Feed the Soil

Just over a week ago, we tried something a little risky at Bernardo Heights.  No, we didn't try to kill all the poa on the greens or experiment with high rates of pesticides or mow the greens down to nothing.  The risk we took was based on the noses of those around us.  We applied organic fertilizer to all our fairways and some of the primary rough.  The fertilizer we used is composed of rock minerals and chicken manure blended with ammonium sulfate to provide some more nitrogen and a bit of a kickstart.

The overall amount of nitrogen is rather low, but the long term feeding is the beauty of this product.  We are not only feeding the turf, we are also feeding the microbes, the beneficial, single cell organisms in the soil.  These are the workhorses of a good soil profile that break down thatch and humus to be made into something the plant can use.

The product I used does have an "organic" smell to it, but I didn't receive one phone call or complaint from a homeowner or a member.  We applied the fertilizer late in the afternoon just after an outside tournament.  We watered it in immediately and gave it a bit more water that evening.  The next day was the second round of our Women's Golf Association Championship and nobody noticed the fertilizer because there was nothing to notice.

This product will be become a staple of our program with an application in spring and another in fall.  The price is right, the response is good, and the long-term benefits are excellent.  One small problem with this fertilizer is with my dog, Izzo.  She loves the smell and will lay on the bags while they're in the shop.  The fairways don't stink the day after the application, but Izzo sure would without a bath.