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Turf wicket soil chemistry - keeping the balance

Turf wicket soils are often deficient in calcium due to historical resistance to adjusting soil calcium with products such as lime or gypsum. While some resistance is justified, sufficient soil calcium is critical to turf durability.

Symptoms of Ca⁺⁺ deficient wicket soils are ;

Elevated salts causing slow in recovery of worn areas and high mortality of sprigs.
Poor response to fertilizers due the limitation of calcium nutrition.
Less than optimum turf growth due to elevated magnesium, potassium or sodium.

A cation exchange balance considered to support good turf growth would be;

65-75% Ca ⁺⁺ , 15-20% Mg ⁺⁺, < 5% K ⁺ , < 2% Na ⁺.

To diagnose the CEC status of a turf wicket, a soil analysis is essential. Any resulting amendment strategy must be carried out during the non-cricket season. The severity of the deficiency will determine the intensity and the cost of an amendment schedule.

No deficiency	4 kg / 100m 2 of gypsum applied after cricket season to a dimpled surface.
No deficiency	2 kg / 100m 2 of AQUAturf ^® G wetting agent applied simultaneously.
Mild deficiency	5 kg / 100m 2 of gypsum applied after cricket season to a dimpled surface.
	2 kg / 100m 2 of AQUAturf ^® G wetting agent applied simultaneously.
	20 L of Nutrisorb^®Ca9 drenched into soil profile immediately after.
Moderate deficiency	6 kg / 100m 2 of gypsum applied after cricket season to a dimpled surface.
	4 kg / 100m 2 of AQUAturf ^® G wetting agent applied simultaneously.
	40 - 60 L of Nutrisorb^® Ca9 drenched into soil profile immediately after.
Severe deficiency	8 kg / 100m 2 of gypsum applied after cricket season to a dimpled surface.
	4 kg / 100m 2 of AQUAturf ^® G wetting agent applied simultaneously.
	60 -100 L of Nutrisorb^® Ca9 drenched into soil profile immediately after.

Notes:

Gypsum, in small quantities, is used to create micro-pore spaces down through the soil profile over time to encourage density, depth and uniformity of root growth.

AQUAturf® G is used to encourage percolation of soil water and subsequent downward movement of gypsum over the non-cricket season.

NUTRIsorb® Ca9 is an organically chelated fertiliser (9.6%Ca, 6.6%N). It quickly reverses deficiency symptoms and moves deep into the profile to take residence on exchange sites.

Soluble salts must be managed separately by using a low salt fertiliser regime using a combination of slow release, foliar feeding and turf biostimulants to improve turf resilience.

For more information or an obligation free chat, call Living Turf on 02 9667 4333 or request an appointment online.

Did you know ...?

Bicarbonates are alkaline salts that bind to calcium to form calcium carbonate.

Often irrigation water contains bicarbonates that reduce the availability of soil calcium, reducing pore spaces and stressing turf roots. More...

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