The type of nitrogen used in your fertilizer will directly impact both your costs and the health of the turf. Most turf experts recommend that at least half of a fertilizer's nitrogen content come from slow release sources.

Slow release fertilizer addresses 3 major issues:

1. Plant Health - Humans do not eat one big meal at the beginning of the month. We take in nutrients continuously. Plants and turf should be fed slowly too.
2. Environment - Fertilizers that are 100% soluble (quick release) are prone to runoff and can polute the local water supply.
3. Profitability - Slow release products allow for fewer applications, which translates to lower product cost and labor on an annual basis.

There is a misconception within our industry that slow release means you'll have to wait a long time to see a result, which may cause issues with some clients. But in reality, most slow release fertilizers have a certain percentage of nitrogen that is available immediately, while the rest is released over time.

8 Types of Slow Release Nitrogen to Look For on the Label

May appear on the fertilizer label as: Ureaform, UF, Nitroform
Composition: A chemical combination of Urea and Formaldehyde. No Coating. At least 60% of the nitrogen content is cold-water-insoluble (CWIN).
Duration: Releases slowly over a period of months up to 1 year.
How the nitrogen is released: Primarily through microbial decomposition, so environmental factors such as soil temperature, moisture, pH and aeration affect the rate of release.

Recommended for: Landscaped beds, not turf.
Used in: TurfGro 14-14-14 Plant Pro Plus - Available in CA, CO, ID, OR, & WA

May appear on the fertilizer label as: MU, Nutralene, Slo-Cote
Composition: A chemical combination of Urea and Formaldehyde. No Coating. Between 25%-60% of the nitrogen content is cold-water-insoluble (CWIN).
Duration: Up to 4 months.
How the nitrogen is released: Through microbial activity and hydrolysis (water).

Recommended for: Actively growing turf. Best suited for regions where it's not warm enough to break down coated nitrogen products.
Used in:
     •TurfGro 13-5-13 Palm, Tropical & Citrus - Available in AZ, CA, & NV
     •TurfGro 14-14-14 Plant Pro Plus - Available in TX
     •TurfGro 24-0-9 Summer - Available in ID, OR & WA
     •TurfGro 24-2-9 Spring & Summer - Available in CO

May appear on the fertilizer label as: IBDU
Composition: A chemical combination of isobutylaldehyde and urea. No coating. 90% of its total N is water-insoluble (WIN).
Duration: Up to 4 months.
How the nitrogen is released: By hydrolysis (water). Release rate depends on particle size. Temperature, bacterial activity, and soil acidity make little impact, which gives it a consistent, predictable performance.

Recommended for: DOT Erosion jobs and winter fertilizer.

May appear on the fertilizer label as: SCU
Composition: Urea particles coated with a layer of sulfur.
Duration: 9-12 weeks
How the Nitrogen is Released: Each particle rapidly releases its urea once water penetrates the particle's core. Release rate depends on coating weight, application rate, and environmental conditions like temperature and moisture.

Recommended for: Properties with calcarerous soil, mainly in the Southwest.

May appear on fertilizer label as: PCU, Polyon, Duration, Extend
Composition: Urea particles coated with a semi-permeable polymer membrane.
Duration: 2-6 months
How the nitrogen is released: Through the membrane. Release rate is dictated by the thickness of the coating and temperature. The warmer the temperature, the faster the release.

Recommended for: Turf. Can be expensive, but it is the most technically advanced slow release fertilizer with a highly predictable release rate.
Used in: TurfGro 24-3-12 Extended Feed - Available in CA

May appear on fertilizer label as: PCSCU, PSCU, XCU, TriKote
Composition: A hybrid product that utilizes a primary coating of sulfur and a secondary (outer) polymer coat.
Duration: 10-14 weeks
How the nitrogen is released: First by diffusion through the polymer coating, then by capillary action in the sulfur coating as water dissolves the urea core. Release rate is dependent mainly on temperature (warmer temperature means faster release), but also on microorganisms and water.

