Aerification is commonly one of the taboo words related to golf and a golfers expectations on course conditions. With the great leaps and bounds in golf course equipment technology over the past 10 years we are able to perform these operations more efficiently and with less disruption to the surface... Ultimately resulting in better course conditions immediately following core cultivation and little or no impact on your round of golf.
Goal-
A healthy stand of grass naturally recycles organic matter into the
upper soil profile of the fairways/approaches when roots, shoots,
stolons, and other plant parts are replaced throughout the season. This
organic matter accumulation must be removed with core aeration. When a
significant layer of thatch and organic matter develops, the surface
becomes "spongy", holding water and creating other issues related to
plant health and disease susceptibility.
Process-
1. Fairways/Approaches are punched with 7/8" tines on 2"-3" spacing, 5" deep, removing a significant amount of material and leaving one heck of a mess on the surface.
2. Plugs are allowed to dry slightly on the surface before they are broken apart with a large drag, removing the soil from the organic layer.
3. Once the plugs have dried to the correct moisture level, a large drag is run in a couple different directions to break the plugs apart and seperate the thatch from the soil particles.
4. After the dragging process is finished, soil has been removed from the organic matter pieces and deposited back into the open holes leaving behind some light fluffy mayerial and most all holes filled.
5. The fairways/approaches are then blown off by a team of blowers, blowing all the grass and organic matter to the side for removal.
6. The material is then vacuumed up from the sides and moved to the compost site.
7. Final cleanup preparations are
performed and debris is cleaned up in specific locations where the
blowers and vaccum didn't clean to a desired level.
8. The fairways/approaches are
then mowed to remove any tufts of grass sticking up from the
aerification process and cleaning the surface for play. Finished Product-
The aerification process really does leave behind very minimal disruption to the playing surface but creates so many key benefits to plant health and maintaining proper soil structure. Holes will be completely healed within a week and there will be little to no detection anything ever happened.
Take Home Message & Benifits-
An important purpose of core aeration is the physical removal of unwanted organic matter from the upper portion of the rootzone. When core aeration is neglected, the upper portion of the profile can become an inhospitable place for plant roots to grow. The pore space in a dense organic layer is dominated by small, water-filled capillary pores, while the large air-filled macropores are lacking. Oxygen is necessary for the plant to cary out respiration, which is the conversion of stored food to energy. Respiration takes place in the roots and, therefore, good air exchange in the upper soil profile is vital to plant survival.
Aerification of Turfgrass is a necessary evil (cultural practice) to maintain healthy plants. Benefits are Thatch Control, Compaction Relief, Beneficial Air and Gas Exchange to the root zone, Improved water movement, Greater nutrient penetration, Increased shoot and root growth, Improved soil structure... All vital to a healthy stand of grass. The medicine (Aerification) does not always taste good, but a healthy patient (Grass) is worth the effort and inconvenience. It is always our goal to make aerification as painless as possible.
Short Videos Showing the Fairway Aerifyer In Action
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