Aerificaton is often considered a dirty word around the clubhouse, but it is a necessary evil when it comes to maintaining quality putting greens. Removal of cores is essential in maintaining a healthy root system through the stresses of summer. Core removal allows for the removal of built up organic matter in the soil caused by the normal life cycle of the grass plants, and provides channels for air and water to infiltrate the root zone while also reducing compaction. No hard and fast rule applies to the amount and timing of aerification, but the USGA recommends that 15%-20% of the surface area should be affected each season during a normal maintenance program. This percentage can be achieved by both tine size, and tine spacing. This fall, I opted for a 5/8" tine on a 2"x 2" spacing, affecting 10% of the surface area. The photos below show some of the greens aerification process.
Miguel begins core aerifying on #1 green. Each green takes approximately 1 hour to complete with 1 of our 3 machines.
Miguel completing #1 green with a clean up pass around the collar. Crew members have started to wind-row the plugs in the center of the green for removal.
Wind-rows of plugs are removed by hand, and clean topdressing sand is worked into each hole using brooms and blowers.
Finally greens are fertilized and rolled in preparation for play. I expect the healing process to be complete in 10-14 days.
