Recovery from Fraze Mowing: When Can We Play on It Again?.

Fraze (fraise) mowing is a new technique in athletic turf management in the USA.  The verdure and part of the thatch layer of turf is removed.  New grass is planted by seed or allowed to regrow from vegetative parts.  While fraze mowing has been used in Europe for years it is new to the U.S.  Little information is available on fraze mowing hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon x C. transvaalensis, Burtt Davy). Fraise mowing stimulates new growth and can improve the overall health of the turf.  Little is known about the date of fraze mowing and recovery time for the playing surface from this very disruptive practice.  The objectives of this study are to determine the time to recovery after fraze mowing and model the relationship between date within the growing season and recovery time.   The tractor mounted four foot fraise mower was loaned to the project by Redexim Charterhouse.   A Tifway bermudagrass turf area, on MSU's North Farm was chosen for the study site.  Plot size was 15.4 m long and 1.2 m wide.  The plots were arranged in a split plot design with mowing date being the main plot factor and depth (0 unfraze mowed (control) 3 mm, and 10 mm) being the subplot factor.  Each main plot was replicated 3 times and 13 dates in 14 day intervals will be tested.  Percent recovery and weed pressure is being monitored visually and by digital photography.  Plots were fraise mowed on Oct 1, and Oct 21, 2014.  The first treatment of 2015 was May 8 due to excessively wet conditions.   We have seen no recovery from the fraise mowing conducted in 2014.  The plots fraze mowed on May 8, 2015 at 3mm have reached 70% cover at 14 days while the 10 mm plot had 20% cover.