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If you are a golf course superintendent, you may already know about the challenges that come on the path of golf course maintenance. But, also, don’t worry if you are new to it. We have everything that will help you understand the challenges and necessary practices for turf maintenance.
- The movement of maintenance machinery can cause unfavorable soil conditions for growing grass.
- Areas with a high foot traffic can impact putting greens or deteriorate soil compaction and thatch accumulation.
- Another challenge is to grow healthy plants by reducing thatch, improving water, relieving soil compaction and air exchange.
Here are some of the important practices that provide an opportunity for turf and soil to recover from daily play. Besides that, they promote turf density and the health of the greens. Let’s have a look:
- Mowing
- Verticutting
- Aeration
- Top Dressing
- Greens Rolling
Mowing, rolling, and verticutting are crucial for good playable ground. On the other hand, aeration and topdressing are important for enhancing turf health and relieving soil compaction.
In this extract, we will discuss Mowing.
What is Mowing?
Mowing is the primary cultural practice that a superintendent must perform for making a desirable playing surface for the golfers. Mowing practice can be performed with John Deere golf course mowers to improve turf density, color, texture, wear tolerance, and root development.
What Are The Primary Things To Know Before Using John Deere Golf Mowers?
- What is the appropriate height of the cut?
It suggests the height of the top growth immediately after the grass is cut. Of course, for an aesthetically pleasing look, you can stick to the closer height of the cut. But for protecting the greens against pests and other stresses.
When John Deere golf course mowers are operated on soft ground, the mower cuts lower than the benchmark height. It may result in undesirable scalping. Thus, it is best to determine the right height of cut to balance the stress response to Mowing.
- What is the right mowing frequency?
The right mowing frequency compromises what is best for the turf and what is practical for playing.
- The growth rate of the grass is what determines the mowing frequency.
- With the rise in the mowing height, the frequency of the grass cutting gets reduced.
- The growth rate is influenced by mowing height, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied, and the season’s temperature. With high nitrogen amounts in the soil, the grass grows swiftly, which necessitates increased mowing frequency.
However, Mowing should be done as frequently as no more than one-third of the top growth is removed at a time.
- What is the one-third rule for Mowing?
The traditionally mowing rule is to mow enough that no more than one-third of the top growth of the greens are removed at one time.
- If you remove more than a considerable amount of the grass, it can cause an extensive loss of the leaf area, important for photosynthesis.
- With the reduction in the rate of photosynthesis, a large portion of the root system can weaken or die. It is when carbohydrates in the roots are used for restoring new shoot tissues.
- It may cease the growth of the roots for a while.
- What is the right mowing pattern for the golf course?
If the turf is mowed repeatedly in the same direction, the grass grows in the direction in which it is chopped. It also scalps the same high spots and increases compaction. Besides, turning the mower in the same direction encourages severe tear and soil compaction. Thus, mowing in the same direction must not be repeated over long. On the other hand, it may be aesthetically pleasing with alternating color differences.
The Bottom Line:
Mowing is a primary task that needs to be done perfectly in order to prepare the turf for golfers. For better performance, you can opt for John Deere golf course mowers. It is the best equipment for turf maintenance practice. However, if you are looking forward to buying it, you must check out its availability at Statewide Turf Equipment online.
