RYAN Mataway Cancel The title field is required!

1. Nathaniel Dyer

   

   0 posts
   
   2/14/2012 10:02 AM

   I am considering using a ryan mataway to verticut my greens. I work at a smaller 18 hole course in VT and i do not really have anything else to use or borrow. I have two sets of cutting blades that have different spacing and different thickness of blades. I want to do this because I have a slight layer that is holding moisture in surface of the greens. The thatch layer is about 5/8 of an inch down and 1/16 to 1/8 thick. I'm planning on doing this in combination with my spring aerification in may. I have used this machine to over seed tees, collars, apps but never on a green. I was just looking for some advice or pointers or if it was even worth trying to attempt with this machine. I know it will take me forever but its all i have.
   
   any help would be great

   
   
   
   
2. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   2/14/2012 11:02 AM

   Nathaniel
   
   I think at the right setting it would work just as well as a set of verticut heads. I have seeded greens with the Ryan Overseeder which if I remember correctly has the same vertical blade set up as the Mataway, but we would avoid any kind of setting that would pull up excess thatch when seeding just so the clean up wouldn't disturb the seeds, but on occasion in an undulation we would see some fair thatch removed.
   
   Mel

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

   
   2/15/2012 9:02 AM

   We used a Mataway last summer on our greens that had been neglected for years. We saw immediate results in water penetration and firmness. We also aerified right behind it with a 5/8 x 8 x 6 and then buried them in sand. Plans are the same for this year to help relieve some more of the mat layer.
   
   This on TifEagle so your situation may be a little different. That being said, aggressive verticutting works wonders on mat layers

   
   
   
   
4. Nathaniel Dyer

   

   0 posts
   
   2/15/2012 8:02 PM

   One thing that concerns me is the grooves that can be left by aggressive verticutting. I would think that pulling plugs after would break up some of that. Do you think two directions would be better? I know it would take a lot more Thatch and mat layer out, I just don't want to get to aggressive.

   
   
   
   
5. Baker Daniel

   
   2/16/2012 6:02 AM

   I've seen it done two directions but only on turf that has a healthy root system. It does make a great difference to do it more than once. Concerning the grooves, we basically topdressed them out last year. This year we have roller I intend to bury them in sand again and then put the roller on to help smooth things out. We were putting in the high 9's with very little affect on the ball in 1 week after a single verticut and the aerification.