A New And Improved Way To Scarify The Quad Lawn

Scarifying, The New Way

The autumn lawn maintenance programme began in the quad on Monday. The Dennis mower, with the scarifying cartridge installed, was used to rip out the thatch that has built up since last September but, unlike previous years, the ride-on Iseki mower was used to cut the grass and collect the removed thatch. The Allett cylinder mower had been used in the past in conjunction with the Dennis mower, but this process of scarifying and cutting resulted in having to empty both of the mowers collecting boxes a vast amount of times. This new method, using the Dennis without its collecting box, results in the thatch falling back on to the grass which is then collected up by the ride-on mower. The high speed rotation of the two synchronised blades throw the grass through to the rear mounted low-dump collecting box removing the need to empty the heavy, awkward, thatch filled boxes in to tonne bags.

Scarifying With The Dennis

The scarifying continued on Tuesday and, once completed, Joss aerated the turf using the 'Groundsman Turf Aerator' which plunges tines into it, making holes for air, nutrients and water to reach the roots.

Aerating With The Groundsman Turf Aerator

Broadcasting The Grass Seed

The final phase of the maintenance programme was completed today, overseeding and feeding. Grass seed was broadcast across the quad to cover the newly created bare patches, a result of the scarifying. Lastly ProTurf 12.5.20, a controlled release fertiliser, was applied to the turf using the Allen Spreadmaster.

Applying Fertiliser With The Allen Spreadmaster

Rain in now needed to wash the fertiliser in and turn the grass a luxurious green again, here's hoping!

Grass Seed And Fertiliser

The Lawn