osborne program - council draft 1_201301181209321785

7/29/2019 Osborne Program - Council Draft 1_201301181209321785

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Organically Managed Lands Program

Durango, CO

Prepared by:

Chip Osborne

Osborne Organics

January 2013

DRAFT


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Table of D

Introduction 2

Section 1: Soil Texture 6Textural Analysis

Reports 10

Section 2: Soil Chemistry

19

Nutrient Analysis

Reports 24

Section 3: The Soil Biomass

26

Biological

Analysis Reports 28

Section 4: The Transition

Period 32

Section 5: Site Analysis 33

Section 6: Soil Test Analysis

53

Soil Test Summary

by Property 56

Section 7: Current Materials

& Cultural Practices

Staff Input 65

Section 8: Current Product

Analysis 68

Specimen Labels

& MSDS Sheets 73

Section 9: Fertility & Turf

grass Nutrition 79An Organic

Perspective

DRAFT

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Section 1: Soil Texture 6Textural Analysis Reports 9

Section 2: Soil Chemistry 18

Nutrient Analysis Reports 23

Section 3: The Soil Biomass 25

Biological Analysis Reports 27

Section 4: The Transition Period 31

Section 5: Site Analysis 32

Section 6: Soil Test Analysis 52

Soil Test Summary by Property 55

Section 7: Current Materials & Cultural Practices

Staff Input 64

Section 8: Current Product Analysis 67

Specimen Labels & MSDS Sheets 71

Section 9: Fertility & Turf Grass Nutrition 77

An Organic Perspective

Section 10: Recommendations 83

Section 11: Cultural Practices 95

Section 12: C3 Grasses 99

Section 13: Inputs & Products 106


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Introduction

As a result of a process that has involved citizens, the Durango Parks andRecreation Department, and the Durango City Council; an Organically ManagedLands Program was developed and adopted by the City Council. It is the goal of

this program to begin the transition of selected public properties fromconventionally managed programs, previously attempted organic programs, andin some cases minimal programs, into a complete organic approach to turf care.Osborne Organics involvement began in early November 2012. The processbegan with a meeting with Cathy Metz, Parks and Recreation Director, and RonMoore, Parks and Cemetery Manager. We discussed expectations for theprogram and what would constitute a successful outcome of this pilot project.Preliminary background information was collected. The process will be asfollows. The report and preliminary program development was presented to Citystaff in early January. In late January 2013 there will be a Study Session with theCity Council and training of City staff in organic methods. The turf management

program will begin in the spring of 2013. Two further follow-up visits will be madefor the purpose of monitoring progress and guiding the transition process.

This report will document Osborne Organics assessment of both the current turfmanagement program and the individual properties that have been selected totransition as part of the Organically Managed Lands Program. The propertieschosen are either dedicated sports fields, school playgrounds, or neighborhoodpublic parks. There are different management strategies in place at each ofthese chosen sites. Some have been managed with an intensive conventionalapproach while others have been managed either in a minimal organic programor the lack of a focused program.

Any material inputs chosen to meet the needs of turf grass fertility or the buildingof healthy soils will be carefully chosen with an overriding concern for publichealth and safety. As much is possible, all materials will be approved by OMRI(Organic Materials Review Institute). OMRI certification is nationally recognizedas the benchmark for organic materials. The National Organic Program (NOP)uses OMRI certification as a criteria for inclusion of materials into certifiedorganic agriculture. There may be some products that have not gone through thisproduct certification, but possess all of the qualities of certified material. Anymaterial chosen that falls into this category will be documented.

Report Organization

This report is divided into a number of sections which include a framework forevaluating and managing soil chemistry and microbial activity, elements of andtransition to natural-based practices, site analysis, and recommendations. Morespecifically the report provides a site analysis to document the strengths andweaknesses of the turf areas, photographs of the site, and soil test results thatinclude nutrient, textural, and biological analysis. In doing so, the report


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documents the existing physical condition of the turf areas and establishes abaseline soil analysis for chemistry, texture, biology, and nutrient availability.Staff at the site provided the information on current and past management andpractices, as well as the history of the sites. Goals for the turf areas werediscussed and will be incorporated in the recommendations in the report.

