3/16/2021 - By Tyler Otero

I have a confession to make. Writing these blogs or coming up with blog ideas is not my strongest skill set. It is a part of this job that I am learning but have not yet mastered. Some people just have a “knack” for it.

So, as I was sitting at my desk, staring at a blank screen, listening to music in the background, I heard a blog topic come from the heavens. Or I should say from the computer speakers and from the voice of artist named Alice Merton. The song that I was inherently tapping my fingers to is titled “No Roots”. You can listen to it here (Alice Merton - No Roots), but I must tell you that it has nothing to do with growing turf or plants so you may or may not like it. Although I find the song catchy, it was the title of the song that inspired me to write.

As your property is awakening from its winters nap, some will be looking for recovery from excessive winter play, while others will be trying to jump start their turf to prepare for what lies ahead. All signs are pointing to another extremely busy golf season in 2021.

What you do now, especially pertaining to root development, can and will pay dividends come August. So, when Ms. Merton sings “I build a home and wait for someone to tear it down”, that home is your fine turf areas and that someone tearing them down is our good friend Mother Nature.

What can we do now to prepare your roots for the inevitable summer beat-down they are going to receive?

At Harrell’s, we like to look at it from a program standpoint. Something we call our Balanced Approach Program.

By following our annual agronomic plan for your property, you can implement practices at your facility that will impact root development in the Spring to help build strong and resilient turf to stand up to what Mother Nature delivers in the Summer. There is no single silver bullet product that will get your turf through the tough times. It is a calculated blend of nutrition, plant protectants, water management, and cultivation that helps build strong roots.

Harrell’s has a wide variety of university tested and field proven root enhancing products. Some of our work-horse products are:

• EarthMAX® Organic
• Amino Pro V
• Seaweed A+E
• Bio-MAX® 4-0-0
• PAR® SG

A good place to start implementing these products is with monthly soil sprays. In combination with an application of Harrell’s Fleet®; Amino Pro V, EarthMAX® Organic, and Bio-MAX® 4-0-0 have been scientifically proven to produce an increase in root density, weight, and length.

Our most recent research from Virginia Tech University, both in the lab and the field, has indicated that adding plant health products like Seaweed A+E and our pigment product, PAR® SG, to your foliar sprays will provide you increased root length.

There is more than one way to cook an egg, so please work with your Harrell’s Territory Manager to establish a root development program that works for you this Spring. Just keep in mind the words from our good friend Alice, “But I've got memories and travel like gypsies in the night, And a thousand times I've seen this road, A thousand times, I've got no roots”. Do not let your healthy turf travel off in the middle of the night this August. Prepare your roots now!!

Products Mentioned:

• EarthMAX® Organic
• Amino Pro V
• Seaweed A+E
• Bio-MAX® 4-0-0
• Fleet®
• PAR® SG