Black Layer

Black layer is a common problem in sand based putting greens. Black layer is the result when metal sulphide occurs in the rootzone. It occurs when H2S gas combines with minerals in the rootzone which then leads to the formation of the metal sulphide. These conditions will ultimately result in root decline to the point that the grass plant will eventually die. When oxygen levels decrease in the rootzone we then see an increase in black layer formation. 

Practices such as over irrigating and fertilizing can help to promote black layer. When the soil is saturated commonly and for extended periods of time we see oxygen levels lower which can then lead to the increase of black layer. Using soil profilers/soil probes to take samples out of the green to look at along with submitting soil samples to soil labs can all be tools used to identify the presence of black layer. The black layer will be a very visible contrast when looked at compared to the existing sand base found within the rootzone. The smell can also be a very good characteristic in identifying black layer as the rootzone will have a "swampy/rotten egg" smell which is very distinguishable. 

Black layer from a creeping bentgrass putting green

 in northern Michigan. Photo by William Berndt

When black layer forms within the rootzone the most effective way to get rid of it is through cultural practices. The most effective cultural method will be by removing material from the act of core aeration. If the black layer is severe enough multiple aeration events may be required. Topdressing the greens with a new, clean sand material is also very helpful when performed in conjunction with aeration. These practices aid in increasing oxygen levels within the soil while also removing the areas of high sulphur contamination. Excessive thatch also helps to promote black layer by acting like a sponge that holds water at the surface so the aeration and topdressing helps to remove and dilute the excessive thatch that may be present. 

When it comes to products that may be available to aid in repairing issues from black layer there are a few options available on the market. Products that aid in promoting beneficial bacteria/microbial activity can be helpful in increasing soil oxygen and they can also aid by feeding on thatch. The use of aggressive acid based products can also be helpful to combat the black layer within the rootzone. Penetrants and surfactants that help to move water away from the surface/upper rootzone and lower into the profile can also be helpful and increase surface oxygen levels.

While curing black layer is important when it becomes present in your golf greens it is even more important to understand why it formed in the first place. Most often it is due to the overuse/improper use of irrigation water which leads to oversaturation in the soil. If this is the case it is important to make some changes to your irrigation program/practices to ensure the plant is being provided with only the amount of moisture it requires. It is also important to perform soil testing if black layer is becoming a problem to determine if anything in your soil is also helping to contribute to the black layer. If soil tests do indicate any problems then some changes to your fertility/amendment program may be required. 

Turf Fuel has a product called D-Solve that can be very helpful in attacking the mineralization buildups within the rootzone from black layer. D-Solve is a proprietary blend of strong, yet safe acids that are designed to solubilize exchangeable calcium, dissolve bicarbonate layering and move sodium from the soil. 

The Kraken Plus can also be a helpful water management tool for managing black layer as it can effectively move water downward and away from the surface of the rootzone. The Kraken Plus is a premier soil surfactant that provides tournament quality playing conditions. Built with two advanced polymers, fortified with S4 solvent. It is an effective tool against localized dryspot. 

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management.

All About Moss

Silvery thread moss can be a common problem on putting greens of all grass species types and construction methods. Dealing with moss can be very frustrating for turf managers due to the fact that once it has established itself it can be very difficult to control. Moss is a perennial weed that can tolerate most weather and environmental conditions and most often is most active during the times that the desirable turf you are maintaining is least active. Silvery thread moss commonly spreads throughout golf courses from the moss structures being detached and physically moved from one site to the next (mowers, golfers, etc). Once these plant structures find their new home, they can very quickly establish themselves if conditions are favorable.

Most maintenance practices that take place on a golf green can either hinder or enable the spread and establishment of moss. Moss generally will be more common on greens that are watered light and frequently resulting in upper surfaces that are more wet compared to surfaces that are allowed to dry down. As the height of cut on greens decreases it has also been shown that moss establishment and severity will increase at lower heights. Nitrogen fertilizer sources have also been shown to have an effect on moss populations. Soluble and ammonium sulphate based applications of fertilizer have shown to help promote moss compared to other nitrogen forms. Frequent, light topdressing has shown to aid in reducing the amount of moss present. The belief here is that the introduction of sand helps to keep the growing medium less tightly bound with heavier materials which will result in greater water and air movement. 