Turf Management Orientation

At some point discussion takes place regarding lawn and turf managementprograms in a variety of different situations. It is understood that for many peoplethere is a growing awareness about the chemical products used to maintainlawns and turf. Many also realize the impact of some of these products on theenvironment. They are aware that some chemicals, even at low dose exposures,may be harmful to public and childrens health.

Included here is an explanation of the principles and protocols of natural turf

management based on detailed soil test data, site assessments and thenrecommendations for beginning a natural approach to turf management.

It is important first to document the existing physical condition of the turf areasand to establish a baseline soil analysis for chemistry, texture, and nutrientavailability. A review is generally prepared with the idea that the property will beincorporated into a natural, organic management program, and allrecommendations are made with that in mind. One important difference betweenan organic program and a conventional one is that organic programs becomemuch more site-specific as opposed to a generalized approach to fertility andweed control. We are addressing what needs to be addressed in an appropriateway. Certainly, product for fertility management and building the soil biomass isimportant, and our approach is to address the needs of individual properties.That is not to say that we are going to have many different programs on multipleareas or playing fields, but rather that we are addressing any deficiencies orallowing for the inclusion of strategies that will help move a property through thetransition process as quickly and efficiently as possible.

When we discuss different management levels, we are referring to the culturalintensity required to maintain an individual turf area to the degree that meetsexpectations. There is not just one organic program, but rather differentprograms with different levels of intensity that can be created to meet the needsof an individual site. Recommendations are made based on communicatedexpectations.

Cultural intensity is the amount of labor and material inputs required to meetthose expectations. One fact is a given in either a conventional or natural turfmanagement program; minimal product and labor inputs meet low expectations,while higher levels of inputs meet higher expectations. This is true in any type ofprogram, conventional or natural. Programs are created to address the soil and


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turf grass that will meet the expectations for the site.

Transitioning

When a natural management program is being put in place, there is a window of

time referred to as the transition period. It is during this time frame when newproducts are put in place and specific cultural practices are adopted. The mostimportant element of the transition is the attention to the soil, not just texture andchemistry, but the biomass as well. Success is achieved by focusing on the livingportion of the soil from the beginning of the natural program. The length of timerequired for this process is directly related to the intensity of conventionalmanagement practices that are currently employed.

The goal of a natural turf management program is to create turf that meetsaesthetic site objectives, while eliminating potentially toxic and synthetic chemicalinputs that may have adverse impacts on health and the environment. The

products and programs are designed to utilize materials and adopt culturalpractices that will avoid problems associated with runoff or leaching of nutrientsand pest-control products into water bodies and groundwater.

This approach will build a soil environment rich in microbiology that producesstrong, healthy turf that is better able to withstand many of the stresses thataffect turf grass. The natural turf system is better able to withstand pressuresfrom heavy usage, insects, weeds, and disease, as well as drought and heatstress, as long as good cultural practices continue to be followed and productsare chosen to enhance and continually address the soil biology. While problemscan arise in any turf system, they will be easier to alleviate with a soil that ishealthy, with the proper microbiology in place.

Turf Program Comparison

Conventional turf management programs are generally centered on a syntheticproduct approach that uses highly water soluble fertilizers and pesticide controlproducts that continually treat symptoms on an annual basis. It is important toacknowledge that in addition to having potentially adverse effects on humanhealth and the environment, pesticides by definition kill, repel, or mitigate a pest.They do not grow grass. The organic approach will be to implement a strategythat proactively solves problems by creating a healthy soil and turf grass system.Healthy, vigorously growing grass will outcompete most weed pressures, and ahealthy soil biomass will assist the prevention of many insect and disease issues.

