Turf

116 FROM THE ROUGH TURF CARE With summer coming to a close and cooler weather on the horizon, it is time to begin planning for seed season. Since the housing market crash in 2008, grass seed prices have been on the rise with no relief in sight. Many Oregon famers have reduced the acreage dedicated to seed production in favor of other crops. This year, heat and drought have punished the Northwest leading to greater reductions in seed supply, further driving up the price per pound. With costs at a premium it is more important than ever to maximize germination rates. Proper moisture management is one of the biggest factors affecting seed success. Impacted by Mother Nature, terrain and course demands, most superintendents have neither the time nor resources needed to maintain optimum moisture levels throughout the day. Fortunately, there is solution to help keep seed projects from drying out. Hygroscopic humectants are a class of chemistry that attract and capture moisture vapor to form microscopic water droplets. Commonly applied to established turf and plants, these chemistries have the ability to convert humidity within the soil airspace back into liquid that is readily available to plant roots. This process helps plants survive periods of low moisture and can reduce overall course watering demands by an average of 35 percent. When applied to seed, hygroscopic humectants form a thin, protective film that draws in moisture and helps prevent the seed from drying out in between rainfall or irrigation cycles. Currently available as Hydretain from Ecologel Solutions, LESCO Moisture Manager from John Deere Landscapes, and H3O Plus from BioPro Technologies, hygroscopic humectants are continuing to gain popularity among superintendents. "It's real good stuff. We've used it for sprigs, we use it for overseeding every year, we use it for our greens and any other dry areas," says Jim Musci, superintendent at Kiawah Island's River Course. For Musci, the use of hygroscopic humectants began over a decade ago. "The first time I used Moisture Manager was 10 years ago or so, maybe more, when I overseeded and No Seed Left Behind Hygroscopic Humectants Improve Seed Germination & Establishment VIDEO

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