Fall Aeration
by Mike Kolb, Regional Sales Manager

Summer heat is almost over and growing conditions for turf will be improving. Fall is the best time for turfgrass to utilize the nutrition in applications of Nature Safe. Soil samples should be analyzed to determine the proper amendments to add, such as lime or sulfur, that do not affect the release of nitrogen in Nature Safe. During summer stress periods up to 85% of total root mass is lost. Now is the time to grow and strengthen the root system to prepare it for dormant feed in two to three months. Aerification along with this increase in fertilization is the key to rebuilding roots.

The Nature Safe fertilizer I recommend for aeration is Nature Safe 5-6-6 Starter fertilizer. The nitrogen sources are fish, blood, meat and bone meals. These meals are quick release organic nitrogen sources that quickly heal the aerified green. The phosphorus source is steam-cooked bone meal (calcium phosphate) that is naturally chelated making it more available to the plant. The potassium source is from sulfate of potash magnesium (langbeinite) that is the most available source. Humus and carbohydrates are also added.

The soil microbes utilize the carbon in the proteins for energy, and the sugars and starches stimulate the microbes. Because there is a large energy source available (a pound or more of protein type of nitrogen), the increased microbial activity will help break down substrates that have developed over the summer and enhance the development of the plant’s rhizosphere.

Aerification offers an excellent opportunity to apply Nature Safe. By dragging the fertilizer into the holes with the topdressing, microbial activity is stimulated throughout the top several inches of soil.

If there is one general philosophy worth mentioning, it would be that the success or failure of your turf next spring will not be due to the spring fertilizer application, but from the fall aerification, fertilization, amendments and dormant feed.