Grooming

The action of using a groomer to lightly raise up vegetation on a grass surface; especially prior to mowing it. By carrying out this task you should not mark or score the surface in any way (otherwise you are doing it incorrectly) and it can be used during most of the year. It can be thought of as a type of lighter form of verticutting, being a piece of equipment used for fine-tuning a sward. Care does need to be taken when little grass growth is taking place as this will stress the plant and to refrain from its use during prolonged dry spells. If a groomer setting is too low then this can unnecessarily thin and wear the sward.

The benefits of grooming turf, especially fine, high quality turf include:
• By being carried out at the same time as mowing, it raises lateral growth and particularly annual meadow grass seed heads prior to being cut.
• There is an improvement in the overall quality of turf surfaces, by
o An increase in the speed of the playing surface.
o A reduction in annual meadow grass seed head content.
o An overall improvement in the presentation of the sward.

There are some potential problems with grooming, and these include:
1. Having too deep a setting, which penetrates the turf. A typical setting is 1mm to 1.5mm below the height of cut achieved on the sward itself, for fine golf or bowling green surfaces, ensuring no penetration of the surface occurs, to maybe 3mm below a height of cut for intermediate cutting heights of around 10mm.
2. Soft turf, which results from excess moisture and thatch being present, can result in the grooming unit sinking into the sward, slightly tearing out some turf.
3. The groomer being used too often; typically, on no more than 3 occasions per week, although for relatively new turf this might only be once every two-weeks, or even longer. Overuse will result in the turf becoming stressed and weakened.
4. Continual grooming in the same direction can increase the probability of excessive wear; and
5. Grooming around bends and not in straight lines can produce an untidy appearance, or even tearing out of some weakly established grass.
6. Not to use after granular fertiliser application as significant quantities can be picked up when boxes are used and fertiliser coatings can be damaged, reducing the effectiveness of the nutrient release action.