A Guide to Spring Green-Up
As spring arrives, we look over our turf only to find it not greening up as usual. You may be seeing irregular patches that point to a disease issue or turf that looks weak and thing from a fertility issue. You may be wondering if you correctly-timed and properly applied the fall applications, and you could be asking your colleagues if they are experiencing the same thing. Whichever the culprit, disease, fertility, or simply colder than normal conditions, there are tools to employ to help get the season going.
If disease is an issue, get it diagnosed and treated as soon as the weather allows you to make an application. If you see older, non-active patches and think they will disappear with a round of fertilizer or when the turf naturally begins to grow, think again. Last season, we saw many instances of pink snow mold popping up as the temperatures hovered between 32-50 degrees. Untreated turf struggled through much of the 2020 season. An early dose of the right fungicide can immediately fix the problem and give you lasting protection into the season. Your ATS representative will know the right product for your situation.
If disease is not an issue, good information is a must. Heading out to fertilize on a trial-and-error basis can be a waste of time and money. Find out the real issue ahead of time via soil sample. A soil test is a great way to diagnose any deficiencies and immediately take corrective action quickly. A dose of the right nutrients at the right time always works wonders. Be armed with not only good information but effective information.
We can utilize another tool if everything looks good from a nutritional standpoint and we are simply experiencing a colder, cloudier spring. Foliar-Pak’s Amperage is a great product to use early in the spring or later in the fall when temperature and sunlight are at the lower end of the spectrum. How does this work? During slow root uptake conditions, amino acids paired with iron, manganese, and zinc can get into the plant quickly through the leaf tissue, specifically the stomata. With the right nutrients and effective amino acids to jump-start the metabolic process of chlorophyll production in the plant, you get a response from turf that you cannot achieve with fertilizer alone at cooler temperatures. Amperage also supplies some simple sugars with molasses to give a boost of carbs when roots are just thinking of releasing stored carbohydrates.
We have seen an increase in outdoor activities with the pandemic, which will only continue into this spring. By taking advantage of just these two things- a soil test and Amperage, you can get ahead of the growing season and stay proactive through a good green-up in 2021!
Jeff Leuzinger
Sales Representative
