6 Feb 2009 by EDS
Can you use blades normally used for end of season scarifying to verticut during the season, albeit that’s not what they are made for, are different etc….
I guess you’d need to ensure they didn’t penetrate the soil but just wondering if anyone has and what sort of job they’d do?
Still Learning
6 Feb 2009 by k-hib
hi eds if all you have are thatch removal blades then use them but be very careful that you dont penetrate the surface ! you should be just flicking the grass plant to remove any surface thatch and to train the plant to stand vertical . good luck karl
once a ransomes man allways a ransomes man !!!!
If you are talking about using a Graden, it will do the job but yes, great care in not opening the surface which will lead to cracks forming when it dries out.
Proud to serve grassroots cricket
I think you will need several passes to produce a 'good' verticut with a scarifier blade. I am lucky enough to have both and the scarifer blades are about 30mm apart, whereas the verticut blades are only about 7mm apart.
Presentation is the name of the game.
The problem with using thatch removal blades for verticutting is that they don't cut. They'll do somekind of job but if I were you I'd look to get an actual verticut reel - or a lawnman (note that a lawnman doesn't cut either).
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
EDS, you can, but you get a crap job. As JL says, get a dedicated verti cut reel. Whether it be for your use or for somebody else. That way you do a proper job and dont waste anybodies time.
7 Feb 2009 by EDS
Thanks for helpful comments - I knew they were no substitute for the real thing but just wondered in the absence of the real deal, what sort of job they'd do.
Still Learning
Alternatively use a mower with a verticut unit already attached. I've been using a JD 220 mower for the last 2 cricket seasons in NZ, outstanding results, virtually no lateral grass growth on my ryegrass blocks. I use the same mower for pitch prep too. No more rake then cut, all done with the one machine in half the time with better results. Ps will not work on old coarse, spongy, thatchy blocks!
Whilst we're on the subject, I will be verticutting our village club square for the first time this season, using an ARR4 with the verticut reel.
What does a 'typical' verticutting programme look like, ie when to start, how often to do it, set how high etc?
Thanks
10 Feb 2009 by mario
Set the reel height just off the surface of the square. i.e. not cutting into it.
I commence verticutting as soon as conditions allow. The first session predominantly removes "rubbish" which has accumulated over the Winter thereafter I try to make a pass (up one strip and then back on the one next to it) once a fortnight.
I know no boundaries.
Littlebaddow,
I verticut as routine square maintenance (4 or 5 times a summer, usually across the line of play) and wicket prep. I use the Protea turf groomer which has toothed disks set about 1cm apart.
For wicket prep I use the groomer as an integral part of each successive height reduction. In my case (volunteer groundsman) that typically means Wednesday, Friday, Wednesday, Friday, match day. A full-time groundsman may be able to use it differently.
I use the groomer to thin the sward and to remove horizontal growths. I will usually run it up and down in line of play, but if I have an area with horizontals running in the line of play then I will revert to using the groomer across the line (time consuming).
The height may start at a few mm off the ground at the start, but by the last two cuts is set as low as possible without breaking the surface - with the Protea you can usually set it so that you just start to see skid marks of polished loam, get to there then back off a 16th of a turn or so. Height adjustment is always done on the square (I do it at the front crease line as this is usually the least flat and so most sensitive part of the track).
For me, the purpose of the groomer is to achieve optimum grass cover and presentation. It also serves a useful purpose after a match as a very efficient zero-contact brush!
The ciderman rolls
Littlebaddow,
Took on a square a few years ago at beginning of June that when mown close looked as though it was covered in dead white spiders. It meant verticutting in 8 directions to get rid of the stalks! (Dennis verticutting cassette)
Not knowing anything about the ground concerned above, depending upon the quality of grass and amount of Autumn renovation done (or not), it may take something similar on a village square early pre-season to get 'control,' as advised above, working down gradually with each pass.
Line of play during pitch prep leaves best finish.
Proud to serve grassroots cricket
Many thanks gents, that gives me a good overall shape for a programme.
Fortunately, I inherited a pretty good square a few years ago and have managed to keep it in good shape. The autumn renovations went well and, prior to the snow, I had topped the grass a couple of times with the rotary so hopefully the first run with the verticutter will find a 'normal' rather than excessive amount of rubbish!
Thereafter, I'll aim to do it again every couple of weeks, time and conditions permitting.
Cheers
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