The Organic Program is following a Systems Approach to Natural TurfManagement that is designed to put a series of preventative steps in place thatwill solve problems. This approach forms the basis for our recommendations.This Systems Approach is based on three concepts. It involves:1) Natural product where use is governed by soil testing or site considerations


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2) The acknowledgment that the soil biomass plays a critical role in fertility3) Specific and sound horticultural practices.

The Organic Program is a feed the soil approach that centers on natural,organic fertilization, soil amendments, microbial inoculants, compost teas,

microbial food sources, and topdressing as needed, or indicated, with highquality, finished compost. It is a program that supports the natural processes thatnature has already put in motion. These inputs, along with very specific culturalpractices, that include mowing, aeration, irrigation, and over seeding are thebasis of the program.

As you can see, there is a lot that goes into a natural program. It is much morethan just a product for product swap. When we see situations where an organicprogram has been simply the product swap, we usually see situations that havenot resulted in satisfying higher levels of expectations. This is the case at two ofthe Citys neighborhood parks.

In a situation where a municipality or other entity subcontracts applications ofproduct or cultural practices, it requires someone internally that possesses theknowledge about organic turf management to perform the initial soils testing andoutline a program. That program then is incorporated into a Request for Proposal(RFP) and goes out to bid. What should not happen is letting an individualservice provider come in and create a program that seems to make sense tothem based on their product choice.

Osborne Organics

As a company, Osborne Organics is neither a service provider nor a productcompany. Osborne Organics has been part of the process of moving turf andlandscapes from conventional management practices to a natural approach in avariety of situations and at different levels for the past twelve years. OsborneOrganics has the technical expertise to apply the principles and practicesmentioned above in the field. The proposed organic program is an approachbacked by sound science that responds to the need for a safer and healthierlandscape from both the environmental and human health perspective.

Osborne Organics also provide educational opportunities in the form of in-depthtrainings to both landscape contractors and municipal employees in natural turfmethods. As part of the involvement in Durango, Osborne Organics will betraining City staff in all of the basics of natural turf management, as well asoffering to conduct a training workshop for the community and the industry.


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Section 1Soil Texture

Soil is the foundation of our landscape. It is much more than just a functionalmedium to hold turf grass and other plants upright and in their place. In many

cases, conventional programs that are focused on water-soluble fertility and aseries of chemical control products can reduce the impact of the soil to thatmedium that does little more than physically support the plant. The mineralportion of the soil is comprised of sand, silt, and clay, mixed with varyingamounts of organic matter, water, and air. The soil is very much alive. It is hometo a microbial community that is made up of organisms both large and small. It isthese microbes that give the soil its life. With organic matter on average at 5%, itis a very small portion of the soil. The microbes are supported within this smallfraction. Ideal soils are typically described as having the following characteristics:45% mineral, 25% air, 25% water, and 5% organic matter.

All soil particles, from the microscopic sheets of clay to the largest grains of sand,should be surrounded on all sides by air. When soils have varying degrees ofmoisture, some amount of water occupies the air space. This air and waterportion is referred to as pore space. It is this pore space that allows the soil tofunction in a healthy way to support both microbial organisms and the roots ofturf grass by ensuring good gas exchange with the atmosphere. It is this gasexchange that releases carbon dioxide from the biomass, and in turn allowsoxygen to be incorporated into the soil environment. When we think of soil withinthis framework, we realize that when we pick up a handful of soil, only one half ofit is solid matter, while the other half is some combination of air and water.

The mineral particles in the soil are of varying sizes. They are derived fromparent rock material. That material varies in different regions of the country;therefore mineral nutrients and composition vary as well.

At the most basic level, clay is the smallest particle, being microscopic. It has asticky feel to it when moist, and is largely responsible for influencing the bulkdensity of the soil. It has a tendency to compact and impede water movementdown through the soil profile. In regions of the United States where claypercentages are high, we face particular challenges in growing grass. This issimilar to the situation that you experience in Durango. Soils in Durango, asevidenced by the following textural analyses, have reasonably high percentages

of clay. Strategies to relieve compaction and loosen the soil as much as possiblebecome critically important.

