Proper watering and irrigation are key to maintaining a healthy, green lawn

If you’ve got a brown, dry lawn, proper watering and lawn irrigation tips may provide the solution. If you are following these guidelines below and still have a brown lawn or dry patches (LDS Localized Dry Spots), you could use a soil surfactant or Endurant organic turf colorant.

As water becomes a scarce resource and costs increase, conservation and management also become crucial to efficiently maintaining a healthy green lawn and landscape while protecting the environment. Proper watering of home lawns alone would have a dramatic effect on water conservation.

Collectively, home lawns have a dramatic impact on water usage. Here you can learn tips for proper watering to ensure healthy plants, while also preserving this valuable resource.

The One-Inch Guideline to Proper Watering and Irrigation

Specific water requirements can vary depending on the species of your grass, condition of the soil, climate of your area, as well as your desired aesthetic appeal. Nonetheless, a general rule is that turfgrass generally needs about one inch of water a week while growing to stay green. Proper watering means not overwatering.

Drought resistant varieties of cool season grasses can thrive with less water and many warm season grass varieties may also survive with much less than one-inch of water per week. Grass should not need more than an inch per week to maintain proper watering. If it’s taking more water than that to keep soil moist, or you’re using more than that and still have a brown, dry lawn, check out www.DryLawn.com, read more below &/or consider a soil surfactant.

The healthiest turf is somewhat thirsty turf. Turf grass that is not overwatered will encourage the roots to grow deeper, leading to lasting health and water conservation.

Hopefully, rain is the main source of water for your lawn, and then you supplement with lawn sprinklers or an irrigation system for consistent proper watering.

However, due to drought and water restrictions, many lawns are essentially forced to brown out. In these cases, dry, brown and dormant lawns will remain that way until the rain returns. Unless you choose Endurant organic turf colorant to turn your brown, drought-stricken lawn into a green lawn.

As a lawn that is dormant due to drought is not actively growing, or at least not quickly, Endurant is long lasting, making it the most environmentally friendly solution and the greatest economic and aesthetic solution available in areas of drought, such as California. Select from an array of Endurant organic turf colorants.

Proper watering and irrigation tips for a healthy lawn and landscape:

• Watering deeply once or twice per week is better than watering a little every day. This will mimic natural weather patterns and lead to deep root growth and increased drought, pest and disease tolerance.
• The ideal time to water the grass is between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Watering at night may promote turf grass diseases. Watering in the day causes water to be lost to evaporation.
• Apply any fertilizers, soil conditioners or other treatments prior to rainfall.
• Manage thatch to ensure water penetration. Soil surfactants that improve microbial activity and microorganisms can help manage thatch.
• Mow high for increased moisture reserves in the leaf blades and roots.
• Equip sprinkler systems with rain sensors.
• Check there are no leaks.
• Ensure coverage is even across the lawn.
• Grass stressed from lack of water will go dormant, not die.
• Mow less frequently during drought and heat stresses on the lawn.
• Consider drip irrigation for a garden or when practical, water the soil not the plant leaves or tree trunks.
• For trees and shrubs, water away from the trunk, several feet in circumference beyond the canopy of the tree or shrub.
• Surfactants and wetting agents, including Penterra to get water to penetrate and move through the soil, as well as Humawet or SoiPlex to retain water, offer the fastest solution to water management.
• Longterm, mulching can help to improve soil and plant health, improving water management, water conservation and drought resistance of plants in addition to fast results with soil surfactants.

What type of soil do you have?

• Sandy soil: Have lots of air spaces between the particles. Allows for good drainage, but sometimes too good of drainage.
• Clay and compacted soil: Soil that does not drain well, leaving water sitting on the surface and having few air spaces between soil particles.
• Loam: Middle ground between sand and clay. Loam absorbs water well and dries at a nice moderate rate. It is high in organic matter.

Now that you know your soil type, which surfactant is best to turn your brown dry lawn to a green healthy lawn while using less water?

Sandy soil:

You need your soil to retain more water. SoilPlex is the organic solution for an organic garden, lawn or landscape that is not retaining water. Humawet is the other earth-friendly soil surfactant solution for sandy soils where water is draining too quickly. Get your green grass now.

Clay and compacted soil:

Water is sitting on the surface of your clay or compacted soil. You need Penterra, the fastest-acting soil surfactant, to keep water moving deep through the soil rather than sitting on the surface. Get green grass here.

