Turf-Tec International soil page for golf course superintendents

Below is a step by step method of analyzing the soil conditions of your golf course. The soil is the literal foundation of your entire turf management program.
If your soil is not in good health, it is only a matter of time before you have other problems that in many instances, lead to loss of turf.

Step One:
Examine the soil profile for layers of unlike material.

Layers of unlike materials form on almost all turfgrass areas. They are caused by natural and man made reasons. Whatever the reason for their development they will cause problems with turfgrass growth. The layers will also impede water and air movement as well as tie up vital nutrients needed for deep root systems.

Any layers under turfgrass areas should be examined closely with a Soil Profile Sampler. Turf-Tec makes several different types of Soil Profile Samplers, choose the one that best suits your needs.

For golf greens, the Soil Profile Sampler or Mascaro Profile Sampler work well to reveal the profile and show layers as well as overall soil and grass root health.

For hard ground areas like fairways, tees and native soil areas, the New Heavy Duty Mascaro Profile Sampler is the best tool. This tool extract a cross section of the soil profile with this 7" deep, 3" wide and 1/2" thick sampler. This Heavy duty sampler has a 30 inch long handle and the reinforced cutter blades allow reliable use even in hard soils. The cutter blade opens with the aid of a specially designed hinge exposing the Soil Profile with unmatched quality.

Another Quality tool are the Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler, these small samplers extract a 1/2 inch diameter core sample. The Stainless Steel composition of the Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler make them excellent for the collection of core samples for analysis. They are small enough to be kept anywhere so you will never be without a soil sampler again.

Heavy Duty Mascaro Profile Sampler	Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler Stainless Steel - 1/2 inch Diameter

Turf-Tec Heavy Duty Mascaro Profile Sampler - MPS2-S Click here to see this item in the Turf-Tec Virtual Catalog	Turf-Tec Pocket Tubular Soil Sampler Stainless Steel - 1/2 inch Diameter - TSS3-S - Click here to see this item in the Turf-Tec Virtual Catalog

Step Two:
Examine the soil profile particle size to determine the analysis.

When taking a soil profile, it is also a good idea to examine the soil particle size. First take a composite of the entire rootzone, dry the soil and pass it though a set of sieves for analysis. Compare your results to the USGA putting green specifications to determine your soil particle size. Also, if you notice and different layers in the soil profile, they may warrant running separate sieve analysis on each section.

Compaction will create problems because the soil becomes so hard that grass roots cannot penetrate and grow. This will also cause irrigation water and fertilizer to run off hard soils.

To determine if compaction is a problem you can use a Turf-Tec Penetrometer. This gravity operated tool gives you readings in percentages. If the readings are around the 50% range that signifies that the soil is in good tilth with 50% for solids, 25% for water and 25% for air. If readings are higher, compaction will affect root growth as well as playability and ball bounce. Also monitoring with the Turf-Tec Penetrometer insures consistency between every green. Often tournament agronomists require compaction readings on each green to insure each golf green is within the same compaction range. This tool also settles arguments by showing with a numeric reading that compaction is in an acceptable range on all greens. If greens are hard, Aerification may be necessary and if you relate it to compaction readings and golf ball bounce, the need for Aerification becomes evident even to the non agronomically inclined.

After taking a soil profile sample, examine the profile to determine the depth of thatch and mat. Thatch and mat layers can cause many problems with water and air movement to the grass roots. These layers, when detected with the Soil Profile Sampler, should be monitored with a Digital Thermometer during periods of stress to avoid the loss of turf due to spontaneous combustion or wilting.

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