Aeration and verticutting are generally believed to be helpful when it comes to Silvery Thread Moss control. Although these actions can certainly help in spreading moss across the property it is still accepted that the benefits of these practices will still be greater in helping prevent moss. Aeration and verticutting help to breakup and create open areas in the tight matted layer of moss that create an opportunity for your desirable grass species to then enter. The act of these practices will help with water and air movement at the surface which will be beneficial as the turf will thrive in these conditions where the moss will prefer a tight soil surface that holds moisture. Aeration and verticutting will also aid in turf density which is very important as the less gaps there are within the turf; the less likely moss can establish. 

When moss infestation become so severe though the most necessary and effective method of control will be done through the use of herbicides such as QuickSilver. Initial application of herbicides on moss is best done a week after an aeration or verticutting event when the moss has been disturbed and actively growing. Generally, applications of the herbicide every two weeks after initial application have proven most effective. You do need to ensure that the moss is becoming active again though prior to your next application to ensure herbicide uptake. Moss will turn a dark shade (mostly black) after herbicide application. Around two weeks after application the moss should begin to lose that colour and turn a brown/green. When this colour change is occurring, we know the moss is active once again and it is time to re-apply. The use of a non-ionic surfactant added to the herbicide during application has shown to improve application with a more active uptake and spread of the herbicide within the moss resulting in greater efficacy of applications. Under severe infestation numerous applications may be required but the best control will always be done by combining herbicide applications with good turf management practices (water and fertility management, cultural practices, etc) to promote as healthy of a stand of turf as possible while eliminating stress. 

In Canada we have a product available called Tank pHix Plus that can be used as our tank mix companion partner to QuickSilver, which is also available from us at Target Specialty Products. This is our all-in-one adjuvant product. This product aids spray applications with buffering/acidifying the spray tank water, drift control, enhancing compatibility of products in your spray solution and reducing the risk of alkaline hydrolysis.  

 Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management.

                                                                                   

I've Got Ice Damage... Now What?

We have now reached that time of year when turf managers start to get the first glimpses of whether or not Mother Nature has been kind to them over the winter. This can be one of the most exciting times of the year knowing that a new golf season is almost here and that we will soon be seeing the grass grow! Unfortunately for what we hope is always a small few people though the spring can be a very stressful time as the melt reveals damage from ice encasement. 

Ice damage is now becoming a more and more common issue in the prairie provinces in recent history with more unpredictable late fall/winter weather. It is now almost certainly a guarantee that a certain area is going to suffer from ice damage each and every year. On my last post we discussed what can be done to help prevent the occurrence of ice damage but unfortunately there is no way of 100% preventing the damage. So the next question we must ask is now that I have ice damage; what can I do to recover from it as quickly as possible?

My first answer for those of you who are fortunate to have a larger, high quality bentgrass nursery is without hesitation to use that nursery for its intended purpose. Nothing will get you back on track quicker then removing the dead areas of turf and replacing it with new healthy turf that was grown on site. If you do not have the area for a nursery but have the money to order in bentgrass sod from a sod grower this can also be a good option but it will be quite costly and require some extra work as sod grown offsite will never blend/thrive within an existing green as well without aggressive cultural practices during the rooting stage. Aeration/topdressing is always important for new sod to help blend the different growing mediums that the sod was grown on compared to the growing medium within the green it is being transplanted on. 