The next largest particles are silt. Durango park soils have relatively highpercentages of silt. Soil textural classifications actually fall in the silty range onseveral of City park properties. Silt feels much like flour. It is considered to befine textured and has a very smooth feel to it. Although silt is not as fine as clay,silt can combine with clay and the end result is a soil that is relatively tight.


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Grains of sand are the largest mineral particles in the soil. Sands are subdividedinto five individual textural classifications; very fine, fine, medium, course, andvery course. Although sands are not considered to be a primary source ofcompaction, there is no question that the finer particles can combine with otherfines in the soil and give us a compacted situation.

Topsoil, as the name implies, is the uppermost layer of soil. This surface layer ofsoil is usually darker than subsoil because of the accumulation of organic matter.In different parts of the United States, we see very different depths of topsoil. Itcan range from six to eight inches in the Northeast to two feet or more in theMidwest.

Loam, on the other hand, is a textural classification. Loam is a word that is veryoften misused in our industry. We do not buy loam to work on a project, butrather we purchase topsoil. That topsoil may in fact be a loam, but that dependsentirely on the relative percentages of sand, silt, and clay. A loam is technically a

soil with between 7% and 27% clay, 28% and 50% silt, and less than 52% sand.The term loam can then be modified to sandy loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam,silty clay loam, or silt loam as the individual soil fractions change. The texturalclassification for the soils on the pilot sites appears on the following reports.

SandsSands are loose and singled grained (that is, not aggregated together). They feelgritty to the touch and are not sticky. Each individual sand grain is of sufficientsize that it can be easily seen and felt. Sands cannot be formed into a cast bysqueezing when dry. When moist, sands will form a very weak cast, as if moldedby the hand that crumbles when touched. Soil materials that are classified assands must contain 85% to 100% sand sized particles, 0 to 15% silt sizedparticles, and 0 to 10% clay sized particles. The reason that sands are referred toin the plural is that there are several USDA textures within this group. All of thesetextures fit in the sand portion of the textural triangle, but they differ from eachother in their relative portions of the various sizes of sand grains.

SiltSilt is similar to silt loam but contains even less sand and clay. Sand sizedparticles, if present, are generally so small (either fine or very fine) that they arenon-detectable to the fingers. Clay particles are present in such low percentagesthat little or no stickiness is imparted to the soil when moistened, but insteadfeels smooth and rather silky. Silt sized particles are somewhat plastic, and canbe formed into casts that will bear careful handling.

ClayClay is the finest textured of all of the soil classes. Clay usually forms extremelyhigh clods or lumps when dry and is extremely sticky and plastic when wet.When containing the proper amount of moisture, it can be ribboned out to aremarkable degree by squeezing between the thumb and forefinger, and may be


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rolled into a long, very thin wire.

As part of the data collection process, one of the soil tests that was performed isthe Textural Analysis or Particle Size Analysis. Those test results appear on thefollowing pages. You will note that the soils on the sites in Durango are relatively

similar, but there are differences. In some cases the differences are subtle, butnevertheless, it is to our advantage to understand the individual characteristics.In some cases a field or a park may be native soil, while at other times the soilthat is used for construction is imported to the site. It is these soils that we try toidentify, as they may be significantly different than existing soils. It is in thistesting process that the above referenced particle size is determined. The resultsof that test are then applied to the textural triangle and we get the soilclassification. The USDA textural triangle is the tool that we use to determine soiltextural classifications. After soil testing determines the relative percentages ofsand, silt, and clay, we refer to the triangle and find the percentages on each sideand follow the lines to the intersecting point.

