When Will It be Ready for Play? Fraze Mowing Recovery Time in Bermudagrass.

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).  The verdure and the thatch layer of turf are removed.  New grass is planted by seed or allowed to regrow from vegetative parts.  Fraze mowing stimulates new growth and can improve the overall health of the turf.  Little is known about the relationship of  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 were tested.  Percent recovery and weed pressure were being monitored visually and by digital photography.  The 2016 growing season data suggest that the recovery time of 3 mm fraze mowing is ~ 21 days regardless of growing degree days (GDD) accumulated, while 10 mm recovery time is longer and decreases with increasing GDD.  Plots frazed mowed after July 15, 2016 had more fall weed pressure than those frazed mowed after that date.  Fraze mowing at the 10 mm depth, done after August 15, 2016 did not fully recover before the end of the growing season.  Fraze mowing for 2016 began on May 16.