Verticutting versus Aeration on St. Augustine Lawns

Just imagine you saw an ad on TV for aeration? It was claiming how wonderful this process could be for your lawn? Lets be specific your St. Augustine lawn.

Lets discuss aeration, in the photos below?

This photo  St.Augustine is what you commonality find here in Central Florida.
Over 90% of these lawns are growing on sand.
I have some questions for those advocating aeration on these lawns?

1. The coring machine below appears to have a tine of about 4". Fig 1
2. If the lawn has a matting of 4" or more,  then what value does the process have?
3. Answer: The plugger may barely penetrate the soil, 
4. If the lawn is growing on sand why does it need aeration at all?
5. Answer: Sand does not need aeration.
6. What stops the small hole in the sand from closing back up? Does that not question the promise of fig 2?
7. Answer: You get lucky?  There is no evidence anything in fig 2  is happening.
8. If you remove this core, which will contain thatch, are you removing it from the lawn?
9. If you don't remove the core (clean-up), then you are leaving the thatch back were you found it?
10. What does aeration/coring do to control the matting problem, or improve mowing?
11. Answer: nothing

Please let me know if you find any photos of aeration on a St. Augustine lawn?

In fig 5 you can see how verticutting, thin cleans and aerates, all grasses.

Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3

Fig 5

More info: Call York 727-455-7337
york.ysta@gmail.com
www.verticutting.com

Advise as to why not visit Florida

Wow, the weather here in central Florida is crazy! It's almost time to put away the snow blowers, and tune-up our lawn mowers.
Friends if you live in the white north I offer some advise as to why not visit Florida.

• We dream of snow
• These 52  degree mornings are hard to take
• It may warm to 72 eke!
• We are concerned that visitors will bring to much money
• You may have to mow grass in the winter, what?

But the questions are what's happening to our lawns? Why now do we have to mow all winter?

• Since the wonderful people who claim to be saving the environment here in Pinellas County stopped the use of some fertilizers in the warm months see why  http://www.pinellascounty.org/environment/watershed/fertilizer.htm
• Personally I am not sure this solves any problem? 

Reasons:

1. Now the lawn spray contractor is applying  more nitrogen fertilizer in the cooler months, thus forcing unnecessary growth.
2. Now the poor lawn contractor now has to work harder, and the homeowner has to mow more.
3. Have we really improved the environment/watershed, I wonder? 
4. We do know that everything our wonderful government does improves our lives, and always cost less!

Why I am happy?

• More lawns need Verticutting
• See all the past blogs on why

More info: 727-455-7337

york.ysta@gmail.com

Insurance for your lawn

Almost Verticutting Time

With the Verticutting season almost here I decided to build a completely new Verticutter. The old Ryan machine well over thirty years old died. The newer version of the Ryan Mataway, was never designed for St. Augustine grasses. We had to modify them to keep them from destroying a  St. Augustine lawn. Personally, I have never seen a Verticutter designed for St. Augustine grasses.

So then why not build a Verticutter to do a faster more efficient job?  With years of experience in landscape maintenance and Verticutting, you collect all kinds of stuff. Enough stuff to build a bran new machine, more powerful, more versatile, and capable of Verticutting soccer and ball fields faster, and of course St. Augustine grasses, more efficiently.

WHY VERTICUTTING

Like many plants, grass has a below ground root system topped by a living, above ground shoot that’s green and growing. In between lies a layer known as thatch. Some thatch is natural and good for a lawn, but too much can usher in problems.

Comprised of leaves, stems and roots – some living, some dead – thatch forms as a natural part of turf’s growing process. It lies on top of the soil, a tightly woven layer beneath the visible grass blades. As long as it doesn't get thicker than 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch, thatch actually contributes to lawn health in these ways:

• Mulching soil and slowing water loss
• Cushioning soil and decreasing compaction
• Insulating grass crowns from soil temperature swings
• Improving turf tolerance to foot and mower traffic

A problem arises when thatch develops into a thicker layer and forms a wedge between grass and soil. Too-thick thatch diminishes lawn health by:

Thatch

• Forming an impervious layer that prevents water, fertilizer, and insect or disease controls from reaching soil
• Blocking sunlight from reaching lower grass blades
• Holding moisture against grass blades, which can foster disease
• Blocking soil so that grass roots grow into nutrient-lacking thatch, which forms a shallow-rooted lawn
• Creating an uneven lawn, which leads to uneven mowing and scalping

What Causes Thatch?

Although thatch forms naturally, some situations promote rapid thatch formation:

• Over fertilizing with too much nitrogen
• Over watering
• Always mowing too high

Certain grasses tend to form thicker thatch layers. Creeping turf types that spread by above- and underground stems often rapidly form thatch; this includes St. Augustine grass, Bermuda grass and zoysia grass. Cool-season grasses, such as bent grass and aggressive Kentucky bluegrass varieties, also can quickly form thatch, especially if soil is compacted and turf hasn't been properly fertilized for a few years.

If you use a mulching mower and leave grass clippings on the lawn, that does not lead to thatch formation. Those are healthy practices that can help prevent thatch formation. Typically grass clippings decompose readily. Thatch arises from grass stems and roots in the top inches of soil that die and don’t fully decompose. http://www.bayeradvanced.com/

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Free estimates: york.ysta@gmail.com
727 455 7337

Verticutting time is here, if you live in the south.

