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Fertilizers and Fertilizers and Turfgrass Turfgrass FertilityFertility

Why Fertilize?Why Fertilize? Supply plant nutrients Supply plant nutrients Improve plant healthImprove plant health Enhance appearanceEnhance appearance Improve pest toleranceImprove pest tolerance

Basic Plant NeedsBasic Plant Needs OxygenOxygen

Water Water

Light Light

NutrientsNutrients

Growing mediumGrowing medium

NutrientsNutrients Macro (primary)Macro (primary)

Macro (secondary)Macro (secondary)

Micro (minor)Micro (minor)

Macronutrients Macronutrients (primary)(primary)

Nitrogen (growth, color)Nitrogen (growth, color)

Phosphorus (root development)Phosphorus (root development)

Potassium (stress tolerance)Potassium (stress tolerance)

Macronutrients Macronutrients (secondary)(secondary)

Calcium (cell wall structure)Calcium (cell wall structure) Magnesium (photosynthesis)Magnesium (photosynthesis)

Sulfur (growth, color)Sulfur (growth, color)

MicronutrientsMicronutrients

Iron (chlorophyll)Iron (chlorophyll)

Zinc (chlorophyll)Zinc (chlorophyll)

Manganese (chlorophyll)Manganese (chlorophyll)

MicronutrientsMicronutrients

Copper (enzyme activator)Copper (enzyme activator) Boron (water balance)Boron (water balance) Molybdenum (nitrogen utilization)Molybdenum (nitrogen utilization) Chlorine (photosynthesis) Chlorine (photosynthesis)

Primary Nutrients

Nitrogen (N)Nitrogen (N) Key element in turfgrass Key element in turfgrass

nutritionnutrition Promotes leaf and stem growthPromotes leaf and stem growth Essential component of Essential component of

chlorophyll moleculechlorophyll molecule Involved in regulating the uptake Involved in regulating the uptake

of other key nutrientsof other key nutrients

Phosphorus (P)Phosphorus (P) Used in the formation and transfer Used in the formation and transfer

of energy within the plantof energy within the plant Influences early root development Influences early root development

and growthand growth Encourages plant establishmentEncourages plant establishment

Primary Nutrients

Potassium (K)Potassium (K) Used by plant in large Used by plant in large

quantities, second only to quantities, second only to nitrogennitrogen

Key component in the Key component in the formation of carbohydratesformation of carbohydrates

Encourages rooting and wear Encourages rooting and wear tolerancetolerance

Enhances drought and cold Enhances drought and cold tolerancetolerance

Key component in cell wall Key component in cell wall developmentdevelopment

Primary Nutrients

Secondary Nutrients

Calcium (Ca)Calcium (Ca) Strongly influences proper soil Strongly influences proper soil

pHpH Essential to strong cell wall Essential to strong cell wall

structure and cell divisionstructure and cell division Can improve soil structure, Can improve soil structure,

water retention and infiltrationwater retention and infiltration

Magnesium (Mg)Magnesium (Mg) Plays an important role in Plays an important role in

photosynthesis and chlorophyll photosynthesis and chlorophyll productionproduction

A necessary component in A necessary component in many essential enzyme systems many essential enzyme systems within the plantwithin the plant

Important in aiding the Important in aiding the translocation of phosphorus translocation of phosphorus

Secondary Nutrients

Sulfur (S)Sulfur (S) Works with nitrogen to produce Works with nitrogen to produce

new protein for plant growthnew protein for plant growth Plays an important role in the Plays an important role in the

utilization of oxygen by the plantutilization of oxygen by the plant Influences the level of activity of Influences the level of activity of

soil microorganismssoil microorganisms

Secondary Nutrients

Micronutrients

Iron (Fe)Iron (Fe) Necessary for the Necessary for the

formation of formation of chlorophyllchlorophyll

Deficiencies are most Deficiencies are most common in wet, cold or common in wet, cold or high pH soilshigh pH soils

Aids in the activation of Aids in the activation of a number of a number of biochemical processes biochemical processes within the plantwithin the plant

Manganese (Mn)Manganese (Mn) Important in the formation Important in the formation

of chlorophyll and the of chlorophyll and the activation of initial growth activation of initial growth processprocess

Generally available in Generally available in sufficient quantities in the sufficient quantities in the soilsoil

