Carbon nutrition is an important aspect of Spring turf fertility.
It's Time To Prepare Turf For Summer (and recover from Winter)
Posted in General by Curtis Williams
BY DALE MILLER, AMERITURF CORPORATE AGRONOMIST
Spring is finally here…..
With the semi-late arrival and summer not too far away, recovery from the winter and preparation for the summer is on everyone’s minds. This means cultural programs and fertility programs that focus on the grass over the next couple months.
Aerification and cultural programs to promote recovery, density and root mass are highly beneficial during the spring, prior to the heat of summer, when traffic is high, as this is the time of year we have the ability to recover and improve conditions when warranted.
Aerification tines should be based on the current condition of the grass, how aggressive you can be based on the surface, root mass and how acceptable or not the recovery from cultural events is.
In aggressive grass growing areas like southern Florida, the size of tines can be larger with much more aggressive cultural practices designed to remove more material and grow back new material.
In regions where the grass went semi-dormant, the tines should be slightly smaller and the grooming, verticutting of surfaces should not be as aggressive. Spiking and slicing is also very beneficial in these areas as damage to turf coming out of the winter is not a good practice.
In areas where the grass went completely dormant, the cultural programs need very close attention. Excessive cultural practices post dormancy, before full recovery and even some consistent growth for a period of time is not advised.
For all these events, it is important to be on specific nutrition programs focused on recovery and health without excess, as excess leads to soft, weakened tissue and root decline more than promotion.
Initial programs a bit higher in Phosphorus and Potassium with significantly higher Calcium inputs will be highly beneficial. Adequate Nitrogen to promote growth is beneficial, but still, not in excess.
I am going to continue to emphasize that spray options including soluble Carbon, focused in the spring on Amino and Fulvic Acids, will provide the best results. Longer chain Carbons in the early season are not as beneficial as the plant and biological system are not as responsive quite yet.
It is always better to apply nutrients in soluble/available, Carbon based packages as opposed to inefficient granular inputs.
The common practice of adding granular fertility to soils during the spring at aerification does not improve conditions as much as – and wastes significantly more fertility – than consistent spray programs with targeted, properly designed inputs. Spray programs following soil/water analysis pulled early in the spring will yield optimal results without excess growth and greater plant health as well as playing conditions.
Recovery from aerification has proven to be as quick if not quicker with spray programs than granular based programs.
Use of products like OxyCal and Agra-Rouse in conjunction with fertilizer inputs will further stimulate growth and recovery without excess growth now that conditions are appropriate.
Always remember where root mass is needed, especially in the spring to early summer, slightly higher levels of Phosphorus, Potassium and significantly higher inputs of Calcium will yield far superior results than any other inputs. These elements delivered with soluble Carbon will stimulate growth, root mass and strong microbial activity without excess growth. Nitrogen again should be as needed but not in excess.
Straight Carbon inputs products like C85, Backbone, and NutriSmart B will be excellent options for building early season Carbon levels and in low CEC environments should be maintained through the playing season into early fall. The effort should be to stay at an acceptable and consistent OM level as opposed to trying to build OM levels quickly; this will happen naturally over time and it’s much more important to maintain optimal levels than create excess.
Well balanced, targeted nutritional programs using soluble/available nutrients in Carbon based programs are far more effective, efficient, waste less and create significantly healthier plants.
Proper nutrient management throughout the year is important for consistent high quality conditions.
Please see your AmeriTurf Agronomist or sales consultants for the best solutions specific to your soil, water quality, turf and specific play demands.