When sod is not an option then seed will be your next step. Reestablishing from seed will be slower but it can be done. There are always a few things that can slow seed establishment down though that we need to be mindful of. Early spring soil/air temperatures can always be an issue as spring weather is unpredictable and the seed will only germinate under consistently warmer soil conditions. The use of tarps or any type of blankets that can help to trap heat will always be of great value to increasing seed germination success and speed. Golfer/equipment traffic is always a major factor on recovery seed success as well. If activities can be limited on the surface during the seed establishment stage this will always help. The biggest influence on seed success when overseeding into ice damage though is actually dealing with the anoxic conditions that still exist in the soil following the turf death from ice encasement. The high concentrations of CO2 and toxic gases that exist under the ice do not immediately disappear when the ice melts. A lot of these gases remain trapped within the soil and thatch and prevent seed from establishing if not dealt with. Aggressive cultural practices to open up the soil and thatch to breathe along with diluting these areas with clean topdressing material is very important. This is quite often why people see greater success from aerating areas and then adding seed to the aeration holes compared to just slit seeding as the aeration opens up the soil much more effectively and allows for the exchange of these harmful gases. This is another reason why sodding is so great though as it is completely removing this entire layer of dead material and toxic gases. Consistently opening up the soil and reseeding ever week to two weeks max is valuable as it continually is allowing the soil to breathe and increasing the seed bed.

Seed selection is also very important. It is always good to stick with the variety of bentgrass that you greens were currently seeded to unless you are wanting to long term change the variety within them. In these reestablishment circumstances you are going to want to look at bentgrass seed varieties that are more aggressive in spreading. Unfortunately many of the newer varieties of bentgrass that are currently available that we love for their playability advantages are not as effective in spreading during recovery due to their more upright and bunch-type growing habit. Many of these verities of creeping bentgrass do not "creep" as well as some older varieties so it is certainly important to look at these characteristics when selecting your turf variety.  

Fertility is always important during the new establishment stage as well. We believe that foliar fertilization is generally the most effective way of feeding for recovery during the spring. The use of granular fertilizer and its effectiveness will be greatly dependent upon environmental conditions such as temperature due to the fact that the granular fertilizer will not be taken up in solution through the roots as effectively unless adequate soil temperature and plant activity exist. Foliar fertilization removes most of these factors. We are not concerned with soil temperatures in the spring so long that the plant is not 100% dormant which is very unlikely. As long as there is some active metabolizing taking place with the newly germinated seed or the grass plants that did survive the ice encasement; they will then be able to take in and utilize the fertilizer you are providing. It is recommended to go at lower rates but very frequently (atleast ever week to few days) for best results as each time you fertilizer there will be more and more living tissue to take the products in and allow for more rapid recovery and spreading. 

Unfortunately recovery never occurs as quickly as you or your customers would like but these few steps will certainly help you in getting back to the shape you expect much sooner. 

With Turf Fuel we have a specific spray combination that we recommend for spring recovery that is tried and proven and has helped many turf managers get back on track these past few springs. The products you will find within this spray include Photo Fuel and Element 6 at 1.5oz/1000sq ft and Quick Green at 3-4oz/1000sq ft per application. This application is designed to target lateral growth, energy production and maximized recovery for the playing surface. 

Photo Fuel aids in enhancing photosynthesis for the plant through nutrition and biostimulation. It also features Nutrifense which we have discussed in the past. Element 6 provides maximum energy to the plant along with strength/stress management and root production. It contains a full dose of Nutrifense. Quick Green is a high phosphate biostimulant fertilizer. It aids in rapid new establishment, damage recovery and early season colour. 

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management.

Dealing With Ice

Ice damage has unfortunately become a very common problem in our province in recent years as mild winters and large weather shifts are seeming to become more common for our Saskatchewan winters. Ice can be very difficult to prevent but there are a few practices that can be performed to help decrease/eliminate the damage it causes. Anoxia is what takes place when turfgrasses die from being encased in ice for too long. What happens at this point is that the plant can no longer effectively "breathe" and harmful gases become present causing the plant too die from low to non-existent oxygen levels. 

