Fall Turfgrass Recovery

With the relief of August and September rainfall, we are finally getting out of the “summer of 2012” drought.  It has been, by all means, the worst summer most of us have ever experienced in our careers, and it has made us very aware of Mother Nature’s influence on our survival in the turf industry. 

With that said, the turf is back to growing like it’s springtime again, which means that all of the plants’ energy is focused on their shoots.  I know that a lot of you are considering skipping or drastically cutting back on your fertilizer.  This is a choice you may need to reconsider.  Now more than ever, the turf needs to replenish its nutrients to continue root growth and strength.  Fertilizing now will also help prevent winter die off and desiccation. 

Due to the inflated cost of raw materials, many of us have not been using any phosphorus and very little potassium in our fertilizer blends, which doesn’t produce the vigor that we see in turf when we use better blends of fertilizers.  For only a few cents more on the 1000/sq ft we can make a big impact on the quality and durability of our turfgrass.  This could make all the difference in reestablishing your turf this fall.

I recommend ATS 22-3-11 50% XRT + 3% Fe for fall applications, and ATS 34-0-4 All Mineral for winter dormant feeding fertilizer.  Ask any of us at Advanced Turf Solutions for help to make your turf program stand out above your competition.

Mike Sams
ATS Sales Representative