This week we began to aerify our fairways with our Bannerman Superject aerifier. This machine is very simple, but it provides huge benefits to the soil and therefore to the turfgrass. This type of aeration slices a hole that reaches up to 6" deep. The tines also twist a little and provide a shatter effect that will allow air, water and therefore roots to reach deeper into the soil. As you can see from the pictures, this is a very non-disruptive process. We can all expect to see this machine out on the golf course periodically throughout the golf season.
The machine is equipped with a roller to minimize disruption.
The fall is a great time to perform a number of necessary cultural practices. Our goal is to amend the upper portion of the greens surface with enough sand to help insulate the crown through the winter as well as removing and diluting organic matter. Below you will find a schedule of cultural practices that we aim to complete before the covers go on and the snow flies!!! Wednesday, Sept. 30th- Light topdressing followed by a Cocoa matt Tuesday, Wednesday October 13/14-Course Closure full core aeration with heavy topdressing. October 19th- Light topdressing followed by a Cocoa matt October 26th- Light topdressing followed by a Cocoa matt November 2nd- Light topdressing followed by a Cocoa matt November 9th- Deep Verticut, followed by a sufficient topdressing. November 16th- Post Course Closure, Heavy topdressing followed by Deep tine aeration. Of course this is all in hope that the weather cooperates...happy fall!
Awesome! how deep were you going?
ReplyDeleteWe were able to get it down the full 6", fairways are relatively soft...the process went very well.
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