Recommended for: Turf. Excellent uniformity in nutrient release, which translates to reduced surge growth and extended feeding. Better value than products with single coatings of either sulfur or polymer.
Used in:
      •TurfGro 8-2-10 Palm & Plant - Available in FL
      •TurfGro 15-0-15 with 50% XCU - Available in FL
      •TurfGro 23-0-10 Spring & Summer - Available in ID, OR & WA
      •TurfGro 24-0-9 Summer - Available in ID, OR & WA
      •TurfGro 24-2-9 Spring & Summer - Available in CO
      •TurfGro 24-5-11 Spring & Summer - Available in AZ, CA & NV
      •TurfGro 28-0-10 Spring & Summer - Available in TX
      •TurfGro 30-3-6 High Nitrogen - Available in ID

Composition: Urea with Dicyandiamide and NBPT - a stabilized nitrogen with no coating.
Duration: Up to 16 weeks.
How the nitrogren is released: UMAXX & UFLEXX have an enzyme inhibitor that allows ammonium to bind with the soil until it is needed by the plant. More nitrogen says in the stable ammonium form, so it is available to the plant for weeks and is not prone to leaching or volatilization.

Recommended for: Turf that needs a quick green-up without excess growth or burn. Works well with high pH calcareous soils (common in the SW).
Used in: 28-3-10 TurfGro Spring & Summer - Available in TX

Composition: Very wide range of products, from sludge material to very high quality feather, bone and blood meals.
Duration: Varies by type.
How the nitrogen is released: Depends on the type of organic inputs used in the fertilizer. Ask your Horizon representative about local organic fertilizer options.

Used in:
     •TurfGro 8-0-4 Organic with Mycorrhizae - Available in ID
    

Need help creating a fertilizer program or selecting the right fertilizer?
Contact your local Horizon store. We're happy to help!

If you want to create a cost-effective fertilizer program for one of the properties you manage, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is choosing a fertilizer solely on price. The bag price is an important factor when figuring out the cost of the total program, but as you'll see, it's only part of the equation.

In this article we'll look at how to properly cost fertilizer, which will help you avoid losing money on product and labor.

How to Calculate the True Cost of Fertilizer

An effective fertilizer program must produce healthy, green turf, but it also needs to make sense from a financial standpoint.

As discussed in the video, one of the most common objections when it comes to slow release fertilizer is the bag cost is too high. But when you look at the number of bags needed per application, how long the fertilizer lasts, and a few other factors, programs utilizing slow release fertilizer usually cost less overall.

Comparing the Cost of Fertilizer

One of the biggest problems with quick release fertilizers is they don't last very long. Usually only 4-6 weeks. On the other hand, slow release fertilizers routinely last anywhere from 2-4 months. And there are a few products that last even longer!

A reliable way to compare fertilizer costs when you're preparing for a single application is to calculate the cost of fertilizer per acre per week. To illustrate how this calculation works, we'll look at the true cost of Turf Royale 21-7-14, a quick release fertilizer that costs $22, and TurfGro 24-5-11 Spring & Summer, a slow release fertilizer that costs $26.

Step 1: Calculate the Number of Bags Needed to Fertilize 1 Acre

When you look at a fertilizer label, the first thing you'll want to find is the NPK ratio. This will show you the percentage of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in the bag.

Quick release fertilizers tend to have less nitrogen in the bag, so if you're fertilizing at the typical application rate of 1 lb of N per 1000 sq ft, you will need more bags of fertilizer to get the job done.

A 50 lb bag of Turf Royale 21-7-14 has 10.5 lbs of N, which means you can fertilize 10,500 sq ft or .241 acres. To fertilize an acre, you'll need 4.15 bags.

A 50 lb bag of TurfGro 24-5-11 Spring & Summer has 12 lbs of N, which means you can fertilize 12,000 sq ft or .275 acres. To fertilize an acre, you'll need 3.64 bags.

Step 2: Multiply the Number of Bags by the Bag Price

If you need 4.15 bags of Turf Royale 21-7-14 to fertilize one acre and it costs $22 a bag, the cost to fertilize one acre is $91.30.

If you need 3.64 bags of TurfGro 24-5-11 Spring & Summer to fertilize one acre and it costs $26 a bag, the cost to fertilize one acre is $94.64.

