Manakin Verticutting and Topdressing complete
A few sunny 100 degree days were just what we needed to get our annual verticutting and topdressing done on the Manakin. We are smack dab in the middle of bermuda growing season now and the Latitude was just starting to get aggressive and scalpy. This procedure helps thin out the turf and ensure a quality surface for the rest of the season. The first step is taking off some extra leaf material with the mowers, scalping the turf down slightly.
The verticutters followed behind the mowers and cut lines just shy of 1 inch down in to the thatch layer. Since the bermuda grows laterally, each cut on a stolon creates a new growth point which then creates a more dense and high quality surface.
The subsequent debris and "sprigs" are blown off into the rough.
Two debris sweepers have been running non stop all week collecting spoils while the trailers haul the debris to the dump. It is a dusty hot mess!
With the debris out of the way the topdressers made their way out to sling some sand. We are down to topdressing fairways just once a year now which has worked out just fine both agronomically and budget wise. The sand helps fill up the thatch layer and continue smoothing out the surface. Almost 300 tons of sand was spread evenly over the 55 acres of fairways, tees and approaches.
The sand dried up quickly in the heat and was brushed right in. The fairways were blown off again and then the mowers went through to start cleaning things up at their normal height, just under half an inch.
The dethatching rake was also run through the rough to help thin that out slightly for the summer.
A nice .3" of rain came down Wednesday night right behind all of our hard work. The latitude is perking back up and things are cleaning up nicely for the weekend! Here is the drone flying through some of the work.
Our new breakroom area is almost complete! We did start meeting here in the mornings this week and eating lunch. The countertops went in this week and we hope to see the plumbing and bathrooms finished off tomorrow and Monday. The staff has received the area very well, especially after a hot dusty week of work! Enjoy some cooler temps and precipitation!