POSTS FILED UNDER: 'Stabilized Chemical Aeration'
It has been a constant struggle maintaining healthy ultra dwarf turf on our push up greens. Since the implementation of Agriox, our greens have remained healthy and consistent. We are able to withstand environmental pressures better than ever before and are able to rebound from any injury in half the time. The best part of it is that the product is environmentally friendly! If you have issues you have to battle every year and you haven’t tried Agriox yet, you should give it a try today.
Michael Noppenberg
Golf Course Superintendent
Eagle Ridge Golf Club
mikenoppenberg@playeagleridge.com
May 9th, 2008
Prior to using Agriox several of my greens had very poor water infiltration as a result of compaction over time and poor reconstruction in the past. After using Agriox the infiltration improved dramatically. The problem greens no longer puddled badly, and all my greens show improved overall health. With the heat issues we faced during summer, Agriox really helped save my turf.
Mike Darby
Golf Course Superintendent
The Divide Golf Club
Matthews, NC USA
www.thedividegolfclub.com
January 3rd, 2008
Mike Sankey’s golf course, Royal Palm Country Club, is undoubtedly beautiful to behold, but beneath the surface it had the familiar and common challenges of shallow roots and heavy organic content in the greens. Nothing seemed to have an impact until he began utilizing the stabilized aeration of the unique slow release soil oxygen product Agriox.™ His amazing results caused him to trial more of Geoponics’ environmentally friendly Earth Chemistries,™ and now he is on the complete Grizzly Pro-Turf™ greens fertility program, which he highly recommends.
Video Testimonial 1
Video Testimonial 2
As the general public’s attention is increasingly focused on environmentally responsible action, both individually and corporately, the tools that superintendents utilize in their daily work routine need to be reevaluated. Mike Sankey looks forward to an on-going partnership with Geoponics to continue to stay ahead of the curve, not because of impending legislation, but because he knows it is important to his membership and because it is the right thing to do.
Together We Can Make A Difference.™
December 11th, 2007
“I have been using the Grizzly Pro-Turf Program™ recommended by Geoponics for a number of months now with wonderful results. The color and health of our greens is remarkable! From the enhanced aerobic activity secondary to the Agriox,™ increased lateral growth from the Carbotein’s™ (6-2-5) amino acid complex and vitamin/protein content, to the powerful visuals empowered by the foliar nutritional Grizzly Terrain™ (16-1-2), our whole team has been very impressed by this environmental program. We have noticed increased root mass and sustained visual health. To say the least, WE ARE GREEN!
I would also like to mention, the Penterra™ as a wetting agent for soils is impressive. It is very effective on both LDS and the slow to drain areas. Secondary to the results we have seen previously, we now run the Penterra through our fertigation system.”
Brian Beckner
Golf Course Superintendent
La Playa Beach & Golf Resort
Naples, FL USA
www.laplayaresort.com
November 21st, 2007
We’re here at the Barefoot Resort & Golf…
North Myrtle Beach, SC. We are a 54-hole resort facility with A1 bentgrass greens.
What drew you to the industry and the work in the first place?
I like working outside. Just seeing the grass, and seeing the trees and the birds; working outside is just as much fun as it is anything else. Watching the sunrise in the morning and then watching the sunset in the evening. Those are probably the two prettiest times of the day.
So were you spending time on golf courses prior to making it a career, or was it something you gradually found yourself doing?
I started out going to school as an engineer and hated it. I worked in a golf course one summer and said, “Hey, this is fun!” I really liked it, and ended up going to school and getting my degree.
That was where?
I went to Horry-Georgetown Technical College right here in the Myrtle Beach area, and then I’ve been in several different golf courses here in Myrtle Beach. Also in the upstate of South Carolina, and worked the PGA Tour for a little bit.
You’ve got great weather right now; do you have any challenges specific to this area that you address?
Trying to grow bentgrass here in Myrtle Beach is tough. We’re always looking for a new way, a different edge, something that would help us get through the hot and nasty days of summer. Daytime highs of mid to upper 90’s most days in August; nighttime temps at about 80. We had one point this summer when we had a heat index of 118 to 120. Bentgrass does not like that; so that’s always a major challenge.
Just trying to produce a better product, a little better for us, better for the customer. Trying new things as they come along, and working with some old standbys too. Just trying to find the right combinations so we can give a better product to the golfers.
