Core aeration and topdressing are supplemental cultural practices which were developed within and for the golf industry. Today, these practices are widely used throughout the turf industry as a means to renovate poor turf quality turf and to assist in the maintenance of heavily used turf areas. Core aeration and topdressing are not only used throughout the sports turf industry, but also throughout the commercial, municipal, and homeowner markets. Core aeration was primarily designed to reduce soil compaction and excessive thatch buildup in intensively managed turf areas such as gold greens.

Many other benefits are attributed to core aeration including: Coring or core aeration is a practice in which hollow (closed) or open spoon tines are used to remove plugs of soil or cores from the turf surfaces. Core sizes vary from ¼ to 1 inch in diameter, and the length of the tine projected into the soil surface may be 6 to 8 inches in length. The depth in which the tine can penetrate into the soil or soil mix depends upon the soil's strength which is based upon bulk density and moisture content. Increasing the moisture content allows deeper penetration of the tines. Where core aeration is completed on natural soil sites, the gola shod be to remove cores 2 to 3 inches in length. In prepare soil mixes like those found on golf tees, greens, and some athletic fields, coring to a greater depth is common.

Potential Topdressing Markets

Turf

  • Residential Lawns
  • Commercial Turf
  • Public Lawns
  • Parks

    Sports Turf

  • Various athletics fields
  • Golf courses/Country clubs

    On closely mowed turf (fine turfs) such as in various golf course applications, solid tines are used because they typically allow for deeper penetration into the prepared soil media with minimal surface disruption producing no core plugs. Hollow and open spoon tines are typically used in the, majority of landscape turf applications and on most athletic fields. Open spoons tines cause moderate to extensive soil disruption. Experience has shown that the surface disruption caused by the open spoon tines is beneficial when topdressing is to follow. Coring results in improved growing conditions in the immediate vicinity of the core holes. Therefore, in poor turf conditions where dramatic turf improvement is desired, intense coring is suggested. However, where coring is used as a turf maintenance practice, less intensive but repeated applications over several years should improve the overall turf quality.

    The best time to core aerate is when the turf is growing vigorously, when weed intrusion is not favored, and when severe stress conditions do not exist. Core holes created through aeration provide great benefits which can be attributed to the reduction of soil compaction, but the physical holes let in the soil surface may also act as a means to incorporate fertilizer, herbicides, compost, and other amendments. To improve or extend the beneficial effects of core aeration, the holes should be backfilled with an appropriate material. To improve poor soil conditions, the cores should be removed or blended back into the hole with an appropriate amendment. Re-incorporation of the soil cores is often practiced on large sites because of the logistical challenge associated with their removal. In specific golf course applications, cores are still removed. However, they are typically re-incorporated.

    In most landscape turf and athletic field situations where turf is typically 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches in height, cores are typically re-incorporated into the surface. A drag mat or vertical mower are used as the primary methods to break down the cores and re-incorporate them back into the core holes. Spoon penetration depth can be optimized by coring moist soil or by applying downward pressure on the aerator through tractor hydraulics or by adding weights to the unit.

    Topdressing with Compost
    Topdressing/Overseeding with the Express Blower



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