cultivation & layering information courtesy of texas a&m university turf grass
TRANSCRIPT
Cultivation & Layering
Information courtesy of Texas A&M University Turf Grasshttp://aggieturf.tamu.edu/aggieturf2/golf/gcindex.html
Cultivation Improves Putting Greens
• Cultivation affects putting quality over turf quality• Unique to putting green maintenance because it
affects ball rolling and holding• Methods– Spiking– Coring– Brushing– Verticutting– Topdressing
Method Benefits
• Spiking, Coring and topdressing – Help soften green and improve ball holding
• Brushing verticutting and topdressing – Reduce graininess and thatch accumulation– Improves uniformity, trueness and speed of green
Brushing• Can be done in conjunction with mowing to
reduce graininess• Frequent brushing reduces the need for
vertical mowing– Although vertical mowing is required to help
control grain and thatch and increase speed of greens
• Light and frequent mowing is still required during the growing season
Spiking and Coring
• Helps with– Both important to aeration (root growth)– Water penetration– Thatch – Ball Holding
• Greens should be cored 2 to 3 times annually • Greens should be spiked often as needed to maintain water infiltration rate, break surface crusts and hold properly played golf shots
Spiking & Coring (cont.)
• Greens can be spiked frequently with little disruption to play
• Coring provides more effective– aeration and thatch control but causes a greater
disruption – ball holding than spiking
Topdressing
• One of the most important methods– Also most neglected – Was used for fertilization, disease control, thatch
control and improving putting quality– The “art” has been lost with the use of
commercial fertilizers, pesticides and mechanical aerifiers
• Light and frequent topdressing is recommended
Topdressing (cont.)
• Topdressing materials should be:– Screened– Sterilized– Composted – Evaluated by a laboratory (to avoid excess silt or
clay)– Prepared during the off-season
Layering• Greens are designed based on USGA
recommendations – 12 inch deep uniform root zone over gravel
drainage blanket– Careful mixtures are designed to have specific
particle size distribution, saturated hydraulic conductivity and pore space distribution
Principles of Layering
• Must have a uniform root zone mixture so water and air can pass through all layers appropriately
Layers of Thatch and Topdressing
Black Layer
• Layer that forms when soil is slow to drain (and high in organic matter) stays wet for an extended time
• Layer becomes anaerobic (without oxygen)– Oxygen gives soil its bright orange, tan and yellow
colors – The soil turns black and smells of rotten eggs without oxygen
• Roots cannot survive without oxygen
Silt/Clay Layers
• When flooding occurs, silt and clay will sometimes cover a flooded area– If not carefully removed, water and air will be
restricted • Fine silt and clay materials can also be
transported & deposited by wind • Irrigation water from ponds high in suspended solids can also contribute to the accumulation of fines at the soil surface.
Cemented Layers
• Under certain conditions root zone mixtures containing calcareous sands may become “cemented”– Calcareous sand: Soils containing sufficient free CaCO3 and
other carbonates – This also blocks air and water
• Most often occurs at the bottom of the root zone above gravel layer
Solutions• Address these issues when resurfacing is taking place• Black layer
– Reduce irrigation – Begin aggressive aerification and sand topdressing program
• Silt/Clay Layers– Remove Layers carefully and effectively
• Cemented Layers– use sulfur, sulfur containing fertilizers, and other acidifying agents sparingly.– Occasional foliar applications of micronutrients may be needed to compensate
for the reduced availability of micronutrients due to the high pH associated with calcareous soils.
– Should a cemented layer form, core aerification and sand topdressing may also help (do this with care)
Summary
• Layering of sand based putting greens is a common problem
• Causes– Excessive thatch accumulation– Improper topdressing materials– Unwashed sod– Deposition of fine materials
• To fix problems use – Remove problem area (if possible)– Aggressive core aerification and sand topdressing