WHY THE HEALTH AND LIFE OF YOUR LAWN DEPENDS ON IT
Did you know that the health of your plants and lawn are almost completely dependent on the condition of your soil? The success of your lawn’s health and durability is directly related to the quality of the soil it grows in. If your soil is in poor health, your lawn will suffer as well. Soil quality
is vital to the appearance and strength of your lawn, the fight against weeds, and the protection against insects and disease. But in order to improve or optimize the quality of your soil, you must first understand it and then learn how to properly maintain it. No two soils are created the same; environmental factors like precipitation, region and biological activity affect its texture and structure. Gaining an understanding of your soil will help you decide on the best treatment option to take in order to improve its quality, leading to strong, lush, healthy and beautiful green plants and lawns.
SOIL TEXTURE
The texture of the soil plays a crucial role in soil health because its characteristics greatly affect plant and lawn growth. Soil texture indicates the three different sizes of soil particles: sand, silt, or clay, and how fine or coarse they are. Texture influences the way water and air is able to penetrate the soil, the availability of nutrients to the plant, the ease of which soil can be worked or tilled as well as water retention.
TYPES OF SOIL TEXTURES
- Sand: Soil with the largest mineral particles. Sand particles create large pore spaces that help improve aeration and water drainage. Soil with a high percentage of sand will generally be well drained but will lack the ability to retain key nutrients, impacting soil fertility.
- Silt: Soil with mid-sized soil particles. Silt is an ideal soil type to have for its water retention abilities and soil fertility characteristics.
- Clay: Soil with the smallest mineral size. Although it can retain moisture well, clay soil creates very small pore spaces, causing poor water drainage and aeration. Clay also compacts easily, making it difficult for plant roots to grow.
SOIL STRUCTURE
Soil structure refers to the arrangement and combination of soil particles (peds) into aggregates, or clusters of various shapes and sizes that are bound together by physical, chemical and biological processes (fungal activity, tilling, freezing, thawing, wetting, drying, and by plant root growth). Aggregates that are naturally formed in soil are known as peds while the clumps formed from tilling and working the soil are called clods. Like soil texture, the structure of soil is important because it affects:
- Water and Air Flow through Soil
- Nutrient Availability for Plant Uptake
- Root growth
- Sustaining Biological Diversity, Activity and Productivity
- Filtering of Organic and Inorganic Materials
- Erosion Prevention
- Compaction Prevention
- Runoff Prevention of Fertilizers, Pesticides and Other Pollutants into Waterways
The size, shape and strength of aggregates determine the spaces between them (aggregates) called pores. Pore structure affects how easily roots, water and air move through soil. Pore spaces that have a range of sizes, including both large pores between aggregates and small pores within the aggregates, allow for more water, air and nutrient movement, better root growth, water retention as well as passageways for microorganisms. For example, sandy soils have low aggregation so roots and water move readily through soil, while clay soil has high aggregation, making it a little more challenging for water and roots to move through soil.
SOIL QUALITY
Understanding and monitoring soil texture and structure are important steps into managing soil quality. Soils are complex, diverse and have the potential to be greatly altered to improve your plant or lawns growing environment. By focusing on feeding your soil, you can enhance your plant/lawn health and durability. The best way to monitor your soil is to conduct a soil test to determine soil fertility, pH, and composition.
- NOTE: You can pick up a soil test kit at your local home and garden store or you can check with your local cooperative extension office to see if they do soil testing.
HOW TO IMPROVE SOIL QUALITY
Once you make an assessment of the lawn’s soil and its conditions, you can decide what efforts you can make to enhance the quality of your lawns growing environment. Beneficial improvements you can add to your lawn care routine to help manage soil quality include:
- Aeration: Aeration helps manage soil that can be easily compacted. Compaction inhibits root growth, water availability and air flow. This also allows earthworms and other microorganisms to roam freely, keeping soil healthy and fertile.