The costs are pretty similar so far, aren't they? But we're missing one important detail: How long the fertilizers last.

Step 3: Divide the Cost to Fertilize One Acre by How Long the Fertilizer Lasts

As we've discussed, one of the main benefits of moving to a slow release fertilizer is that it lasts much longer than quick release fertilizer. This is where you start saving your money.

If it costs $91.30 to fertilize one acre with Turf Royal 21-7-14 and it only lasts 4 weeks, that means it's costing you $22.82 per week.

If it costs $94.64 to fertilize one acre with TG 24-5-11 Spring & Summer and it lasts 9 and half weeks, it's only costing you $10.09 per week.

As you can see, when you pay a few dollars less for a product that only lasts half as long, your fertilizer ends up costing you more in the long run. But the savings are actually greater when you consider a few other costs.

Other Ways Slow Release Fertilizer Saves You Money

The example above focused solely on the cost of fertilizer, but there are other costs to think about when it comes to your fertilizer program. You should also consider:

•The cost of labor. Fertilizer doesn't apply itself and labor isn't cheap. Every application of fertilizer means additional labor cost.

•The cost of gas. Unless you live on the property, you'll need to get to and from the job site, which wastes additional time and money.

•The cost of additional mowing and maintenance. This article has mainly focused on costs, but one of the main benefits of using slow release fertilizer is that it produces steady, healthy growth.

Unfortunately, many of us have been misled to believe that a quick surge of super green is healthy for turf. Not so! In fact, repeated use of quick release fertilizers is a lot like a caffeine rush followed by the crash.

You end up with peaks and valleys in the overall look of the turf. During those lush peaks following a fertilizer application, the plant is overproducing above-ground shoots at the expense of the root system.

The end result is a lot of mowing and shallow roots that cannot mine for water and nutrients as deeply in the soil profile, which may require additional maintenance to correct.

Need help creating a fertilizer program or selecting the right fertilizer?
Contact your local Horizon store. We're happy to help!

Fertilizers designed for trees and shrubs are often very similar in the ratio of NPK, so it's important to take a further look at the bag to see what the fertilizer actually contains and how it will affect your plantings.

In this FAQ, Christina Burton, Horizon's Maintenance Channel Manager, shows you what to watch for when reading a bag to avoid excessive quick growth, tender shoots, and insect damage.

Video Transcript

Spring is a great time in a lot of areas to fertilize your landscape ornamentals. So your trees, shrubs, flowers, ground covers. Those type of things.

And typically, compared to a turf fertilizer, landscape ornamental fertilizer will be a lot higher in these 2nd and 3rd numbers. The phosphorus and the potassium.

And the important thing to really examine when you're looking for a fertilizer for your landscape plantings is that a lot of products can look very similar just in the ratio of NPK. These are both 1:1:1 products. 15-15-15 and a 14-14-14.

You might think, "What's the difference?"

But they're very different in what all is in the bag and that's very important for landscape ornamentals in particular.

So there can be something as basic as a 15-15-15, and really all that's in this product is some quick release fertilizer, quick release nitrogen, and phosphorus and potassium. And the downside, the major downside of using quick release fertilizer on your trees and shrubs is that it causes very quick growth. And with that you end up with very tender shoots. And what happens is those tender shoots are very prone to insect damage.

So if you notice in some of your properties that you have a lot of repeated problems with aphids, with white flies, a lot of times that's a sign you're using too much quick release fertilizer.

14-14-14, and again this doesn't mean it's these exact ratios, but it's just saying look a little closer on the bag. This could be a product that rather than just quick release nitrogen, it contains slow release and a good portion of it. 60% plus. And that's really getting you sustained feeding, slow growth. Not getting the tender shoots over the entire season.

In addition, usually really good products for trees and shrubs contain micronutrients. So iron, manganese, zinc. And those are again just very important, more so than for turf, for landscape ornamentals. It has to do with flowering and their colors.

So again, just pay close attention to the label and make sure you're choosing the right product for those landscape plantings.

Weed and Feed Fertilizer is an option to consider when you want to fertilize your turf in the spring and control weeds with the same application.

