Verticutting

The physical raking of a turf surface to raise up basal vegetation and lateral grass growth, but not into the layer below the base of the grass. It can be considered a very light form of surface scarification carried out on finer turf areas. It should not be used to penetrate any underlying thatch layer and might be set 2mm below a height of cut on fine turf (in this instance it might typically be referred to as HOC -2mm) and up to 5mm on longer harder wearing swards. This is because severe defoliation of the sward can easily occur due to how closely spaced the verticutting tines are. Verticutting may typically be carried out on a weekly basis when the grass plant is growing strongly throughout April to September, although easing off to monthly during dry periods when the surface is unduly stressed.