It should be noted here, that soil texture is a given, and we will have very littleability to influence it one way or another. We will be working with soils on-site, asis, and develop a program that best addresses the needs of the grass given thesoil conditions. If we are constructing a turf grass area from scratch, we have theability to create an engineered soil by blending sands with native topsoil and anorganic amendment to create an ideal soil to support a turf grass system. In any

new construction project, we should always be aware that the establishment of agood soil is critically important. Many times corners are cut at this stage in projectdevelopment, and we pay the price for many years into the future. Attention todetail upfront will always make our management easier in the long run,particularly if we are dealing with high use, or high profile, athletic turf.


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Section 2Soil Chemistry

The second test of the soil is the Nutrient Analysis. It is this soil test that givescritical information relating to soil chemistry. Soil chemistry involves pH, micro

and macro mineral nutrients, organic matter percentage, cation exchangecapacity, and nitrate and ammonium nitrogen.

The first and probably most important area of attention is the relative acidity (oralkalinity) of the soil. It is measured as pH. Most of this discussion will be forinformational purposes only. Soils in Durango are alkaline and have no need oflime applications. In fact, there can be a case made for an application ofelemental sulfur to lower the pH on some properties. An older soil test of one ofthe City park properties that was evaluated actually made that recommendation.Certainly, the grass is growing without significant negative consequences at thispoint in time, but soil chemistry interactions could be improved by reducing the

alkalinity of the soil to some degree.

The pH scale runs from 1.0 to 14.0 with 7.0 being neutral. The lower end of thescale is acidic and the higher-end is alkaline. A soil becomes acid when there isa substantial amount of hydrogen ions occupying cation exchange sites. In thecase of the majority of the soils in Durango,

there is a significant amount ofcalcium being held on these exchange sites and no hydrogen at all. As morehydrogen is attracted and retained on those sites, the soil becomes more acidic.When we use a liming material, we replace the hydrogen with calcium or


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magnesium and the pH rises. As the hydrogen ions are knocked off of theexchange sites, two hydrogen combine with one oxygen to form water.

Establishing the pH within a desired range for any individual plant material iscritically important. Cool season turf grasses, as a plant species, prefer the pH to

be slightly acidic, generally between 6.2 and 7.0. Establishment of the pH withinthis range is important to the success of a natural management program. Tosome degree, soils in Durango possess a natural buffering which allows the turfgrass plant to perform at these higher levels of alkalinity. The nutrients that thegrass plant uses in the largest amounts are most readily available when the pH isestablished within this range. The grass plant uses nitrogen in the largestamount, followed by potassium, and then phosphorus. There is less nutrientavailable to the grass plant. The most important and critical step in a naturalprogram is to adjust the pH within the desired range. Unless pH is close to thisrange, the grass plant does not get the nutrients it needs with any degree ofefficiency. Fertilizer can be repeatedly applied, but will have less than the

maximum, desired effect.

Lime is used as the preferred input for raising the pH. The calcium to magnesiumratio, as determined by the nutrient analysis, is considered when determining thetype of lime to be used. We have two choices at our disposal, calcitic or dolomiticlime. The guidelines we follow call for a 8:1 calcium to magnesium ratio. Calciticlime is higher in calcium and dolomitic lime is higher in magnesium. Thesematerials can be purchased as regular lime or high cal or high mag lime. With themore concentrated products, we use substantially less material. When calcium tomagnesium ratios are optimum, dolomitic lime is preferred. If we have less thanthe optimum ratio, then calcitic lime would be chosen.

The generally accepted practice of lime applications would be to not exceed 50pounds of material per 1000 ft. in any one application. If recommendations callfor applications greater than that amount, we apply over two growing seasons.Elevation of the pH is not a rapid process, but rather can take up to 100 days forthe material to break down and begin to elevate the pH. Soluble calcium productsmarketed for their ability to make rapid changes in the pH should be avoided.