In this FAQ, Christina Burton, Horizon's Maintenance Channel Manager, discusses the two main types of Weed and Feed and shares application tips that will help you get a healthy, weed-free lawn.

Video Transcript

If you want to fertilize your turf in the spring and also control weeds, you would wanna consider a Combo Fertilizer. Or a lot of people know this as a Weed and Feed.

So the way to choose a Weed and Feed is to really first ask the question, "Are you trying to prevent weeds from growing? Or are you trying to control ones that are already there in your lawn and you want to remove them?"

If you want to prevent weeds, you need to use a product that has pre-emergent on it. And what it really does is when you put down the fertilizer and its got the pre-emergent on it. And you water it in, that's really important, you end up creating this barrier underneath the soil. And these weed seeds, as they try to emerge, they hit this chemical barrier and they die before they can sprout.  

A post-emergent on the other hand, you've already got weeds in the lawn and it's really important that this product sticks onto the actual leaves of the weeds. If the product doesn't stick there, getting washed off into the ground doesn't do anything. Because that's not the way that that chemical is taken up. It doesn't take it up through the roots. It's gotta go through the leaves.

So a couple important things to note:

• First of all, you wanna make sure that you water just lightly prior to applying the product so that the leaves are wet and the product will stick to the leaves.

• And then you'll also want to make sure that you shut the irrigation off so it doesn't get washed off. It has time to be absorbed and taken down to the roots. That's the way it carries down the chemical.

And then another common mistake is that folks will think that they should mow the lawn prior to. That that will be better. They'll get the weeds partially mowed down and then apply it. But the problem is if you come in and chop these weeds off, you've gotten rid of a lot of the surface area of the leaves that's going to take up the chemical. So your chemical actually works not as well.

So again, make sure you water it first, have the product stick to the leaf, turn the irrigation off so it doesn't get washed off for 24 hours, and try to not mow for about 2 days before and 2 days after applying the product.

Choosing a spring fertilizer can be tricky because a lot of fertilizers have a similar NPK. In this FAQ, Christina Burton, Horizon's Maintenance Channel Manager, will show you what key ingredients to look for on the label so you can choose the right fertilizer for your lawn.

Video Transcript

When choosing the spring fertilizer, it's really important to note that there are a lot of products that can look really similar in the NPK, in the 3 numbers on the bag ratio. But you really have to take a closer look at the label and figure out what is in that bag specifically and what that's going to make your turf do.

So there are some products that are really for a quick green-up and that could be a good thing in the spring. Maybe it's been a little cool out and you really wanna get that pop. And those are products that are going to contain things like Ammonium Sulfate and Urea. Very fast acting sources of Nitrogen.

And what happens is at that application time, those release very quickly. You get that good green-up, but then they run out pretty quickly. These products don't last a long time. Usually in the realm of 4-6 weeks.

Whereas products that contain slow release, and by looking at the bag, they'll typically have an asterisk listing "Slowly Available Nitrogen From" things like Polymer Coated Urea, Sulfur Coated Urea, sometimes organic inputs, Methylene Urea.

And those products, they release less quickly at the time of application for a nice steady green-up. And they last a lot longer.

So again, it's just important to take a closer look and figure out what is the product that is going to get you the results you want.

The first spring fertilizer application is important to the health of both warm and cool season grasses.

In this FAQ, Christina Burton, Maintenance Channel Manager for Horizon, explains how the type of turfgrass you're growing and local weather impacts when lawns should be fertilized in the spring.

Video Transcription

We talked in previous sessions about the best time to fertilize your lawn has the most to do with what type of turfgrass you're growing.

So to review, cool season turf is most actively growing and should be fertilized primarily in the spring and in the fall. Kinda avoiding the high heat of summer.

Warm season turf is best fertilized starting in spring and going through the summer.

So when it comes to spring fertilizing and getting a little more specifics, some things to keep in mind:

Cool season turf - If you're in a region where there's frost or snow. You wanna just make sure that you're passed that. You don't want to fertilize any earlier and then again, just getting down before you're approaching the heat of summer.

For warm season turf, there's kinda a misconception that fertilizing prior to the warm season turf coming out of dormancy that you can wake it up so to speak with fertilizer. And that's not actually true.

