Turf needs water to survive, and soil moisture can cause consistent problems for turfgrass managers if not managed effectively. When soils dry below the wilting point of the turf, it begins to show water stress, and the soil can become hydrophobic or water-repellant. When soils become water-repellant, it prevents moisture from getting into the soil and is less available for the turf to absorb. If not managed effectively, hydrophobicity can cause dry patches, inconsistent turf appearance, and in severe cases, complete loss of turf.
A wetting agent study was performed on this plot a year prior to this photo. The turf loss in the untreated alleyways struggles to recover through the following season.
Irrigation must be managed strategically to achieve the best results regardless of whether the area is a golf course rough, green, fairway, tee, or even a home lawn. Areas that dry out faster such as sand-based putting greens may show stress more readily than a home lawn. While increasing irrigation can alleviate water stress, it may not be effective if the soil is hydrophobic. Irrigation can be optimized with wetting agents that help get water into the soil more efficiently and evenly.
When hydrophobicity impacts turf, it does not occur evenly across an area. The irregular water stress patterns can result in dead patches called localized dry spot (LDS). In these hydrophobic areas, water is unable to penetrate into the soil, but the areas around the hydrophobic patches continue to accept water normally. This creates more variability in soil moisture, often leading turf managers to extensively hand water these hydrophobic dry patches. Rather than putting time and resources into hand watering that may not resolve repellency issues, soil moisture management technology such as turf wetting agents can prevent and reduce hydrophobicity and LDS.
This turf research plot shows areas of localized dry spot caused by soil hydrophobicity.
Block co-polymer wetting agents are the most common soil moisture management technology currently on the market for use on turfgrass. These wetting agents help water penetrate water-repellant soil and distribute moisture more uniformly in the soil. Different wetting agent products have unique capabilities depending on their composition.
Exacto offers a full line of soil moisture management products that can be used to optimize irrigation across a golf course, sport field, or lawn.
AquiMax Turf Pro is a patented soil amendment that increases plant available water. This moisture-retaining polymer is formulated with a soil surfactant that delivers water evenly to the root zone. The unique combination of both moisture-holding and penetration capabilities make this patented technology a one-of-a-kind moisture management option. AquiMax Turf Pro provides turf managers with an effective water management tool that improves soil moisture uniformity, increases plant available water, and reduces hand-watering with hose-end application. Injectable, liquid, and granular options provide additional flexibility to turf managers.
View the video below to see how AquiMax’s patented moisture-holding capabilities compare to other soil water management technologies.
Lateral is a premium turf wetting agent, ideal for areas prone to drying out and developing water repellency. Lateral reduces hydrophobicity and localized dry spot (LDS), increasing water infiltration, penetration, and irrigation efficiency. Lateral’s highly concentrated formula allows for low use-rates. Liquid and granular formulations allow for application flexibility.
View the video below to see how Lateral performs on hydrophobic soil and turf.
Power Run is an easy-to-use wetting agent that improves soil moisture uniformity and helps water penetrate into the soil. This wetting agent is designed for tees, greens, fairways, roughs, home lawns, and athletic fields.
View the video below to see how Power Run preforms in a water droplet penetration test. The test demonstrates how quickly Power Run penetrates hydrophobic soil compared to water.
RPO is a wetting agent for turfgrass that reduces localized dry spot and helps soils maintain higher volumetric water content. RPO is a premium wetting agent designed for golf course and sports turf.
Wishbone is a multifunctional wetting agent that reduces surface tension, overcomes hydrophobic coatings, and helps water penetrate into the soil.
As Exacto is a private label manufacturer, all these and more are available to create your own branded moisture management portfolio.
With a broad range of turf wetting agents and other soil moisture management technology on the market, it’s essential to find the products that work best for your needs. Whether it’s a putting green prone to LDS or an athletic field that needs to be firm but healthy, turf wetting agents are here to tackle the challenge. If you’re looking for more information on moisture management options, let’s connect so that we can educate about the technologies available to keep turf healthy and green!
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