The establishment of the proper pH by liming is usually an expense occurred inthe first years of a natural program. Natural fertilizers do not tend to acidify thesoil in the way conventional products do after repeated applications. One of thebenefits of natural fertilizers and composts that are used to feed the soil is anatural buffering of the soil and pH become stable in the desired range.

In some cases, it may be desirable to lower the pH by adding an acidifying agentsuch as elemental sulfur (flowers of sulfur). This can be done successfully onsoils that do not contain large amounts of free lime. Amounts of sulfur needed tolower the pH of a silt loam soil to a 6-inch depth are easily calculated. Sandysoils would require less and clayey soils would require more. Elemental sulfur is


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converted to sulfuric acid by soil bacteria. Therefore, in order for sulfur to workthe following must be satisfied:

Sulfur must be mixed with the soil to provide contact.The soil must be moist.

The soil must be aerated (bacteria need oxygen).The soil must be warm for rapid bacterial growth.Time is required for the reaction to go to completion.

Do not confuse sulfur as a soil acidifying agent with sulfur as a plant nutrient. Soiltest reports generally recommend 10 pounds of sulfur per acre as a plantnutrient. Most fertilizer sources of sulfur are in the sulfate form (SO4-2) which isreadily available to plants, e.g., ammonium sulfate, calcium sulfate (gypsum),potassium sulfate, sul-po-mag, magnesium sulfate (epsom salts), etc. Sulfatesulfur is usually contained in mixed fertilizers. This form will not acidify soils.Elemental sulfur (a yellow powder), the form used for soil acidification, is not

plant available until it is oxidized by soil bacteria to the sulfate form. This takestime - usually several weeks. Elemental sulfur is sometimes sold as "flowers ofsulfur".

Nutrient Management

An approach using primarily synthetic, water soluble fertilizers is directly feedingthe grass plant. These products are broken down by soil moisture and are readilyavailable to the plant. Natural, organic fertilizers work in a different way. It is thesoil microbiology that breaks down the fertilizer and uses it as a food source. Themicrobes then make the nutrients available to the grass plant in plant available

forms. It is this feed the soil approach that will be the basis for the organicrecommendations on a nutrient program. In a natural program we do not focuson pounds of nitrogen per 1000 ft. in quite the same way that we do in aconventional program. A healthy soil where the microbes are nourished withnatural fertilizers, has the ability to cycle up to 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 ft.to the grass plant on a monthly basis. This plateau is reached when sustainabilityis approached, generally three to four years into a complete natural turfmanagement program. This is what we refer to as fertilizing through the biomass.The organic program focus begins to center on the microbial community asopposed to the fertilizer bag. It is through the optimization of the biomass that wecan effectively manage turf grass nutrition with natural materials.

All nutrient and cultural recommendations that are made will ultimately affect themicrobes. They are a big part of creating and achieving good soil health andquality. This is really the starting point. Once we have addressed the pH of thesoil, we then move to addressing the other aspects of soil chemistry. Thefollowing aspects are some key considerations of which we need to be awareand are all found in the soil test report.


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Organic Matter

Organic matter makes up a relatively small fraction of the soil. A typicalagricultural soil has between 1% and 6% organic matter. This percentage variesin all regions of the United States. As previously noted, we work with a number of

5% as an average. On the nine properties that were tested, the organic matterpercentages are as follows: 6.5%, 5.18%, 3.67%, 6.45%, 6.99%, 4.44%, 3.65%,7.52%, 4.84% for an average of 5.48%.

A soil that supports turf grass should have between 3% and 6% organic matter.As you can see all of the properties have an organic matter percentage within thedesired range, and the average falls in line with the guidelines. In somesituations, if we have the ability with native soils, we look to increase organicmatter to 6%. In Durangos region in Colorado, organic matter percentages canbe on the lower side. There are only two properties in this pilot project when thismight be part of the program. They are Riverfront/Iris and Needham. It would not

be a sustainable approach to think that we should try and elevate theseproperties to any great degree. If possible, we might attempt to move them up1% plus or minus. If we were able to move organic matter up 1% over the nextthree years, that would be a benefit.