Loam:

If you’re properly watering, not in a drought and aren’t under strict water restrictions, your loam soil type should yield a green lawn. If you are experiencing drought and water restrictions, consider Endurant organic turf colorant to turn your brown lawn to a green lawn.

Learn more at www.DryLawn.com 

Geoponics is grateful for the USGA turf colorant seminar held today, Monday, Feb. 9. The USGA Turf Colorant Seminar featured pioneers in turf colorant while showcasing best golf course maintenance practices with turfgrass painting professionals during the event held at Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, NC.

Speakers at the USGA-sponsored event included Tom Reardon sharing the organic chemistry behind Geoponics Endurant organic turf paint; Rob Vaughan, the very first in the world to use Endurant turf paint on his fairways at Brunskwick Plantation many, many years ago and gaining so much turf paint experience that he is now dubbed “Dr. Paint“; Pinehurst Resorts’ Kevin Robinson, who uses Endurant turf colorant on all nine golf courses at Pinehurst, and other amazing turf and golf leaders at the event.

(Read Robinson’s take on the benefits of Endurant as of several years ago here and how Endurant got Pinehurst through a tough winter to remain TV ready for the U.S. Open here.)

Country Club of Landfall currently uses Endurant and took the chance at the USGA Turf Colorant Seminar today to demonstrate to attendees the use of Endurant on a golf course fairway.

USGA Turf Colorant Seminar: From all overseed to all turf paint

Interestingly, Pinehurst Resorts, as of five years ago, overseeded wall to wall on their properties. This year, there will be zero overseeding. Instead, Pinehurst, home of the U.S. Open and other major events, is painting all nine courses using Endurant organic turf colorant. The switch makes sense economically, agronomically and in every other way, Pinehurst officials have shared.

Geoponics is grateful for the USGA hosting this event. The USGA Turf Colorant Seminar assists in raising awareness about the benefits and alternatives offered by turf colorant in this powerful series of speakers and presenters. Geoponics was proud to have the opportunity to demonstrate how to apply turf colorant, and, specifically, to demonstrate Endurant organic turf colorant at the USGA Turf Colorant Seminar.

Geoponics is also grateful for Golf Course Superintendent Jeff Mack at Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, NC for being the host.

More photos from the USGA Turf Colorant Seminar here and on Twitter:

Warm season grasses look vibrant in the cold winter months with Endurant organic turf colorants. Bermuda grass and other warm season grasses and turf grass varieties look great in places such as Tennessee most of the year, until temperatures dip periodically near or below freezing, sending the grass to brown dormancy.

Endurant organic turf paint keeps these warm season grasses popping with natural looking green grass, appealing to golfers and visitors.

Endurant organic turf colorant in Tennessee

Golf Course Superintendent Jason Sanderson of Cherokee Country Club and Golf Course in Knoxville, TN, discovered turf paint as the best solution for brown winter dormancy many years ago. Each year, he improves his techniques to create a golf course that members enjoy while managing water usage, time and finances.
“Private country club owners really like to be able to find their golf balls in the middle of the fairway,” said Sanderson.
Sanderson hasn’t overseeded his golf course in more than 12 years.
Sanderson shares his experience and techniques to offer advice to others managing warm season turf grass during colder weather:

General turf paint advice, whether a professional golf course superintendent, landscape professional or homeowner on warm season grasses and other turf grass varieties from Sanderson:

• Endurant mixes better than the four or five other paints Sanderson has tried in the past 6 to 12 years.
• Endurant lasts longer, goes on a more natural dark color and stays true to that color longer.
• Painting on frost actually works best. However, it has to be done fast and applied quickly, painting in about two hours.
• Spraying in multiple directions is a definite must for the best color and even coverage.
• Multiple applications is really important in my opinion, said Sanderson. We make two applications a week or two apart and so far don’t have to paint again until spring comes and the turf comes out of dormancy.
• Water volume is the most important thing that Cherokee Country Club has figured out over the years of turf paint applications on their warm season grasses.
• Sanderson prefers GreenLeaf nozzles made particularly for painting.
• This is a personal choice, but I prefer the look and color of the Endurant FW, the turf colorant for fairways. (there are several other colors. See more Endurant turf paint varieties here.)