The rule of thumb is to definitely wait until that warm season grass, like Bermuda, has come out of dormancy and then that's the appropriate time to start fertilizing in the spring.

Pre-emergent herbicide is an important tool in an effective weed management program, but properly timing the application can be tricky. In this article, we'll look at key principles in developing a weed control strategy, what pre-emergent herbicide can and cannot accomplish within a management program, and when to apply pre-emergent to different classifications of weeds.

Developing a Weed Control Strategy

When you're developing a weed control strategy for a property, an important detail to impress upon your customer is that it's not possible to completely eliminate weeds with a single application or cultural practice. There is no silver bullet that kills all weeds and an effective program adjusts to the needs of the property on a seasonal or annual basis.

All weeds have a survival strategy and cannot be completely eliminated because they have different life cycles and methods of reproduction. Seeds can lay dormant for years before they germinate, surviving drought, fire, and herbicide applications. Even if you were to completely clear a property of seeds, seed and vegetative propagules can easily be transported to the property by wind, water, animals or human activity.

As you're developing or adjusting your weed control strategy, it's important to ask yourself the following questions:

• What weeds do you want to control?

• Is the goal to prevent these weeds, to eradicate them, or both?

• Are there cultural practices that could help reduce the presence of the weeds?

• What are the life cycles of the weeds, and when is the proper timing for a pre-emergent herbicide application?

• What desired plants are on the property, and are the herbicides you're considering safe/labeled for those plants?

How Pre-Emergent Herbicide Works

To get a better idea of how pre-emergent works, let's look at 3 key principles of pre-emergent weed control.

Principle #1: Pre-emergent herbicides are designed to control germinating weed seeds.

As its name suggests, pre-emergent is targeted towards weeds that have not yet emerged from the soil. To get the best results and to avoid wasting time and labor cost down the road, the weeds shouldn't be visible above ground at the time of application.

Important: Pre-emergent is not designed to control existing weeds or weed seeds.

The weed will only be killed when it begins to sprout from the seed and hits the herbicide barrier. It is possible for seeds to remain dormant and not be harmed by the pre-emergent herbicide application. This is why weed control is a constant process. There will always be seeds under the surface and a portion will germinate each season. Annual applications must be made to significantly reduce large infestations.

Remember, pre-emergent herbicide can affect desirable plants. That includes turf. Caution must be taken if you're applying pre-emergent and seeding the turf in the same season. Seed first, then apply pre-emergent at least 6 weeks later to allow for lawn establishment. Or seed at least 3 months after the pre-emergent has been applied.

Principle #2: Pre-emergent must be mixed correctly and applied evenly over the target area for best results.

Pre-emergent herbicides need to be mixed correctly for the spray solution to be at the appropriate strength. Take the time to read the manufacturer's recommendations and don't forget to calibrate your sprayer!

Thorough coverage is key. Think of pre-emergents like a blanket – you need to cover an entire area through which the weed seeds cannot germinate. Spot spraying achieves nothing, as there is plenty of open space for weeds to come through. Manufacturer instructions will indicate how much product to use “per 1000 square feet” or “per acre”, which determines how much herbicide to use for each gallon of water. Note that it usually takes 1 to 2 gallons of spray solution to cover 1000 square feet.

Principle #3: Pre-emergent herbicide must be watered in.

Watering in activates the herbicide, creating a barrier just below the surface. Most products call for 0.5 inches of irrigation or rain within 21 days after application.

If you're working with a non-irrigated area or a drip zone, apply the pre-emergent just before rain is anticipated.

Applying Pre-Emergent to Different Classifications of Weeds

To know when to apply pre-emergent herbicide, it is important to know how weeds are classified, namely by their life cycles.

Weed Classification: Summer Annuals

Most well-known example: Crabgrass (Crabgrass Germination Map below)
Other examples: Lambsquarters, Mallow, Pigweed, Spurge
Life Cycle: 1 year - Germinate in spring. They flower, produce seed, then die in fall.
Pre-emergent timing: Early spring (late winter for Southern & Coastal U.S.)