- Adopt a Lawn Care Program: Add additional nutrients to your soil with fertilizers. Refer to your soil test for appropriate recommendations for your soil. Read all product label instructions for proper rate of application and timing.
- Apply a Soil Amendment: Soil amendments have the ability to enhance a soil’s structure, water retention, permeability and drainage properties as well as balancing its chemical properties (pH and nutrient availability status).
- Introduce Microbes: Microbes help to improve soil structure by stabilizing soil aggregates as well as turn organic matter into nutrients plants can absorb like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, oxygen, hydrogen and other essential minerals needed for plant growth.
- Minimizing Lawn Traffic: This includes both foot and vehicle traffic. Heavy foot traffic and vehicles driving or parking on grass (including mowers) can cause compaction. Refrain from allowing vehicles on your lawn and try to use designated walkways when possible. TIP: Although mowers can cause your lawns soil to compact, try to vary your mowing patterns in order to slow compaction.
- Till Area: Tilling you soil is great for starting new lawns or lawn renovations because it breaks up hard, dense subsoil, clods, and soil crust. Tilling will also help level your lawn, preventing water from puddling by promoting proper drainage. TIP: Rototillers are great for areas that are too large or hard to dig. Never till when your soil is wet.
For more information on our Soil Amendments, Click Here.
For green industry professionals or others interested in ordering Turfcare products, please contact our Customer Service to find a distributor near you.
References:
http://www.carlisle.k12.ky.us/userfiles/1044/Classes/6685/040070.pdf
ftp://ftp.fao.org/fi/cdrom/fao_training/fao_training/general/x6706e/x6706e06.htm
http://www.deeproot.com/blog/blog-entries/what-is-soil-structure-and-why-is-it-important
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052820.pdf
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/youyourland/soil.htm
http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/understanding-your-report/lawn-garden-and-landscape-plants
http://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/turf/extension/professional-turf
https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/10-easy-soil-tests
Turf Care Supply - TurfReport Blog
Turf Care Supply, LLC, a portfolio company of Platte River Equity, has officially acquired Beaty Fertilizer, the industry respected Tennessee-based manufacturer and blender of custom granular and liquid fertilizers, as well as combination products. This strategic move expands Turf Care’s manufacturing footprint, adds new product capabilities, and enhances overall production capacity. “The partnership with Beaty Fertilizer marks a major milestone in our journey and an important step forward in our mission to grow, innovate and lead in our industry,” said Mark Mangan, President of Turf Care. “This acquisition is more than just expansion; it’s a powerful opportunity to strengthen our product offerings, broaden our market reach and provide greater value to our customers. By welcoming Beaty into the Turf Care family, we are reinforcing our commitment to excellence and positioning ourselves for an even brighter future.” “We are excited about this next step in the Beaty Fertilizer story. For almost 50 years, our family and our employees have worked hard to serve customers and communities with pride and heart,” said John Beaty, President of Beaty. “Now, we are embracing an opportunity for growth with Turf Care. With our combined know-how and resources, we’ll keep building on what we’ve worked so hard to create and bring even more value to our customers, employees and partners. We truly believe this partnership will keep the Beaty legacy going strong while opening up new doors for growth and innovation.” Tarun Kanthety, Vice President at Platte River, added, “We believe the acquisition of Beaty Fertilizer represents a strategic step in expanding Turf Care’s footprint and product breadth... as it scales and enhances its value proposition to customers.”
