Tom Crespin of Harmony Outdoor Brands shares his experience painting sod with Geoponics’ Endurant turf colorants

Just as people often pick out the reddest apple, people prefer the greenest grass. Painting sod using Endurant is keeping grass green as ever, offering benefits to growers, stores and property owners.

Endurant turf colorants and Harmony Outdoor Brands are providing the greenest sod grass for lawns across the U.S.

People are tending to their lawns, gardens and homes more than ever, said Tom Crespin of Harmony Outdoor Brands, which is the #1 supplier of retail sod grasses in North America.

Crespin has been in the sod industry for 10 years and agriculture for 40 years. Painting sod hasn’t always been popular or effective due to faulty brands, he said. Finding Endurant several years ago was key to making the practice of painting sod an all-around win economically, agronomically and environmentally.

Crespin works with sod farmers across the U.S. to grow the best possible sod for large box stores, like Home Depot and Lowe’s, among others.

“If the sod is even slightly yellowed, they won’t buy it,” said Crespin.

Even healthy sod, albeit off-colored, may go unused, letting acres of sod go to waste.

Painting Sod with Endurant: The Grass Is Greener Than the Other Side

By adding the non-toxic Endurant turf colorant to the turf, Harmony Outdoor Brands, their independent farmers, construction workers and stores are all benefiting by preventing waste, increasing profits and providing customers with the product they most desire.

Harmony and its supply farmers have been using Endurant for several years now, and the decision to do so came with a lot of consideration.

“It’s hard to get farmers to try something new. Farmers know better – and in a lot of cases they do,” said Crespin.

“For farmers who have used paint in the past, they were a little skeptical to try Endurant at first,” said Crespin.

What they came to see was that Endurant wasn’t like the other colorant brands.

“Past paints we used, I wasn’t too keen on them. As the plant dried, the paint separated. But this product remains true,” said Crespin.

The color is natural and it lasts, he added.

That’s critical to increasing sales for Harmony, for stores and for farmers.

“Because if it gets chlorotic, or even slightly yellow looking, people have a tendency not to buy it. They will always pick up the greener grass,” said Crespin.

Endurant, he noticed, helped to increase naturally occurring chlorophyll by warming the grass as it grew from dormancy and thus leading to earlier spring time greening in addition to the colorant.

“It also provides a summer time green more of the year,” said Crespin.

By using Endurant for painting sod, the turfgrass sales season is able to start earlier in March and is extended by about two months, he added.

“Stores love the additional sales. If people are buying sod, they’re buying lots of other products — sprinklers, fertilizer, hoses,” Crespin said.

Endurant turf colorant provided a significant boost to the economics, agronomics and environmentally friendly aspects of growing and selling sod.

Many of Harmony Brand farmers are using Endurant turf colorants now on their St Augustine, Bermuda and Zoysia grasses.

“It’s more than paid for itself,” said Crespin. “They spend a penny, but they’re getting much more than that back,” he added.

“This is one of those innovations that helps not just with visual appeal, it helps the farmers,” said Crespin.

“They are looking for any little edge they can get. They can harvest a second time as they get the sod out a little sooner.”

The icing on the proverbial cake is exceptional customer service with Geoponics, the makers of Endurant turf colorant, said Crespin.

“For anyone thinking of using this, get ready for service. Geoponics will give you all the tips you need and will help with any questions you might have about using Endurant. The paint looks great on the sod. It’s been a huge advantage,” he said.

New from Geoponics, Endurant turf pigment cleaner helps turfgrass managers so they can keep grass green and their equipment clean.

New: Endurant Equipment Cleaner

Endurant turf colorants are a mainstay in the toolbox of golf course superintendents, sod farmers, athletic field managers and others in the landscaping and agricultural businesses. So, it’s natural to get the best cleaner for the equipment after applying colorant.

This brand you can trust from Geoponics recently introduced their newest product in the Endurant line: Endurant Turf Pigment Cleaner. It’s quickly gaining popularity among golf course superintendents because it is so effective at cleaning machines while being completely non-toxic and affordable.

Order the new Endurant Turf Pigment Cleaner online today!

After ensuring that grass is green for optimal play and TV-readiness using Endurant turf colorants, all the while minimizing the overuse of harsh chemicals and avoiding the practices of over-watering, the only thing to do next is to ensure the equipment remains clean.

After all, grass should be green– not the machines!

Endurant turf colorants and enhancers do not damage or affect the operation of the machines, but keeping the machines looking as good as new is easier than ever with the new Endurant turf colorant cleaner.

