How to Prepare for Fall Recovery

We are still in the heart of summer stress, but fall and recovery are near. As we begin thinking about fall recovery, we must remember that knowledge is power. The more we know, the better we can be equipped for success.

The most important thing to familiarize yourself with for success is your property’s situation. A few questions to ask yourself to understand your specific situation are:

• What is your soil medium? (Push-up greens, sand-based field, USGA, modified push-ups)?
• Have you run a diagnostic test on your soil recently?
• What is the composition of your irrigation water?
• Have you tested the water recently?

Perform a soil and water test to answer a few of the questions above and better understand your situation. A good soil test with both exchangeable and available nutrient composition should be performed, as well as a water test to determine how water is affecting the situation.

Comparing soil and water test results can be revealing, as issues in your water often reflect in your soil. Remember, during droughts or heavy watering, the soil has been receiving the composition of that water source without natural flushing from rain. So, it’s essential to understand what those watering practices can do to affect the soil.

Another good idea is to conduct saturated paste (available nutrient) soil tests. However, consider conducting them using irrigation water instead of lab water, as it better reflects the actual conditions.

The soil, water, and saturated paste soil test results can help us determine the shortfalls within our specific turf stands and assist us with finding the necessary solutions (inputs) for those problems.

As we examine inputs that can remedy our problems, focus on specific end goals. Ask yourself what you’re trying to accomplish from a goal standpoint and base these goals on the previously mentioned testing.

Are you looking for cell strength? Consider using a calcium product like Foliar-Pak Calcium. Potassium may be a focus for osmotic cell strength, leading you to use Foliar-Pak 1-0-15 or Foliar-Pak Armament K. You may also look at silicon products, like Foliar-Pak CSi L. If you want to increase cell strength by loading up existing vacuole osmolytes, consider Foliar-Pak Foundation Forty.

Are you looking to build carbohydrates? Use pre-cursors to carbs, like Foliar-Pak Foundation Forty. You may be looking to boost/build chlorophyll to help build carbs or roots, in which case quite a few Foliar-Pak products may help. Foliar-Pak Minors would be one of those, as would Foliar-Pak Amperage. Foliar-Pak Amperage primarily focuses on building carbohydrates. It helps specifically during shoulder seasons when the plant wants to slow down to continue with photosynthesis and plant metabolism. Foliar-Pak Amperage also helps keep the microbial community humming to give back to the turf in their symbiotic relationship.

Are you looking to build roots? Phosphorus is beneficial for building roots. It can help build proteins and develop new tissue. Phosphorus is also a primary component in ATP, plants’ main energy source. All of these help build new roots and repair damaged ones. Foliar-Pak Armament P and Grow-In are great solutions for building roots.

Are you looking to remedy water issues? Consider applying carbon inputs to buffer the soil—products like Armament Concentrate or any Armament technology products can help. Surfactants, like Command, can also help work negative inputs from irrigation water through the soil profile.

Base all fall-input solutions on testing, regardless of the end goals you want to achieve. When you test, you are attacking a problem directly instead of making decisions from an assumption.

*We want to be clear that there is NO substitute or product for cultural practices. These tasks are critical for any turfgrass manager and will always take precedence over physical inputs.