It's Cultural: Verticutting Fairways

Verticut blades

Verticutting or vertical-mowing is a cultural practice that uses a series of vertical blades to slice into the soil surface(or just above) to cut lateral leaf tissue and reduce organic matter.  The removal of this material provides a faster playing surface, makes the plant stand upright for a better cut/lie and allows water to better penetrate the soil.  Over time, an over accumulation of organic material(otherwise known as thatch) can be detrimental to playing conditions and plant health.  A single verticutting can reduce the organic matter by up to 15%, making this simple non-invasive practice a valuable tool in maintaining quality turgrass.

The finished product.

As with all the cultural practices we preform, timing is extremely important.  Weather dictates how aggressive we can be while verticutting.  Typically, the spring and the fall are ideal for verticutting into the soil.  During periods of extreme heat and humidity; grooming(just into the canopy of the plant) is the best choice.  Grooming is used to get the plant upright for a better cut, thin the canopy and remove old growth; not for thatch removal.  

Please let us know if you have any questions about verticutting or any other post on our site.