This equipment cleaner is so easy to use and non-toxic!

The cleaner is simple, fast and effective. It works like magic to wipe the green colorant away.

Geoponics recently introduced this new product that cleans not just colorant but also removes other stains from equipment.

Endurant Equipment Cleaner is all-natural, bio-based and has a neutral pH.

It is also safe for employees, safe for the environment and can be used in hand cleaning applications.

Remove stains from mowers, tanks, spreaders and other equipment or areas where paints and pigments have lefts stains or discoloration.

Endurant Turf Pigment Cleaner makes it easy to wipe off turf paint, pigments and many other product residues, including yellow herbicide iron stains.

This is the ultimate cleaner for removing grease, grass, grime and other residues common to golf course maintenance, landscaping, sod farming, athletic field management and other agricultural uses.

Endurant Turf Pigment Cleaner is a new favorite for this turf colorant season because it’s super affordable, non-toxic and easy to use. Visit ShopGeoponics to order today!

Key features of Endurant Equipment Cleaner:

• Non toxic
• Rust inhibitor
• Biodegradable
• Emits zero VOCs
• Miscible with water
• Safe for the environment
• Safe for employees
• Bio-based ingredients

Preventing frost damage is critical for turgrass and plant health. Golf course superintendents are particularly eager to do all they can to protect turf from the damage of frost. It’s costly not only to the health of the plants but also in delaying games on golf courses and other sports fields.

The solution: Penterra.

Preventing Frost Damage

Penterra is the fastest-acting soil penetrant and applying it to turf can protect the turf from damage,  loss of chlorophyll and color–essential for golf courses, and any added damage of foot or maintenance traffic on the turf while it’s covered in frost.

Penterra is a mainstay in the golf course superintendent’s toolbox for optimal turfcare.

This environmentally-friendly and sustainable soil surfactant also assists with keeping soil healthy and assists with optimal water management, particularly when water needs to get moving through the soil profile.

If retaining color is essential to the game and business of golf, another environmentally-sustainable solution for adding or retaining color, while also increasing the surface temperature adding in plant health, is to use Endurant, including Endurant TE, which is a turf enhancing pigment optimal for use on actively growing grass, or one of the other multiple shades of Endurant turf colorant. Many superintendents also use a combination of the two during transitions. Keep an eye on our blog for more on this and check out TurfPaint.net.

Preventing Frost Damage Means Preventing Delays

Get players back on the field, on the course and in the game sooner this fall and winter. Apply Penterra before a frost and experience the difference.

Learn more about Penterra at www.Penterra.net, review our Penterra PDF, and order today at 1-877-ECO-GROW.

Geoponics is proud to offer tools to the turfgrass industry to find financially viable solutions that help minimize water usage, increase soil health and make growing easier for sod farmers, athletic field managers, golf course superintendents and others. Check out GeoponicsCorp.com for organic and earth-friendly solutions to common challenges in turf, bunkers, ponds, gardens and farms.

There’s a way to save millions of gallons of water this fall! As golf course superintendents and sports field managers are overseeding their rye grass, the seed is requiring near steady flows of water. Geoponics offers solutions to this high economic and environmental demand with Humawet and Profasorb.

Humawet and Profasorb are two wetting agents that can help save water usage and retain water in soil.

Save Water While Overseeding with Humawet and Profasorb

Humawet is the most powerful soil surfactant for retaining water and is often used on greens with added benefits provided by humic acid.

Profasorb is the most economical and effective soil surfactant for use throughout the golf course, including on fairways. It’s ease of use in fertigation systems makes it particularly popular, saving water and saving time – removing the need for using a spray rig for application.

“As superintendents go out there and put the seed out, they’re running water constantly right now,” explains long time expert in her field of turfgrass management, Jennifer Seevers, of Geoponics.

“They’re running their irrigation just non-stop, keeping that seed wet and moist, so it will germinate. Without water, it’s not going to happen,” adds Seevers.

Conserving water also saves money while overseeding

While overseeding is happening on turfgrass across the country, the water usage on the West Coast is more extensive—and more expensive!

“On the East Coast, there are people who may take water for granted. But when you get west of the Mississippi, there’s a different mentality about water. . . They’re saving $27,000 per month using these two products,” says Seevers.

“Imagine what they’re spending,” she exclaims.

Some golf courses are spending up to $800,000 for water! Meanwhile, others don’t even pay for water.

Either way, these wetting agents will save on water usage, whether for saving tens of thousands of dollars, or gallons or both.

