Aeration question Cancel The title field is required!

1. Roach Adrian

   
   9/11/2012 7:09 AM

   I took over my current position in March and aerification was non-existent. When the greens were aerified, they used 1/4 hallow tines, every 3 years or so. I have 2-3 inches of thatch on some greens. My plan for fall aeriation is to pull 5/8 coresX2 then 3/4 deep tine. I am worried bout rutting and heaving. I guess my question is should i deep tine and core 1 time first then come back in in a month or so and core again? Or deep tine then wait a week or so and core? Any thoughts would be great.
   
   Adrian Roach

   
   
   
   
2. Patrick Quinlan

   

   0 posts
   
   9/11/2012 8:09 AM

   I would deep tine first. If your using a Toro 648 with 5/8inch tines then go at the 2inch spacing. I would not do any more then that at one time. Three weeks later core them again. I would do an ISTRC test to give you a baseline and then again in a year or so to see the progress in numerical form.

   
   
   
   
3. Baker Daniel

   
   9/11/2012 9:09 AM

   Not to sound like a broken record from previous threads but why not aggressively verticut? Check out the article on "Aerification by the Numbers" http://danrogersgolf.com/wp-content/upl ... umbers.pdf
   
   I'm not a bentgrass super and a I know things work a little different for yall. Just food for thought.

   
   
   
   
4. Justin VanLanduit

   

   0 posts
   
   9/11/2012 1:09 PM

   Graden sand injection along with aerification. Agree with the previous to wait a few weeks and carry it out again. 2x 5/8 may be a bit agressive and leave little surface along with very unstable surface.

   
   
   
   
5. Keith Pegg

   

   0 posts
   
   9/11/2012 8:09 PM

   I have used 5/8" tines and no thank you never again. I would use 3/8 or maybe 1/2" and then sand every week and core every 4 weeks until you get what you want. Topdress at 3 cuft per 1000 and when coring enough to fill holes and then roll to get a good putt fast. The Toro aerator I think is the best just as long as you can get in 2" + so you are not just in thatch. After you get to your point of acceptation then back off a bit to a level that you can live with.
   
   Keith Pegg
   Zama Golf Japan

   
   
   
   
6. Sowatsky Steve A

   
   9/12/2012 6:09 AM

   I use 3/8" quadtines. Twice as many holes yet small enough to facilitate rapidly recovery. You end up removing the equivalent of a 3/4" tine, on normal spaciong, by using this method. If you want to be more aggressive, use 1/2" quadtines (equivalent of 1" tines with normal spacing). The key thing here would be to incorporate as much sand as possible to begin diluting the built up thatch layer. Good luck!

   
   
   
   
7. Grote Richard R

   
   9/12/2012 5:09 PM

   Steve, When you speak of quad tines, are you using the 548 aerifier with the 3/8 tines doubled up in the mounting block? Are you on sand based greens with Bent. And is it 2x2 spacing?
   
   Rick Grote
   Oasis Golf Club

   
   
   
   
8. Sowatsky Steve A

   
   9/14/2012 7:09 AM

   Yes that is the set up I am using. Sand based/ Providence- Alpha bentgrass Spacing is 2x2. my theory is if you are already making the effort, why not maximize the impact without additional passes. The 3/8' holes require slightly more time to work the sand in completely, however we used 50 tons of sand on 140,000 sq ft of greens and had very little sand left on the surface.

   
   
   
   
9. Batchelor Brad D

   
   9/20/2012 11:09 AM

   I had sort of a similar situation at the course I'm at when I took over 4 or so years ago. We did all of the above basically. We changed to 1/2 inch tines on 2x2 spacing twice a year, with a 5/8 on 4x4 spacing drill in the spring. In between we started verticutting (2 directions/ 1/16 inch below the surface) and topdressing monthly. It's a slow process; we're really only getting to where we need to be this year and in my opinion modifying the soil profile is something that shouldn't be rushed. I cant say enough about topdressing for thatch reduction. I'm sure you already have, but I would make the greens comittee aware of the situation and lay out a definite plan for them. Even see if they will get on board with a third (assuming you aerify in the spring and fall) aerification for at least one season.

   
   
   
   
10. Dalton Andrew

    
    9/27/2012 5:09 PM

    I would second the Graden Idea. My tees have excessive amounts of thatch and last fall I used a graden instead of aerification and my tees performed so much better this year compared to last. If you have sand based greens the graden would do a lot more in my opinion than the aerification. If you can do both, then do both, but if you can only do one, then I would use the graden.
    
    Andy

    
    
    
    
11. Zachary Wignall

    

    1 posts
    
    9/27/2012 6:09 PM

    Strip, sod , done....go play some golf somewhere