Fall Aeration Cancel The title field is required!

1. Virgil Range

   

   0 posts
   
   9/7/2012 5:09 AM

   Hey guys. Ive been trying to decide on what to do with Fall Aeration. Some unexpected items came up this year and Im trying to save a little money. Last year I contracted a company for .250 deep tine. This year i pulled cores .625 in the spring and have been venting with .250 cross tines every 4-5 weeks.
   
   Whats your views on skipping the deep tine and going with a .250 solid tine for the fall. This would cut cost by alot with less sand and doing it in house instead of contracting it out.
   
   Thanks for your advice,
   
   Virgil

   
   
   
   
2. Dru Clark

   

   0 posts
   
   9/7/2012 6:09 AM

   My guess is your on bent greens...? Either way nothing takes the place of a core aerification but if you have no other options... Next spring you may want to double aerify to try and make up for this year.(if $$ allows). The cost savings now may not be worth the poor conditions of the turf or even turf loss due to cutting back on aerification. As you well know it will make your life miserable during the summer months if you dont have good sand filled channels in the soil profile. I always think of the plant health in terms of how its gonna be in future months due to my present actions. I hope this helps. Let us know what you decide and good luck!

   
   
   
   
3. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   9/7/2012 6:09 AM

   Virgil,
   
   I'm down in southern Missouri on bent, we have the equipment to do both core aerification and solid deep tine, you didn't mention if your deep tine would be solid or cored, but I'm guessing solid. I am going to pull cores in two weeks, if I can get the tractor and deep tine machine from one of our other courses, I will attempt to do a solid deep tine as well. But my feeling is, the core aerification is mandatory in my mind. Now our other city courses are going just with the deep tine, makes it a little hard on me to justify coring, but right now I'm not getting any push back. I guess we will see if there is any difference next season. I will say I'm from the old school, (well not as old school as the Capt.) and I would rather do two core aerifications over solid, not that I would do those too when I get the chance. I will also say we only truly vented once this summer unless you call the little spiker on the back of the bunker rake venting too.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
4. Baker Daniel

   
   9/7/2012 1:09 PM

   From a bermuda guy who doesn't have to core in the fall:
   
   Have you considered an aggressive verticut in the fall to help remove organic form the top inch in place of the core aerification? I have replaced a core aerifiaction with an 1x1 2mm blade successfully. Check out the aerification by the numbers article and you will notice that in terms of organic removal, it is equivalent to a 2x2 aerification with a 5/8" tine.
   
   It seems to me you will get the venting you need from the .25 solids you have been doing, which you could always do in concert to the verticut.
   
   Just a thought...

   
   
   
   
5. Virgil Range

   

   0 posts
   
   9/12/2012 4:09 AM

   Thanks guys. Ive decided to go with the .250 tine with 2 in spacing. Plus I will double verticut before aerating.
   
   Thanks for the advice!!

   
   
   
   
6. Samuel Leatherberry

   

   0 posts
   
   9/12/2012 4:09 PM

   How deep are you setting the verticutters?

   
   
   
   
7. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   9/13/2012 8:09 AM

   I was thinking about doing a verticutting the day before we pull cores, 1/2" tines. We set our verticut units to 9/64" deep, (he uses the bar set to 1/8th and because of some worn more then others he gives a little touch more).
   
   I wonder if this would be a good thing for us, we verticut on Monday, mow/clean-up behind it. Aerify one nine Tuesday the other Wednesday and topdress after aerification. Anyone try this? It wouldn't be like running a Graden and then trying to aerify.
   
   Thanks, Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
8. Chris Cook

   

   0 posts
   
   9/13/2012 10:09 AM

   We double verticut at 1/8", blow off all debris. Mow and blow again. Then pull a core. We always get a ton of thatch and its nice to get the topdressing sand brushed into the V-cut lines. We never see any issues with this method.

   
   
   
   
9. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   9/13/2012 2:09 PM

   Thanks Chris, we will definitely pull the trigger and verticut on Monday.
   
   On a side note, do you know how Owasso's high school band is doing this year? Saw their show last year and by the time they were in St. Louis it became my favorite show over Broken Arrow and Union. I think we will see them again this year at Union. My son is in Kickapoo's band. Great fun.
   
   Thanks
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
10. Chris Cook

    

    0 posts
    
    9/14/2012 8:09 AM

    Mel, I'm not sure to be honest. I know they have had a tremendous program for years. They've been to the Rose Bowl parade a few times over the past couple of years.

    
    
    
    
11. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    9/14/2012 8:09 AM

    Thanks Chris, until our son got into high school band we never paid attention, when he graduates we will probably not pay attention then either unfortunately. I know you guys there in the Tulsa area with Owasso, Union and of course Broken Arrow have set a pretty high bar, we are the only school in Springfield that is trying to compete and challenge ourselves to that level. We will be at both Renegade Review and Broken Arrow this year again. Lots of fun and great hospitality by everyone over there.
    
    Thanks again, and thanks for that idea of verticutting when aerifying.
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
12. Chris Cook

    

    0 posts
    
    9/14/2012 10:09 AM

    No problem Mel. Sounds like you'll have the family with you but if you find time, feel free to come on up to Owasso and stop by for a bit.

    
    
    
    
13. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    9/17/2012 11:09 AM

    Chris Cook said: No problem Mel. Sounds like you'll have the family with you but if you find time, feel free to come on up to Owasso and stop by for a bit.

    
    
    Thanks for the invite Chris, we will all be busy with the contests and I'm hoping to be chaperoning which means being on the bus, but it saves on the gas and tolls, plus I can nap on the way back.
    
    But I'll have to try and make it some other time if possible, it's really not that far.
    
    Thanks, Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
14. Virgil Range

    

    0 posts
    
    9/21/2012 5:09 AM

    Thanks for the advice everyone.
    
    Greens aeration was completed yesterday. I went verticuting first then poked holes with .250 and 6 inches deep with 2.5 spacing.
    
    I know its not the same as deep tining and pulling cores but with the crew of 2 this was the best way for me to complete it.