Topdressing with sand.

[MORTS4]

I have talked to a couple of experts and golf course supers here in the northwest about topdressing and overseeding. They have told me that they aerate, topdress with a good sand mixture and then spread their seed. After they are done they rake in the seed and fertilize. Then cover with a light dressing of peat. They said not to use compost. Has anyone done this and had success? Thanks

[The Elements Group]

mix the sand and nutra-mulch

[Smallaxe]

Specific situations call for specific measures. Golf course greens do not apply to a residential lawn. You want OM in the soil, unless you are going grass hydroponically

[tombo82685]

the main reason why golf courses put sand down is to help with drainage/ball roll/prevents winter desiccation. So if you dont have a drainage problem then dont apply it. Sand is not fertile and does not hold on to any of the nutrients you apply to its leached very quickly out of the profile do to the macropores.

[tombo82685]

I also left it doing frequent apps of topdressing sand helps cut down on the amount of a solid layer of thatch and breaks it up

[Smallaxe]

I also left it doing frequent apps of topdressing sand helps cut down on the amount of a solid layer of thatch and breaks it up

I would think the whole bluhddeeey green would be concrete by now...
how can sand breakup thatch?

Don't know... :)

[tombo82685]

I would think the whole bluhddeeey green would be concrete by now...
how can sand breakup thatch?

Don't know... :)

Exactly!! But not really concrete it just helps firm it up for faster ball roll for the golfers. Sand breaks up thatch by introducing another amendment into that layer. If you just leave thatch by itself and not topdress you just get one solid layer of spongy thatch. When you topdress with straight sand or 80/20 sand mushroom soil it cuts down on the thatch. In stead of having one large area of thatch you have a little area of thatch then a little area of sand/soil, then a little area of thatch, the sand/soil etc. This is what they call layering which isnt ideal for golf greens because it creates different profiles which plays a role on how water drains thorugh the soil. If you topdress on a bi weekly schedule which is ideal, you dont have that much layering and what you get instead is the thatch and sand/soil all mixed together so you dont have that spongy feel, but a firmer feel. It also eliminates the amount of thatch present because their is another enitity filling that space. Also with soil mixed in with the thatch microrganisms can go after the thatch that is present within the layer.

[Smallaxe]

That is interesting and makes sense. The danger of layering, comes into play, with the thatch, moreso than the soil, which also makes sense.
Sand - helping to break down the thatch was not something I was employing, but well worth considering.
Thanks for the info.

[upidstay]

Make sure you get greens-grade sand!! It is a sized particle product (all the grains are the same sieve size). Otherwise you'll end up doing more harm than good.

I would topdress with sand IF I had a drainage issue, like with very hard, high-clay soil. Aerate first, apply a 1/8 to 1/4 inch and rake or drag it into the holes.

[MORTS4]

I do have a high clay content to the soil. I was thinking about aerating, then topdressing with a good golfcourse sand and then overseeding to mix it with the topdressing, then cover with a little peat.

[tombo82685]

I do have a high clay content to the soil. I was thinking about aerating, then topdressing with a good golfcourse sand and then overseeding to mix it with the topdressing, then cover with a little peat.

If your trying to help with drainage, if you can rent this go with a dry ject machine or drill and fill. I would recommend the dry ject.

[red thread hater]

wish my rental place had a dryject maching.....man do I my legs hurt from aerating 4 acres today by a walk behind

[The Elements Group]

need to try the aerator i am field testing going to be in turf mag with it... call david at lawn solutions and tell him Matt from Ga told you to call him.. they are coming out with a ride on soon .. Man these are a cake walk compared to the old way of aerating... good luck

[Paul's Snow Removal]

:gmctruck:i am serving people with both clay soils and sand here. not so much good loam mixture around Grand Rapids. i just bought a Honda riding mower and am wondering if there are any top dressing and or aerating machines that pull behind a rider.

[Smallaxe]

The simplest thing to do is rent a sensible walk behind.

The tractor pulled or the oversized riders may not suit your lawns. So... look around first...

[Greenwrench]

I'll tell ya what I've been doing to great success with minimal work. I have inherited a 60 year old clay base lawn (pool table) with the house I bought three years ago 60 miles east of Vancouver BC. It had multiple bald patches, and where it was growing vigorously was in rings around the spots their dogs went wee. As the lawn is 3/4 acre with rock strategically placed where a tyne is want to go, I couldn't aerate and was facing a complete renovation. My solution? The easy way of course! I have been doing nothing other than top dressing with my drop spreader with a sandy loam spiked with compost from an enormous compost pile I also inherited (1 inch first app. brush-matted in); over seeded with a nice fairway mix from a local alpine golf course (same alt/conditions as here); and I top dress with the same mix every month except winter. I apply a high rate of 5-2-4 "Sustain" composted turkey doo fertilizer (Evergro) 2X/year and Dolopryl @ 25 lbs/1000 in the spring. 3 years later and the lawn is doing great, albeit still a bit prone to shock with only what is now a 3 inch root zone, but I keep on it. Every month I add a half inch and drag the brush-mat I made around behind the mower . No pulling cores for me! I am a firm believer that if you were to do only one thing to any lawn it is to top dress. IMHO it is the single most effective step in turf care. Aeration has become virtually pointless, and my root zone is growing steadily. I am thinking about cutting in a few drains, but that is just being fussy.

Cheers!:canadaflag: