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This year at GIE+Expo, the Koch Turf & Ornamental booth #9168 included 2 new interactive displays. One of the 3-D displays explained how nitrogen can be lost to the environment through volatilization, denitrification, and leaching. This display showed that when non-amended urea is applied to the turfgrass and not watered in, up to 40% can be lost to the atmosphere. Once watered in below the soil surface, additional urea can be lost through denitrification and leaching.
The display also illustrated how stabilized nitrogen products, such as UMAXX® and UFLEXX® stabilized nitrogen with dual-inhibitors, can minimize these losses. Koch Turf & Ornamental stabilized nitrogen products contain both urease and nitrification inhibitors. Urease inhibitors work above the soil surface to minimize volatilization, and nitrification inhibitors work below the soil surface slowing down the conversion to nitrate, therefore minimizing the losses to denitrification and leaching.
It is important to ensure the stabilized nitrogen product you choose is made specifically for turf and contains dual-inhibitor technology.
The second display is pictured with this article and is a representation of the ingredients in a typical bag of fertilizer. This "What's In the Bag" display illustrates that at lower nutrient analysis there is more filler added to the bag to fill up the space. This lower analysis bag might be less expensive per bag, but you will need more bags to cover the same number of acres. This can lead to added wear and tear for your crews and your equipment.
Using a fertilizer blend containing a higher analysis can decrease your cost per acre, while freeing up your crews and equipment. This efficiency can give you an advantage in the competitive market of professional lawn care.