Here at Arabian Ranches Golf Club we have seen significant improvements with the overall plant health of our tifeagle greens after using the Agriox only for a short time. Agriox has become a crucial component in our greens program as it ensures the soil and root system are getting the oxygen they demand throughout the extreme conditions of a stressful Middle East summer.
World’s fastest-acting soil penetrant, Penterra, best turf colorant, Endurant, and other sustainable turf management products now available across the U.S. with the partnership of Geoponics and West Coast Turf/ Western Sod sister company, Foster-Gardner.
Geoponics is known for providing soil surfactants and natural-looking, cost-effective turf colorants. West Coast Turf along with Foster-Gardner are names synonymous with quality turf products and service.
Together, these companies provide a powerhouse of turf and turf care products—now providing more service to the Coachella Valley and surrounding areas of California.
“We are very pleased to be teaming up and working with Geoponics and their line of quality products. Our goal in working with our clients in the turf market is to bring them products that are innovative, solve problems and add significant value while at the same time make good business sense. Geoponics brings all of this and more by giving the end user a truly sustainable approach to real turf management. Thank you Geoponics,” said Tom Foster of Foster-Gardner.
Florida-based Geoponics joining with California-based Foster-Gardner will help these sustainable products span the country from the East Coast to the West Coast of the United States.
“We are most excited about offering our high quality, very competitively priced organic turf colorant— Endurant—to this area with the well-respected support of companies like West Coast Turf and Foster- Gardner,” said Jennifer Seevers, Geoponics Colorants Division Manager.
In addition to providing the Endurant line of long-lasting colorants for turf, mulch and pinestraw, Geoponics and Foster-Gardner are excited about offering the world’s fastest-acting soil penetrant, Penterra, along with the all-natural moisture management action of HydraHawk and the moisture retention of Humawet to the area.
Water is one of the most expensive and increasingly limited resources, and, these products, with the service from Foster-Gardner, will offer the golf courses, landscapers, athletic fields and residential areas of Southern California an opportunity to best handle all of their water management needs.
Many Southern California turf experts have been enjoying the benefits of Geoponics products for years— now they’ll also get them with the exceptional services provided by Southern California-based Foster Gardner.
Bob Vaughey CGCS of Rolling Hills Country Club in Palos Verdes, Calif., was pleased to discover all of the benefits of Penterra as a professional soil penetrant.
“With our heavy clay soils and poor water quality, Geoponics’ Penterra (Penterra.net) has allowed us to effectively leach salts through our soils and grow healthier turf with less inputs. Penterra has proven an invaluable yet cost-effective tool for us and the golf course,” Vaughey said.
For example, PGA West knows where to turn when they’re showing off their course on national television. The golf course in La Quinta, Calif. has used TV-readiness Endurant for the past two winters, giving it a wow-factor for players and viewers of the Golf Channel Am Tour National Championships.
Jon Maddern, CGCS of PGA West, first used Endurant (TurfPaint.net) on the Palmer Private Course along all of the pond edges that were weak due to birds eating the overseeded ryegrass, he said.
“We found this product worked extremely well in blending with the quality turf we had nearby—so much so that you couldn’t tell we had used Endurant,” Maddern said.
It was easy to use and economical, he said.
“The very telling points were during the TV coverage of the Humana Challenge. The camera could not pick up a difference either. Once we started using this product and had success around our ponds, we used it in other weak areas on the course that were in play,” Maddern said.
For more information about Geoponics products and services available through Foster-Gardner, contact (760) 398-6151, or, contact Geoponics directly at 1-877-ECO-GROW (1-877-326-4769).
Have you been hit with days or even weeks of rain? Get THE FASTEST soil penetrant on the market with Penterra! This is a wetting agent like no other. Hear what other golf course superintendents have to say and see for yourself here.
Press PLAY below and you’re one step closer to getting back to PLAY time on your golf course or athletic field by ordering the fastest-acting soil surfactant, PENTERRA, that will have you wondering why you ever used anything else.
No more puddles. No more sitting water. GET PENTERRA ON THE COURSE AND GET IN THE GAME. Get the water moving through the soil profile. There is no better water management for turf maintenance and golf course managers.