Photos courtesy of Golf Course Superintendent Jason Sanderson, Knoxville, TN

Sanderson noted these particular benefits for warm season grasses using Endurant organic turf paint during the winter months:

• Painting helps the soil temperature by at least a degree or two. We noticed we didn’t lose any grass on areas that were painted. Even when temperatures were especially low, we had less damage.
• Besides the agronomic benefits, it just makes the turf much more appealing to the eye.
• “Endurant gives a great look to the expansive views of the golf course.”
• It’s dependent on weather conditions, but so far, we put on two applications a week or two apart and don’t have to paint it again before spring.
• Endurant helped the bermudagrass get an earlier greenup in spring by about two to three weeks.
• Endurant helps make spring clean up really nice and gets us going a little earlier.
• My membership thinks it’s well worth the cost even if just to be able to see their golf ball and golf game.
• “Endurant looks great. It’s very dramatic.”

Sanderson shared the particulars of his property and how he uses the Endurant organic turf paint on his warm season grasses:

• Of the warm season grasses, the turf grass variety at Cherokee Country Club is bermuda grass.
• He paints all tees, fairways and the green surrounds at the country club and golf course, using Endurant.
• The property is located in north western Tennessee, totaling about 35 acres.
• Cherokee Country Club is located in Knoxville and has 18 holes.
• He’s been painting his tees there for about six years.
• He started using Endurant on the tees and decided to use Endurant organic grass paint on fairways after seeing the agronomic benefits.
• Cherokee Country Club prefers Endurant FW on the fairways at rate of 6 gallons per acre.
• Sanderson sprays the fairways two times, applying 3 gallons per acre in two directions, anywhere from a couple days apart to a week or two apart, depending upon the weather.

Series of articles compiling turf tips from professionals in the field

Sanderson is one of several turf professionals sharing their turf tips on Twitter with Geoponics and other turf growers, lawn professionals, sod growers and homeowners looking for tips.

Follow Geoponics and check out recent blogs for similar turf tips from professionals in the field, including frost delay prevention and frost damage prevention here.

Buy Endurant organic turf paint now. Click here.

Top sod growers in the U.S. wow clients with organic turf colorant

The nation’s best selling sod growers are using Endurant organic turf colorant. After nearly a decade of experience painting sod, turfgrass and the grass that becomes a home lawn for properties from Florida to California and everywhere in between, sod growing experts share why they choose to use turf paint and why they prefer Endurant organic colorants.

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  The nation’s top sod producers have a field day choosing the optimal turfgrass color using Endurant organic turf colorants.

#1 Sod Growers: Bethel Farms and Harmony Brands

Jamie Tedder, Vice President of turf at Bethel Farms, the nation’s leading sod growers and suppliers to the nation’s top home improvement stores, has long used turf colorants to produce the best quality sod for clients.

After about nine years of painting turf, Tedder found that Endurant organic turf colorants presented a savings for Bethel Farms, among other sod growers in the Harmony Growers network, because of Endurant’s rich concentrate, requiring less product and just one application.

Moreover, Endurant’s various turf colorant options give Bethel Farms and the sod growers network the most natural-looking, consistent turfgrass color for multiple varieties of grass most commonly produced by sod growers in the U.S.. Colorant options include Endurant TC, among the original organic colorants in the Geoponics line; Endurant FW, for fairways and other applications; Endurant TE, with turf enhancers to promote the health of actively growing grass; Endurant PR, for a perennial rye look that users describe as the look of Augusta!; and Endurant Premium, a more concentrated color variety than the original Endurant TC.

Here are some of the turf paint samples that came from a recent field day with sod growers in the Harmony Growers network:

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  Endurant Premium
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  Endurant FW
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  Endurant PR

Click on each image above for a better look and check out www.TurfPaint.net for images displaying each of the organic colorants in the Endurant line.

More about Endurant from the nation’s top sod growers:

Turf colorants give an aesthetic benefit to clients from day one of receiving their sod, said Tedder.

“In Florida, we have mostly warm season grass varieties, and even though they don’t go through a true dormancy, they go through pseudo-dormancy. The growth slows down, grasses don’t uptake as many nutrients and that throws off the color. Threat of frost certainly throws off the color,” said Tedder.

“It doesn’t mean it’s not already healthy and thriving, we just look to give a great benefit,” he said.

The colorants provide a selling tool and many clients, including brokers, are surprised by the product.