Most well-known example: Annual Bluegrass (Poa Annua)
Other examples: Shotweed, Chickweed, Mustards.
Life Cycle: 1 year - Germinate in fall. Flower and produce seed quickly, then die in spring.
Pre-emergent timing: Late summer/early fall (rule of thumb is by September 15th)

Need help choosing the right pre-emergent herbicide for your Spring application?
Contact your local Horizon store. We're happy to help!

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a devastating insect that kills ash trees by interrupting the vascular system, which reduces the tree's ability to move water and nutrients. EAB is responsible for the death or decline of over 50 million ash trees in 22 states since its initial discovery in Michigan in 2002.

In September 2013, the City of Boulder identified that EAB had entered the county and issued an Emergency Quarantine Notice. Among other restrictions, that means NO ash trees grown in Boulder County or firewood from Ash trees can leave its borders.

Because of their popularity in Colorado, many communities have been overplanted with ash trees. It's estimated that there are over 98,000 in Boulder and over 1.45 million ash trees in the greater Denver Metro area. Ash trees are popular because of their ability to grow in our soils as well as the aesthetic benefits they provide.    

If you remember the recent Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle infestation in our mountains, this EAB biological catastrophe has the legs to make an equal economic impact, only it will be closer to home.

Symptoms of EAB Infestation

It's difficult to identify EAB damage in the winter season because there is no visible activity. When spring comes, you'll be able to identify that your ash trees have been targeted by the manner they “come back to life”.

It's possible that EAB could infest an ash tree for 3 or 4 years before visible signs of decline of the tree. According to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, signs of infestation include:

• Sparse leaves or branches in the upper part of the tree.

• D-shaped exit holes about 1/8 inch wide.

• New sprouts on the lower trunk or lower branches.

• Vertical splits in the bark.

• Winding S-shaped tunnels under the bark.

• Increased woodpecker activity.

Resources for Controlling EAB Damage

1. www.eabcolorado.com - Colorado's Department of Agriculture has devoted an entire section of their website to the Emerald Ash Borer. Resources include: EAB Identification & Reporting, Photo Gallery, Instructions for Treatment and Handling of Regulated Ash Material from a Quarantined Area, Emergency Action Plan, and Frequently Asked Questions.

2. Local Horizon Programs - With the help of our vendor network, Horizon has put together preventative programs that will help you better manage your trees and control EAB damage, thus reducing the economic impact on you and your customers. Contact your local Horizon store for more information.

Current Drought Conditions in California

Many parts of California experienced the driest year in recorded state history in 2013. And current conditions in 2014 don't look much better. 

Just last week, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a State of Emergency and directed state officials to take all necessary actions to prepare for drought conditions.

“We can’t make it rain, but we can be much better prepared for the terrible consequences that California’s drought now threatens, including dramatically less water for our farms and communities and increased fires in both urban and rural areas,” said Governor Brown. “I’ve declared this emergency and I’m calling all Californians to conserve water in every way possible.”

To help green industry professionals in California prepare for the shift in business that accompanies drought conditions and the inevitable water restrictions that follow, Jenny Barnett, Horizon's Bay Area Regional Manager, asked local industry expert Peter Estournes to identify key water management practices that will become more and more essential in the coming years. Here is his response:

10 Water Conservation Tips for Landscape Professionals

1. Check for Leaks and Repair - Leaks can occur for many reasons and in many parts of watering systems. Review sites weekly for "weeping"  valves, sprinklers, hose bibs, etc..

2. Incorporate New Technology - There are many types of smart water products that significantly decrease the amount of water used without sacrificing plant health. Weather based controllers that apply water according to weather conditions, soil type, sprinkler type, exposure and other variables. Rain shut off devices which interrupt irrigation cycles during rain events. Drip irrigation and sub-surface irrigation that get the right amount of water directly to the root system.

3. Learn to Read Water Meters - This might be the most important tool in your arsenal.  A water meter can tell you if there is a leak somewhere and is an invaluable tool for using a water budget for the site. Regularly reading a water meter can point to anomalies in water use that can then be traced and repaired if needed

4. Program Irrigation Controller Efficiently and Run Multiple Cycles - Also called cycle and soak. This allows for infiltration into the ground and percolation through the soil. Base your programming on a water budget that is site specific.