“It’s an extra tool for them. They don’t have to water quite as much and it will aid in that seed germinating more quickly,” says Seevers of turfgrass managers.

The benefits don’t end at germination either.

Improving soil health will save water while overseeding

“Once the seed does germinate, and people have a full stand of rye grass, these products, especially in places like Texas and other places where they need to keep watering that plant, will help,” says Seevers

While Profasorb and Humawet are great for use during overseeding, they can be used anytime it’s dry and the soil is in need of retaining water.

These environmentally friendly products nourish the soil for better plant health while conserving water.

Humawet incorporates the growing super power of humic acid for soil health.

Learn more about Profasorb and Humawet here: Soil Surfactants Guide.

Order on ShopGeoponics.com, contact your sales representative for larger orders or contact 1-877-ECO-GROW, info@geoponicscorp.com.

Another water-saving and money-saving alternative to overseed is turf colorant. Learn more about this alternative at TurfPaint.net.

Summer heat and heavy rains require special attention from growers to produce and maintain thriving plants, including turfgrass.

If soil is getting drenched with rain and the water is left standing on the surface, a soil surfactant is needed. Soil surfactants get water moving through the soil profile to benefit not just the soil health, but also the root system and thus plant health.

Standing water, compacted soil and other related conditions are also contributing factors to summer stress caused not just by heat but also exacerbated by anaerobic soil. Agriox can help with such anaerobic conditions, providing time released oxygen needed for healthy plants and soil.

Heat, rain, humidity– these conditions require special solutions for growers and turfgrass managers.

Standing water and the challenges associated with heavy, frequent down pours can be mitigated using wetting agents, particularly Penterra and/or HydraHawk, along with Agriox.

Turfgrass managers and agricultural growers seeking to maintain healthy turfgrass and crops in climates such as the Florida summer depend on surfactants and the unique time-released soil oxygen provided by Agriox. Rather than the painstaking manual practice of aerating soil, Agriox can work quickly to add oxygen with other benefits for the soil.

Penterra, the fastest-acting soil surfactant on the market, gets water moving through the soil profile quickly, so golfers can get back in the game quickly after rain.

Agriox is another tool and the two work well together, as does HydraHawk for healthy turf and plants throughout a hot, humid summer. Turfgrass managers and users appreciate the effectiveness of these products as well as their natural elements, as HydraHawk is a soil surfactant made from fruit and vegetable extracts. If interested in OMRI growing check out Geoponics products as increasingly sustainable growing products continue to be added to the line– a commitment to the Earth that Geoponics has maintained since the beginning of the company.

Sales on these soil surfactants and Agriox products made for summer soil solutions continue through August and their benefits last much longer!

Contact your sales representative or Geoponics directly, 1-877-ECO-GROW, for sale prices that are based on large commercial volume.

Home users and smaller properties can also benefit. Check out ShopGeoponics.com for great rates, quantities and application methods produced especially for use on smaller properties.

1When rain sits, here’s what you get: Penterra!

Penterra is the fastest-acting soil penetrant on the market today. During the heavy rains of summer, particularly common in South Florida and of course other areas around the world, Penterra is a savior for golf course superintendents, turfgrass managers and other growers.

One of the greatest challenges of golf course superintendents and agricultural growers is water management. Penterra is a wetting agent that leads to success when it’s time to get water moving through the soil.

Not only does Penterra keep soil, plants and turfgrass healthy, it helps to quickly restore usual operations– especially useful for getting back in the game quickly after rain on golf courses and athletic fields.

Whether for a summer tournament or to maintain usual daily usage, turfgrass managers, athletic field managers and golf course superintendents, among others, rely on Penterra as a soil penetrant that by far out-performs any wetting agent when it comes to getting water moving quickly throughout the soil profile.

Penterra is a tried and true type of product used by industry professionals in turgrass management, golf course management and agricultural uses for many years, accumulating dozens of testimonials and thank you’s for saving properties, plants, crops and time.

A couple of those testimonials from professionals include:

“I have never seen a surfactant pull water so quickly off the canopy, and I’ve used them all. I’ll give them credit, it really does what they say it will do.”

Robby Henderson,

Golf Course Superintendent

Maggie Valley Club and Resort

Maggie Valley, NC

“It is the single best product for what it is that I have used in 25 years as a superintendent.”

Johnny Powell

Golf Course Superintendent

North Myrtle Beach, SC

Water Management Tips for the Heat Wave

This July was the hottest month ever recorded in world history. The agricultural impacts are significant.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that July 2019 was the hottest month on record with average global temperatures the hottest since records began in 1880.

