Message Board - Bowls: Scarifying, seed & topdress
10 Oct 2007 by jbxxxx
Hi Everyone,
Just making plans to scarify our bowling green in a couple of weeks time, I am intending to go fairly deep which will be a first on our green, to my knowledge it has never been deep scarifyed before. (it was hollow tined last year) Expect there will be a lot of thatch.
The machine being used is a turf doctor with a 9hp briggs engine and tungsten tipped blades approx 10mm apart with total width of approx 500mm.
Would it be advised to do two runs at approx 30 degrees or just the single direction??
What depth should I set??
How much topdressing & seed will I need to order, I was thinking approx 3 tonnes of dressing but no idea how much seed.
The green is approx 40 x 40 yards.
As always running on a shoestring budget.
Cheers Jeff
10 Oct 2007 by Steve63
Start at a shallow depth and work your way in, if you go in deep from the off you may give you green too much to do in the way of recovery, so go easy to start, it is getting late in the season. Two passes at a shallower depth would be better than one direction at a depth.
3 tonnes would be a moderate dressing and 1 20Kg bag of seed would be ample. If using a Fescue/bent mix, shake the bag up before starting as the bents will migrate to the bottom of the bag during shipping.
Regards
Steve
Don't talk to me about Contractors Wonka, I am one myself......
10 Oct 2007 by jbxxxx
Cheers Steve,
when you say shallower depth what do you mean? 3mm 6mm??.
Will as you suggest do two passes and get 20kg of seed.
Regards
Jeff
10 Oct 2007 by Loammeister
Good advice from Steve there, especially with regard to the bent seed migrating to the bottom of the sack.
When Steve mentions a shallow depth it's going to be dependent on ground conditions at the time, the state of your green and the performance of the machine, so it'll be difficult to be too precise on what is meant, it's more another case of 'touch and feel' for you to discover.
If you try an experimental run on a non green section of grass first you can get as shallow a depth as is possible and gradually work your way down from there.
Instead of just two runs why not try to go in three directions,especially if you feel you may have a thatch problem. As you mention, 30 degrees (or even less) from the straight either side of straight will probably 'clean out' your green even better if you have the opportunity.
Good Luck 
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train
10 Oct 2007 by jbxxxx
OK Thanks Loammeister.
Jeff
10 Oct 2007 by Grassman2011
Surely the depth of scarifying depends on the depth of thatch. Take a core out and have a look, it will soon tell you how deep to go.
10 Oct 2007 by overstone
I thought the Turf doctor had swinging blades for surface scarifing will they penitrate into the soil profile.
MIKE
10 Oct 2007 by Steve63
If thatch is deep, you should be wary of taking out TOO much. The greater the thatch, the weaker the grass.
Many years of neglect can not be resolved in just one rennovation! Programmed assault is preferable.
Nicely expanded loammeister. 
Regards
Steve
Don't talk to me about Contractors Wonka, I am one myself......
11 Oct 2007 by Rob Goodes
I would be very careful about scarifing deep and doing it in 2 or 3 directions.
If the grass is as thatchy as you say it is?
When it comes to cleaning up you are likely to be taking half the surface off. I would do deep and one direction,
Then repeat this in a few weeks time in another direction.
I have seen scarifing done 2 different ways, and when it comes time to clean up, Half the surface is removed. This is due to you cutting in little squares into the turf. It will only happen in older greens with large thatchs amounts.
So just do a small trial area before covering the hole green to be sure the green can take it.
How do greenkeepers earn a living!!! ;-)
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