9/1/2020 - By Tyler Otero

I’m sure it’s been said by many superintendents over the years that no two golf courses are alike. That’s really not even up for debate. So, considering your course is one of a kind and has unique needs, would you rather use the same granular fertilizer that everyone else uses or a custom fertilizer blended to meet your specific requirements? I think it’s safe to say that most would probably opt for the latter. That’s why at Harrell’s, we offer customers the ability to create custom-blended granular fertilizers based on the specific needs of their site. Sure, we also sell a variety of field-proven, “stock” blends that are scientifically designed to meet the common needs of each region throughout the country. We’ve always got those on the shelf and available for a quick grab, but if you want to take a more dialed-in approach, then our custom-blended PROfertilizer® service is what you need.

To begin building your custom fertilizer, you can start with our most advanced POLYON® controlled-release fertilizer and incorporate additional sources of nutrition to an already superior bag of fertilizer. Do you want a quick greening response from your turf? Then adding some GreenTRX™ from Anuvia™ to the blend is a good fit.

Looking for a long-lasting Potassium source? Try adding POLYON® K to the mix. Need to add in a great micronutrient package? We can put that in the bag for you as well. Do you have a need for lime or gypsum products at your location? Why not be more efficient and add those right to your bag of nitrogen fertilizer? These are just a handful of the dozens of raw ingredients we have access to. Prescription-based fertilizer, or custom blending, allows you to truly “dial in” your fertility program with a long list of raw materials.

In addition to the various raw materials that are offered, we also have the unique ability to “sparge” chemistry onto our granular fertilizers. These can be preemergent herbicides such as Dimension®, Barricade®, or Ronstar® (Restricted Use Pesticide) or insecticides such as Merit, Acelepryn®, or Talstar®, to name a few. Make sure to check with your Harrell’s rep as to which ones are registered in your State. By combining these chemistries and your fertilizer into one application, you not only save time, but you also allow your fertilizer to do the extra work for you. 

Interested in sparging? Check out this video to learn more about the benefits it entails:

All of the Harrell’s custom-blended fertilizers are mixed at either our Sylacauga, AL or Lakeland, FL locations. We take great pride in the quality-control measures in place for our custom blending operations. Check out this video on how these “prescription” fertilizers are filled at Harrell’s:

As we count down the days of summer, I challenge you to ask your Harrell’s Territory Manager about custom blending granular fertilizer for this fall or next spring. They’ll review your latest soil test results (when was the last time you checked those?) and put together a plan using the Harrell’s POLYGRAPH® program and our proprietary CustoMix® software. With those tools, they’ll formulate a custom-blended fertilizer solution that delivers the ideal release rates and nutrients to address your unique growing needs. One misconception regarding custom blending is cost. Unlike your local pharmacy, our prescription prices are affordable for everyone. Just remember to plan accordingly if you want a custom fertilizer, as these are made-to-order products that can take up to 3 weeks to land at your facility. We look forward to adding your name to the list of thousands of unique blends that we have already produced across the country.