Category Archives: Turf Professionals

World Cup on artificial turf?

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soccer on grassIn a press release from the World Cup last week, artificial turf took the spotlight away from natural grass in a sport that has been pro-natural grass made up of players that strongly prefer a natural surface an artificial one.

Although second generation artificial fields have distinct advantages over their ‘astro’ predecessors, many soccer players feel the ball doesn’t roll and bounce as they’ve come to expect it to on natural grass, which changes the game in a negative way. Also, there is a lot of sliding in soccer games and artificial fields don’t ‘give’ as much in that regard, which can be annoying to players trying to maintain a consistent style of play.

Abby Wambach, whose name is likely familiar and strongly associated with soccer in most of our minds, stepped into the spotlight to give her opinions on why she thinks playing the 2015 World Cup on artificial turf would be detrimental to the game. It’s worth a read.

Want to avoid nutrient runoff?

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Some interesting results have been compiled at the GCSAA TV website discussing an ongoing research project at the University of Minnesota.  Dr. Brian Horgan at UMN has been involved in some great environmental concern-based research, and this study is one  I’ve heard about a few times and even had the pleasure of seeing the plots one time while visiting UMN.

The main take-home message from this research is that yes, excessive P inputs in your turf do lead to higher rates of runoff, however, properly fertilized turf will actually prevent erosion and nutrient runoff from the surface of your turf.  And unfertilized turf is actually more susceptible to nutrient runoff.  I’ll let Brian do the talking: http://www.gcsaa.tv/view.php?id=179

Interactive Turfgrass Morphology Tool

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For those who don’t know what morphology means, it is essentially the different parts of the turfgrass plant and those parts are how we distinguish one grass species from another. Parts like the inflorescence (flower head), leaf blade, root, collar, crown, sheath, auricle, vernation (veins in the leaf) usually have some sort of identifying characteristic that tells us, say, annual ryegrass from tall fescue—long, clasping auricles on the annual ryegrass, or a wider leaf blade on the tall fescue.

As I was surfing this morning, I found a cool website with a neat tool for learning more about turfgrass morphology that was put together by Drs. David Gardner and Karl Danneberger, both from Ohio State University. There are other nice parts of the website, I would recommend spending time there brushing up before the season starts again.

And, of course, if you have any questions about anything, please feel free to contact me.

 

 

Goats on the course?

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goatMowing down unwanted vegetation…

I have been in the golf business for nearly 20 years. Most of the time superintendents turn to mechanical means to manicure their rough areas but in some locations superintendents go back to golf’s roots and employ goats.

Yes, you heard me, goats…check out how these two courses are using our four-legged friends to mow down some unwanted vegetation:

Pasatiempo Golf Club (Santa Cruz, Ca)

Hawks Tree Golf Club (Bismarck, ND)

Humates in turf

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by Andrew Hoiberg, Ph.D., Calcium Products research & development manager

We’ve been getting a lot of questions at trade shows about the benefits of humate additions to turfgrass systems. Following is a rundown of what humates are and how they can benefit plants.

Humates or humic substances are fully decomposed remains of plant or animal organic matter. They are the most chemically active compounds in soils with large cation and anion exchange capacities, far exceeding clays. In general, they are very long lasting in soil, but the more intensively a site is managed, the faster they breakdown. This is one reason to add humic substances to your soil: to replace humus depletion in agricultural and horticultural soils.

Most humic products are derived from a mineral called leonardite, whose origins are not entirely understood. It is either an oxidized form of lignite or an accumulation of humic acids leached from topsoil by alkaline water into deeper strata of soil. Leonardite was discovered in North Dakota in 1919 by Leonard Dave, a University of North Dakota faculty member. It is also found in Utah and New Mexico. Leonardite is normally found very close to the surface near lignite deposits.

There are a few terms often thrown around when discussing humic substances; let’s take a look at them to try and clear up any confusion. Leonardite contains three types of organic substances:

  1. Fulvic acid – the fraction that is soluble in water under all pH conditions
  2. Humin – the fraction not soluble in water at any pH value
  3. Humic acid – the fraction not soluble in water under acidic conditions but is soluble at higher pH values

So, how do humates help plants? Again, the mechanisms for how these substances work in plants and soil are poorly understood, but research is being conducted worldwide (including some work funded by Calcium Products) in an attempt to help us understand the how and why. It is assumed, however, that the chelating properties of these substances are most likely responsible for enhanced nutrient uptake and retention in soils, as are their large cation exchange capacity values.

