Cultivation & Layering

Cultivation & Layering Information courtesy of Texas A&M University Turf Grass http://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

Cultivation & Layering