Ice broken up that had formed on a permeable tarp

So what practices can be performed to help you reduce the damage that ice causes? The first and most important thing is promoting as healthy of a stand of turf as you possibly can going into winter. This would mean that activities such as adequate fertilizer and irrigation amounts have been maintained throughout the growing season, regular cultural practices (aeration, topdressing, verti-cutting, grooming, etc) have been performed throughout the growing season, and proper cutting heights and quality of cut has been present to name just a few of the many important practices that take place on the golf course during the season. There are some nutritional tools and products available that have helped extend the duration in which a plant can handle ice encasement. Products designed to help mitigate stress on the plant have demonstrated success in university trials against ice encasement. These products generally contain elements such as the plant defense activators, phosphites, extremophiles, humic acids, etc that are all things that we have talked about in the past that all come together to either promote a stronger/healthier plant or a more desirable porous rootzone that will result in better air/gas exchange and water movement. In areas that commonly collect water and form ice, late fall aeration can help to create channels for water to move down below the surface. Simple practices such as taking a cup cutter to the low areas or cutting sod strips in low spots to move water that collects away from the surface can also help. It is worth noting that some of these practices can help to promote faster drying out of the rootzone though so if you are in areas prone to dessication you do have to weigh the risks of ice protection vs. dessication protection. The use of ice shield tarping systems to separate the ice from the plant along with reclamation/geo-textile products and bubble wrap have also proven to be effective in creating air pockets to help the plant breathe with the ice. 

When ice does occur a superintendent does have to assess how long is too long for the plant to be under the ice and then if ice removal is viewed to be best how will you remove the ice? Taking turf samples from ice covered areas using a drill with a hole saw bit can be a helpful tool to assess damage by bring the samples indoors to warmer temperatures with lighting to see how much of the plants begin to grow back in more suitable growing conditions. If ice removal is to take place then tools such as aerators, mechanically powered brushes, jackhammers, etc can all be used to remove ice, but there always is the risk of these tools causing further damage. 

Next month I will continue with ice damage with some recommendations that will help in the recovery phase when ice damage does occur coming out of winter to help get the playing surfaces back in playing condition as quickly as possible. 

Turf Fuel has a winter hardiness program that is a combination of Element 6, Base K26 and MZ-23 or Phos-sil Fuel that has been university proven to help with ice encasement. Element 6 features a full load of Nutrifense which is a combination of protein pre-cursors, defense activators, extremophile extracts and anti-oxidants that provided the best results in the study when it came to plant survival under ice conditions. Our Base K26 was also included in the study and the K source (potassium acetate) also displayed strong results against the untreated control when it came to the amount of plants that recovered after ice encasement. 

Some quick details on this product combination can be found below along with the details of the university trial.  

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management.

 

Localized Dry Spot

Localized dry spots are brown and purple spots that appear out of no where and then once visible begin to show signs of drought stress. Many things can contribute to localized dry spot formation but some of those most common reasons include thatch, compacted soil, steep slopes, poor irrigation water quality, improper irrigation coverage, disease and high salt concentrations in soils. 

Localized dry spot present in bentgrass

The soil particles in these localized dry spot areas become hydrophobic (incapable of accepting/absorbing water and re-hydrating) because of an organic coating that becomes present on the soil particles. Localized dry spot has become a larger problem over the last 20-30 years as golf maintenance practices have changed. Previously golf courses used more water (saturating the surface more consistently) and did not prepare the playing surfaces as aggressively as we do now. Once the push came to use less water and to dry down the surface to produce much firmer and faster conditions, along with sand based construction becoming the norm the industry, we then saw localized dry spot become a more common issue. Excessive thatch can become hydrophobic as well which can lead to the water never getting into the soil because of the water droplets never being allowed to absorb below the surface due to the thatch layer. 

Aeration has been proven to help lessen the effects of localized dry spots. Aeration can help to relieve compaction in the soil that reduces water/air infiltration and it will also help to remove thatch that can prevent the water from entering the soil. Aeration will create channels in the soil that will most importantly allow water to enter the soil and enter deeper into the rootzone by the act of cultivating the surface. This will make overhead irrigation and hand watering practices more effective.