Humates have shown the following benefits in turfgrass situations:

  • Improved germination
  • Improved seedling vigor
  • Enhanced nutrient uptake (N, P, K, Mg, Cu, Mn)
  • Increased microbial actibity
  • Increased root mass

It is important to note that much of the research done on turf has shown that humic substances, particularly leonardite, realize the greatest benefits when applied to sandy soils low in organic matter and CEC. Also, incorporation of these products into the soil further improved the beneficial aspects of humic substances. This means sand-based turf systems (sand-based putting greens, sand-based and sand-capped athletic fields and any turf system intensively topdressed with sand) can benefit from applications of humic substances. It would also be wise to time your applications with your aerification practices to help incorporate the product into the soil.

Calcium Product’s HumaCal, combines the benefits of humates, calcium and sulfur. The ingredients are combined through our proprietary manufacturing process before pelletizing to give you the benefits of easy application and immediate action in the soil.

Talk to your dealer about HumaCal and start on the road to healthy soil today!

What are the two types of gypsum; which to choose?

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When choosing gypsum it has to be a calcium sulfate di-hydrate (CaSO4*2H2O). This form of gypsum is by far the most soluble form available.

Let’s take a second to review the two major forms of gypsum in the marketplace today in lawn care. The first form is what I mentioned above, calcium sulfate di-hydrate (CaSO4*2H20) and the second form is simply calcium sulfate (anhydrite) (CaSO4). You’re probably thinking, ‘what’s the big deal, gypsum is gypsum and after all it’s only a commodity.’ But there actually is a huge difference. One is very fast acting and extremely water-soluble; the other is not. The di-hydrate form is what you need to look for. This type of gypsum is already infused with two extra molecules of water making it easier to break down.  This makes the nutrients available to the plant as soon as it dissolves into solution; with some brands that’s only a matter of minutes. The anhydrite form does not have any water associated with it and therefore is very hard to break down into solution, sometimes taking years to begin working.

Now that we know the two major forms of gypsum on the market today; now you should know how to figure out which type is which. The info can be found on the back of most bags. The following is what you want to see:

Analysis:
Ca…………..21%
S…………….17%

Calcium sulfate di-hydrate (CaSO4*2H20)……92%
Derived from naturally mined calcium sulfate di-hydrate.

Don’t let the levels of calcium on labels fool you. The anhydrite forms will contain upwards of 30% calcium, but they are not soluble and do not break down fast enough to be effective. If the calcium is not available to the plant, it doesn’t matter how much calcium or sulfur is in the gypsum.

Your turf doesn’t have to suffer in the drought!

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Chances are good that you are one of the 57% in the midst of the drought affecting the USA. While it may be too late to keep your turf from going dormant, it is never too late to prepare for the future. I’ll try to not get too scientific but wanted to share some documented results in plant survival and drought tolerance.

We have known for a long time at Calcium Products the benefits of gypsum in protecting against droughts and localized dry spots. The most important thing to remember when the weather becomes hot and dry is that it’s normal for your turf to go into survival mode known as dormancy. It is a natural reaction to a lack of water. Your turf is not dying, just shutting down to protect itself. If it stays in dormancy for an extended amount of time before you have to worry about the turf dying out.

One of the best ways to protect your turf is to apply SuperCal SO4 pelletized gypsum, manufactured by Calcium Products, Inc. One of the more important benefits of applying SuperCal SO4 is that it helps create structure to your soil. Without proper structure in your soil, a drought will lead to hardening of the soils as they dry out, localized dry spots, cracking of the soils and crusting of the top layer of soil.

By applying SuperCal SO4 you will see these benefits to your turf:

  • Reduced soil hardening
  • Reduction of crusting and cracking
  • Increased water retention
  • Flocculation of clay soils
  • Increased rooting
  • Reduction in the need for irrigation to maintain lushness of turf
  • Increase protection against pest and disease pressures
  • Unlock the nutrients in your soil for plant uptake

Now is the time to prepare for the future! Treat your turf, your plants and your garden to SuperCal SO4 and see results you can be proud of. Set the standard in your neighborhood!

How to safely remove salt from your soil

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Hurricane season has arrived and the experts are expecting a very busy season. Not only do these types of storms leave immediate damage to properties in the form of flooding, wind damage, power outages but it can leave lasting damage to your turf and plants by increasing the amount of salts or sodium to your soils.

