This morning, we started the operation of verticutting the fairways. Verticutting is a mowing technique used to remove grain, dead and dying turf, and thatch from the fairways.
Thatch is defined as an accumulation of dead and living plant material (stems, roots, and shoots) that develops between the soil surface and the green leaves of a turf. Thatch development is a natural process that occurs during normal growth. Ideally, under proper management, a turf achieves a balance between rate of organic matter production and rate of decomposition.
Some thatch is desirable because it forms a cushion that decreases turf wear. Thatch also insulates the soil from high and low temperatures and reduces evaporation losses of water from the soil surface. A thatch layer becomes undesirable when it exceeds a depth of 1/2 inch.
This is something that we have not done to our fairways in several years. It is a practice that I plan to do on a yearly basis from now on. For someone who has never seen the process, it can be a bit of a shock. As you can see by the photo above and to the left, it pulls up a vast amount of debris.
Not only does verticutting remove thatch, which is a breeding ground for turf disease, but it also provides channels to allow moisture and oxygen to get into the rootzone. The turf recovers surprising quickly however, because the turf is growing so actively at this time of year. We will be following this verticutting by our second fairway aerification one week from today on the 5th of August. The photos below show that the fairway is then vacuumed and then mowed.