5. Hydrozoning - Grouping plants with similar watering needs together. This is a requirement of the California Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance which went into effect in 2010.

6. Minimize Evaporation - Mulch! Mulch! Mulch! Minimizing evaporation through the proper use of mulch greatly reduces water lost to the air.

7. Check Soil Moisture Before Irrigating - If the soil is moist to 4"  below the surface, hold off watering. A 6" long screw driver or soil probe are good tools for this.  

8. Avoid Runoff - To gauge the time to run off, turn on a sprinkler zone and track the time until water runoff begins. That is the amount of run time that should be entered into the controller followed by at least 30 minutes before the next cycle.

9. Utilize Water Budgeting - A plan for using a defined amount of water over a certain length of time that is based upon weather pattern (Evapotranspiration), type of plants and size of the area irrigated. Water use is tracked by a water meter then compared to the budget and adjusted accordingly to meet the budget.

10. Learn Soil/Plant Relationships - Landscape plantings need healthy soil to grow and thrive. The more healthy a plant is, the more stress it can tolerate. Knowing soil type will help with irrigation scheduling. Being able to identify plants will indicate how to best care for the landscape as a whole. In times of drought, reducing fertilizing and pruning can help plants survive with a reduced amount of water

Recommended Resources

1. QWEL - Recently recognized as a WaterSense labeled certification program, Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper training is an affordable, proactive, and local approach to reducing landscape water demand. QWEL provides graduates with knowledge in water efficient and sustainable landscape practices including water management and preservation of other valuable resources. Graduates are eligible to become a WaterSense Irrigation Partner.

2. BizPro Training Videos - A series of training videos produced by Horizon that show how to grow your business through niche opportunities. Current videos focusing on water conservation include: Growing Your Business Through Water Conservation, Smart Water Controllers 101, Smart Water Sprays & Nozzles, and Rain Bird Drip Irrigation Conversion.

About the Author

Peter Estournes, vice president of Gardenworks Inc., has been involved in the landscape industry since he was a young boy working for his father’s landscape company.

Peter graduated with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Cal Poly Pomona and has worked as a nurseryman, grower, consultant, and contractor. He is licensed by the state of California as a Landscape Contractor (C-27) and Qualified Pesticide Applicator. He is also a Certified Landscape Professional and Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor.

Overseeding in fall to maintain your turf's color throughout the winter can be a challenge. Do it right and you have lush turf year-round. Do it wrong and your turf will suffer for seasons to come.

The key is to effectively slow down your warm season turf so that it's not competing with the perennial ryegrass that you're trying to establish.

As Christina Burton points out in the above video FAQ, warm season grasses such as Bermuda begin to harden off during the fall in preparation for the cold of winter. When warm season grasses are fertilized too late into the fall, their tissues are tender and prone to cold and disease stress.

At the same time, any new seed that you put down to keep your turf green through the winter months is going to need starter fertilizer to promote root growth and establishment.

So in order to have a healthy, disease-free turf now and in seasons to come, it's very important to cut back on the amount of fertilizer and water you use prior to the actual overseed date.

In addition to decreasing the amount of fertilizer and water used, here are other steps you should take to ensure your overseeding is successful.

Before Overseeding:

1. Perform your last aggressive dethatching of warm-season turf 6 weeks before the overseed date.

2. Stop all Nitrogen fertilization 4 weeks before.

3. Stop mowing 10 days before.

4. Decrease water by 50% 1 week before.

5. Drop mowing height by 1/3 3 to 4 days before.

Day of Overseeding:

6. Drop mowing height by 1/3 again.

7. Remove clippings to open the turf canopy to the soil.

8. Broadcast the seed.

9. New seeds need Phosphorus (the middle number in NPK Formulations) to promote root growth and establishment. Apply a fertilizer high in Phosphorus like TurfGro 6-20-10 ProStarter Fertilizer.

10. Lightly cover the seed with 1/8-1/4 inch of fine mulch or seed topper.

If you have any questions about overseeding or if you want to learn more about any of our TurfGro products, contact your local Horizon store!