Jimmy Alston, who’s been using organics on the course for almost 20 years, chose to try Geoponics in-part because they’re natural and earthfriendly. He became a fan because of the RESULTS.
“I’ve found organic management to be less expensive than conventional. What I found right away was that it was easier. I had better day-to-day conditions, which is very important on the golf course in terms of playability,” said Alston.
“The main philosophy behind our organic first program is soil health– having a diverse, robust microbiology.”
“Carbotein has proved to be a very good food source for microbiology,” Alston said.
Carbotein can be used on gardens for vibrant flowers and increased yields on crops, including fruits and vegetables. (Read about the modified Hydroponic Garden at Eagle Creek maintained by Alston here.)
Penterra is the best soil surfactant he has ever used. The course’s elevation is low. The fairways are just a foot above sea level, so drainage and infiltration is a big deal for playability at Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club in Naples, Fla.
“We needed help to firm up the surface. I liked Penterra right away because it’s natural based,” Alston said.
He became more of a fan after using it.
“I’ve seen chemical-based surfactants and they just add yucca to it and say it’s natural. No it’s not. Almost all the other surfactants I’ve ever used greatly reduced microbiology. We haven’t seen that with Penterra,” said Alston.
The benefits are beautiful, playable turf and favorable ingredients, and most importantly perhaps, favorable results in the microbial testing he does– proof that the results will last, he said.
“Basically, I’m looking for the whole food web to increase. When I test and see the soil is as robust and diverse as possible, I know the soil will then take care of whatever is growing in it,” Alston said.
He comes from eight generations of farmers and his philosophy is to keep it simple.
“Soil chemistry is confusing. In organics, you don’t have to worry about soil chemistry. With organics, biology takes care of it all for you,” Alston said.
He uses HydraHawk, another soil surfactant wetting agent, also a great microbial food source, he said. HydraHawk saves water!
“I liked the plant extracts and sugars in it,” said Alston.
HydraHawk is used to help water penetrate compacted or arid soils and aids plant life in the uptake of water and nutrients. HydraHawk contains unique natural surfactants that help the plants utilize water and survive in extreme heat, drought and soil salinity even in the more severe climate conditions.
The pond at Eagle Creek is always healthy even in the most intense heat waves– Aquakler is his secret.
“It’s great for our shallow pond to keep oxygen levels high even in the warmest weather when the water is low. Nothing is worse for members than to see dead fish on the golf course. That never looks good. We’ve seen really good stuff with Aquakler,” Alston said.
SoilPlex is also used at Eagle Creek because the irrigation water is very salty.
“We’re right on the saltwater-freshwater interface near Rookery Bay. The humic acid and folvic acid in SoilPlex buffer the affects of the salt in the soil,” said Alston.
While Alston was immediately attracted to Geoponics earthfriendly products, it took clear cut results for him to become a true fan.
“It takes a lot of tests for me to come to a conclusion about a product. Once it gets to that point though, I’m a lifelong user,” Alston said.
Q. Can you tell me a bit about Charleville Golf Club? A. It’s a 27-hole parkland course located in Southern Ireland’s province of Munster. We have a driving range, two chipping greens and two putting greens.
Q. What type of turf and soil? A. The soil is very heavy. It’s clay. We have 30 greens and 15 are sand based and 15 are soil based.
Q. How did you hear about Geoponics products and why did you decide to try them? A. A Geoponics sales representative from the Irish distributor, ProGrass, Brian O’Carroll, called me about six months ago or more. I investigated the products on the website and it looked like the products were quite good. The wetting agent we were using was OK, but the Penterra sounded better and we tried it. First we tried it on a few tee boxes. Then we we tried a few greens. Then we tried them all.
Q. What challenges do you commonly face? A. Dew. That was our number one reason for using Penterra. We had heavy dew in the morning.
Q. What results did you see with the Penterra? A. There was no dew. That controlled disease. The mild temperatures of 16 to 17 degrees Celsius, mild and muggy with dew, those were ideal conditions for disease. We found with no dew on the greens, it was a big help in controlling disease like outbreaks of fusarium patch.
The turf looked healthier, we had tremendous color.
The savings more than pays for the Penterra between not having to buy fungicide and the fact we don’t need to come in on the weekends to tend to wet turf when we put it on in advance and at the right rate.
