It is that time of year again where a majority of the golf courses start their summer time cultural practices. Needle tine aerification is a process on a majority of their turf grass areas. This practice helps us to maintain key essentials in our soils. Compaction of the soil is one of our main issues that we fight throughout the summer months due to high traffic, thatch, microbial soil and other key ingredients.
To relieve the compaction on our greens, we like to use a term called needle tine aerification. This process includes very small (1/4" or smaller) aerification tines that are used to vent our putting surfaces of all oxygen and gases that are exchanged in the soils. Once this process is completed, we will follow up with a very light topdressing of sand that will help smooth the greens surfaces.
As we move forward in the 2012 golf season, we will try to complete each green every month starting on Monday's. The healing process should be very quick and we will have a great putting surface within the next day or two. We understand the terminology of aerification and how it impacts the visual appearance of a course, but to continue improving our surface drainage, growing healthy and deeper roots, we must sacrifice a little to receive a lot.
Thanks for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you on the course this summer,
Craig Kight
