The good news/bad news thing about pre-planning all the fertility apps is the club can take advantage of early booking and payment discounts totalling $ 1200; however, the bad news is I have to use my crystal ball to look ahead to make more than a few guesses. When it comes to macro nutrients it is not a huge deal since it is relatively common knowledge how much to generally apply over a growing season. But with respect to micros and products called biostimulants it is the condition of the turf that can dictate what to apply.
Once the snow has melted it is turf health that suggests which direction you need to push it. If everything is "rosy" then products that encourage root development and CHO (carbohydrates, i.e. food) storage are used so the turf can create lots of reserve CHO to cope with stresses later on in the season. However, if the stand of turf is weak it requires the application of products that promote density. If the damage is severe and areas need to be overseeded different products geared towards the fertility requirements of seedlings are needed. Even as the growing season progresses and these damaged areas have begun to recover, their fertility requirements may be different. Previously stored CHO will be depleted during spring recovery and the turf may not have the necessary reserves to cope with the stresses that summer can bring. As a result, nutrients need to be applied more frequently or at higher rates to try to keep the turf in good condition until the end of the season.
For some time we have been applying nutrients via a combination of spraying and granular applications and I have a general idea of what seems to work at KGC. However, in the past I've had the flexibility to adapt to the turfs needs as the season progresses and purchase products suited for developing conditions. Ordering all fertility products in February to save $$$$ is not a huge gamble but it definitely ties my hands and puts all my eggs in one basket so I guess time will tell (am I mixing metaphors?)