You mentioned trying new things. Why were you willing to give our products a chance?
Well, after sitting down and looking at the material, and also talking with Geoponics, the ideas made sense. Particularly what the Agriox will do: to help increase the oxygen and gas in your soil to help the microbial activity, helping giving you a healthier soil so that the nutrients that are there are better available to the plant. That struck me.
If I can save a little bit on the fertilizers, and I can have a healthier plant, and I’ve got good things going in the soil, and if I can have a healthier plant next summer, we’re going to give it a try.
Have you done enough applications to see whether or not you are able to cut back on the amount of fertilizers that you’re using?
Yes. We have done the Agriox on several applications now. I’m seeing it, and also my other superintendents and assistant superintendents are seeing it. We’ve not put as much nitrogen fertilizer on the ground, or in the spray tank, as we have in the past, so we are seeing an even feed from what we’ve got. We really think that we are seeing some positive effects. We are seeing the soil is working for the plant, and the plant is able to extract the nutrients out of it. So we’re hoping that this will be continuing as we get further along, as we get into next spring and next summer, we’re going to see some great results.
So that has a certain impact on your bottom line, using less material, clearly. But it also makes one wonder, do you feel that the plant life is actually better using what you’re putting down so there’s less waste, less run off, less that’s sinking down below the root zone?
Yes, it will save us on the bottom line, because we are not going to have as much fertilizer. At least that’s what we’ve seen so far. However, if we can have a healthier soil, we’re all for trying to do it in an environmentally conscious, environmentally friendly way. Trying to be a steward, that’s what we all should be doing.
That way we can work better with what is happening, because, as we all know, in the future it is just going to get a little tighter, and little tighter, and little tighter as we move along. And maybe we can get started on some stuff now so we can learn before that big hammer comes along and says, “No, you can’t do that anymore.” We can learn now and experiment a little bit, which is what I’m doing with some good guidance and also by looking and talking to other folks that have used the product. I feel pretty confident that this is going to be a product that is going to work with the program that I’m working with on my product here.
I’m sure it was explained to you that we’ve been a “green” company from Day One. Would you say that impacted your willingness to utilize the product line?
It helps, but I’m not going to say that’s the driving factor. I’m looking at it along the lines that if there’s a product that can help me produce conditions that the golfer will really like in September (since August & September are our worst months), if we can have a healthier plant going into that time of year, it’s going to be a little easier on us when we get 95, 98, 100 degrees out with nighttime temps of 80.
Does it help that it is environmentally friendly? Yes, it does. You can go and put the product out and you don’t necessarily have to worry, “Am I wasting it? Is it getting washed through or getting trapped somewhere?” It’s all environmentally friendly, so that’s a great side benefit, not the primary benefit, but it’s a wonderful side benefit.
So if it came down to two products where you were going to get similar results, but one is from an environmentally friendly product line and the other one maybe not so much, that could tip the scales?
Yes, it could. If I can spend a little bit of money and get a great product that everybody is happy with, and I can show that I’m environmentally friendly, I think most people will understand that extra little bit of cost.
Absolutely. You mentioned Agriox. Is that the product you feel is giving you most visible results?
Agriox is not the most visible. What I’m seeing is that is going to be a continuing application. For me one of the biggest things that I’ve seen, and what other people are seeing, wherever they might be, what really shows you something in a couple of days is the Grizzly Terrain. With Terrain that you can see a lot of in a hurry.
I can tell being out here, and knowing the name that we’re working with here, it’s probably more difficult for you to get a clear benefit showing because you’ve already got a high caliber turf that you’re dealing with, so that’s says a lot about Terrain. Have you seen similar effects in the past with any other products?
I’ve personally not used anything that’s given me that big color hit that I’ve seen with Terrain. If you want big color in a hurry, it will do it. You can see color within about a day and a half or two days.
Wow! That’s instant results. Getting back to the Agriox, what makes it unique is the slow release aspect, that the demands of the oxygen in the soil will play a big part in how the product releases it over time.
It’s all based on soil temperature, what’s going on with air temperature, and also the microbes that you have in the ground. It’s all breaking down slowly, which is good. That way you’ll get a steady product out of it, instead of what you see in other products that you see in the market where you put it out and you see a big spike and then it dies off.
