| |
All turfgrasses require annual practices beyond the routine of
mowing, edging, fertilizing and irrigating. As turf ages, thatch,
consisting of old roots, stems and other debris can build up in
a layer on top of the soil base. A small amount of thatch can be
beneficial, acting as a mulch cover and providing water retention.
Too much thatch will cause the turf to become hydrophobic, repelling
water.
Each fall, as the weather cools, FloraTech inspects the thatch
layer in your turfgrasses. If necessary, we will recommend that
the turf be dethatched or power-raked. A specifically designed piece
of power equipment “rakes” the turf down through the thatch
layer and raises it to the surface for removal. In some cases, turf
seed may be broadcast over the dethatched area in order to infill
areas that may become thin due to thatch removal. Because the growing
season has not ended, the new seed and dethatched turf recovers
quickly, usually within a couple of weeks.
In spring, it is generally recommended that turfgrasses be core
aerated, or plugged. This is the process of pulling cores approximately
one-half inch in diameter and four inches long from the turf’s
soil, at intervals several inches apart. The “cores” are
left on the turf to be pulverized during the next mow cycle. Core
aeration allows turf that has been compacted by traffic to again
expand, and allow air and water to better penetrate into the root
zone.
|
|