Q. How is the drier surface affecting playability? A. Players are not complaining. If they’re not complaining, they’ll find something else. (laughs) There’s no discussion on the greens, which is great.
Q. How did Penterra compare to your previous wetting agent? A. The other wetting agent didn’t control dew. It’s a different ball game with Penterra. There’s no comparison. We are very happy using Penterra. I have only good things to say about it.
Q. How was your service with Geoponics in regards to technical support, especially? A. The guys are great. They know what they’re talking about. It’s hard convincing greenkeepers to try a new product. We’ll use the same product for 25 years.
Q. Anything I didn’t ask that might help others in the greenskeeping, golf course superintendent or turf management fields? A. It’s worth trying the product. It’s the best soil surfactant I’ve come across.
Greenskeeper Dermy Jones: It’s located 12 miles outside of Cork City. It’s very close to the sea at Cork Harbour but without being a links course. We have a 9-hole golf course, an 18-hole pitch and putt course and two soccer pitches. We have two saltwater lakes.
Q: What are the soil and turf like?
Greenskeeper Dermy Jones: Limestone. It’s silty, heavy soil. The greens are of the old construction style with predominantly annual meadow grass greens, but we keep a lovely surface.
Currently temperatures are between -2 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees. Growth is very, very slow. We’re mowing once or twice a week.
Q: How did you discover Geoponics products and why did you choose to try them?
Greenskeeper Dermy Jones: A ProGrass representative (Brian O’Carroll) called me about five months ago. He and a greenskeeper in midland Ireland told me about Penterra and Detox. I read the literature on it. Unless you try something yourself, you wont’ actually see the results.
Q: What challenges do you or others in your area typically face?
Greeenskeeper Dermy Jones: We had a very, very wet summer. Actually we had a wet year. In 2012, we got a meter and a half of rainfall throughout the year.
The surfaces were wet. The greens were holding water. As much as we aerate, as much as we sand, the surface water was sitting there. With that and the dew, the conditions were perfect for disease.
Q: How did Penterra assist with the challenges of a wet surface, dew and disease susceptibility?
Greenskeeper Dermy Jones: For taking dew off the surface, I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve been a greenskeeper for 25 years and worked on three courses. The Penterra pulls the moisture out of the top layer much better than anything else I’ve used.
It makes cutting much better. The Penterra even keeps the frost off the greens. There’s not as much moisture there to freeze. Every 14 days we spray and there is no dew, no disease.
We were looking to get the water off the surface and the Penterra did just what it said it would do. Our greens have dried up so much. We’ve been open everyday, except for a couple of mornings for frost.
Q: As for the Detox, was this to address sodium in your soil?
Greenskeeper Dermy Jones: Yes. We’re starting with the two together—Penterra and Detox. I found great results with this. I’m still waiting on the soil analysis test to come back.
We got saltwater on one of our fairways after a high tide a couple of times. The first time the water was high the turf yellowed and took some time to recover. It looked like it was dying off. But this next time it happened, we put the Detox on it as soon as we got the water off. It greened up again in a matter of days.
Q: How was your service with Geoponics in regard to technical assistance?
Greenskeeper Dermy Jones: (Brian O’Carroll) The distributor from ProGrass (www.Prograss.ie) keeps me up-to-date. I can ring him up anytime and ask him what products I can put with it. He rings me on a regular basis and asks if I have any problems.
Q: Any other experiences or tips I may not have asked that could help other greenskeeper or golf course superintendents?
Greenskeeper Dermy Jones: I haven’t been through a full growing season with Penterra yet, but if it’s even half as good of a soil surfactant as it is a wetting agent, it will be superb.
The course recently hosted the LPGA CME Group Titleholders event and the players were impressed with the playability.
The Celebration Bermuda Grass responded gorgeously to the environmentally-friendly fairway program with visible results on first application. Those results also lasted, Bach said.
He’s so sold on the sustainable fairways program provided by Geganics that he’s using it on his other course as he prepares to host the Ace Group Classic.