“It’s designed for turf and designed with environmentally friendly concerns. The fact that it’s 100 percent organic– that goes a long way with the customer and brokers. It becomes a great selling tool for their customers too,” Tedder said.

He and other sod growers were able to see the Endurant line at a recent field day held in Arcadia, FL that brought together a network of growers, Harmony Growers, from throughout the entire U.S.

“Endurant– it’s just a better product,” Tedder said.

“We’ve had really great results with Endurant FW and PR– just their overall color, the spray, the consistency and it’s going to save in our program,” said Tedder.

He’s using Endurant FW for Zoysia and bermuda grasses and PR for St. Augustine grass. See Bethel Farms full line of turfgrass varieties here.

“The spray job on the turf, even just coming out of the jug, it’s thicker and darker. We can use less concentrate material, saving money per tank, covering more acreage with one pass instead of two. There is a better, more even spray job, coating the surface of the leaf,” said Tedder.

Seasonally appropriate, Tedder described Endurant FW as a “Christmas tree green color, a darker green rather than emerald.”

Tips on painting turf

Tedder learned a lot over the years of painting turf and shared these tips in his own words:

• Painting with dew on the ground can actually help even out the colorant. There is no need to wait for dew to dry before applying colorant.
• Overtime, we learned to use smaller nozzles for more of a mist rather than a larger volume all at once.
• Geoponics representatives have a lot of technical knowledge to share. (Read more turf paint tips here.)

Homeowners can also choose Endurant organic turf colorants. Check out www.LawnColorant.com for quantities suitable for the home owner.

More about the nation’s leading sod growers, Bethel Farms and Harmony Growers:

Harmony Outdoor Brands, America’s top selling turfgrass, sells across the nation with a network of growers producing sod specific to the regional climates. Harmony Outdoor Brands represent the joint efforts of the top two sod growers, Bethel Farms and BuySod, creating what they call a “farm to lawn” concept in this article.

Bethel Farms was founded in 1958 by Walter H. Bethel and remains family-owned and operated supplying major theme parks, municipalities, golf courses and backyard lawns with vibrant, healthy grass.

Learn more about Harmony & Bethel Farms in this Turf Magazine article: http://www.turfmagazine.com/blog-7688.aspx

Article about Harmony Outdoor Brands CEO, Jim Doyle: http://harmonybrands.com/news/harmony-outdoor-brands-nations-largest-supplier-of-retail-sod-grasses-appoints-new-ceo/

Go to www.TurfPaint.net and BUY NOW!

Part I

Turf pro takes to Twitter with turf paint tips: Take 1

This is one article in a series of several blogs about how social media and especially Twitter is blowing up with tweets from turf professionals about using Geoponics earth-friendly products to get amazing results. The most popular winter advice comes with Endurant turf paint tips from golf course superintendents, greenkeepers, sports field managers and other lawn & landscape professionals.

Twitter Series Part I: Kevin Smith

Golf Course Superintendent Kevin Smith of North Carolina is sharing why he chooses to use Endurant organic turf colorant in a series of Tweets this November and December:

• Make a great first impression
• Get a perennial rye look at a fraction of the expense and time of overseeding with perennial rye seed
• Wow golfers, members and visitors with aesthetics and playability
• Liquid overseed beats traditional overseed giving a similar look in a fraction of the time, expense and use of natural resources

In his own words, here are a few of Kevin Smith’s recent Tweets about Endurant organic turf paint to followers on Twitter:

Applying Endurant:

First impressions are everything! @geoponics #liquidoverseeding pic.twitter.com/TVML83NlI6

— Kevin Smith (@grantierra58) December 1, 2014

Choosing a color: Endurant TC, Endurant Premium, Endurant FW and Endurant PR

Smith has used several colorants in the Endurant organic turf paint line, including the original, Endurant TC; the deeper and more concentrated Endurant Premium color; Endurant FW for fairways and other applications; Endurant PR for the perennial rye look of Augusta. His choices are part of the reason Bryan Park golf course is so highly rated and voted “worthy of hosting the U.S. Open.” Read more about the course on the website, www.BryanPark.com.

Check out his photos about the various turf colorant options:

Comparing Endurant Premium and Endurant FW

Wow! This is Endurant PR

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER TO GET TURF PAINT TIPS AND OTHER TURF, LAWN & LANDSCAPE TIPS FROM EXPERTS IN THE FIELD!

www.Twitter.com/Geoponics