The most effective tool for dealing with localized dry spot is the use of wetting agents. Wetting agents help alter the soil to allow it to accept water and then allow for continual re-wetting of the rootzone. Wetting agents allow water to spread across the surface and penetrate into the soil by lowering the surface tension of the liquid. There are many different types of wetting agents available though so be sure to understand and choose the technology that fits your specific golf course and location needs. Are you simply just looking to rewet the soil that will not accept water where dry spots have occurred, are you looking to improve the efficiency of the water you apply to allow you to use less water, are you looking for a penetrant to move water through the profile, are you wanting a wetting agent to soften the surface or to firm up the surface, etc. All of these questions should be asked before choosing your wetting agent to allow the right product to be purchased from your supplier, so be sure to ask yourself and your supplier these questions to ensure you are using the best product for your needs!

Turf Fuel has many different wetting agent/surfactant options available for the consumer to choose from. Vanquish Plus contains three different polymers that aid in soil penetration, hydration and rehydration. Vanquish is the perfect treatment and recovery aid for dealing with localized dry spot and drought conditions. Vanquish will provide uniform hydration across the rootzone. 

Kraken Plus is a 30 day dry spot/drought preventative wetting agent. It contains capped polymers and is completed by a unique solvent technology. This product will provide unmatched tournament like, firm and fast, playing conditions. 

Distance Plus is a multiple branching polymer that is designed to provide long term (up to 120 day) protection against dry spot and drought conditions. This product is perfect for tee box, fairway, approaches, driving range and slope/traffic locations. 

Cleanse Plus is a solvent surfactant product that will improve water penetration and reduce hydrophobic organic materials that coat soil particles. By removing and reducing these organic materials this is the perfect clean-up product to reduce hydrophobic and localized dry spot conditions. 

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management. 

Calcium for Turf

Calcium is without a doubt one of the most important nutrients for maintaining healthy turf but quite often is overlooked. Calcium is important for cell strength as it will help the plant in strengthening cell walls. It also maintains osmotic balance (balance between electrolytes and non-electrolytes through the movement of solution through cell walls) with cells which helps keep cell membranes stable. 

Because calcium is important for cell wall strength we can then make the connection that it is important in managing plant stresses as the thicker/stronger the cell wall is, the less likely it is to be compromised from the attack of a pathogen or external stress. Foliar calcium can be helpful in managing heat stress as it allows the plant to go through respiration without using up its carbohydrate supplies. Because of this the plant still has the energy to carry out its normal processes as it is not having to turn around and reproduce all of its new energy.

As many people do know calcium is very important for improving soil structure. We typically use it as a soil amendment in Saskatchewan for dealing with high levels of sodium which we see as a large problem throughout the entire province. Calcium works by entering the soil and replacing sodium from soil particles. Once the sodium is no longer linked to the soil particles we have the opportunity to attempt to leach the sodium through the soil profile. The removal of the sodium from the soil is very important as we end up with a soil profile that is no longer so tightly bound where there is now pore/air space the allow air, water, nutrients, etc to move through the soil more freely. This is why when we have sodium effected soils that you see and feel that the soil becomes hard like cement and that water struggles to enter these soils (puddling) because the soil is so tight that the water can not enter the soil. Calcium can displace other cations so easily within the soil because it is a much larger cation in size so it can “out-weigh” other cations and it’s two positive charges can then easily  attach between different soil particles.

Turf Fuel has a few different calcium products available to help turf managers with the problems/solutions that we have discussed. Respo Fuel is a calcium-rich product that we use to mitigate heat stress. This product allows respiration to take place without the plant using up all of its energy. Respo Fuel also contains biostimulants, salicylic acid, Nutrifense, copper and silica resulting in the ultimate summer heat stress product. 

Lessen 11 is an acidified calcium product that physically removes sodium from soil particles. This then allows the sodium to be flushed through the rootzone by precipitation or irrigation. The acidic calcium in this product will also help to free up calcium that had previously been tied up in the soil as well.

D-Solve is a blend of acids and a soil penetrant that helps to dissolve bicarbonate layering. It does not contain calcium but because of this acidifying removal of sodium it frees up calcium and magnesium that had previously been tied up in the soil so you then can receive many of the benefits that calcium provides to the plant from what was already in your soil.

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management. 