Greenkeeper John Peach shares how Geganics on Kikuyu grass leads to spectacular fairways at Paarl Golf Club in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa in just one week. This gorgeous 27-hole course originally opened in 1908 before being relocated and redesigned in 2000 by David Frost and Danie Obermeyer, who brought the Berg River further into play. Learn more about the course here http://www.paarlgolfclub.co.za
Geganics is a customizable fairway program provided by Geoponics Corp that ensures healthy soils leading to vibrant turf. The organic products manage water movement, aerobic diversity, sodium flocculation, lateral and vertical growth and soil nutrients just to name a few benefits.
This sustainable program leads to vibrant color and turf uniformity that superintendents and golf course members alike notice very quickly.
It’s easy, it’s environmentally-friendly and it’s affordable. Contact us for more information.
info@GeoponicsCorp.com 1-877-667-6330.
Testimonial: Tim Haskins, Golf Course Superintendent, The Quarry
When you’re sitting here talking to someone, it makes sense, but until you actually get out in the field and see it work, you don’t really get it.
I can tell you that after spraying Geganics I was on the phone going, “Wow. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
I’ve never seen too many products have an affect on color and this product did. It’s noticeable within an hour or two. My members see a noticeable change.
I’m in a much better spot this year from last year in terms of my color, my density, my moisture management.
We’re getting three or four weeks out of the longevity of the color, which is fantastic. Last year, we actually used a pigment on the fairways just to add a little bit of color. We won’t have to use that this year because of the program. There’s no reason for it.
Look and listen to this superintendent’s experience here:
Try it today. One application and you see a difference!
Geoponics Corp recently caught up with Superintendent Billy Bobbit, of Ballyhack Golf Club in Roanoke, VA to see how things were going on his course.
This gorgeous course is made up of mostly cool season grasses. As Ballyhack’s superintendent, Bobbit said he struggled with the high sodium, sandy soil and bicarbonates. These issues led to challenges with water management, nutrient absorption and algae.
The solutions to all three, said Ballyhack Superintendent Billy Bobbit, were found with Geoponics products. Agriox, Penterra and Detox turned the greens around in just one or two applications.
Bobbit’s colleagues recommended he try Geoponicsabout a year ago, so he did. Now, he’s recommending Geoponics to others.
BOBBIT ON THE CHALLENGES:
The high sodium and high salt levels caused water infiltration challenges. Water wasn’t getting into the green cavity. The water standing on the surface was causing multiple problems, one being algae. That was from the water not getting down into the soil cavity. We had sodium toxicity from the turf taking up so much salt.
THE SOLUTIONS:
The Penterra was allowing the water to get through that layer on top and actually get down into the root zone where the water was needed. Most of our root zones here are down 6, 8, maybe even 10 inches into the sand. We really needed the water to move through the profile. Penterra did that, which also helped eliminate the algae. We were spraying the Penterra every 10 to 14 days.
We always kind of struggled with algae here. We typically sprayed a fungicide on them—which checked the algae if you will, but we never really got any results out of fungicide like we wanted to see. We were cultivating—spiking and aerifying—and we still didn’t get the algae. Once we started using the Geoponics it really started to get the results we were after ,even with the first to second application.
We started using Geoponics last year when a colleague recommended it.
But I have to say, what really, really turned the greens around was the Agriox product. It freed up the nutrients in the soil, or in the sand I should say, and we really got a good growth response out of that. We saw a difference after the first application.
The greens kind of perked up and the health of the greens really changed. Then after we did the second application it really, really came to life then.
There was just so much with the salt build up in the soil, the bicarbonate, once we were able to break up those chemical bonds and free up those nutrients that were in the soil, the greens just really started to grow and out-compete the algae.
The first week in July I thought we were going to do a lot of seeding and plugging on the greens, but really after that second application of Agriox, the greens really responded well. I would definitely recommend it.
The greens just really did a 180. They just turned around. We thought, like I said, we’d be doing a lot of seeding and plugging on the greens just to get a uniform turf coverage out there. But it just really grew out of that funk and we haven’t looked back since.
I can see where the fertilizer spending is decreasing and we’re lowering the input of fertilizer on the greens. I can see us not having to use nearly as much as we’re keeping the water moving through the soil profile and getting those nutrients from being bound up in the sand.
Try for yourself. Contact Geoponics Corp, info@geoponicscorp.com, to see how these and other products may solve the challenges you face as a turf manager.