Greens aeration process

We just completed aerating the greens at Glendale CC, and I thought it would be a good time to show how the process works. Core aeration is required on putting greens at least twice per year. It helps to relieve compaction, get some air exchange down into the root zone, and removes some material so that new roots and shoots have space to grow. Shown above is Vic operating one of our Toro greens aerators. We used 1/2" diameter hollow core tines, set at 2" depth, and a 2" X 2" spacing.

Once the aerators are done, it's time to pick up the cores. We use blowers, rakes, and snow shovels to move the cores to the edge of the green, where we can scoop them up and haul 'em away.

Next we apply a heavy layer of sand with a machine called a topdressor. Once the sand is dry we can drag it to fill in the aeration holes.

After running the aerators, applying sand, and dragging, the greens need to be rolled four different directions to help smooth out all of the wheel tracks.

Next we run units on a triplex mower called verticutters. Tracey is shown here on the fifth green. The verticutters cut slices into the green surface about 1/8" deep. It spreads out the sand more evenly, and forces the sand into the aeration holes.

The last step is to drag the sand with a brush unit. Josh is shown here on #6 working the sand into the voids left by the verticutter units. For the next several days we will water the greens to help wash the sand into the holes, and continue rolling to smooth them out. The first several mowings destroy the mower blades, so we're not cutting grass, just picking up sand. After about a week of picking excess sand, we'll put good mowers on the greens and start cutting grass. In about three to four weeks after aerating, the greens will be back to normal and we'll lower the cutting height to our summer setting of .100".