Verticutting

Bermuda, St. Augustine, Zoysia, Centipede, Bahia, Paspalum, etc
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Michael Wise
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Verticutting

Post by Michael Wise » July 26th, 2012, 11:05 am

Was it effective at breaking up bermuda stolon matting?

Afraid this may be an issue for me one day.

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Mightyquinn
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Mightyquinn » July 26th, 2012, 12:15 pm

I would say it was. I did it this spring when the grass started greening up, the only problem I had was how deep to go. One notch seemed to just get the high spots while the next one down seemed to go real deep. The other thing I like about it was that it seemed to level the lawn a little because of it knocking down the high spots. I think I am going to start doing it annually and/or core aerate also.

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Michael Wise
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Michael Wise » July 26th, 2012, 12:48 pm

I'll reassess next year, but I think this will become part of my regimen, as well.

Most of the lawn is so tight this season, that I wonder how effective my spring scalp will be next year. The stolon mat is weaved so tight that even mowing at 3/4" tall, you are still walking on top of the grass. You have to "drill" your fingers through the grass to touch soil.

By no means am I complaining. :) Just trying to figure out what to expect with the coming seasons. :yahoo:

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Michael Wise
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Michael Wise » July 26th, 2012, 12:49 pm

On the plus side, too, there is a verticutting head available for my mower. :yahoo:

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Mightyquinn
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Mightyquinn » July 26th, 2012, 12:59 pm

Michael Wise wrote:On the plus side, too, there is a verticutting head available for my mower. :yahoo:
Aren't you lucky :yahoo:

Yeah, mine was getting like that too, but since I verticut and sanded the lawn mine has been pretty good. I used to get wheel tracks in the grass from the weight of the mower pushing down on it and I don't really have that anymore.


hambone79
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Re: Verticutting

Post by hambone79 » August 1st, 2012, 12:33 am

You should verticut, topdress, and aerate at least once annually if you are really wanting to keep it nice. Aeration is the most beneficial. If you are really pushing the fertilizer and mowing low you are building thatch and over time it will degrade the turf. Once the thatch gets problematic its hard to ever get back on top of it, so regular verticutting and topdressing will keep it manageable. Verticutting lightly encourages new growth and will groom the turf and make it thicker and more appealing afterwards. If you do it once a year I suggest heavy when grass is actively growing to recover. The more you verticut, the less intensive you have to be with it. Max for your lawn should be 3 times a year. Always do these cultural practices when your grass is actively growing and can recover, if not you risk opening up your canopy for weed encroachment. Topdressing should be done once yearly. Once your smooth it should not take as much.

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Re: Verticutting

Post by articaine » August 1st, 2012, 1:05 am

hambone79 wrote:You should verticut, topdress, and aerate at least once annually if you are really wanting to keep it nice. Aeration is the most beneficial. If you are really pushing the fertilizer and mowing low you are building thatch and over time it will degrade the turf. Once the thatch gets problematic its hard to ever get back on top of it, so regular verticutting and topdressing will keep it manageable. Verticutting lightly encourages new growth and will groom the turf and make it thicker and more appealing afterwards. If you do it once a year I suggest heavy when grass is actively growing to recover. The more you verticut, the less intensive you have to be with it. Max for your lawn should be 3 times a year. Always do these cultural practices when your grass is actively growing and can recover, if not you risk opening up your canopy for weed encroachment. Topdressing should be done once yearly. Once your smooth it should not take as much.
ok.

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Michael Wise
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Michael Wise » August 1st, 2012, 11:01 am

Thanks, hambone!

I need to get by the dealership and price that verticutter head.

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Re: Verticutting

Post by Michael Wise » August 1st, 2012, 11:07 am

hambone, or anyone else :) ,when you say "heavy", are you talking depth-wise or cutting in multiple directions? Say east-west and north-south?

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Mightyquinn
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Mightyquinn » August 1st, 2012, 7:34 pm

I did it this Spring and saw pretty good results and I could see how it would be beneficial to do it during the year also. I would have to adjust my Pre emergent control if I decided to go that way. I would like to know more about this and I would like to start aerating again, my grass just seemed healthier when I used to do it. It has been 3 or 4 years since I aerated.

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Re: Verticutting

Post by hambone79 » August 1st, 2012, 10:17 pm

When I say heavy I am referring to the depth of the cut. On the golf side of things sometimes we verticut weekly, but very lightly to severe the stolons and encourage more density. We also have groomers that run in front of the reels that look almost like a tiny verticutting reel. We usually set the groomers a couple thousandths lower than cutting height and sometimes run those daily to reduce grain and achieve a more uniform cut. Most of that shouldn't pertain to a home lawn though. When you go deep you are removing thatch build up, go lightly and your severing stolons and thinning for new growth. The amount of thatch your dealing with will determine if you need to go two directions or not. The material that comes out needs to be discarded unless you are verticutting to groom your grass.

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Mightyquinn
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Mightyquinn » August 11th, 2012, 8:03 pm

I am seriously thinking of doing this next year!!! My lawn is sooooo thick right now it is affecting getting a quality cut. Don't get me wrong it still looks good but it just seems like it needs something else to take it over the top and I know the stolons are super thick underneath. It is starting to get that spongy feel again. I am also thinking of aerating also which should help the situation but I will have to adjust my PreM schedule.

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Michael Wise
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Michael Wise » August 11th, 2012, 8:33 pm

Mine, too.

I gave in and raised the cut height to get the mower away from the thick mass of grass.

I don't know how else you COULD keep Bermuda low all year without it.

It just gets too thick!

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Michael Wise
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Michael Wise » August 11th, 2012, 8:35 pm

I wish FirstLSK from Lawnsmarts would find this place.

He verticut monthly for what I think are the same reasons we are wondering about.

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Mightyquinn
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Re: Verticutting

Post by Mightyquinn » August 11th, 2012, 9:47 pm

I remember FirstLSK. He use to groom his monthly and had good results. I would love to find a verticutter with a delta blade around here, I think I would buy it in a heart beat, just can't seem to justify buying a new one.

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