Rough renewal and fertilizer application

The staff have spent the last couple weeks using our slit seeder to drill fescue into the rough and cool season green surround areas.  Once the seeder went over the area, a metal mat was drug over the area to pull up the grass material that was cut and to place the seed in contact with the ground which improves germination.  We purchased 2 tons of seed which is not a great deal if you consider we have about 80 acres of rough but we only seed in close rough areas or worn play areas.

Fertilizer has been applied to close rough this week.  Some of the fertilizer will be utilized by the existing plants before they begin to shutdown in November.  The new seedlings will also use the fertilizer as well.  University research as well as our own actual experience has show greater benefit in applying fertilizer before the turf slows drastically.

Grass plants are like yours truly, when I eat normally, no extra brownies in the morning or over sized burgers at lunch, my bodies power plant is able to use the nutrition and does not store excess into fat. Plants are only capable of utilizing a certain amount of nutrition.  Once they have enough food, it is then turned into storage which is important for the plant strengthening going into winter and for growing out next spring.  Once the plant has stored all it can, excess fertilizer is not used and could go to waste  Too much fertilizer is a waste of resources and can also contribute to negative effects on the environment.  We are finding 30-40% reduction is fertilizer applications still gives us a healthy plant through next spring.  The stored energy gives us great green up in the spring and gives us a more steady growth cycle in the spring.  

The drag that was used to bring up thatch and leaf material that was brought up by the seeder.

The right bank behind #17 green with newly emerged seedlings.  You can see the lines or slits where the seed was drilled into the soil.