Benefits of Turfgrass Colorants
Turfgrass colorants don’t simply mask dormant grass. They provide benefits that lead to healthier plants, more efficient chemical applications, and extended playability.
Because colorants provide an efficient alternative to fall overseeding, they’re popular with superintendents and sports field managers growing warm-season grasses. Overseeding with a cool-season seed in the fall is costly and can be detrimental to the spring green-up of the warm-season grass on the playing surface. Colorants allow you to avoid an expensive fall project and an awkward spring transition.
Colorants don’t interfere with the spring green-up of warm-season grasses. In fact, they support spring green-up by providing a darker color to absorb more heat. Products like Sempre Verde have sticker technology to provide long-lasting coverage. As the warm-season grass greens up more quickly, it naturally achieves a healthy green color.
Some colorants even protect turfgrass from UV radiation. For example, Solarous contains chromatic reflective ingredients to reduce plant stress. Solarous helps reduce transpiration, wilt, and hot spots. These benefits go beyond just a green playing surface.
Tank-mix colorants promote application efficiency by doubling as a spray pattern indicator. You can apply tank-mix pigments like Optimizer Green Shade with fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, or wetting agents for maximum efficiency. The colorant shows the applicator where they’ve already sprayed to prevent overlap and striping.
Some tank-mix pigments optimize the performance of their tank-mix partners. Activo, for example, contains an activator adjuvant that makes applications more efficient. Mix it with fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, or plant growth regulators to improve their efficacy while achieving greener grass.
As always, read product labels when tank-mixing. Consult your ATS representative on the best product and application practices for your golf course or sports field. You may find that colorants are a good alternative to overseeding on your turf.
