Aerification Is Here

Aerification time is here and these two days are extremely busy and very important days. We started on Monday morning by verti-cutting the greens helping to remove thatch build up. Next we laid our first layer of sand topdressing down. We then used solid tines (not pulling a core) creating a 5/8" hole going to a depth of approximately 10" deep. This helps to create channels in the green that helps to break up compaction and allows oxygen, nutrients, and water to penetrate down into the green which increases our root depth by giving them a reason to grow down and chase the food and nutrients. Roots will only grow where there is food and oxygen available just like us humans. After the holes were made we then used our drag brush and drug the sand into the holes. Today we are then going back over the greens with coring tines with our walk behind aerifiers and pulling 5/8" cores on 2 inch spacing at a depth of about 4-6". This practice is helping to remove thatch and breaking up the compaction that has accumulated in the top surface of the greens. This is very beneficial in helping the greens stay firmer, diluting the thatch, helping get oxygen into the soil profile, reducing compaction, and allowing nutrients to get to the roots as well. The recovery process for these practices usually takes about 2 weeks for the greens to get back into regular playing condition. However this year things are a bit slower in greening up and growing so hopefully the weather will cooperate this week and next and give us some good growing days to aid in the healing process.