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Spring aeration...and the ideal time of Spring to pull plugs....? Plus fert...?

8K views 33 replies 9 participants last post by  turfcobob 
#1 ·
My take has always been late spring is more ideal than too early. There are always those who prefer to aerate in March and the plugs just sit there for weeks and weeks before the grass perks up. Or they rake them up :nono:

Then there is the issue of a heavy Spring application of fert to launch the grass. :rolleyes:

Your input?
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#27 ·
Good thread, I had a call on "power raking" today. I asked them what it was they were trying to accomplish and they said, "trying to make my grass grow, I heard it was the best thing for my lawn." It turned into a fairly long conversation and I now have a new full service client. I could have just said, "yeah I'll come verticut it'll be $100." Instead they're now worth about $1600. Sometimes telling them they're wrong works out in your favor.
 
#28 ·
What am I missing??? :)
Rub 2 ideas together and form a concept... what is the important context of the previous train of thought in this discussion???
Once you have a concept, within the parameters of the context,,, then you may say that spring aeration is good while the grasses are still waking from dormancy,,, but that would still violate the life patterns of Cool Season Turf...
In that case you would have an answer to your question...

But the answer is not the issue is it??? :)
 
#29 ·
... #2. All the big application Co. do more Spring than Fall.

#1. People here loose interest in the grass in the Fall. Some even blow out sprinklers and it's still hot out. They also skip the fertilizer as well. The most important one of the season.
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We do blowouts in Oct., so we are able to aerate b4 the leaves fall, in Sept. which coincides with fertilizer application also...(takes care of issue #1) The grass is actively growing(roots) and the fert is in the holes, collecting water and soaking(leeching) deeper into the profile...

Spring starts with a muddy mess and even though I wanted to switch a client over to Spring to get air to the roots after Spring rains, before they drown it again for the Summer,,, he gave one of the best reason AGAINST Spring aeration that has been ever been uttered: He didn't want the mess early in the season, and deal with the perpetual mud... he was smart enough to NOT rake up the plugs...

My Springtime thatch removal system is a topdressing of compost,,, for Round 1... I realize that Squirt&Fert guys can't do compost,,, but there's no reason that us Full Maintenance guys have to act like the big boys,,, and THAT removes the excuse from issue #2... :)
 
#30 ·
Good thread, I had a call on "power raking" today. I asked them what it was they were trying to accomplish and they said, "trying to make my grass grow, I heard it was the best thing for my lawn." It turned into a fairly long conversation and I now have a new full service client. I could have just said, "yeah I'll come verticut it'll be $100." Instead they're now worth about $1600. Sometimes telling them they're wrong works out in your favor.
One of the biggest problems with generalized 'lawncare' ideas, is the transfer from warm-season to cool-season grasses... everyone see how wonderful something is in warm turf and therefore BELIEVE it is also the best thing for cool turf,,, and vice-versa...
I don't know if the warm-season folks have a good reason to power-rake, but even our Ext. Offices are backing away from the idea now...
Excellent job, BTW, educating a client as you did... congratulations... :)
 
#31 ·
Good thread, I had a call on "power raking" today. I asked them what it was they were trying to accomplish and they said, "trying to make my grass grow, I heard it was the best thing for my lawn." It turned into a fairly long conversation and I now have a new full service client. I could have just said, "yeah I'll come verticut it'll be $100." Instead they're now worth about $1600. Sometimes telling them they're wrong works out in your favor.
Curious how you determined if a verticut would be necessary/beneficial or not without being on site?

Also, this may be a regional thing, but I consider a power rake and a verticut/dethatch two different things.
 
#34 ·
Curious how you determined if a verticut would be necessary/beneficial or not without being on site?

Also, this may be a regional thing, but I consider a power rake and a verticut/dethatch two different things.
They are two different things, done by two different types of machines. However you can "Power Rake" turf using a machine designed to Vert-I-Cut Turf... But you cannot Vert-I-Cut with a Power Rake. Due to the type of blades used.
 
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