Turf

Fall 2015 - 117 www.turftrends.com it was dry, no rain. The seed wasn't coming up, so my rep convinced me to try it. I tried it on some of my high, dry areas and about 5 or 6 days later the seed started popping. I sprayed it everywhere after that and all of the overseeding came up. I've used it every year during overseeding since then." In addition to his use of Moisture Manager for seed germination, Musci has applied the product to sprigs during course renovations and uses it on his greens during the summer as well as during dry, windy times of the year. Superintendent Ashley Davis applies Moisture Manager to accelerate seed germination with less water at Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island. "LCC is a busy place in the fall, which makes it very difficult to for us to keep our seed wet during the day. Around 2008 we made an effort to expedite the germination process on our overseed by spraying all tees, fairways, and greens with Moisture Manager at 7 oz per 1,000 sq. ft. There is no doubt in my mind that this has helped us tremendously." Ryan Burke, the superintendent at Celebration Golf Club near Orlando, Fla., began using Hydretain to enhance germination rates on mounds and other dry areas. "I put out Hydretain on bunker faces and mounds that have issues retaining moisture and/or that have poor irrigation coverage. These areas were always lagging behind the rest of the course during seed germination. I noticed great results in the areas where Hydretain was applied prior to overseeding. In the past these troubled areas would take a while to germinate and when germinated they would be thin in comparison to the rest of the course. Using Hydretain I had a more uniform seed germination throughout the course," says Burke. "I fully believe that using Hydretain is a cost effective practice here at Celebration Golf Club. I would spend so many labor hours through hand watering and dusting the areas with additional seed to get the final result that was desired here. Now we just apply Hydretain in the areas prior to seeding and the germination rate and timing is right on par with the rest of the course with no additional time and resources." For Burke, Davis and Musci these products have proven to be an effective solution for increased germination rates with less water. Hygroscopic humectants just might be the answer that you've been looking for to ensure maximum germination for your seeding projects as well as proper moisture management for established turf.

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