MISTAKES THAT HAVE CAUSED INCREASED DAMAGE DURING DROUGHTS
1.Applying Nitrogen and other fertilizers. Frequently, when the grass tends to show signs of new growth, especially during times of stress, fertilizer is quickly applied in attempt to promote continued new growth and bring the turf back to be more acceptable to golf. The addition of fertilizer, especially nitrogen, (in the water-soluble forms), simply promotes excessive leaf blade growth. This form of growth promotes fat cells, thin cell walls and draws other storage products, not related to nitrogen or nitrogen plant reactions, from the plant stores which causes deficiencies that lead to weakening of the plant. The form of weakening differs within plant species and according to soil characteristics, biological and microbiological soil reactions and production. Such weakening usually results in the attraction of diseases, insects, as well as making the plant more susceptible to other adversities.
2.APPLYING QUICK ACTING WATER-SOLUBLE FERTILIZERS. Quick acting fertilizers are primarily formulated with water-soluble nutrient salts. The grass quickly absorbs these water soluble salt fertilizer nutrient elements. Salt concentration increases within the grass. Higher levels within the plant cells, especially during drought and periods of stress, diminish the ability of the plant to function naturally and effectively. Higher levels of salt require more water intake, to keep the salt in diluted solutions. Thus, water requirements increase and the plant functions decrease, allowing the plant to become more susceptible to damage from drought.
3.NORMAL PLANT OSMOSIS REACTIONS ARE HAZZARDLY REVERSED. The organic salts within the turf grass cells are, under normal natural prairie conditions, of higher concentration within the plant than the salt content within the soil. The higher salt level within the plant attracts and pulls water and other materials through the cell walls into the plant. This natural, and important reaction, which occurs and is required to occur all of the time, is called OSMOSIS. The plant does not have any pump or means of drawing water and materials into it’s root system, OSMOSIS, a natural system, is the only way water and raw materials can be absorbed and transported within the plant.