Sea Kelp

Different forms of sea kelp are now very commonly being used in turf management for their numerous benefits. Sea kelp is very mineral rich and provides the plant with two major growth hormones. These two hormones are cytokinins and auxins. These nutrients are very effective in helping the plant to manage and recover from drought and heat stress. 

Kelp increases carbohydrate production which in turn enhances root and leaf production. Sea kelp will increase soil microbial activity; when this activity increases we will see more nutrients become available to the plant that may have previously been tied up by the soil and then because of this we will also see an increase in nutrient uptake with the plant. Kelp has been proven to also increase photosynthesis and chlorophyll production which will give the plant a major aesthetic boost. Sea kelp can also be very valuable and helpful with grow-ins and establishment as they will speed plant establishment/germination and increase new seedling development. 

The extra micronutrients provided by sea kelp have proven to be very effective in helping the plant to resist attack and infection from disease and insect pests. There has been research done with sea kelp applications in turf that has shown an increase in water holding abilities in the soil which is a great added benefit for a turf manager. 

Sea kelp products are readily available on the market now and as a turf manager it will be very easy for you to get your hands on them if you are not already using kelp products. Many liquid nutritional products and blended with kelp in them now but there are also products available that only contain kelp as well. 

Turf Fuel has many products available that contain sea kelp. Our sea kelp is Ecklonia maxima which is an auxin rich form of sea kelp. Our auxin rich formula will be the most effective in increasing root mass and system development while limiting the growth of lateral stems which is not desirable in turf.

XChange is a combination of sea kelp, humic acid, salicylic acid and iron. This product will greatly improve nutrient availability. XChange will also greatly increase root mass, antioxidant levels and colour. It will also help the plant to manage stress and disease.

 

Respo Fuel contains sea kelp, foliar calcium, silica, copper, salicylic acid and our Nutrifense technology. It is a fantastic product for managing and preventing heat and drought stress.

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management. 

Potassium Nutrition

Potassium has many important roles in aiding in overall plant health. Of the three primary plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), potassium is the nutrient that is most important in helping the health of the plant to be protected against environmental stresses such as drought and extreme winter weather. Potassium is very important for many crucial plant process which include the synthesis/production of starches and essential sugars. Potassium is also known to aid the plant in being more resilient to external stresses as it is very effective in strengthening plant cell walls. Potassium has also been proven to help the plant with increasing disease and drought resistance along with what most people think of when they think of potassium which is increasing overall plant hardiness heading into and over the winter period. 

Because potassium is important for cell strength and internal cell functions; when it is supplied to the plant in adequate amounts the plant will then be more efficient with photosynthesis, water absorption, the creation of proteins and respiration. This statement really helps to explain why it is so useful in managing stress. Typically when the plant is under stress the necessary processes will slow down, but when we supply potassium to the plant it enables the plant to be able to continue with these necessary processes even when an external stress is present because the plant is strong enough to fight against the stress on its own. 

Potassium can aid the plant in being able to easier and more efficiently take up water and nutrients. Because potassium is very important in enabling the plant to grow; if it becomes deficient it can lead the plant to grow or recover slower than desired. The plant is primarily focused on storing carbohydrates in the fall in preparation for it "hibernation" period. By adding potassium at that time of year you are helping the plant to better store the food it needs to survive the winter. 

Turf that is deficient in potassium will have a yellow appearance and will begin to have a weaker root system which will lead to a weakened stand of turf that is easily susceptible to damage. One very important point with potassium is that it is a very Saskatchewan nutrient. A good portion of the world potash supply comes from our province so it is great to know that potassium is not only great for our turf but also our province!

Turf Fuel has a few foliar products and many granular products that contain sources of potassium. The main potassium product is Base K26. Base K26 is a 0-0-26 potassium fertilizer made from a very safe highly absorbed form known as potassium acetate. This product also contains G2D (Grow to Defend) technology. The technology is a blend of conjugated (combined), plant based hormones. G2D primes the plants growth and development while still improving plant structures like shoots and chlorophyll production, promotes energy conservation because these effective hormones have been supplied and helps the plant use nutrients more efficiently.

