Landscape & Irrigation

www.landscapeirrigation.com Landscape and Irrigation March 2016 27 compared to quick-release fertilizers that aim for very fast, but unsustained, green-up. This reduces undesirable 'feast or famine' cycles of nutrient uptake, resulting in more consistent growth and healthier plants." Misconception: Slow-release and controlled-release fertilizers are basically the same thing. Reality: Slow-release fertilizers are dependent largely on envi- ronmental conditions in order to release nutrients. Methylene urea, ureaformaldehyde and natural organic fertilizers depend on the activity of soil microorganisms to release N (and possibly other nutrients). Sulfur-coated fertilizers depend on rupture of the sulfur coatings, either due to damage or internal pressure fol- lowing water uptake. Controlled-release (polymer-coated) fertilizers rely on the properties of the coatings to regulate release. Water is necessary to activate release, but the coating is in control — there is no variability due to soil microbes or excess water. Highly engineered, highly predictable coating technology controls actual nutrient release. Misconception: If it rains right after you fertilize, all the nutrients run off the lawn and into the gutter, making their way to lakes and streams before they can actually have a positive effect on the landscape. Reality: There is abundant research showing that healthy turf greatly restricts runoff of water and nutrients. Grass slows down the lateral movement of water even during heavy rains, allowing it to infiltrate into soil, which has been made porous by healthy roots. Misconception: It is better to leave turf unfertilized to eliminate the risk of nutrient runoff. Reality: Research shows that under-fertilized turf can actually result in more runoff of water and nutrients than well-fertilized turf. Without proper fertilization, turf may thin out, which encourages weed and disease problems. "This patchy turf also allows water to move more freely over the soil's surface, carrying soil particles and nutrients with it," Miltner added. "Maintaining well-fertilized, healthy turf is actually one of the best ways to limit nutrient runoff." Misconception: Synthetic and organic fertilizers feed your turf with different forms of nitrogen. Reality: All nitrogen fertilizers, regardless of their source or composition, are converted into ammonium (NH4+) and/or ni- trate (NO3-) in the soil before the N is taken up by the plant. In the end, organic and synthetic fertilizers supply N to the plant in the same form. Misconception: Stabilized nitrogen or inhibitor products are the same as slow-release nitrogen. Reality: Stabilized or inhibitor products are made by introduc- ing an additive into or onto the outside of urea. These additives do nothing to change the urea itself. The urea still dissolves upon watering and is immediately released into the soil environment. The stabilizers or inhibitors change the way that urea is trans- formed in the soil. "If the fertilizer includes an established nitrification inhibi- tor, this can help keep N available for a longer period of time," said Miltner. "If only a recognized urease inhibitor is included, volatilization potential is decreased, but there is no significant impact on longevity. Both stabilized nitrogen and slow-release nitrogen have their own unique characteristics and advantages, but they fill different roles and satisfy different agronomic needs." Misconception: Applying an enhanced-efficiency fertilizer one, two or three times each year is a poor business decision for contractors who are paid on a per-visit basis. The best program is a fertilizer application every six weeks, supplemented with herbicide and insecticide treatments as necessary. Reality: Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers just make sense, from both an environmental and an economic perspective. By apply- ing a more efficient product, lawn care professionals can achieve better results while optimizing labor and resources. And, they can differentiate themselves from their competition by promot- ing better environmental stewardship and contributing to their companies' bottom lines. "Let's say a contractor has a customer agreement where he's paid a fixed fee for providing a certain service each month," said Miltner. "EEF technologies work in his favor because labor is often a company's biggest expense. If that contractor can save a trip across his entire account base, all of that money goes straight to his bottom line." Buying and applying fertilizer may be one of the simplest, most straightforward tasks that lawn and landscape contractors face. Yet, many contractors are still trapped in the cycle of always purchasing and applying the same formulations year after year when an alternative may exist that's better for their customers and their businesses. "The fertilizer industry is working diligently to develop new formulations that are efficient, effective and more sustainable," said Miltner. "It's definitely in a contractor's best interest to in- vestigate the new products that are out there, learn their pros and cons, then determine whether it's time to make a switch. If you don't know what you don't know, as they say, you can't make edu- cated decisions that could potentially have a positive impact, both now and in the future." Article provided by Koch Turf & Ornamental. LI

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