Soil Rejuvenation

Are you growing weary of scattering seed in the "native" area of your property only to have it fail? Native grasses can be seen growing throughout our community. Why then is a good stand of grass so difficult to establish?

Turf Rejuvenation is a system of planting native grasses that establishes an environment whereby the seed has its best chance at germination and establishment. We do this with four steps which are performed in sequence by one machine in a single pass. The steps are aeration, seeding, fertilization and topdressing.

Aeration is a method of relieving compaction in the seedbed without disturbing the previously established grass plants. It is important not to harm the existing grass since our goal is to increase the stand rather than begin from scratch. Benefits of removing compaction include an increase of air (i.e. oxygen, CO2 and nitrogen) and moisture flow into the root zone. When we remove a positive plug from the root zone, the remaining void becomes a place where compost will collect and form a sponge. Spongy voids in the soil are wonderful spots for retaining moisture as well as stimulating soil biology and root growth.

Seeding is the process whereby the seed of choice is strategically placed in a zone that will provide optimum germination conditions. An optimum germination zone should, in harsh conditions, retain humidity, define depth of seed placement and _______________. A goal in planting grass seed is to consistantly lay the seed just under the surface of the soil (1/8" - 1/4") while loosening the soil beneath the zone and finally firming the soil and seed for the most obtainable soil-to-seed contact possible.

Fertilization is an opportunity to provide a plant with the support that it needs to establish itself. If you miss this chance, you are tossing some dollars out the window. Our preference for the former outcome is what has driven us to equip our machine with targeted fertilizer placement. Whether you choose the basic package or the premium, the ingredients are ejected in mini bands directly surrounding the seed. By placing fertilizer only where we are planting, we empower new seedlings to compete successfully with existing foliage and out-compete the weeds. Focused fertilization is money saved.

We offer two fertilization options. The Basic Fertilization Package includes, but is not limited to, a soil enzyme fusion, fish hydrolysate, kelp, trace minerals, and a touch of molasses. This package is designed to stimulate the biology that lives in the soil and is being added to the ecosystem by the compost. Biology plays a key role in a healthy stand of grass, beginning with the bacteria in the soil and ending with the earthworms and ladybugs. Stimulating biology is the best way to give a new seedling a leg up on establisment. The Premium Fertilization Package goes one step further by addressing some of the imbalances in soils commonly found in our comunity. The premium package includes, but is not limited to, dry humate, calcium, phosphate, and sulfur. By addressing a few of the large elemental imbalances in the soils chemistry, we bring the soil closer to harmony influencing the soil texture, nutrient availability, biological activity, and utimately the grass.

Topdressing is the final step in our process of turf rejuvenation. It is the step that provides the majority of the microbial inoculum, macro and micro nutrients, as well as the organic matter that aids in retaining water and loosening tight soils.