Surviving Summer Stress
7/19/2011 - By Harrell's
In order to maintain healthy, strong turf that can withstand the extreme summer weather, turf managers need every edge in order to retain peak playing conditions during this stressful time.
Preventing Summer Stress
High temperatures cause the roots of many grass varieties to shorten and even die during the summer. Regrowth does occur with the onset of cooler weather in the autumn, however, some steps can be taken to limit and even prevent severe damage. Timely application of fungicides can help suppress diseases that take a toll on turf during summertime drought conditions. Healthier turf can withstand summer decline much better than turf that is already diseased and damaged.
Preventing Summer StressPhosphites are commonly used from late spring through the fall to help combat summer stress syndrome in both warm and cool season grasses. Title Phyte™ can be applied at 3 -5 oz/m ft2 every 14 days in a minimum of 3 gallons of water.
Aerating, combined with a thorough and deep watering, can help open turf pore spaces, which results in the improved distribution of water, chemicals and air that are important to turf health and uniformity. De-thatching can also improve water and air flow to root systems and create a stronger plant.
Syringing and hand-watering are other practices which help lower soil temperatures, cool the turf canopy and reduce wilt during extreme heat and prevent summer stress, although these practices can be time consuming and labor intensive. Be sure to use ReWet or RootMAX pellets, with seaweed extract, to improve syringing and hand watering efficiency.
Wetting Agent Use
Symphony™, the only multi-branch, hydrating wetting agent for hard-to-wet and droughty soils, not only helps you to maintain enough moisture in the rootzone but also gives you soil management benefits. The hydrophobic “stripper” component partially removes hydrophobic coatings on soil particles that cause soil water repellency so you have more control over how water (and everything water carries) moves throughout the rootzone keeping soils properly hydrated. The water conditioning component not only buffers tank mix pH (making fungicides more effective) but also helps dissolve soil bicarbonates. Apply at 8-5 oz/m ft2 monthly or 4 -2 ½ oz/m ft2 every two weeks. Use higher rates if severe soil water repellency, high temperatures and/or very dry conditions persist.If you want fast recovery of LDS and wilt ReWet™ Liquid or Granular are available. Apply ReWet liquid weekly (2 oz/m), bi-weekly (4 oz/m) or monthly (8 oz/m) and adjust the rates and frequency depending on severity of problem. You can also inject ReWet (10ppm daily or 100ppm weekly) through the Harrell’s Series E Plus Pump or add to spray tank. ReWet Granular can be applied at 2.5 oz/m ft2 weekly as needed.
Biostimulant Use for Stress Tolerance, Plant Health and Natural Color
There is a lot of scientific evidence behind the benefits of seaplant extract to help with drought resistance. Dr. Dick Schmidt of VA Tech said, “every time we have tested seaplant extract treated turf, the treated turf leaf tissue has contained more moisture than the untreated.”Auburn University research, during the stressful 2010 summer, proved Bio-MAX™ 4-0-0 increases bentgrass turf density. 4-0-0 is a liquid foliar combination of 52% seaweed extract and fulvic acid that increases anti-oxidant activity for reduced stress and healthier turf. Apply 3 oz/1,000 ft2 every week in conjunction with foliar nutrition.
A combination of the above products and cultural practices will help superintendents get through the stressful summer months and help turf to tolerate and recover from high heat and humidity.
Related Resources
In addition to being the nation’s largest distributor of branded fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides, Harrell’s produces custom-blended fertilizers, specialty liquids, and wetting agents. Additionally, Harrell’s is the exclusive US owner, formulator, and distributor of all POLYON® branded products.
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