8/4/2020 - By Scott Parker

Well, we’re only about halfway through it, but 2020 has already proven to be a wild one. It’s been tiresome, redundant, frustrating, and emotional for all of us in this industry and across the world. Our industry has definitely had its ups and downs as well as some scary moments. And if a pandemic wasn’t enough, Mother Nature decided to throw her hat in the ring too, delivering some significant heat and stresses to deal with. All of this on top of a lack of labor, challenging new operational procedures, heavy play, and an enduring high demand has made it very difficult for turf managers all across the country.

One consistent issue that we’ve seen this year is heavy wear on the turf from a surge in play and high cart traffic, especially among facilities operating under the one-person-per-cart rule. As we get into late summer, it’s a good time to work with your local Harrell’s sales representative to run some soil and tissue tests. This can help you identify any nutrient deficiencies so that you can give your turf the best shot at recovery from the increase in traffic. For tips on soil and tissue testing, check out some of these other blogs on Interpreting Soil Test Resultsand Golf Course Tissue Testing. Based on your results, your rep can help you dial in a fine-tuned fertilizer prescription customized for your turf’s nutritional needs using tools like the Harrell’s POLYGRAPH®.

This is also the perfect time to consider overseeding roughs that have been hit with the heavy traffic or interseeding bentgrass where some poa annua may have checked out. This can help fill in the areas that may be struggling from the extra wear and tear. Below is an example of one of our seed guides, which we have for each region of the country. These guides break down the key characteristics of each seed option, like how and where to use them, their qualities, and their disease resistances. Ask your sales rep to review your region’s guide with you to determine the best seed for your needs.

• Midwest Seed Guide
• Mid-Atlantic Seed Guide
• Northeast Seed Guide

So, here’s to hoping for calmer days ahead and a world that can work its way back to the one we all once knew. Until then, I hope all of you, your families, friends, and staff stay healthy and stay positive. We appreciate all that you do for us and look forward to working with you to manage through this stressful year.