This newer model is not built
for St. Augustine grasses

The original Verticutter worked
very well in St. Augustine grasses.
Sadly it died.

The first Verticutter built for St. Augustine grasses (SuperCLEAN)

 Oct. 15th will be the debut of this new machine (SuperCLEAN). About 5 months ago, the idea came to me too build a Verticutter capable of cutting any lawn.  Personally I have never seen a Verticutter built for St. Augustine grasses.

With a shop full of landscape equipment, we needed very few outside parts, except a new motor for the walk-behind. Also luck has it my neighbor a automotive repair shop, has years of experience building race cars and all the tools to cut and weld my project.

We are slowly working out the bugs, and then off to it's first real St. Augustine test. The beauty of this machine will be:

• More than double the HP of the original machines
• Much better maneuverability
• Able to fit threw most gates
• A 4 speed gearbox
• With the wide rear tires, there will be no slippage in thick, wet grasses.
• Much more speed for ball fields
• A much more efficient cut

The ultimate goal is a more efficient Verticutting, and the best removal of thatch possible. To open the soil for better movement of water, fertilizers and pesticides.

Regardless, of where you live Verticutting will improve any lawn, and make mowing much easier.

Verticutting, when done properly should not damage your lawn.

See the past blogs, for all about this process.

Contact: york.ysta@gmail.com

 

Liquid Tax Shelters

With today's news that Burger King may buy Tim Hortons, and move it's business to Canada, for huge tax breaks, creates big news.   This news brought me back to discussions with Albert. The discussion was about a 'Liquid Tax Shelter Program', many years ago.

You may ask who is Albert?  I will say, only this, Albert came before Google, Albert came before iphone, Albert came before Bit Coin.

This program is just in the planning stages, also if Burger King had this 'Liquid Tax Shelter' they would not have to leave for tax reasons.

If any one knows about 'Liquid Tax Shelters' please let me know your thoughts?

Getting ready for Spring Verticutting

There are so many different types of grasses, and every type of grass will benefit from Verticutting.
Benefits:

1. Thinning
2. Aeration
3. Removal of thatch
4. Decreasing the density
5. Decreases compacting
6. Improving the movement of water into the soil
7. Allows fertilizers and pesticides to penetrate the surface better, reaching the root system, encouraging deeper root growth
8. Prepares a lawn for over-seeding, not St. Augustine grasses
9. Improves mowing, especially in St. Augustine grasses

In the first photo, you will see this Ryan Verticutter does a beautiful job on this Bermuda soccer field.

Pictures 2 & 3 show excellent results on St. Augustine, because they were kept mowed low. But the Ryan Verticutter was never designed for St. Augustine grasses with 4-6 inches of layering, top growth.

Truthfully, I have never seen a Verticutter designed for St. Augustine grasses.

 In photos 5 & 6, you see lawns that have so much top growth/layering, it is difficult to get the best result, and should be Verticutt twice that first year.

At the bottom of the page our original Ryan died, sadly parts are no longer available. ( Please offer a moment of silence for this wonderful machine )

With over 30 years and hundreds of all kinds of lawns Verticutt, this year 2014, I decided to put forth a new program? This includes building a much better, and more efficient and more powerful Verticutter (looking for a name). Honestly the old Ryan had to be modified just so it could handle St. Augustine grasses. While improving the quality of each lawn is the goal, this is exactly why building a new Verticutter is necessary.

While the Ryan Verticutter with small wheels struggles on a wet lawn ( from rain, sprinklers or morning dew, the operator works much harder and does not always attain the best result. So in Oct. we will debut the new, faster, stronger, Verticutter to achieve a much healthier lawn. Plus we don't damage your lawn!

Starting this season, we hope to reach more customers weeks in advance of the actual Verticutting. With their help, we will be-able complete most of the goals listed at the top of this page, more efficiently. Our goal a beautiful clean healthier lawn.

Important a power rake is not a Verticutter

See blog: What is thatch? Why a Power rake is a waste of time.

Our customer training program

So how do we get our lawn ready?  We train our lawn?

• Because of the new Verti-cutter we can cut year around.
• This year we going to make a efforts to help improve the Verticutting experience?
• First we want the lawn as dry as possible for Verticutting. Sprinklers should be turned off 3 days before Verticutting.
• Sprinklers cleaned around, grass mowed, sprinklers off 3 days before. Running the system to mark sprinklers, must not be done with-in 3 days.
• My goal will be to reach the customer early enough so they are able to start lowering the mower 1/4 or so at each mowing, or even mow more often to bring the grass down to 2.5 or 3 inches. 
• A good combination of less Nitrogen fertilizer, less water, and cutting back that excessive top growth, will prepare the lawn for the best possible Verticutting.
• To help maintain perfect health, all lawns should be Verticutt yearly, some twice the first year.
• When lawns are Verticutt yearly, and kept mowed at around 3"  they will require less water, besides being much easier to maintain.

York Landscape: Winner of 4 City of St. Petersburg, City Beautification Awards

Save or earn $25 with referrals, for jobs completed

Veterans also receive a $25 discount

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When you have your lawn Verticutt, you are helping keep my free youth speaking program free. At: www.youthspeakingtoamerica.com, please see why this program is so important.

York 
727 455 7337
york.ysta@gmail.com
Blog: www.verticutting.blogspot.com