Unless you have salt-tolerant grass or plants, which most people do not, high levels of salts can be very devastating to your landscapes. Increased levels of salt act as a barrier to the plant’s cell wall, in essence tricking it into thinking it is in a drought situation even it there is plenty of water. When the plant can’t absorb the water in the soil it will shut down and go into dormancy and eventually will die due to lack of hydration.

There are a few ways to combat the salt issues if you don’t landscape with salt-tolerant plants and turf. You can spend time flushing the areas with clean water until the salts have been leached out of the ground. This takes an extreme amount of water to fully leach out the salts out of the root zone and is an irresponsible use of water in this age of conservation.

The safest, healthiest and most cost efficient way to rid your soil of high levels of salt is to use gypsum. But not just any gypsum, it has to be a calcium sulfate di-hydrate (CaSO4*2H2O). This form of gypsum is by far the most soluble form available. The best calcium sulfate di-hydrate gypsum on the market, SuperCal SO4 by Calcium Products, is extremely effective and efficient in correcting your high sodium levels in the soils.

Application of SuperCal SO4 is very easy. It comes as simple, clean, uniform pellets that can be spread using a broadcast or drop spreader. It is to be topically applied to the turf; for best results follow the application with a light watering to assist in the breakdown of the pellets. Because it is a naturally mined material it can be applied anytime during the year, regardless of the temperature. It will not burn the grass or affect the pH.

For the leaching of the salts due to extreme weather or due to high sodium levels from other factors, increase the suggested application rates from 5-10 pounds per thousand square feet to 20-30 pounds per thousand square feet.

Before long your turf will be thanking you; it will not only be salt free but healthier, stronger and more resistant to drought and disease pressures because the calcium strengthened the cell wall and increased the immune system of the plant.

GCSAA members – the unseen heroes of many a golf course!

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Golf Course superintendents’ work is often seen, but they are rarely seen or their work realized. It is not an uncommon practice for the maintenance staff at a golf facility to be up working well before the sun comes up.

As a PGA member since 1999, I certainly appreciate the hard work and dedication it takes to be in the golf industry, but I know it takes even more hard work and dedication to be in charge of the grounds and maintenance. More times than not, GCSAA members and their colleagues do not get the accolades they deserve. I consider golf course superintendents the unsung heros of the golf industry.

Next time you see your golf course superintendent keep in mind, their jobs are often 24/7 shifts. It takes time, patience, flexibility, and supreme organization to manage 100 acres or more of managed turf, not to mention their staff and their families.

Yes, it is true; superintendents do mow grass, rake bunkers and pick up trash but consider this:

 

YOUR GCSAA MEMBER IS ALSO:

An ambassador for your facility

An environmental steward

A mentor to their staff

An agronomist for the facility

A communicator to the membership

Facility manager for the ground department

Human resources director for their area

OSHA director

Financial planner managing the facility’s largest portion of the budget

Material scheduler and planner

Landscape and golf course architect

A certified, licensed applicator

An artist

A mechanic

An irrigation technician

Meteorologist

Public speaker

An educator

A political activist

ALL IN A SINGLE DAY’S WORK!

The next time you head out the golf course, be sure to spend a couple of minutes getting to know the golf course superintendent and thank him for all the hard work and commitment they provide for your golfing enjoyment!

 

Too early to apply?

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WOW, what a treat! Most of America is enjoying a very warm, early spring! I know everyone is itching to get outdoors and kick off the season. While it is still too early in most parts north of the Mason-Dixon line to begin your early spring fertilizations, it is never too early to begin spreading SuperCal SO4.

One of the great characteristics of organic, all-natural products is not having to depend on mother nature for an application schedule. Take our SuperCal SO4, for example. It is a naturally mined, organic material that works beautifully with any fertility program. You can apply it any time throughout the year. You don’t have to wait for the frost to be out of the ground, you don’t have to wait for the ground temperature to hit a magical degree in order for the product to work. Our SuperCal SO4 can be applied, left alone and forgotten. As soon as the spring thaw begins or that first April shower (March this year?) hits, the SuperCal SO4 pellet will melt and the calcium and sulfur will begin to work.

Another benefit of SuperCal SO4 being a safe, all natural organic product is that it will not burn or damage your turf no matter how much you apply or when you apply. If you are working to create the best soil structure possible for growing the best turf of the season, now is the time to apply SuperCal SO4.

For more info, check out this PDF on SO4.