Grow'n with the Times

Hydrophobic soil causes shallow roots and a higher incidence of lawn diseases because the grass doesn't have an extensive root system or the resources to grow out from under the leaf disease. Natural levels of Grubs or Chinch bugs result in major damage because the minimal root system just can't repair the damage fast enough.

The simple truth about dry spots in a lawn isn't always the amount of water being applied, sometimes the issue is that the soil particles just don't absorb the water. Hydrophobic soil causes water to collect on the soil surface rather than infiltrate into the ground. Wild fires generally cause soils to be hydrophobic temporarily, which increases the soils ability to repel water,

In our region of the country due to the high clay content of our soils, soils that overheat and get baked in the sunlight, unbeknownst to us, can become hydrophobic. Golf fairways are plagued with hydrophobic spots due to low mowing heights that offer little shade to the soil when irrigation systems go down for repair for extended time periods. Humans have built with mud bricks since the dawn of civilization. Ancient Mesopotamians used bricks to build walls and buildings. Native Americans used sun-dried bricks to build houses. Even today, about half of the people on the planet live in homes constructed of mud bricks.

To determine if you have a hydrophobic soil condition or a real lack of water issue try this technique. In areas where the lawn is green, toss out several cat food cans or tuna fish cans. Do the same in the dry spots. Next, run the sprinkler system for an hour and then compare the water levels in both areas. If the level is about the same in all cans, you have hydrophobic soil. If the cans left in the dry spot are nearly empty, call the sprinkler repair man to adjust heads or add a few additional heads, hydrophobic soil is not your issue.

Once a soil is hydrophobic, it is impossible to correct the problem by adding additional irrigation water. It would be like expecting dried bricks to become workable clay again by soaking the bricks in water.

The main issue as I see it, is that hydrophobic soil restricts the downward development of grass roots due to the newly developed soil texture and the inability of the soil to attract the water molecule. I use the analogy of two magnets. Hydrophobic soil is like taking one magnet and calling it water and the other magnet and calling it a soil particle. There is no way you will ever get the two magnets to stick together because they both have the same electrical charge so they repel one another. Changing the polarity or electrical charge of the soil is the only option that will result in your soil to begin absorbing water once again.

Back in 1999 I stumbled upon a chemistry that when applied to hydrophobic soil, corrects the problem in as little as one to two treatments. I named my product "Revitalize". Over the last 15 years we have been successfully treating lawns with dry spots to cure an age old problem.

Homeowners that have asked us to spray their lawn that don't have dry spots report that they have been able to water less and have the same green lawn. When you are accidentally over watering your lawn due to slight hydrophobic soil conditions (that don't yet result in dry spots), the excessive water can start to drown your trees, causing them to turn yellow, drop leaves and even drop twigs excessively, but that's going to be the subject for next month.

Until next time...

Todd Graus

Green Turf Lawnscapes, Inc

Humans have build with mud bricks since the dawn of civilization. Ancient Mesopotamians used bricks to build walls and buildings. Native Americans used sun-dried bricks to build houses. Even today, about half of the people on the planet live in homes

constructed of mud bricks

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_10059131_make-sundried-bricks.html

July 3, 2014

Hydrophobic Soil: The Truth About Dry Spots