Blog
May 25

Tasty Turf Recipes: Managing Root Dysfunction

By Aquatrols | What are some of our territory managers’ go-to product recommendations for long-term turf health, special needs, or quick fixes? Here’s the first in our series of tried-and-true recipes from our team.

Our territory managers collectively have a couple of hundred years of experience. They know the turf. So we reached out to them for some of their favorite recipes. No, not those recipes. We’re not talking barbeque or casseroles…we’re talking turf solutions.

Our first fave comes from Duncan Stewart-Orris of Florida: 

Cooking Up Some Yummy Roots (aka, Managing Root Dysfunction)

Around the Southeast, rooting issues can be a cause of some pretty significant headaches, particularly when nematodes are also involved. I love this recipe because it helps build the soil environment. These products (below) feed soil microbes and are essential to plant functions such as nitrogen uptake, stimulating root growth, and allowing the soil to start using the nutrients you apply. Redox nutrition moves the elements into the plant more efficiently so every ounce you apply to turf or ornamentals gives you value.

Here’s Duncan’s recipe:

Used every 2 weeks, you’ll see a lot of improvement in turf health and vigor. The addition of available carbon sources helps process nitrogen in the plant and the phosphorous and calcium will improve root structure and density. Remember to add your favorite wetting agent (e.g., Zipline) for best results.

Here’s how it breaks down, including what each component does and costs:

TurfRx Ca is specifically formulated to provide concentrated plant available calcium for plant nutrition and soil structure. Redox microencapsulation allows for improved calcium uptake and movement within the plant. TurfRx Ca uses this process to prevent calcium tie-up in the soil, allowing for improved soil structure. TurfRx Ca supplies soluble calcium throughout critical root development periods during the spring, fall, and post aerification. The recommended rate is 64 oz per acre. The cost is $22.48 per acre at this rate.

TurfRx P+ is a high phosphorus fertilizer reacted with specific L-amino acids. Redox complexing technology of phosphorus with soluble carbon chemistry reduces soil tie-up and significantly improves phosphorus efficiency. TurfRx P+ uses 6 specific L-amino acids to increase soluble phosphorus and improve lateral root branching, development, and overall soil health. The recommended rate is 64oz per acre. The cost is $29.03 per acre at this rate.

TurfRx C-85 contains short, medium, and long-chained carbon that naturally complex and chelate bound nutrients in the soil making them available to the plant. It also reduces nitrogen inputs, metabolizes nitrogen for efficient use, feeds microbes in the soil to help buffer salts, and degrades thatch. The recommended rate is 64 oz/acre. The cost is $33.63 per acre at this rate. This is a pretty standard base for all Redox products.

TurfRx NatureCur is a botanical extract product that contains 5% potassium. NatureCur contains proprietary soluble carbon compounds that improve antioxidant production and stimulate root growth and metabolism. NatureCur reduces abiotic stress by increasing root quality and quantity, resulting in improved soil health. I would recommend this one for nematode and root issue areas. The recommended rate is 64oz/ acre which works out to be $43.18 per acre at this rate.

Want to know more? Give me a holler at 352-215-2036 or dstewartorris@aquatrols.com. And bon appetit!

Want to know more? Give me a holler at 352-215-2036 or dstewartorris@aquatrols.com. And bon appetit!

Aquatrols

About The Author

More than 60 years ago, Aquatrols introduced the world’s first commercially available soil wetting agent. Since creating an entirely new product category to address water management challenges and opportunities, the company has remained a top innovator and producer of high-performance soil surfactants and related technologies. Aquatrols’ advanced product suite optimizes soil-water-plant interactions in agricultural, professional turfgrass, and horticultural industries in more than 40 countries. Headquartered in southern New Jersey, Aquatrols also has offices in the United Kingdom and conducts business on six continents.