29 Oct Three Key Factors Impacting Your Soil Health
Posted at 12:17h
in Soil Analysis
Great turf starts with healthy soil, but what does healthy soil start with? Before we dive into the specifics, it needs to be recognized that for something to have “health”, it must be a living thing. So how can soil be alive? It’s a vital, living ecosystem, full of organisms like bacteria, algae and fungi. It’s not just a growing medium, but its own entity.
A lot of people can get turned off by the term consultant. Sounds like a middle man, an extra step that adds cost to a project that can be avoided with a little research and legwork. But, I assure you, when it comes to creating a vibrant, lush golf course, bringing in an expert that uses testing and data to back up recommendations can be an absolutely invaluable move. So just what do I do? 
You hear me talk A LOT about potash applications and the importance of potassium levels for plant health and recovery. I don’t talk much about the actual golf and equipment traffic, but it is important for that too. This research focuses on silicon and how those products are sold to aid in wear and recovery. Take a look and see what you think. 
A perfect golf course is so much more than just lush, healthy turfgrass. It's the balance of grass, sand, water, and the interaction with the surroundings that give you that "this is gonna be a great game" feeling. Rolling up next to a pond covered in green slime infringes upon that feeling. But! You can't just nuke all the plant life in your waters because they contribute to the ecosystem's health. Like so many things in this industry, it's about balance. Here we talk about algae and its role in your ponds. 
If there’s anything I’ve learned in my 30+ years playing or working on golf courses, it’s that I’m never done learning. It’s impossible to know it all, and it’s an industry where change is constant. But, there are a few things I’ve witnessed throughout my time about superintendents and what makes the best ones. Here are a couple of mistakes I’ve seen made that could be the difference between amateur and pro status. 
Sulfur is one of those elements that seems simple enough, but I often have conversations about it. Some clients worry about too much, some clients want more. There are a couple of "lanes" people choose on sulfur and once they are in the lane it is hard to get out! I hope this summary on sulfur will help clarify some misconceptions.
With many places that I work, the soils are high pH and often calcareous. I have seen sulfur on soils tests that are so high, you would think it was a sample from a bag of elemental sulfur. Take a look and as I see you in the upcoming weeks, we will have something to chat about.