Graden Verticutting continues and should wrap up by Monday afternoon. This is a relatively slow process where we can only knock out 6 greens a day, on average. With only one machine available, we move slowly. However, the benefits are great. Specifically, the 12% organic matter that it removes up to 1.5” deep below the greens surface. This is what is critical in order to have firm and fast greens. In reality, you can’t do enough of this through the season. Unfortunately it’s not possible because of play. The disruption is significant and takes a minimum of 1.5-2 weeks to heal if you have ideal growing conditions and active growth prior to starting the process. When we do this in addition to aerification, the grass hasn’t awaken from winter dormancy. This makes the healing time drag on for nearly a month. If we wanted to achieve the shortest healing time, it’s best to aerify while the turf is at it’s point of maximum growth and the reason many chose to aerify just after Labor Day and then again, in mid April.