Is verticutting a good idea for your golf course?
“Verticutting is beneficial to the entire course because the blades grow higher on fairway and tee-box grass and might lay over,” says Bryan Barrington, superintendent at Golf Club at Oxford Greens in Oxford, Conn.
What is verticutting of Greens?
In conclusion, verticutting of greens is a time-tested practice that encourages plant growth, dense turf and smoother greens. If you have any questions about verticutting or any other maintenance topic, please contact your Golf Course Superintendent.
What is “verticut?
The main body of the image depicts what the putting surface looks like after it has been vertically mowed, or as it is sometimes referred to as “verticut.” A question from a committee member during a recent Turf Advisory Service visit prompted a lengthy discussion.
How deep is A verticut cut on a golf course?
The depth of the cut varies according to what part of the course is being verticut – a shallower cut on the greens and deeper elsewhere. “We’ll cut the greens about an eighth of an inch, and a quarter of an inch to a half an inch on the fairways,” Barrington says.
How often should golf greens be Verticut?
“The general rule of thumb is to verticut as often as recovery and improved turf health are noted,” he says. “I do it every 10 days in some areas of the course, but it might be wise to limit verticutting to two or three times a year in other areas.” Verticutting methods vary.
Why do they Verticut golf greens?
Vertical mowing is a maintenance practice periodically performed on greens to accomplish the following objectives: Remove excessive leaf growth that contributes to puffy, spongy surface conditions. Improve mowing quality and surface smoothness. Cut laterally growing stolons and promote an upright growth habit.
What is the purpose of Verticutting?
In essence, Verticutting is the process of removing the thatch buildup that is on the lawn, allowing the turf to breathe better. It allows the grass to absorb nutrients and moisture more efficiently. It does this by ensuring that all the moisture is absorbed by the fresh, young blades of grass instead of the thatch.
When should you start Verticutting?
regular verti-cutting; I would suggest twice a month between April and September. Verti-cutting does exactly what it says, it cuts vertically through the turf surface to slice up lateral growth and tease up the turf prior to mowing, which is usually carried out straight after a verti-cut operation.
How often should you Verticut?
You can use the cartridge every two to four weeks or so from April to September to keep on top of thatch and lateral lying grasses. Start with the cartridge on setting four and gradually lower- the cartridge should not be penetrating the soil as it will damage your blades.
What height should a Verticut be?
2-3mmDesigned to work 2-3mm above the soil surface, not impacting it. Many groundsperson, alternate directions of verticutting and also go against the grain, so up the lines you come down when cutting as they believe you get better results.
Is it better to aerate or Verticut?
Core aeration is great for the lawn as it breaks up compaction and helps control thatch. It is not the best practice for seeding. If your main focus is to overseed then verticut as it provides for the best and most even seed bed. Core aeration can be used but verticutting is preferred.
Is Verticutting the same as aerating?
Verticutting and power raking are words that are sometimes used interchangeably for doing the same thing. Verticutting is done by a machine that cuts thin rows into your grass rather than removing plugs, like aeration. Verticutters loosen the topsoil so that seed will have better contact with the soil for germination.
What do you do after Verticut?
Verticutting is often followed up by overseeding and can accompany core aeration to allow more air, water, and nutrients to penetrate deeply into your lawn's soil.
Is Verticutting the same as scarifying?
Verticutting also called vertical mowing is a refinement of scarifying, in that it is less aggressive. The blades are finer and are not designed to penetrate as deep as those on a scarifier. Verticutters have more blades (than a scarifier), with the spacings being closer together to leave a finer finish on the lawn.
What is the difference between Verticutting and dethatching?
The primary difference is that the verticut is just going to lightly tickle the soil down below, while dethatching will aggressively dig into the root system and pull out thatch.
Can I Verticut in summer?
A verticutting reel will generally have wider spacing's than a groomer and have stronger blades. Generally it is done in spring but can also be done during the summer months.
How does a Verticutter work?
Verticutting uses a machine much like a lawn mower, except it has many vertical blades instead of one horizontal blade. These vertical blades cut down into the thatch without damaging the healthy grass, and breaks up the dead layer of thatch, bringing it to the surface for easy collection and removal from your lawn.
How often are putting greens cut?
