Micro-Core aeration - the solution for irate golfers?

Micro-Core aeration - the solution for irate golfers?

Although some golfers may seem reluctant to believe it, aeration is critical to healthy turf.  Here is a brief explanation for your members of the benefits, and how the latest equipment is making this process quicker, easier, and less disruptive than ever before – even during busy periods!

Firstly, grass roots don’t actually grow in soil. They grow in the air spaces between the soil particles. Healthy turf therefore needs good deep roots, which depend on an open soil structure.

Here are the benefits of aeration:

• It relieves compaction and opens up the pores between the soil particles.
• It enables better penetration of water and air
• Fertiliser/nutrients are delivered direct to the root zone
• It encourages deeper rooting
• Giving longer use of the surface and increased playability all year round
• Toxic gases within the soil are released
• It increases shoot growth

Hollow tine aeration, or “hollow coring”, is generally the greenkeeper’s preferred mode of aerating greens, as it removes material such as poor quality soil and thatch, and allows water and air into the root zone.  Although its benefits are indisputable, the process tends to be slow, labour intensive, and disruptive of the playing surface in the short term.

Hollow coring is generally followed by topdressing to improve the composition of the root zone and true up the playing surface.  Think of it as a soil exchange programme. Thatch and soil is removed and replaced with sand which aids drainage and water movement through the soil profile, making it easier for the plant to grow.

Micro-coring is an excellent thatch removal treatment

So, the challenge is how to get this essential greens maintenance task done without disrupting play or disturbing the putting surfaces.  

A solution which has become very popular in recent years is to micro-core using the GreenTek Dyna-Corer units fitted onto a greens triplex mower. This set of three coring units fits in place of the regular mowing units and gives a wide working width of 1.5m.  The speed and manoeuvrability of the triplex power unit enables this task to be done in vastly reduced time, keeping disruption of play to an absolute minimum.   The added benefit is that these units are visually almost indistinguishable from regular mowing units, so there is much less resistance from the members than when using tractor mounted corers.

Dyna-Corers can be fitted to most popular greensmowers

Furthermore, the 11mm diameter micro-core holes at very close spacings leave a surface which is vastly less bumpy than after a typical tractor mounted core plugger.  This enables greenkeepers to get this important task done at their discretion throughout the season, leaving the more disruptive deep coring with full size tines until the traditional end of season maintenance in the autumn.

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Clean holes with minimal surface disturbance

What becomes apparent straightaway when seeing the Dyna-Corer in action is how exceptionally quiet and unobtrusive the operation is.  Mike Stott, GreenTek's Sales Manager explains: "The Dyna-Corer's micro tines effectively remove thousands of tiny core plugs, and the coring depth can be precisely adjusted down to a maximum of 25mm. This is excellent preparation before seeding. The Dyna-Corer also relieves surface compaction, which we all know is important to prevent sealing to enable air and water to reach the root zone." 

He adds "Perhaps, best of all, is the discretion this machine gives greenkeepers. Since the operation is so smooth and quiet, and done with your greensmower, members won't even notice the coring taking place!"

Dyna-Corers are so quick that play is hardly interrupted

Dyna-Corer's interchangeable tine options include hollow core tines, solid tines, needle tines and cross tines. This gives a multitude of fast micro-tining options, at different depths, all from a greens triplex mower.

Easier core collection

The micro-cores can be easily blown into heaps with a backpack blower and scooped up with snow shovels.  However, an even faster and easier method is to follow immediately over with a second triplex mower fitted with Dyna-Brush units. 

These have contra-rotating brushes spinning at a reduced speed to gently flick the cores up into the collection baskets.

The quick and easy way to collect cores

Once again, the Dyna-Brushes are difficult to distinguish from standard mowing units, making them much more acceptable to your members.

These machines are an example of just how far greenkeeping equipment has progressed in recent years, easing some of the most arduous tasks, and enabling you to give your members superior putting surfaces all year round.

Find out how you can get fast micro-coring with your greens triple mower.

Visit the GreenTek Dyna-Corer page for more information.

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