As the golfing season draws to a close for many of us and turfgrass growth slows, it’s time to start planning your fall fertilizer applications.

Soil Testing

In order to properly fertilize your course, it’s vital to know what’s going on under the turf. A soil test will tell you the course’s pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC), and how much organic matter is present in the soil. These results will determine the acidity/alkalinity of the soil and whether or not nutrient levels are optimal.

Saturated Paste Soil Testing

Saturated paste soil tests look at the soil’s water solution and indicate which nutrients are immediately and easily available for plant uptake.

“Do any saturated paste soil tests with your irrigation water instead of water from the lab,” says Gruneisen. “After all, you aren’t watering with water from the lab.”

A soil test like Foliar-Pak’s Soil Solver will give you the detailed insights you need to choose the right inputs. Soil Solver identifies CEC, pH, EC, and organic matter, as well as the available and total nutrients in the soil. This information is recorded, graphed, and comes on one easy-to-read sheet. Your ATS rep can share more about this product with you.

Water Testing

A water test should also be conducted since water often affects what takes place in the soil.

“Usually, issues within your water are mirrored by your soil tests,” says John Gruneisen, Foliar-Pak Midwest territory sales manager. “Remember, in situations of drought and heavy watering, the soil has been receiving the composition of that water source without much of a ‘flushing’ remedy from Mother Nature’s rain. It’s important to understand what those watering practices can do to affect the soil.”

Defining Your Goals

Superintendents should strive to increase cell strength and build up carbohydrates and roots in their turfgrass.

Increasing Cell Strength

Strong cell walls are the initial line of defense against infection, disease, traffic damage, and changing weather conditions. When checking your soil test results, look for inadequate levels of calcium, potassium, and silicon. This may indicate that your turf’s cell walls are weak, and you should choose your inputs accordingly.

“Not having enough calcium, potassium, and silicon can cause problems with cell strength,” says Curt Geron, Foliar-Pak territory manager and lead for Foliar-Pak product development. “Calcium strengthens cell walls and cell membranes, and potassium plays a role in osmotic cell strength. Silicon works together with calcium to strengthen cell walls and thicken cuticles.”

Building Carbohydrates and Roots

Boosting chlorophyll production can help your turf create carbohydrates.

“Foundation amino acids help build chlorophyll by providing glutamic acid, the building block for constructing the chlorophyll molecule,” says Geron.

Increasing iron and manganese levels can have the same effect. Both of these nutrients maximize photosynthetic processes as temperatures, daylight length, and light intensity decrease, increasing carbohydrate production.

To build roots, use phosphorus. Note that some states restrict phosphorus usage, so be sure to check the laws in your area before considering an application.

“Phosphorus can assist in building proteins and developing new tissue,” Gruneisen says. “It’s also a primary component in adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main energy source of plants. Both of these help with building new roots and repairing damaged ones.”

Developing a Plan

Before putting down fertilizer and adding amendment products, consider aerating cool-season turf to relieve soil compaction. Aeration can help air, water, and nutrients reach the root zone more easily—promoting stronger, healthier turf. Don’t aerate warm-season turf during the fall.

On warm-season turf, raise the height of your mower and use a high-potassium fertilizer to boost root strength this fall. For warm-season turf, limit nitrogen fertilizer use so the plant can conserve carbohydrate supplies heading into the winter months.

On cool-season turf, you’ll want to use a slow-release fertilizer with high levels of nitrogen, such as ATS 22-3-11. A high-nitrogen fertilizer will help turf recover from aeration, provide a vibrant color, and promote more uniform growth.

ATS carries all the products in Foliar-Pak’s cool-season fall program. The program contains liquid products that can help improve carbohydrate storage as turf hardens off, strengthening it for the winter to come.

Now is the time to prepare, so reach out to your ATS rep and secure the products you need for a successful fall fertility program. Plus, get expert advice tailored to your needs and your course’s conditions. If you’re new to ATS, you can find a rep near you here.