Root out Grubs, Before they Attack Yours! White grubs, the immature stage of several scarab beetles—including Japanese beetles, masked chafers, May and June beetles, and green June beetles—are a major threat to turfgrass across the Southeast. These beetles follow a complete metamorphosis (egg, grub, pupa, adult), with most species completing their cycle in one year. Eggs are laid in early summer, grubs hatch within two weeks, and begin feeding on turfgrass roots through the late summer and fall. May and June beetles differ slightly, with a two- to three-year life cycle and prolonged feeding as third-instar grubs. Grubs damage turf by severing roots, causing grass to yellow, wilt, or lift easily from the soil. Feeding is typically concentrated in patches and worsens during hot, dry weather. Wildlife digging for grubs can create further turf destruction. Healthy turf may tolerate 5–10 grubs per square foot, but damage becomes evident as populations rise or turf is under stress. Early detection and timing are essential. Scouting begins in late June, shortly after adult beetle activity peaks. Monitoring plants favored by beetles can signal egg-laying is underway. Treatment is most effective when small grubs are active—typically from mid-July through early August. For professional turfgrass managers, insecticides containing imidacloprid (Merit®), chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn®), or trichlorfon (Dylox®) are the most effective tools. The primary months of preventative application of Acelepryn® is from April to end of May and Merit® from April into July - targeting grubs before they hatch. Curative treatments with Dylox® or similar products are applied July through the fall, when young grubs are feeding and most vulnerable. Always follow label directions for optimal application and safety. Timing may vary slightly by regional seasonal needs. Turf Care Supply has a variety of professional TCS Growstar insecticide fertilizers available to protect your turf and prevent grub damage, before it starts. Click on the button below to view products, contact your sales rep for addition TC Growstar products available.
Platte River Equity Portfolio Company Turf Care Supply, LLC Acquires Agri-Nutrients, Inc. Brunswick, OH , October 9, 2024 – Platte River Equity (“Platte River”) portfolio company Turf Care Supply, LLC (“Turf Care”) is pleased to announce its acquisition of Agri-Nutrients, Inc. (“Agri-Nutrients”), a manufacturer and blender of custom granular fertilizers for the turf & ornamental (“T&O”) industry. This strategic acquisition provides Turf Care with an established presence in the south-central United States, an enhanced product portfolio and additional manufacturing capacity. “This acquisition represents much more than a business transaction; it is a strategic step forward in expanding our reach and enhancing our customers’ growth. By bringing Agri-Nutrients into the Turf Care family, we are broadening our product portfolio, expanding our market presence and further positioning ourselves as a leader in providing innovative solutions for our customers,” said Mark Mangan, President of Turf Care. “We are excited about joining the Turf Care team,” said Jim Montgomery, President of Agri-Nutrients. “At Agri-Nutrients, our core values center around customer service and product innovation, and we are confident that this combination will allow us to better serve the needs of our customers.” “Platte River welcomes the Agri-Nutrients team to Turf Care. This transaction underscores our long-term commitment to fostering growth through both organic and inorganic initiatives across the Turf Care platform,” said Tarun Kanthety, Vice President of Platte River. “The partnership with Agri-Nutrients strengthens Turf Care’s value-added offering, creating additional growth opportunities across the combined customer base.” B&A Corporate Advisors served as the exclusive financial advisor to Agri-Nutrients. About Agri-Nutrients Founded in 1992 and based in Catoosa, OK, Agri-Nutrients is a manufacturer and blender of custom granular fertilizers for the T&O industry, predominantly selling into the lawn care, sports turf and golf course end markets. About Turf Care Supply Established in 1974, Turf Care Supply is one of the largest formulators and blenders of urea products to the T&O market. Turf Care has a comprehensive product portfolio of fertilizers, combination products (herbicide/insecticide), soil amendments and enhanced efficiency fertilizer ingredients. Turf Care's products are sold to distributors and blenders serving the commercial, residential and golf end markets. Turf Care operates four manufacturing facilities strategically located throughout the eastern U.S. About Platte River Equity Founded in 2006 and based in Denver, CO, Platte River Equity is a private equity firm focused on investments in established lower middle market operating companies within targeted industrial sectors where it has substantial operating and investing experience. Platte River utilizes prudent capital structures in order to invest in future growth opportunities and withstand changing economic environments. The firm also provides significant ongoing support to its portfolio companies through dedicated resources across functional areas. The firm has raised funds with committed capital in excess of $1.6 billion and is currently investing out of its fifth fund. The Platte River team is the largest collective investor across its funds, deeply aligning the firm with its investors and portfolio company management teams.