July is typically the hottest month of the year, but this hottest month keeps getting hotter.

Retain water with ProfaSorb and Humawet.

1. Humawet assists with loss of water due to winds, run off and drought. It helps build organic matter in sandy soil and retains water in the plant’s root zone. Humawet is the best of the soil surfactants for soil with low organic matter, including new golf greens. Humawet is designed to decrease the surface tension between water, soil and plant while improving the growth and activity of micro-organisms necessary for a healthy soil environment.
2. ProfaSorb is designed for fertigation or drip line irrigation to decrease the tension between water, soil and plant while also improving the growth and activity of micro-organisms necessary for a healthy soil environment. It is easy to use and its beneficial secondary effects of localized dry spots (LDS) are noticed rapidly. Not only are you improving the soil, but you are adding a long term effect to the turf to make it healthier and increase its disease and insect tolerance.

Move water with Penterra and HydraHawk.

1. Penterra is the fastest acting of the soil surfactants on the market with long term added benefits. Penterra helps reduce crusting, loosen hard clay soils and aggregate sandy soil. Penterra allows water and oxygen to better reach plant roots by reducing the surface tension between the water and soil.
2. HydraHawk helps water penetrate compacted or arid soils and aids plant life in the uptake of water and nutrients. HydraHawk is a natural performance-enhancing wetting and protective agent derived from fruit and vegetable extracts. HydraHawk contains unique natural surfactants that help the plants utilize water and survive in extreme heat, drought and soil salinity even in the severe climate conditions.

Save now on turf and soil products for heat recovery

Turf managers, growers and plants can all breathe a little easier this summer using Agriox and other unique Geoponics’ products to alleviate anaerobic soil and heat-related stress.

There are several practices used in golf course management and turf care that can help alleviate anaerobic soils. However, most of these are time intensive, labor intensive, expensive, as well as disruptive to play and/or other usual operations.

Agriox is a solution to these challenges. Agiox balances soil ecology, mitigating the effects of anaerobic soil, improving the health of the soil and giving root systems the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive through common summer soil stressors.

Other stressors in summer heat include soil moisture—with some areas getting too much rain or water and others not nearly enough. Humawet helps to hold moisture in soil and Penterra helps get the water moving through the soil profile. Other Geoponics’ products, including HydraHawk and Profasorb, are wetting agents and soil surfactants that offer additional soil health benefits.

There could not be a better time than now to improve the health of soil, root systems and plants. Geoponics is offering a sale through the end of August on Agriox for soil oxygen and its line of soil surfactants for water management.

Contact your sales representative directly or Geoponics to order today, 1-877-667-6330. Discounts depend on quantities purchased.

Time is running out on this summer sale. Call 1-877-ECO-GROW now.

Summer turf sale: Product descriptions for growing healthier plants

Agriox: A time released aerobic aeration conditioning product for soils and soil moisture providing critical life-sustaining oxygen to microorganisms. Agriox’s slow release of oxygen promotes overall soil health. Agriox.com

Humawet: A soil surfactant formulated to break surface tension and move water into the root zone, while assisting with loss of water due to winds, water runoff, and drought; it helps to build a healthy soil profile and retains water in the plant’s root zone. Humawet is economical and long lasting. Humawet.com

HydraHawk: An all natural soil surfactant and wetting agent for soils. HydraHawk is naturally derived fruits and vegetables extracts. HydraHawk.com

Penterra: The fastest-acting soil surfactant on the market. Penterra is the perfect choice when looking for a soil penetrant to get water moving all the way through the soil profile and to help move standing water. Penterra.net

ProfaSorb: ProfaSorb is a soil surfactant formulated to be used in irrigation injection systems to lower the surface tension of soils being irrigated to conserve water. ProfaSorb.com

1-877-ECO-GROW

info@GeoponicsCorp.com

Benefits from using these summer products include:

• Alleviate localized dry spot (LDS)
• Loosen hard clay soils
• Condition soil
• Add oxygen to soil to reduce anaerobic conditions
• Reduce water usage
• Move standing water
• Improve soil health
• Improve plant and root health

There is no better time to purchase turf colorant! Geoponics Early Order Program offers the best prices of the year on Endurant turf colorants now through September.

Colorant is the leading alternative to overseeding warm-season grasses and is also popular among turfgrass managers to improve the appearance of cool-season grasses during drought, summer stress and/ or winter stress as the colorant quickly conceals turf blemishes.

