# Removing Cores After Aeration....



## Kballen11 (Mar 26, 2018)

What has worked well for you?


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## TheTurfTamer (Aug 8, 2018)

I use my Honda HRR216 on bag setting and just vacuum them up. Its a lot easier that using a rake and shovel. You will have to make a couple passes.

Watch this video. It shows you both options and the result of topdressing before and after core removal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69ZwqdPBcxI


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I remove them too. I have found using a backpack blower to blow them into piles and then shoveling them up with a scoop shovel/snow shovel and put them in the Yard Waste bin for pickup. Just FYI, I am NOT a fan of OM, so the more I can remove the better


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## Kballen11 (Mar 26, 2018)

@Mightyquinn OM? @Aawickham78 Thanks for sharing the video, wish I got a student worker to help me drag my yard lol. So in my case, top dressing with sand to level, it seems better to aerate before, remove the cores and then top dress. Withe the heaving that he talked about it makes me wonder if aerating is a good option at all when topdressing to level. I followed the leveling thread last year and will plan to do the same but others say you should never add sand without aerating first.


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## TheTurfTamer (Aug 8, 2018)

Organic Material. OM . Think about topdressing as a thin layer. I top-dress monthly in the growing season. Perfect Leveling with topdressing can take years. I would roll the yard aggressively at least 400 lb roller after a good rain. Then aerate and remove the cores. Then topdress ( fill holes with sand )and then roll the yard again. I do this process twice a year.

Heaving is something you don't need to worry about unless you are mowing below 0.125


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## Kballen11 (Mar 26, 2018)

In your case what material are you topdressing with? I am assuming something that is more nutrient than sand. I have rolled the yard before but it has been a season or two. I will look into adding that to my plan this year. Maybe in the spring.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

From my experience from mowing reel low, OM creates more issues than it solves. It creates a layer of very soft soil right underneath the grass that is almost like a sponge which can complicate mowing and nutrients getting down to the roots.

As for aerating before topdressing, I think it's up to you to decide and either way is fine.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

This has been shared here a few times, but it is a great read for anyone that hasn't seen it...

Bermudagrass Fairway Management by John H. Foy


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## Kballen11 (Mar 26, 2018)

Great read. Thanks @Ware


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## 1FASTSS (Jul 11, 2018)

Kballen11 said:


> Great read. Thanks Ware


X2 :thumbup:


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## Kballen11 (Mar 26, 2018)

@Aawickham78 I'm going to plan to scalp, dethatch, scalp again, roll, aerate aggressively, remove cores, lightly top dress with sand and roll again. Thoughts? In zone 7 will likely plan to do this Saturday, March 1st. If no rain is in the forecast I'll plan to water a few morning in a row before.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I haven't found that rolling the lawn to be very beneficial if you are talking about one of those plastic/metal lawn rollers you fill with water and can rent?


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Kballen11 said:


> I'm going to plan to scalp, dethatch, scalp again, roll, aerate aggressively, remove cores, lightly top dress with sand and roll again. Thoughts? In zone 7 will likely plan to do this Saturday, March 1st. If no rain is in the forecast I'll plan to water a few morning in a row before.


How do you scalp, dethatch, and scalp again? Are you loweing the hoc after the dethatch? It sounds super aggressive. Any idea on your spacing & depth for verticutting / aerification? Too aggressive and you might not have anything left but bare soil after that. In any case, I think you need a heavy...very heavy topdress following that plan.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

You usually have to scalp first and get all the thin top growth off and then once you get down into the stem of the grass it get's a lot harder to scalp, especially with a reel mower that is why you should verticut the lawn and thin out the grass. After this step, it allows you to scalp lower and get the lawn down as low as you want to go. I have found that you can be as aggressive as you want with the verticutting as you will still have the rhizomes under the ground to will grow new grass without much issue. Two years ago, I verticut in 4 direction and I didn't have any issues with it growing back. I would be cautious doing a heavy topdressing this early in the season as it may lengthen your green up and and the lawn growing back in.


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