Micronutrients

Boron (B)Boron (B) Necessary for plant Necessary for plant

reproductionreproduction Helps maintain optimum Helps maintain optimum

water balance in plantswater balance in plants

Micronutrients

Molybdenum (Mo)Molybdenum (Mo) Essential to the process of Essential to the process of

nitrogen utilizationnitrogen utilization Is less available under Is less available under

acidic (low pH) soil acidic (low pH) soil conditionsconditions

Micronutrients

Zinc (Zn)Zinc (Zn) Necessary for the Necessary for the

production of production of chlorophyll chlorophyll

Micronutrients

Copper (Cu)Copper (Cu) Important in the synthesis of Important in the synthesis of

certain plant growth substancescertain plant growth substances Serves as an activator for several Serves as an activator for several

essential enzymesessential enzymes Needed only in small quantities; Needed only in small quantities;

large amounts can be toxic to large amounts can be toxic to turfgrass plantsturfgrass plants

Deficiencies are usually only Deficiencies are usually only found in highly alkaline soils found in highly alkaline soils (high pH) organic soils or heavily (high pH) organic soils or heavily leeched soilsleeched soils

Micronutrients

Fertilizer BasicsFertilizer Basics

What is Fertilizer?What is Fertilizer? Supplies basic plant Supplies basic plant

nutrientsnutrients

NitrogenNitrogen

PhosphorusPhosphorus

PotassiumPotassium

The Fertilizer LabelThe Fertilizer Label

N - NitrogenN - Nitrogen

P - PhosphorusP - Phosphorus

K - PotassiumK - Potassium

Fertilizer LabelsFertilizer Labels Must be on every bagMust be on every bag Must contain: Must contain:

Net weightNet weight Guaranteed analysisGuaranteed analysis Manufacturer name & address Manufacturer name & address

Fertilizer LabelsFertilizer Labels

May contain:May contain:

Percent CSRN or WINPercent CSRN or WIN Percent additional Percent additional

nutrients other than nutrients other than NPKNPK

Source of nutrientsSource of nutrients

Fertilizer LabelFertilizer Label

Fertilizer AnalysisFertilizer Analysis(N-P-K)(N-P-K)

Percentage by weight of nutrientsPercentage by weight of nutrients

Elemental nitrogenElemental nitrogen (N)(N)

Available phosphorusAvailable phosphorus (P(P22OO55))

Soluble potashSoluble potash (K(K22O)O)

Fertilizer RatioFertilizer Ratio

Analysis reduced to lowest Analysis reduced to lowest whole numberwhole number

16 - 4 - 8 (analysis)16 - 4 - 8 (analysis)

4 : 1 : 2 (ratio)4 : 1 : 2 (ratio)

High N to K Ratios High N to K Ratios (2:1 or higher)(2:1 or higher)

General maintenanceGeneral maintenance

Green upGreen up

Accelerated top growthAccelerated top growth

High K to N Ratios High K to N Ratios (1:2 or higher)(1:2 or higher)

Low potassium levels Low potassium levels

Improve stress tolerance Improve stress tolerance

Disease resistanceDisease resistance

Balanced N to K Ratio Balanced N to K Ratio (1:1)(1:1)

General maintenance General maintenance

Stress conditionsStress conditions

Reduced top growthReduced top growth

High Phosphorus FertilizersHigh Phosphorus Fertilizers

Starter fertilizersStarter fertilizers

Low P levelsLow P levels

THE CHALLENGETHE CHALLENGE

Feast or FamineFeast or Famine

The FeastThe Feast(Excess Soluble N)(Excess Soluble N)

Accelerated top growthAccelerated top growth

Weak root growthWeak root growth

Excess clippingsExcess clippings

Pest susceptibilityPest susceptibility

The FamineThe Famine(Fertilizer Deficiency)(Fertilizer Deficiency)

Poor colorPoor color

Weak, thin turfWeak, thin turf

Pest susceptibilityPest susceptibility

The SolutionThe Solution

Proper fertilizer ratio(s)Proper fertilizer ratio(s)

Proper timingProper timing

Challenge and SolutionChallenge and Solution

Fertilizer Fertilizer ConsiderationsConsiderations

Fertilizer FillerFertilizer Filler

““Make-weight” material added Make-weight” material added to fertilizer to make up the to fertilizer to make up the difference between weight of difference between weight of plant nutrient ingredient and plant nutrient ingredient and balance of weight in a ton.balance of weight in a ton.

