Cultivation & Layering

Information courtesy of Texas A&M University Turf Grasshttp://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