When changing cups this week I was excited to see the results of our aeration practices. I took a picture to illustrate the benefits of deep tine aeration. The picture below shows a plug on the left about 4.5" with roots poking out even longer. The one on the right is still in the cup cutter so just about 7" in depth. You can clearly see the deep tine holes filled with sand just above the open hole.
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These channels created by aeration are the perfect environment for roots to grow into. No matter the crop or plant you are trying to nurture if you do not have roots you are doomed for failure. We do not have the luxury in turf to till the soil to relieve compaction and add amendments to improve the soil. We are stuck poking holes and trying to get amendments into the soil through the holes. Sometimes adding straight sand is a great benefit to improve drainage, water infiltration etc. The proof is clear in the pictures above. The other signals that a program is working is the playability or firmness after a rain event, the overall health of the plant, how the turf handles stress. A solid program will simply produce healthier and more consistent turf. Something to remember the next time you see the greens being aerified. It is for the overall health. It is truly preventative maintenance which is why it often seems we do it when they are playing the best. How do you think they got there? Think of it as changing the oil in your vehicle. Can you skip a few changes? Sure but is the cost of the repairs afterward worth it?
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