Whether for golf courses or other turfgrass applications, the Early Order Program makes the late summer the ideal time for purchase of all Endurant colorants—whether for actively growing grass or to be applied on dormant grass. For turfgrass managers planning to use colorant to minimize or replace overseed, the savings are the greatest.

Choosing Endurant turf colorant instead of overseed often presents savings as much as 50 percent on water usage alone! Other savings include time, labor, seed and other overseed-related expenses.

Geoponics offers several turf colorant options in the Endurant line of colorants, including Endurant TE for actively growing grass that has lower costs per application and can be used in combination with other colorants for seasonal transitions.

Endurant turf paint is best known for its cost-saving and natural look as an alternative to overseed to keep warm-season grass green during winter months. This practice can also lead to early spring time green up. Even cool-season grasses benefit from Endurant turf colorant for flawless aesthetic appeal.

Endurant turf colorants can be applied anytime, but Endurant instant overseed works particularly well on semi-dormant turfgrass before the grass is straw brown. Ordering this summer and applying Endurant turf colorants early this fall can be a great savings while getting optimal results.

The Early Order Program can be applied to any products in the Endurant line purchased this summer and applied to the turfgrass at anytime.

These colorant savings include but are not limited to the most popular Endurant products, such as Endurant TE: turf colorant with turf enhancer for actively growing grass; Endurant Premium: a dark green turf paint reminiscent of a rich, bright green lime peel; Endurant PR for a perennial rye grass look reminiscent of looking over the golf courses of Augusta; Endurant Fairway and others. See the whole line here: Endurant turf colorants.

The Early Order Program discount amount may depend upon the quantity purchased. Larger quantities receive greater discounts.

Contact your Geoponics sales representatives today for details on pricing and payment plan options.

General Geoponics email: info@geoponicscorp.com

Call Geoponics toll free at 1-877-ECO-GROW.

Water is life, especially for plants.

Too much and they drown, too little and they dry to death.

What to do?

Soil surfactants and wetting agents help maintain optimal moisture levels throughout the layers of the soil.

All wetting agents and soil surfactants are NOT the same. You either need a wetting agent that will help the soil to hold water or you need a wetting agent that will help the soil to move water.

Water management is clearly key to plant survival and health, making it the top priority among golf course superintendents, sod growers; farmers; landscapers; athletic field managers, homeowners and others.

Optimizing water usage and plant health requires a look at the combination of precipitation, irrigation and particularly soil quality and conditions.

The key question to consider when choosing water management practices is whether you need to move water through the soil or hold the water.

If you’re experiencing flooding on the surface, you need that water to move!

If you want to move water fast, there is no quicker product than Penterra! It helps to get water moving and penetrating all the levels of the soil. Penterra is the fastest-acting wetting agent on the market.

Love seeing experiments? Watch this oldie but goodie with Penterra:

https://youtu.be/XFM2D6nQMac

You know you may need Penterra when the swales in front of your home or property are frequently filling with water due to flooding or you live in an area expecting heavy rains with a propensity for puddles and floods.

But what if the water is hanging on the surface almost like it was a windshield recently treated with RainX, as described by a recent commenter on TheLawnForum.com interactive blog?

You want to get water moving and penetrating the soil and what you need is a soil surfactant to help reduce that surface tension.

Wetting agents will help, but how do you choose the best one?

When MOVING water is the desired effect, another option in addition to Penterra, is HydraHawk, which also helps water to penetrate the soil, while having additional soil health benefits.

Penterra and HydraHawk are both options for when you need to push water, as these two penetrants will move water through the soil profile.

When you need to HOLD WATER because the soil is dry due to winds, runoff or drought, you may look to Humawet or Profasorb.

You know you need one of these two wetting agents when you’re dealing with hydrophobic soil that repels water, as indicated by hot spots or localized dry spots, among other indications.

These wetting agents will allow the surface and soil profile to hold water, as is often needed in the case of sandier soils.

Curious how this LDS, localized dry spot, can look deeper into the soil profile and how that can help determine what’s needed to remedy the situation? Check out a blog from Kansas State University, here:

https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/beware-localized-dry-spot-in-putting-greens-exacerbated-by-hot-dry-winds/.

Also, more about these wetting agents and soil surfactant products with details on how to move water through the profile OR retain water here:

Soil surfactants: How to move water or retain water

Check out discussions from other turf growers experimenting with soil surfactants and wetting agents here:

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=208&start=20