Verticutting and Thatch

Verticutting, also called vertical mowing, was performed on all of the fairways in the last few weeks. This process removed some of the thatch layer so turf can receive more oxygen , better absorb nutrients, and allow moisture to reach the soil instead of getting absorbed in the sponge-like thatch layer.

Thatch is a layer of dead stems and roots that forms between the grass and soil. It isn’t all bad. Small amounts can actually reduce compaction in high-traffic areas. When thatch exceeds a half-inch, all that biomass starts eating up the good stuff that belongs to the turf: air, water and food. Thatch also becomes a barrier for chemicals that need to reach the soil and roots of the turfgrass. Significant thatch can provide excellent nutrition and breeding grounds for a number of disease and insects.

As you can see there are many reasons to combat that thatch layer we have in the fairways here at Kenmure. This Fall we were able to rent an excellent piece of equipment to help us. The Sisis Veemo did a wonderful job and we plan on using it again in the future. The Veemo machine was attached to our tractor and operated by Kenmure employees. This procedure created a good bit of waste material that was removed from the fairways and transported to a composting site up on the mountain.

Verticutting is not a replacement for Aerification. While they both have some similar benefits they do not completely overlap each other. Verticutting is mainly for thatch removal and does not do much to relieve soil compaction. Aerification is the best tool to relieve soil compaction. They are both extremely beneficial processes and we will utilize both procedures. Verticutting of the fairways will take place in the Fall. Traditional core aerification will be performed in the Spring every year.

It should also be noted here that thatch is also becoming a problem in the Greens and Tees. The Greens showed significant scalping over this season. It became especially evident when lower cutting heights were attempted. These issues will also be addressed with Verticutting in the near future.