We started greens aerification today using 1/2" hollow tines on a 2" x 2" hole spacing. This is smaller (less disruption) than a traditional core aerification we've done in the past but extremely beneficial (and necessary) for your putting greens.
Once we have dry weather, we will be hand-brooming topdressing sand to fill the holes. While time consuming and labor intensive, manually brooming sand in the holes speeds recovery time and makes best use of the sand with little waste compared to using a mechanical topdresser. The other advantage is no tire tracks are left on the greens.
After the aerification and topdressing is complete, we will be running the Graden verticutter on the greens as well. Again, this is a great program to keep your greens firm and well-drained.
Now for the question I am asked a lot: When will the greens heal and roll smooth?
Well, that's a tough question to answer given it's weather dependent. Optimum Bentgrass growth occurs when day temperatures are in the upper 60's to low 70's and night temperatures are not less than 50*F. The night temperature is more critical than the day temperature and these temperatures need to be consistent for a period of time. In Highlands, this could be March or it could be May. However, historically the greens are rolling fairly well by May.
If you have any questions about any of our practices we employ, please feel free to reach out to me by phone or email. Highlands CC greens are 20 years old and still push water through the root zone at a rate that a 3-5 year old USGA green would. That shows the effectiveness of our agronomic program and it is critical to the long term health and survival of your putting greens. As always, your patience and support is always appreciated.
Brian J. Stiehler, CGCS, MG
(828) 787-2778 office phone