Salt build-up and the subsequent problems associated with that build up can cause multiple problems – from slow and blotchy germination to Rapid Blight. When not addressed prior to overseeding, turfgrass can struggle to germinate properly.
The combination of the salt level in the irrigation water and the turfgrass’ salt tolerance determines how to manage salinity within turfgrass soil. The key to salinity control is leaching, the process of soil naturally losing nutrients as water moves down through the soil. Since water moves through the large air pores in the soil, the amount of air pores that are present, provides insight as to how easy or difficult leaching may be. The other condition that is important to leaching is the uniform or even flow of water through the profile. If soils are water repellent or hard to wet, then getting the entire profile leached may also be difficult.
So why do soils get sealed off?
- The formation of carbonates, which plug the pore spaces and make it hard to move water and therefore leach.
- The accumulation of sodium, which destroys soil structure and reduces the number of pores for water to move through.
How Do We Solve These Problems?
Integrate Blast & Sixteen90 Into Your Program
- Blast is a carbonate dissolving product that can be injected or sprayed. It works by dissolving carbonate deposits which in turn opens air pores within the soil for better water movement and more efficient leaching. Blast is also a sodium reducing product that works by increasing the ease of exchanging sodium from the soil particles and thus reducing the level of sodium accumulating in the soil. In addition, as a soil amendment, Blast controls soil salt issues that seal the soil off and make it difficult to move water and leach salts.
- Sixteen90 is a soil surfactant that works to ensure that soils wet uniformly and move salts deep into the soil and away from the rootzone.
Together, these products can be used as part of a program to cleanse soil prior to overseeding, or post-overseeding to ensure that seeds have a better, cleaner environment to grow in during the fall and winter months.
For more information on Sixteen90 or Blast, and how they can be used in your salt management programs, please contact your local Aquatrols Turf Distributor.
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