Cultivation1

Cultivation : Cultivation Selective tillage Modifies physical characteristics Chemical, microbial, etc. char. may also be altered


Four Purposes of Cultivation : Four Purposes of Cultivation Reduce thatch problems Alleviate soil compaction & layering problems Reduce grain Facilitate overseeding


Reduce Thatch Problems : Reduce Thatch Problems Thatch-loose layer of living and dead organic tissue between foliage and soil surface Problems with thatch: Insects: Chinch bug, cutworm Diseases: Patch diseases Shallow rooting Pesticide adsorption Fertilizer sink Slows play Scalping


Alleviate Soil Compaction & Layering Problems : Alleviate Soil Compaction & Layering Problems Disrupts incompatible soil layers Channels from surface into soil increase internal drainage Channels = space for roots Increase water, nutrient efficiency May temporarily decrease surface hardness


Grain Reduction : Grain Reduction Grain-procumbent growth, often in one direction Primarily greens Other controls: Vary mowing patterns Groomers—Wiehle roller, brushes, combs


Facilitate Overseeding : Facilitate Overseeding Holes allow intimate seed to soil contact Hollow tines better than solid Spikers and slicers push seed into soil


Types of Cultivation : Types of Cultivation Coring Slicing Spiking Vertical mowing Water injection


Core Cultivation : Core Cultivation removes compacted soil combine with top-dressing can dry soil out


Slide9 : Core-aerifier


Coring (Core cultivation) : Coring (Core cultivation) Aeration; aerification Hollow tines or spoons Extract cores from turf: 0.25-1" diam 0.25-1" diam avg = 3 in depth Depth depends on tine length and soil type, moisture. How/why? “When in doubt, aerify”


Types of Core Aerators : Types of Core Aerators Vertical motion—hollow tines Advantages: deepest penetration, least surface interruption Disadvantages: relatively slow: 10 min/1000 ft2 Greens: use 0.25" to 0.375; fairways, athletic fields: use lger diams


Types of Core Aerators : Types of Core Aerators Circular motion (drums)---hollow tines or open spoons Advantage: relatively fast Disadvantages: severe surface disruption; shallow penetration


Benefits of Coring : Benefits of Coring Stimulate root growth in holes and assoc. shoot growth…why? Release toxic gases Improve wetting of hydrophobic soils Accelerate drying of persistently wet soils Increase IC, esp. of compacted or thatchy turfs Disrupt soil layers Modify thatch Improved fertility response


Slide14 : Aerification encourages rooting


Disadvantages of Coring : Disadvantages of Coring Temporary surface disruption Increased desiccation potential—su/wi survival Increase weed seed germination—spring Increase cutworm/hole-dwelling insects When is best time to core aerate? Why?


Solid Tine Cultivation : Solid Tine Cultivation Cores not removed Potential compaction at sides and bottoms of holes research has not shown this Deep Tine Aerification Floyd-McKay: 16" depth "drill” "Shatter tine”: unit vibrates, dry soil cracks


Slide17 : Solid-tine aerifier


Deep-Tine Cultivation : Deep-Tine Cultivation Probably the best innovation for sports field management usually use solid-tine followed by hollow-tine pulls cores 5-10” deep contract cost at $.02 / ft2 local service - $500 / field ($400 / field for multiple fields


Slide19 : Deep- Tine Aerifier


Drill Cultivation : Drill Cultivation relatively new technology costly ($ .10 per foot) can back-fill holes with sand may be useful for “between the hashes”


Slide21 : Drill Aerifier


Slide22 : Drill and Fill Holes