Fertilizer FillerFertilizer Filler

““Make Weight”Make Weight”

Low vs. High AnalysisLow vs. High AnalysisAnalysisAnalysis

12 - 4 - 812 - 4 - 8

18 - 6 - 1218 - 6 - 12

24 - 8 - 1624 - 8 - 16

““Filler” per tonFiller” per ton

1040 lb1040 lb

573 lb573 lb

106 lb106 lb

Fertilizer MathFertilizer Math

Made SimpleMade Simple

Determining Coverage / BagDetermining Coverage / Bag(50# Bag)(50# Bag)

(24-5-11)(24-5-11)

24 2 = 12(000) ft.24 2 = 12(000) ft.22

50 # bag only50 # bag only 1 # nutrient / 1,000 ft.1 # nutrient / 1,000 ft.2 2 onlyonly

÷

Nutrients 2 = coverage / 1,000 ft.Nutrients 2 = coverage / 1,000 ft.22÷

Determining Product / Determining Product / 1,000 ft.1,000 ft.22

# / bag coverage = # / 1,000 ft# / bag coverage = # / 1,000 ft2 2 ÷

50# 12(000) = 4.2# / 1,000 ft50# 12(000) = 4.2# / 1,000 ft22÷

Calculating Bags Per AcreCalculating Bags Per Acre

4 # / 1,000 ft.4 # / 1,000 ft.22 x 43.56 = 174 # / acre x 43.56 = 174 # / acre 174 # / acre 50 # / bag = 3.48 174 # / acre 50 # / bag = 3.48 bags / acre bags / acre

÷

# / acre # / bag = bags / acre # / acre # / bag = bags / acre ÷

Nitrogen SourcesNitrogen Sources

Natural Organic Natural Organic FertilizersFertilizers

Nitrogen combined with carbon, Nitrogen combined with carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and in hydrogen and oxygen, and in some cases other elements, to some cases other elements, to form very complex compounds. form very complex compounds.

(i.e. sewage sludge, poultry manure, (i.e. sewage sludge, poultry manure, blood meal etc.)blood meal etc.)

Synthetic Organic Synthetic Organic FertilizersFertilizers

Synthetically combined materials Synthetically combined materials containing carbon and two or containing carbon and two or more of the following elements; more of the following elements; oxygen, hydrogen or nitrogen.oxygen, hydrogen or nitrogen.

(i.e. urea, IBDU & methylene urea's)(i.e. urea, IBDU & methylene urea's)

InorganicInorganic

Carbon is not a component of it’s Carbon is not a component of it’s basic chemical structure.basic chemical structure.

(i.e. ammonium sulfate, diammonium (i.e. ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate & monoammonium phosphate & monoammonium phosphate)phosphate)

TemperatureTemperature OsmosisOsmosis Microbial actionMicrobial action HydrolysisHydrolysis Physical Physical

breakdownbreakdown

Nutrient Release Mechanisms

Temperature is a factor in the activity of soil Temperature is a factor in the activity of soil microorganism which break down certain microorganism which break down certain nutrient sources into their plant available form. nutrient sources into their plant available form. Cold soil temperatures decrease the activity Cold soil temperatures decrease the activity level of these microorganisms.level of these microorganisms.

Temperature

The tendency of fertilizer to pass through The tendency of fertilizer to pass through it’s outer coating, into the soil. This it’s outer coating, into the soil. This equalizes the fertilizer concentration equalizes the fertilizer concentration between the fertilizer granule and the soil.between the fertilizer granule and the soil.

Osmosis

Naturally occurring microorganisms break Naturally occurring microorganisms break down a variety of fertilizer coatings and down a variety of fertilizer coatings and nutrient sources into more basic compounds, nutrient sources into more basic compounds, which then allows the plants to use them.which then allows the plants to use them.

Microbial Action

A chemical reaction in which water breaks A chemical reaction in which water breaks down a compound such as a fertilizer coating.down a compound such as a fertilizer coating.

Hydrolysis

An example of conditions affecting the An example of conditions affecting the physical breakdown and release of nutrition physical breakdown and release of nutrition is: is:

The solvent effect of water on fertilizer The solvent effect of water on fertilizer coatings and nutrients.coatings and nutrients.

Physical Breakdown