Having properly nourished turf is important year-round, but it becomes especially important as you prepare your fields for the fall and winter. Choosing the right nutrient inputs in the fall will help your turf weather the cold and emerge healthy and green in the spring.

Protect the Roots

In the fall, cool-season grasses will experience rapid root growth, which will continue until temperatures drop to around 40°F. Since enhancing root health is a top goal of any fall fertility program, it’s important to focus on applying nutrients that help build and maintain healthy roots. These nutrients are calcium, phosphorous, and potassium.

Calcium plays a major role in new root growth. It is vital to soil flocculation, a term used to describe when soil particles form aggregated clumps. These clumps are easier for roots to navigate through than regular soil, encouraging growth. In addition to easy soil separation, these clumps allow air and water to move more easily through the soil profile.

Phosphorous fuels adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule responsible for energy transfer in living organisms. In the context of roots, phosphorous helps the turf stock energy and move it where it needs to go—especially important for surviving the winter. Phosphorous also helps anchor roots in the soil and helps them grow thicker, allowing them to absorb more water and nutrients. A granular product like ATS 11-52-0 can be used as an amendment to correct phosphorous deficiencies.

Important Note: Due to water quality concerns, phosphorous applications are restricted in some states except in specific instances, such as during seeding. Before considering a phosphorous application, be sure to check your state and local laws.

Potassium helps relieve turf stress. A field experiencing stress will likely exhibit discoloration and wilting, meaning that the turf’s cells are shrinking and losing water. Potassium enables water to enter cells more easily and helps build thicker cell walls, ensuring turf heals, becomes resilient, and stands up straight. It also lessens the chance of winterkill. High-potassium granular fertilizers like ATS 22-3-11 and Nature Safe 12-2-6, the latter of which is an organic option that offers ammonium sulfate for immediate plant response, while the organics in that product offer slow release via microbial release, are especially beneficial when applied in late fall.

Consider Foliar Applications

In addition to applying granular fertilizers, sports turf managers can make liquid foliar applications to enhance color response, plant resilience, and nutrient uptake. Foliar-Pak’s Soil Cool Season Program consists of four products—Armament K, Armament P, Colonise Bio, and Base Calcium—all of which support healthy root development.

Additional Fertilizer Considerations

In addition to focusing on calcium, phosphorous, and potassium, you’ll want to check your soil’s pH levels. A soil test like Soil Solver will help you figure out if your soil’s potassium, phosphorus, and pH levels are sufficient. Based on the results, you’ll have the information you need to choose the right inputs.

During the fall, focus on using slow-release nitrogen fertilizers like ATS 22-3-11 and ATS 30-0-6. Avoid quick-release fertilizers since they can burn warm-season turf and even increase the severity of spring dead spot on bermudagrass.

For additional fall fertility tips and product recommendations, reach out to your ATS rep. If you don’t have a rep, you can find one here.