Yes, I think a general reduction in major cultural practices would still provide high quality bermudagrass putting surfaces in most cases.
The main focus would be thatch/mat and any soil layer that inhibits rooting. In USGA greens restrictive soil layering is typically rare and soil organic matter (SOM) reaches an equilibrium after a couple years. As Roch has mentioned, SOM is usually a good thing and an ideal number is not set in stone.
I did a two-year study on a seven year old ultradwarf bermudagrass putting green that had not been aerified for three years prior to initiation of hollow and solid tine aerification treatments. Plots that only received deep verticutting (1”) had the best quality and control plots did not collapse after five years with no aerification, although they were spongier due to a reduced amount of sand.
As a side note, SOM fluctuated almost a full percent over the course of a year due to changes in rooting. *This is the main knock I have against measuring Total Organic Material (TOM) because increased rooting can trigger unneeded aerification, etc. *The other knock is the lack of preciseness when measuring to a specific depth instead of separating thatch/mat from SOM at the actual depth where they meet. Thatch/mat depth in my study was 0.6”. With the 2,4,6 method an additional 0.2” of much lower OM material would be included in the sample.
Although bermudagrass greens may need more topdressing than bent or poa I believe most can be maintained at a high level with no aerification.
Regular grooming and occasional deep verticutting would likely be enough.
Thanks for the comment John. Ultimately, more or less isn't the specific goal of anything I'm doing. I want to know what is necessary, which in my current situation means doing less, but it certain could mean doing more in a different setting bermuda grass included.
At the same time, watching from a far, I haven't been able to help wondering if all that work really is necessary.
Yes, I think a general reduction in major cultural practices would still provide high quality bermudagrass putting surfaces in most cases.
The main focus would be thatch/mat and any soil layer that inhibits rooting. In USGA greens restrictive soil layering is typically rare and soil organic matter (SOM) reaches an equilibrium after a couple years. As Roch has mentioned, SOM is usually a good thing and an ideal number is not set in stone.
I did a two-year study on a seven year old ultradwarf bermudagrass putting green that had not been aerified for three years prior to initiation of hollow and solid tine aerification treatments. Plots that only received deep verticutting (1”) had the best quality and control plots did not collapse after five years with no aerification, although they were spongier due to a reduced amount of sand.
As a side note, SOM fluctuated almost a full percent over the course of a year due to changes in rooting. *This is the main knock I have against measuring Total Organic Material (TOM) because increased rooting can trigger unneeded aerification, etc. *The other knock is the lack of preciseness when measuring to a specific depth instead of separating thatch/mat from SOM at the actual depth where they meet. Thatch/mat depth in my study was 0.6”. With the 2,4,6 method an additional 0.2” of much lower OM material would be included in the sample.
Although bermudagrass greens may need more topdressing than bent or poa I believe most can be maintained at a high level with no aerification.
Regular grooming and occasional deep verticutting would likely be enough.
Thanks for the comment John. Ultimately, more or less isn't the specific goal of anything I'm doing. I want to know what is necessary, which in my current situation means doing less, but it certain could mean doing more in a different setting bermuda grass included.
At the same time, watching from a far, I haven't been able to help wondering if all that work really is necessary.