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management. 

Fungicides and Snow Mould

Snow moulds are most definitely the one type of disease that all turf managers in the province of Saskatchewan can and do face regardless of their location in the province. Because of this and the level of destruction they can cause to your turf it is fully accepted that we will preventatively spray fungicides to our turf to avoid the occurrence or lessen the damage from the disease.

During the winter the turf becomes weaker as the amount of carbohydrates within the plant becomes less and less. Snow moulds are among those disease types that are active and actually thrive under cooler temperatures and because of that they are the perfect opportunists when the turf is weaker to attack. The leaves of the plant will appear sunken and usually be coated in white mycelia after the pathogen has infected the plant. 

Photo by William M. Brown Jr., Bugwood.org.

There are extra steps that we can take to help in hardening the plant off in the fall along with not neglecting regular cultural practices which will lead to optimal plant health the can help to lessen the effects of snow mould but usually it is still necessary to apply fungicides to prevent snow moulds. The good news is that there are many different fungicides available that will work very well to control snow mould. 

There are many different types of fungi that cause snow moulds though so it is very important to know what type of snow mould you are trying to control when selecting fungicide products as some products will work better than others depending on which fungus is present. The two main diseases we deal with at snow mould time are grey snow mould and pink snow mould. Grey snow mould will typically have visible mycelia (white webbing) on top of the patch and the patches will be white or gray in colour. Pink snow mould will appear in similar sized patches and be pink to orange-brown in colour.

Different fungicide active ingredients will work and prevent the pathogen in different ways. Some will coat the plant tissue and prevent the pathogen from entering the plant, some fungicides will enter the plant foliage and spread throughout the leaf blade they were sprayed on and in that case prevent the disease from infecting the plant in the areas the active ingredient was sprayed on and some fungicides will enter the foliage and spread throughout the entire plant and in that case prevent the pathogen from infecting the plant structures it had spread to. The important factor with any of the active ingredients that do not just coat and remain on the plant tissue and instead move throughout the foliage is that you have to ensure that the plant is still actively growing (not dormant) enough for the product to be taken into the plant and then spread. Alternatively though, fungicide products that just coat the plant tissue will be less effective at times of aggressive plant growth and watering as the plant will grow out the active ingredient or the water will eventually wash it off in time. 

At Target Specialty Products we have many different fungicide products available to treat snow moulds and the different disease types related to snow mould. FMC has a product called Disarm that contains the active ingredient Fluoxastrobin. Disarm is a systemic product that is labelled for control of and very effective with both grey and pink snow mould. Disarm is usually one of the products we have customers use as one of their September "clean-up" applications.

Quali-Pro has a three-way active ingredient fungicide product called Intaglio that contains the active ingredients Chlorothalonil, Fludioxonil and Iprodione. Intaglio is a very effective product and it is labelled for control of both grey and pink snow mould. Intaglio is the fungicide product that we have our customers use as their final fungicide application right prior to winter.

Quali-Pro also has single active ingredient products called Chlorothalonil 720F, Iprodione 240 SE and Propiconazole 14.3 ME which are also very effective for pink and grey snow mould. Those three Quali-Pro products are products that we would recommend to customers for use in September as one of their "clean-up" applications or as a preventative application first thing in the spring right after snow melt. 

When used at the proper times in conjunction with strong plant health programs (fertility and cultural)Target Specialty Products fungicide products will be very effective in controlling all different types of snow moulds that exist. 

Manganese

Manganese is an often forgotten about but very important micronutrient for turf. Manganese plays an important role in the photosynthesis process as it is the element that splits H2O molecules early in the photosynthesis process. Manganese also is the element that breaks down carbon dioxide during the photosynthesis process. Because of this if the plant is deficient with manganese than it will have a negative effect on chloroplast and then in return reduce photosynthesis production. Once photosynthesis slows then so do most other plant functions and as a result we end up with a weaker plant. Most manganese that exists in the soil will not actually be available to the plant due to the fact that it normally oxidizes so quickly within the soil. Because of this manganese applied in foliar applications will generally be most effective depending on the main goal of the manganese application. 

