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1. Joshua Sawyer

   

   0 posts
   
   3/9/2016 8:03 AM

   Aerification time for bent in the southeast...
   
   A few changes that have cost some money, but made drastic improvements to the process. I am curious what others are doing to find more improvements.
   
   1. Light verticut
   2. Amendments (Humates, Magnesium, Calcium)
   3. Dried Sand-worth the cost if you can afford it. Drastically improves holes filling and decreases 'dry down' time.
   4. 5/8" core aerify with Core Collector from Turf Pride on Procore 648. We have outfitted a brush to the back of the core collector box.
   5. 2 laborers on each side of the green to scoop plugs, one 'following machine' to catch the few strays that arise when box starts to get full (mainly on long angles).
   NOTE: at this point, the green is clean...I mean clean. I have been very impressed. Sand is not filling holes entirely because of some moisture pulling up from greens profile.
   6. 1 hour dry time. Drag Brush, then buffalo blow.
   7. Double roll.
   8. Fert with MAP and SOP, water the snot out of it.
   Done.
   
   Really nice roll, most or all holes full, about 1000# sand per 1000 ft2 per green. We are lucky enough to schedule 9 holes at a time, started at 630 am and finished around 3 pm. As far as aerifications go, easiest process I have found with very good end results.
   Thoughts?

   
   
   
   
2. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   3/9/2016 2:03 PM

   Sounds pretty darn good, I am guessing you topdress before? Would be interesting to see the brush set up on the core collector. We use one and I think it's better then having the sweeper, which I had at my previous course.
   
   We do a similar set up, but we do topdress after, we blow the green clean before topdressing goes on after aerification. We don't blow in topdressing, just can't get myself to pull that trigger, afraid of it blowing topdressing out of holes. We don't have dried sand either.
   
   Mel

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

   

   0 posts
   
   3/9/2016 3:03 PM

   I did fail to mention the triplex mower after verticutting...that cleans and dries the surface fairly well. Then amendments, then topdressing with dried sand. We have a lot of travel time for our back 9, so I ordered kiln dried sand in 1 ton bulk bags like you would see for Dryjecting. We have a forklift at the shop, so we took it out and loaded sand onsite from the bulk bags. Worked real well.
   
   All I did for the brush was attach some stiff bristle brooms to a piece of angle iron and bolt to the back of the machine. It didn't give me a final sweep, but did a great job keeping cores in and starting to fill holes. I will see if I can get a picture up.

   
   
   
   
4. Joshua Sawyer

   

   0 posts
   
   3/9/2016 4:03 PM

   Here is a shot of the machine just clearing the green. One follow guy...in addition two scoopers at each side. The green hasn't been blown or anything...super clean. It does kinda smear topdressing and greens mix, but after a short dry down, this brooms in very well. Drastically reduced man hours and the strain on the crew.
   
   Not a great picture of the broom, but like I said, its just some broom heads mounted to the back of the box.

   
   
   
   
5. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   3/9/2016 10:03 PM

   Joshua Sawyer said: Here is a shot of the machine just clearing the green. One follow guy...in addition two scoopers at each side. The green hasn't been blown or anything...super clean. It does kinda smear topdressing and greens mix, but after a short dry down, this brooms in very well. Drastically reduced man hours and the strain on the crew.
   
   Not a great picture of the broom, but like I said, its just some broom heads mounted to the back of the box.

   
   
   When I clicked on the picture it came up pretty clear. Thanks!
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
6. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   3/10/2016 11:03 AM

   We've been doing it like this for a few years, except we follow the aerifiers with Salsco rollers with brushes rather than a cart and drag brush. No wheels for us after the holes are poked.

   
   
   
   
7. Patrick Reinhardt

   

   0 posts
   
   3/10/2016 11:03 AM

   We do the exact same as Andy. No tires on green once the holes are made. We'll leave machines off until about day 3 when we verticut greens again to redistribute sand and cut the hole walls apart.

   
   
   
   
8. Joshua Sawyer

   

   0 posts
   
   3/10/2016 12:03 PM

   Do the brushes attached to rollers backfill holes entirely? This is part of the reason I put this thread up...to look for more improvements. We have Tru Turf rollers...not sure if they have a brush. Thanks.

   
   
   
   
9. Patrick Reinhardt

   

   0 posts
   
   3/10/2016 1:03 PM

   We use Salsco rollers, and brush 2 directions with the holes filling completely.

   
   
   
   
10. Joshua Sawyer

    

    0 posts
    
    3/10/2016 3:03 PM

    Thanks for the info...I am going to look into it. I certainly would love to move away from tire tracks.

    
    
    
    
11. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    3/11/2016 7:03 AM

    I always notice the comment of tire tracks, and as I think back through my years, I can vaguely remember some, maybe 20 years ago, but we just don't seem to notice them here at my place. Don't know if its the sand based greens? Are we a little on the dry side when we do our aerification? Maybe its because we're a little bumpy anyway from the process, since we really don't get our holes filled like I have seen other do, mostly due to time and lack of staff?
    
    Mel

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

    

    1 posts
    
    3/11/2016 8:03 AM

    We brush two times after punching, water heavy, then brush two times again the next day. Greens are pretty smooth following, and if we time our fertilizer right the week before, are usually recovered within 7-10 days.
    
    I've also been planning on adding a brush to the back of the boxes. Looks like it's worth it. Will have to make sure it gets done this year.