and chase them to the bottom. We find them when we cut cups. We will have roots coming out the bottom of our cup cutter.
2. Toro Procore aerator. The Procore will punch a 3/8'' hole 3'' deep on 2''x2.5'' centers.
Procore with core collector attached to back
After we aerate greens we have to clean them up. Thankfully we have a core collector that brings all the cores to the edge of the green. We shovel the plugs into carts and haul away. We then use our sweeper and blower to sweep any debris left behind off the green.
Removing cores
Our green sweeper in action.
Next step is to put down our sand. We use 30 tons of sand to fill our aeration holes up. We have a new Topdresser to help us get this job done.
After sand is applied we brush sand into holes. We brush our greens in 4 different direction to move sand into holes.
Brushing green
Finished ready for water.
Last steps is to apply fertilizer, change the cup and water the green. We will continue to brush greens to move sand. We will also remove excess sand with our groomers before we mow them.
I know this is a inconvenience to your golf game but it is short lived. after about a week greens start to heal up. In two weeks they are almost healed and we are mowing them at normal height 1/8'' high. You will also see a new glow to our greens they will be rejuvenated. A stronger, healthier green with smoother putting surface. Aerifying greens is very labor intensive. We used 12 people to get this done and we could have used couple more bodies. Picking up aerifying plugs and carrying a back pack blower all day is hard on your back. I would like to thank my staff for a job well done.
