SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/147380
Left: Fraze mowing process Middle: Rhizomes exposed after rye, thatch, and organic removal Right Top: First mowing, 2 weeks after fraze mowing Right Bottom: Field 6 weeks after fraze mowing the parks superintendent for Rotterdam, Netherlands, Rodenburg created a machine that could remove 100% of the thatch and organic build up that accumulated each season. At the same time, the machine removed the poa annua plants and seed accumulation while leaving the crown of the Kentucky bluegrass and rye grass for regeneration. With overseeding and feeding the fields, the grass could regenerate quickly, nearly thatch and organic free. Rodenburg's fields immediately became stronger and more durable as the re-growth of the stand was much hardier than the original sword of grass. Additionally, the compaction potential at the surface was reduced because the fines from the organic build up were cleaned out and the disease pressure was nearly eliminated with the thatch removal of the thatch. Thus in 1997, fraze mowing with the KORO Field Topmaker was born. The adaptation of fraze mowing to bermudagrass is more an introduction of the entire concept to the United States. A www.stma.org practice common on fields across Europe to improve field durability and reduce poa annua, fraze mowing fits naturally into bermudagrass thatch and organic management. That adaptation became even more natural this year with the introduction of the Universe rotor for the KORO Field Topmaker. The Universe, designed by Imants (makers of KORO) and Campey Turf Care (of Manchester, UK), is for fraze mowing Desso sand-based natural grass fields. The 3/8" blades, aligned on four spirals, allow for Desso fields to be fraze mowed without damaging or pulling out the synthetic fibers in the sand. The small teeth do the same for bermudagrass plants, cleaning off the stolons, thatch, organic build up, and leaving the rhizomes of the bermuda exposed in order to regenerate quickly. Allen Reid and Miles Studhalter at FC Dallas Park became the first Americans to commit to fraze mowing entire fields (fraze when referencing bermudagrass) to clean out ryegrass overseeding, thatch, and or- ganic build up on three fields. In midMarch, Simon Gumbril from Campey Turf Care was on hand in Dallas to oversee the process. Also, Joe Pemberton, head groundsman at Manchester United's Carrington Training Ground stopped in to FC Dallas Park to observe while in the USA on a vacation. The 419 bermudagrass was still 95% dormant in March, but a few of the rhizomes were showing some green in the fields as they were cleaned off. See photo 16 for the results. The highlight field, the FC Dallas training field, was out of play for 8 weeks, though the field was ready for play in 7 weeks. The unseasonably cold spring in the Dallas area hampered the re-growth by slowing the 419 bermuda's exit from dormancy, extending the re-generation period by approximately 2 weeks. But still, the process succeeded. According to Reed, "The first day Coach walked back on the pitch he said, 'the field feels strong.' Now after 2 months of daily training, the field has been SportsTurf 27