If we can get it in even distribution with the product, that’s what we need. It makes it easier for us as managers if we have somewhat of a prediction. If it’s going to work out say a month before we have to do anything again, versus we put the product out and 2 weeks later we’ve have to do it again, it will help us in time and labor there.
It’s just finding the right combinations. For us here at Barefoot, we have 3 different golf courses and each has it’s own little environment. Anywhere you go up and down the beach here, or anywhere throughout the country, we all have our own micro environments that we’re having to work with, and this product is going to help us get there. It is going to help. I really believe it is going to get us get there.
We’ve talked about how it’s unique, are you aware of any other products that do a similar thing, that put oxygen in to your soil in that way?
No, I don’t know of anything along those lines. Once I sat down and looked at some material that was given to me by Geoponics… I tell you: this is the product.
You’ve been more than generous with your time. Thank you so much for talking to us today. it sounds like you’re a fan and that we’ve earned that business, but I’ve got to tell you we’re so appreciative of it. And the fact that you are willing to keep talking to other people about it is something that we really want to extend our thanks for.
No problem.
November 4th, 2007
“I have had a problem with my putting greens falling off in the summer for five or six years now. I applied the Agriox and the putting greens looked great all summer long. It really did a nice job of bringing back those areas.”
Dick Naccarato
Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club
Naples, FL
November 4th, 2007
by Dr. Eric A. Brown
Turfgrass Doctors Research and Consulting
Black layer in turfgrass soils seems to be one of those mystifying phenomena that can creep up and cause havoc on an otherwise status-quo agronomic system. The truth is, if you get down to the molecular and biological foundation of the problem, black layer can be mitigated and corrected through an understanding of what the soil and plant system needs.
There are two basic types of cell metabolism: those that use oxygen (aerobic) and those that do not (anaerobic). Aerobic metabolism consumes oxygen for cellular respiration, releasing carbon-dioxide and water. Oxygen is used as a terminal electron acceptor and is converted into water.
Redox (shorthand for reduction/oxidation reaction) reactions are chemical reactions in which electrons are transferred from a donor molecule to an acceptor molecule. There are a number of different electron acceptors, both organic and inorganic. If oxygen is available, it is invariably used as the terminal electron acceptor because it generates the greatest Gibbs free energy change and produces the most energy.
Black Layer In Turfgrass Soils Indicates Oxygen Is In Short Supply To Plants And Microorganisms
In anaerobic environments, the absence of oxygen requires other electron acceptors to be used, including nitrate, nitrite, ferric iron, sulfate, carbon dioxide, and small organic molecules. These alternate electron acceptors are reduced the same way oxygen is reduced to water when oxygen is present.
Probes have been developed to measure the redox potential (Eh) of soils. A restriction on the resupply of oxygen to soils will lower redox potential. Soils that stay wet, such as those in wetlands, will have low redox potential (-300 to 300 mV). Healthy upland soils will have high redox potential (300 to 700 mV) because oxygen should not be in short supply (Ponnamperuma, 1972). Soils with black layer will have reduced redox potentials compared to a soil with good tilth.
When little or no oxygen is available, oxygen consuming roots and microorganisms may die. If cells in a human body are deprived of oxygen they can be damaged and may die, the same is true for oxygen metabolizing microorganisms in the soil. Unlike the human body, soils that have depleted oxygen will become dominated by microorganisms that can survive without oxygen. Microorganisms that can survive without oxygen (called anaerobes) are the cause of black layer. Turf root cells must have oxygen for cellular respiration and so will decline in a black layer environment.
Black layer in soils has been incorrectly blamed on such things as applying too much organic fertilizer, compost, and/or sulfur. Black layer can smell bad because transformation of oxidized molecules to its reduced form (after being an electron acceptor) can result in molecules that have foul odors. When sulfate is used as an electron acceptor the reduced form can ultimately be hydrogen sulfide. When oxygen is the electron acceptor, water is released as the reduced form of oxygen.
Organic matter will build up in anaerobic systems because the breakdown of organic molecules is not as complete or efficient compared to oxygen rich systems. This incomplete breakdown of organic matter in anaerobic conditions further promotes black layer by blocking drainage and gas exchange.
