Installation Instructions

g010436
Figure20
Operation
Introduction
Groomingisperformedintheturfcanopyabovethe
soillevel.Groomingpromotesverticalgrowthofgrass
plants,reducesgrain,andseversstolonsproducing
adenserturf.Groomingproducesamoreuniform
andtighterplayingsurfaceforfasterandtrueraction
ofthegolfball.
Verticuttingisamoreaggressivecultivationtechnique
designedtoremovethatchbycuttingthrough
theturfcanopyandintothethatch/matlayer.
Groomingshouldnotbeconsideredareplacementfor
verticutting.Verticuttingisgenerallyamorerigorous
andperiodictreatmentthatcantemporarilydamage
theplayingsurface,whilegroomingisaroutineand
gentlertreatmentdesignedtomanicuretheturf.
g006671
Figure21
1.Grassrunners(stolons)
2.Thatch
Groomingbrushesareamorerecentdevelopment
whicharedesignedtobelessintrusivethan
conventionalgroomingbladeswhenadjustedto
lightlycontacttheturfcanopy.Brushingmaybemore
benecalfortheultra-dwarfcultivars,sincethese
grasstypeshavemoreofauprightgrowthpattern
anddonotllinthatwellthroughhorizontalgrowth.
Brushes,however,caninjureleaftissueiftheyareset
topenetratetoodeeplyintothecanopy.
Groomingissimilartoverticuttinginitsrunnercutting
action.Groomingbladeshowever,shouldnever
penetratethesoillikeverticuttingordethatching.
Groomerbladesarespacedclosertogetherandare
usedmoreoftenthanverticutterssothattheyare
moreeffectiveincuttingrunnersandremovingthatch.
Becausegroominginjuresleaftissuetosomedegree
itshouldbeavoidedduringperiodsofhighstress.
Coolseasonspeciessuchascreepingbentgrass
andannualbluegrassshouldnotbegroomedduring
hightemperature(andhighhumidity)periodsin
midsummer.
Itisdifculttomakepreciserecommendationsonuse
ofgroomingreelsbecausesomanyvariablesaffect
theperformanceofgrooming,including:
•Thetimeoftheyear(i.e.,thegrowingseason)and
weatherpattern
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