Next-Level Fall Sports Turf Nutrition
Posted Ben Pease, Agronomist on July 26, 2021
Preparation for your turf’s next season begins in this season, the fall aerification and fertilization season. Summer camps, two-a-day practices, and the busy fall sports and activities calendar can stress out even the best-prepared sports field. Proper fall fertilization and cultural practices can make all the difference in helping turf recover.
Whether you’re tackling an aerification project, helping to boost new seedlings, or looking to feed and strengthen your established turf, these technology-centric products are designed to simplify application and improve overall plant health.
FALL FERTILIZATION
Fall fertilization is one of the best tools for promoting recovery from summer stress as the turfgrass plant stores much of its carbohydrate supply during this time, rather than consuming it for shoot growth. Nitrogen fertility applied in the fall has a positive effect on turfgrass growth and performance during the fall and the following spring. Fall phosphorus applications are also important if overseeding your fields during the fall months, as phosphorus will promote seedling establishment through increased root growth.
Humic Coated Urea (HCU) is a cost-effective 44-0-0 nitrogen granule that is bonded with potassium humate. This proprietary technology delivers important soil and plant health benefits that traditional nitrogen sources cannot provide.
9-12-6 with HCU
Ideal for a wide variety of applications, including new turf establishment and maintenance, 9-12-6 Fertilizer with HCU contains SmartPhos® slow-release phosphorus, Black Gypsum DG® and humic acid.
22-0-4 with HCU
In our 22-0-4 Fertilizer with HCU, we’ve replaced the limestone filler with Black Gypsum DG, an amendment that provides secondary nutrients (calcium and sulfur), helps to relieve soil compaction and salinity, and improves root development.
FALL AERIFICATION
Fertilization often goes hand-in-hand with fall aerification to promote turfgrass regrowth in aerification holes, for both solid-tine and hollow-tine procedures. Aerification, an essential cultural practice for fall turf recovery, provides many benefits such as thatch management, relieving soil compaction, enhancing seed germination, and improving air/water movement and exchange. Aerification holes also provide for direct placement of fertilizers and soil conditioners where they are best utilized -- in the root zone.
Featuring Dispersing Granule (DG) Technology, these products are designed to get to work fast, aiding in turfgrass recovery while strengthening soil along the way.
Genesis Rx 5-7-5 features a combination of readily-available and slow-release nitrogen, secondary and minor elements, and Dispersing Granule (DG) Technology. Genesis Rx 5-7-5 also contains SmartPhos® slow-release phosphorus and Humic DG™.
Genesis Rx Zeolite+ 3-4-3 is a 50/50 physical blend of Genesis 5-7-5 and Zeolite. Along with balanced NPK, secondary and minor elements, and zeolite, this product contains SmartPhos, Humic DG, MUtech® slow-release nitrogen, and a full spectrum of beneficial microorganisms.
Humic DG CharX harnesses the power of humic acid and biochar in a 50/50 blend, providing the benefits of the more quickly-available humic acid and the long-term soil building qualities of biochar. Along with carbon, biochar also contains karrikins, a family of bioactive compounds that stimulate root growth. DG Technology improves coverage and enhances the efficiency of recovery efforts.
Black Gypsum DG is a unique soil amendment containing gypsum and humic acid in a homogenous dispersing granule. This product features a dihydrate carbon source more water soluble than the anhydrite form found in products of the past. This results in quicker plant uptake and increased application flexibility for year-round soil remediation.
Fall cultural practices are the cornerstone of turfgrass survival through stressful on-field events and post-season turfgrass recovery. Count on products from The Andersons this fall to help you take your turfgrass to the next level.
Ben Pease is the Agronomist for The Andersons Turf & Specialty business, responsible for research, service, and technical support. Ben received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Wisconsin, and earned his doctorate degree from Iowa State University. Ben has also served as the Assistant Superintendent for Cherokee Country Club (Madison, WI) and Whistling Straits Golf Courses (Sheboygan, WI). To contact Ben, click here.
©2021 The Andersons logo is a registered trademark of The Andersons, Inc. Black Gypsum DG and Genesis RX is a registered trademark of The Andersons, Inc. CharX, HCU and Humic DG are trademark of The Andersons, Inc.