When Turf Suffers From Black Layer, Your Unhealthy Soil System Is Caused By An Oxygen Deficiency
In a healthy soil system, about 25% of the space is air pore space, 25% is water pore space and 50% is soil particles. As plant roots and aerobic microorganisms use up oxygen through respiration, fresh oxygen must diffuse down into the soil from the above ground atmosphere. For this reason, the soil air has less available oxygen than atmospheric air.
If you encounter black layer in turfgrass soils, oxygen is not getting down into the soil air pore space fast enough. If water is occupying most or all of the pore space, available oxygen will decline and black layer conditions become possible. Poor drainage and over watering are causes of black layer because oxygen diffuses through water 10,000 times slower than through air.
What You Can Do To Fix Your Black Layer Problem
Corrective measures for black layer in the soil include aerating the soil to remove barriers for oxygen and carbon-dioxide diffusion. Increasing drainage and monitoring water applied can reduce the amount of water in the soil pore space allowing more space for gaseous oxygen.
In addition to physical aeration, correcting drainage problems, and monitoring water content of the soil profile, there are other tools that can be used to lessen the problems associated with low levels of oxygen in soils. New technology has brought us products that can supply oxygen to oxygen depleted soil systems. Agriox™ is a proprietary slow release soil oxygen product developed and manufactured by Geoponics, LLC.
Black layer in turfgrass soils is a result of the soil-plant system not being able to cycle nutrients and oxygen like a healthy agronomic system is designed. Understanding the fundamental agronomic causes of black layer will help turf managers use the tools and methods necessary to mitigate and even avoid plant and soil conditions that do not promote healthy turfgrass.
Eric A. Brown, Ph.D.
Turfgrass Agronomist
Citation:
Ponnamperuma, F.N. 1972. The chemistry of submerged soils. Advances in Agronomy. 24: 29-96.
Turfgrass Doctors: Pioneers in the Field of Turfgrass Consulting and Research
Offering unbiased, on-site scientific product evaluations, Turfgrass Doctors supports the turfgrass industry by helping golf course superintendents find products and solutions to fit specific situations. Their services range from common consulting issues like weed control and fertilizer types, to more complicated services such as product research and data analysis. For further information, visit their website, email Dr. Brown, or call 352-514-9233.
Before joining Turfgrass Doctors, Dr. Brown worked for Liquid Ag Systems, Inc. which specialized in supplying liquid fertilizers to the golf course market in South Florida. Dr. Brown has also been responsible for the maintenance of collegiate sports turf at the University of Florida and is an Adjunct Professor at Sante Fe Community College in the Department of Natural Sciences. He attended graduate school at the University of Florida receiving a M.S. and Ph.D. in Soil and Water Science. His research focused on phosphorus retention in USGA putting greens, and mass balance of 15N-labeled nitrogen sources to turfgrass. He received a B.S. in Business Administration (Marketing) from Auburn University in 1989.
October 12th, 2007
Our customers expect speed, but my grass has to be able to stand up to the heavy traffic of a busy resort environment and the stress of summer. I’ve used Agriox tank mixed with Humawet for the past year, ever since I met with a Geoponics chemist that suggested a program based on my specific situation here. We just went out at the double rate following aerification because we find our holes close up and heal quicker, which is a real help. The roots I have now are healthy, thick and long enough to hang out of the bottom of the tines, and the plugs hold together even after we sweep them because of their mass.
Everything I’ve used from Geoponics has helped me get to where I need to be in one way or another. I had been using their foliar fertilizer Terrain, but found the green up to be more than I was looking for. After sharing my concerns with their technical staff, I was impressed to learn they took my feedback into account and created an analysis more suitable for bentgrass. I have since switched to Grizzly Northern to get the even feed I want with the color I prefer. I judge the state of my greens by keeping an eye on my clippings, and they are consistently where I need them to be.
Over all I’ve seen a good return for my dollar, and I’ve talked to other superintendents that now use Geoponics products that are pleased with what they are seeing. Since we are cultivating healthier stands of turf, we can save a little here and there by cutting back on rates and spacing out, or even eliminating, certain treatments. It all adds up, and in the end you get your money back while being a good steward for the environment. I really believe that, or else I wouldn’t keep buying it.
Patrick Donelan, CGCS
Barefoot Resort & Golf
Myrtle Beach, SC
June 11th, 2007
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