Greens typically need to be mown at least once every three days. Without that regular tending, they become overgrown. Getting them back up to speed is tough. Sometimes it's impossible, and the entire putting surface has to be reseeded, and you're looking at least two months before they're ready for play again.
What is a vertical mower?
Vertical mowers have blades which move in a vertical (up/down) plane. This type of mower can be used to remove thatch buildup in lawns. If the thatch layer exceeds 1 inch, it can be removed by vertical mowing, or “verticutting,” in early spring to midsummer.
How do you cut a Bowling Green?
Mowing direction should be from corner to corner, although the angle can be varied a little, alternating between corners on each cut, during the playing season.
What is verticutting greens?
In conclusion, verticutting of greens is a time-tested practice that encourages plant growth, dense turf and smoother greens.
What is the process of making a green putt true?
Making our greens putt true. One activity that golf courses undertake on greens is a process called “Verticutting”. This may also be called “Vertical Mowing”. Unlike regular greens mowing, where the blades are horizontal to the putting surface, verticut blades are vertical to the greens.
Do verticut blades break up stolons?
The blades then break up the stolons of the plant, allowing the plant to produce more leaves for a denser turf. Older, dying leaf material is pulled up, giving room for new leaves. Also, the effects of “grain” are reduced. Occasionally, verticut blades are set lower when thatch removal is desired.
What does topdressing do for putting green?
It for one fills in any inconsistencies in the putting surface, adds firmness, reduces the impact of grain, reduces algae, and most importantly dilutes the soil profile, leading to better water infiltration, more oxygen for roots, and disease prevention.
What is the difference between bentgrass and ultradwarfs?
Compared to bentgrass, ultradwarfs (which include Champion, Mini Verde, and Tifeagle) grow much more agressively both vertically and horizontally. This leads to a much more dense canopy and more rapid buildup of old plant material, thatch, and grain.
When to use verticutting blades?
Verticutting Blades. Used regularly, every week to two weeks in good growing conditions from April to September will help maintain a firm low thatch surface right through the season. This will make for a faster playing surface and make scarifying in the autumn that much easier and cause far less damage.
What is a verticutting reel?
To control thatch. The blades of a verticutting reel are much finer and more numerous than those on a scarifying reel. They are designed to be used above the thatch layer to remove dead and dying grass plants that will ultimately contribute to the thatch layer.
What does "verticutting" mean?
Perhaps it is just verbiage, but grooming for me means removing leaf tissue, whereas verticutting means removing sloughed off leaves and old roots or thatch. I groom to increase speed and smoothness on my greens.”. When your groomers are set at the effective depth you can’t see any lines, Shaffer adds.
Does Verticutter damage turf?
Ramirez says his company’s verticutter doesn’t damage the turf and force superintendents to shut down their course for several days to clean up the thatch. “I know some products sold have a spring tine for dethatching and those tines abuse the grass more than a blade,” he explains.
What is verticutting used for?
Verticutting can be used to control graining, remove thatch, prepare for seeding, cultivate the soil or disperse core materials following aerification, says Anthony Williams, CGCS, at Stone Mountain (Ga.) Golf Club. Also, verticutting is useful on courses that have newer turfgrass varieties that might tend to form thatch quicker than traditional ...
What is the best weapon for a golf course superintendent?
But one of the best weapons superintendents have in their arsenal is verticutting, a process that has gained popularity and now is common throughout the country for all types of turfgrass.
Is verticutting good for turfgrass?
The long-term benefits of verticutting are considerable. “My goal, in terms of turfgrass health and playability, is customer satisfaction,” Phipps says. “If the greens are healthy and smooth, then my job becomes much easier.”. Haines believes verticutting improves mowing quality, which, in turn, improves ball roll and speed.
Do superintendents topdress greens?
Most superintendents will topdress greens and water heavily following verticutting. One of the benefits of verticutting, unlike aeration, is that the process has little impact on the playing surface, which is crucial to maintain to keep customers happy.
Can you verticut in severe weather?
The frequency of verticutting and the time of year the practice is done can vary according to weather conditions and grass type. Superintendents should consider the turf type they have carefully and avoid stress periods or being too aggressive with depths of cuts at times when recovery would be slow, Haines says. Superintendents should avoid any practice that will stress turf in severe weather, such as prolonged periods of heat or dry conditions. This will avoid making turf more susceptible to disease.