 Topdressing / Verticutting/ Thatch Control |
| Verticutting and topdressing are performed about every 3 weeks. Verticutting eliminates grain and thatch and stimulates further shoot growth. Groomers are similar attachments on a greens mower that help prevent grain. Topdressing a green with a fine layer of sand usually follows and helps to smooth the putting surface and helps decompose thatch buildup. I prefer to topdress very lightly after verticutting and then lightly brush or water it in. It is usually very difficult for the golfer to even know anything was done to the greens. During a grow in however, topdressing is usually heavier to prevent the mowers from injuring the crown of the grass plant when heights of cut are lowered. Our greens have a variety of grass that is dense, upright, disease resistant, drought and cold hardy. It is a great grass, but this does not come without cost. It is a heavy thatch producer. We will have to perform the tasks mentioned above and also employ the aid of beneficial bacteria that help decompose thatch. We establish this beneficial population of bacteria on thatch by spraying, believe it or not, molasses. So the next time you think the greens are "sweet", you'll be right. (This operation does not make greens as slow as molasses). |
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| Thatch is not just a collection of grass clippings caught between blades of grass. It is primarily grass root stolons and rhizomes. In a healthy lawn, earthworms and soil microorganisms break down the thatch naturally. Thatch is a symptom of shallow watering and chemical fertilizer usage. The dead roots in thatch have a high concentration of lignin, a fibrous material that is very resistant to decomposing. Thatch is a great environment for pathogens (disease-carrying agents) and harmful insects. Thatch inhibits good absorption of water and nutrients by the root system. Because thatch is not very permeable to water, much of the rain runs off and the soil below stays dry. Prolonged and frequent use of chemical fertilizers makes your soil inhospitable to worms and other beneficial soil critters. Frequent shallow watering causes grass roots to grow at the top of soil, creating ever thicker layers of thatch. A thin thatch layer is okay - it acts almost like a mulch - but when it gets thicker than", it suppresses growth of grass, keeps water from penetrating into the soil, and becomes a perfect medium for fungus. Bluegrass is more prone to develop a thick thatch layer than other grasses. |
