Aeration: "Slicing Method" - ?

[SteveOgulukian]

I'm playing a course this weekend which had their greens aerated last Monday.  When I asked the pro what the conditions were, the response was "They aerated them two weeks ago --- they used the slicing method and all are back to good condition."

I must admit that i don't know what the slicing method is.  Should I believe that the greens would be back to good condition in less than 2 weeks?

Thanks.

[Tom Yost]

Verticut?

[Jason Topp]

I have seen slits cut into greens - which is what it sounds like they did.  In my experience, greens are pretty decent the next day when that was done.

[Mark Pearce]

Is that the process that was called "Gradening" when carried out at my club?  Thin slits cut into the green and injected with sand.

[Anthony_Nysse]

This is what I consider slicing. It's a very common practice, hardly noticeable. We did it at Colonial and it's used in north on bent a lot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G95f7eb3NE

[Chris Johnston]

Machine is called a PlanetAir.  Low impact deep slice aeration.

www.planetair.biz

Works well.

[SteveOgulukian]

Thanks for the input guys.  Sounds like I should be OK.

[Stephen Davis]

This sounds like what they did at Coronado this year. They told me they had used a new method. I played two weeks after they did it and although you could see signs of the work, the ball rolled beautifully.

[Joey Chase]

  We just tried one out this spring at our club and found it to be a very effective and clean process.  The machine actually has different thickness's and options for blades.  When we tried it, we used the thinnest ones they offer.  It worked quite quickly, and after a few days was unnoticeable, save for the person changing the cups.  I wouldn't say it could eliminate the need for a proper aerification, but is an easy to use, and versatile machine. 

[Charlie Gallagher]

Fascinating to watch the machine in action. A question, or 2.
1 There are multiple purposes for aerification, avoiding compaction, enhancing root health, breaking thatch layers etc. Sand top dressing seems to be part of the process, in most instances. Does the slice method permit that amendment?
2 Does the superintendent still need to deep tine, in addition to the use of the slicing machine? What is the annual usage of each technique?

[Chris Cupit]

Fascinating to watch the machine in action. A question, or 2.
1 There are multiple purposes for aerification, avoiding compaction, enhancing root health, breaking thatch layers etc. Sand top dressing seems to be part of the process, in most instances. Does the slice method permit that amendment?
2 Does the superintendent still need to deep tine, in addition to the use of the slicing machine? What is the annual usage of each technique?

We have bent and have used the Planet Air a decent amount the last two summers.  It is a great additional tool but it is absolutely no substitute for hollow core aeration.  It is a great way to open up the greens when they need to breathe and a core aeration would simply be too stressful for them.

There is no silver bullet that allows supers to avoid core aerations

[Charlie Gallagher]

Chris,
Thank you, that was the answer I was expecting. Is the primary purpose of slicing to help the greens avoid stress or handle it better without the trauma of actual coring? It's a little counter intuitive that slicing the root structrue could actually help the green survive better, but my bet is there must be enhanced benefits that out weigh any trauma.

[Jon Wiggett]

Charlie,

slicing the roots helps get air and water deeper into the root zone helping to increase microorganisms and so improve the break down of dead matter and therefore less thatch.

Chris,

with the right environment it is possible to just slit, micro-tine, verticut and topdress without needing hollow core aeration though it is rare.

Jon

[Joey Chase]

When we used the machine, I was surprised to see the slits still visible after two weeks in the core of the greens.  If you used it as a supplemental tool it would be great as it can be done quickly and is minimally disruptive.  Like Chris says, it doesn't eliminate the need for a good core tining.  The Planetair does not remove anything, but only opens things up.

[Charlie Gallagher]

Joey, Chris and Jon,
   Thanks again for the further illumination, and for taking the time to answer questions.

[Dan Herrmann]

Charlie,
With proper aeration and ammendments, the root length at our course increased from 0.5" to about a foot in the last 3-4 years.  Yes, it makes a helluva difference.

[Charlie Gallagher]

Dan,
   Did you increase root depth by using the traditional coring, amendments, top dressing, and Planetaire? Where is the course located?
Thanks for chiming in on this.

[Chris Cupit]

Chris,

with the right environment it is possible to just slit, micro-tine, verticut and topdress without needing hollow core aeration though it is rare.

Jon

Thanks--I should have qualified my statement. Our greens are bent grass in Atlanta.