Manganese has proven itself to be very effective in enabling the plant to be able to deal with some pathogen infections. Manganese is responsible for being a part of the activation process of many plant beneficial enzymes. Many of these enzymes are important for the production of lignin. Lignin is an important part of the plant tissue, especially the roots that helps the plant to be more resistant to soil-borne diseases. Manganese is also responsible for other enzymes that can also be toxic to certain pathogens as well which can help the plant deal with disease. 

Because manganese is so beneficial for oxygen production within the plant it is also great for stress resistance as most stresses will typically limit oxygen so in the case of manganese it will actually increase oxygen and the plants ability to handle the stress. Manganese deficiency will typically appear as discoloration or chlorosis within the veins of younger plant leaves. But in contrast to this; adequate amounts of manganese will result in great colour within the plant especially because it is so important for photosynthesis. 

Turf Fuel has a product called MZ-23 that is a manganese product along with zinc, potassium phosphite and seaweed extract. MZ-23 is the ultimate stress and summer stress product due to the stress and pathogen related benefits that manganese, phosphites and zinc all give you. It is also a great product for promoting rooting and a great colour response as well. 

We do also have many other foliar and granular products available though that will provide the plant with all of the benefits of manganese that we have discussed that can be a great addition to your program as well.

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management. 

Phosphites

Phosphites have become a popular and very common topic in the turf management world, but what exactly do they do for the turf? 

Phosphites are now commonly being used in the turf world for disease suppression, as plant defense activators that can strengthen the plant to enable it to fight in times of stress and as a biostimulant to strengthen the plant through root & shoot development, stress tolerance, etc. Because of phosphites ability to suppress disease and strengthen the plant to be capable of fighting off stress, phosphites are a very popular and important component of a managers integrated pest management program as there is more and more pressure to move away from or use less synthetic pesticides. Phosphites are generally less expensive than traditional fungicide products and will have less of a negative effect on harming non-target organisms when spraying.

Phosphites on their own have proven to reduce the incidence of disease in many cases by atleast 50% but have also shown that they can even have greater control than that. Research has proven that with the combination of both phosphites and traditional fungicides together that disease suppression is excellent and even better than the fungicides on their own. Because of this data it can give you as a turf manager a few options. When disease pressure is moderate to low the use of phosphites on their own may just be enough to control the disease within your thresholds. When disease pressure is high and phosphites and fungicides are used together you can expect very strong disease control or even the option to use a lower rate of fungicide without losing any of the expected control you would expect from fungicides alone at a higher rate. 

The addition of phosphites to turf will result in higher quality and more dense turf compared to areas where phosphites are not used. In trial data the plots with phosphites added were even able to show that the turf treated with phosphites were more dense and of better overall quality in comparison to the turf that received just fungicide applications. Trials have now been carried out to show that when phosphites are in contact with pathogen material that they will actually slow the development of the pathogen similar to a fungicide and then allow the plant to fight back against the disease.  

Turf Fuel carries two phosphite products called Phos-Sil Fuel Supreme and MZ-23. Phos-Sil Fuel Supreme is a combination of phosphite and silica. The phosphites will help to fight disease and enable plant defense mechanisms while the silica will harden cell walls and results in a tougher and more resilient plant. Phos-Sil Fuel is the ultimate plant stress and health product that will result in a very tough plant. 

   

MZ-23 is a combination of phosphite, sea kelp, potassium, manganese and zinc. This product combination will result in exceptional stress resistance, colour and turf health. It is great for driving roots but the combination of manganese and zinc are also great for in-season patch diseases and carrying out many of the plants most important jobs like photosynthesis.  

Turf Fuel is committed to developing products that are not like any other on the market and finding solutions to the problems that have been plaguing turf managers for years. They are committed to always improving the already great products they currently have. Turf Fuel has solutions available from the most simple aspects of nitrogen nutrition to the much more complicated solutions that you have been looking for such as stress management.