Is fine topdressing the best thing to do on your established greens? Be careful! Here is what was explained to me by a few professors I asked about this practice:
Topdressing with fine sands outside what was used long term before can create micro-layers of sand and organic debris causing infiltration issues and moisture consistency issues.
Salts will have the possibility of wicking up in stead of flushed through. This can start to happen in less than two years of a consistent topdressing program. Even longer term issues could arise by creating a more pronounced perched table in the top couple of inches in greens topdressed and/or built with normal golf sand.
With people maintaning greens with shallower rooting characteristics a superintendent is inclined to only take care of the top few inches in stead of treating deeper parts of the rootzone.
Your opinions are welcome.
Topdressing with fine sands outside what was used long term before can create micro-layers of sand and organic debris causing infiltration issues and moisture consistency issues.
Salts will have the possibility of wicking up in stead of flushed through. This can start to happen in less than two years of a consistent topdressing program. Even longer term issues could arise by creating a more pronounced perched table in the top couple of inches in greens topdressed and/or built with normal golf sand.
With people maintaning greens with shallower rooting characteristics a superintendent is inclined to only take care of the top few inches in stead of treating deeper parts of the rootzone.
Your opinions are welcome.