Organic matter has a tremendous effect on most soil properties. Think of organicmatter as the home for the microbial community. It is the complex interactionswithin the organic matter portion of the soil that makes the system function.Organic matter is made up of living organisms, fresh residues, and welldecomposed residues. These three components of organic matter have beenreferred to as the living, the dead, and the very dead (Magdoff, University ofVermont). The living portion is comprised of a wide variety of microorganisms,including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes among others. Also includedare plant roots, earthworms, insects, and larger animals that spend time in thesoil. This living portion represents about 15% of total organic matter. The freshresidues, or the dead portion, are comprised of recently deceasedmicroorganisms, insects, earthworms, and compost if applied as a top-dress. Thedead portion also includes crop or plant residues, in the case of a turf grasssystem, grass clippings left on the turf to be decomposed by saphrophyticorganisms. Nutrient cycling happens here in the dead portion of organic matter.The very dead part of organic matter is humus. Humus is the end product ofdecomposition. When the living and the dead portions of organic matter candecompose no further, the final and stable byproduct of that decomposition isreferred to as humus. Humus is fully stable and is considered to be a long-termsoil resource lasting many hundreds of years. You will notice as we begin todesign programs of inputs to support the turf grass and the biomass, wefrequently use extracts of humus to enhance soil function.

Humus is one of the central components that tie together the inter-relatedfunctions of soil chemistry, texture, and biology. As we begin to address and


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enrich soil organic matter, we are improving the humus content of the soil and allof the interactions that take place. When we get all of these aspects working inharmony, we begin to achieve what is referred to as soil health. Conventional soilscience has looked at soil chemistry, texture, and biology separately. Theemerging way of looking at the soil is to try to achieve optimum levels in each of

these three areas and the result is good soil quality or soil health. Many naturalfertilizers are now including humates as part of the blend for the specific purposeof working to create a healthy soil. If not included in a fertilizer blend, humatescan be applied separately in granular or liquid form. The liquid programs that weput forth for managing a turf grass system will generally include humates in theliquid form as part of an ongoing program.

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

CEC is a measure of the nutrient holding capacity of the soil. Some of the claysand the well-aged humus portion of organic matter contain negatively charged

ions that attract and hold on to plus charged cations (nutrients). Older, well-agedorganic matter (humus) contains the largest percentage of exchange sites. As weimprove organic matter and its humus content, we increase the exchange sites inthe soil.

There are different clays that make up the fine, mineral portion of the soil. Theyare montmorillonite and koalinite clays. They each have different characteristicswith regard to possessing the ions to attract nutrients. We can look at differentsoil samples and see results that seem to contradict other results from the samegeneral property, but most often the variable is that some soils are not native tothe site, but rather brought in as a topsoil to supplement existing soil on site.

As we improve the nutrient holding capacity of the soil, whatever we apply tendsto be held more strongly in the soil. The primary macronutrients that are held onthe exchange sites are calcium, magnesium, potassium, aluminum, ammoniacalnitrogen (NH4+), and hydrogen. An abundance of hydrogen creates an acidiccondition in the soil, whereas an abundance of calcium and/or magnesiumcreates an alkaline soil. We look at ammonium nitrogen as being reservenitrogen. It can be converted to nitrate little by little by specific bacteria that arepresent in the soil. A more detailed explanation of nitrogen and its function will begiven later.


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Section 3The Soil Biomass

Any discussion of nutrient management in a natural turf program would beincomplete if the role of the biomass was not addressed. It is really the

foundation upon which the organic nutrient management program is based. Intaking a feed the soil approach, soil microbes are at the heart of the organicmanagement strategy. It is the natural, organic fertilizer that is broken down bythe microbial life and nutrients are made plant available. Synthetic fertilizers bytheir nature, and with their high salt content, may compromise the activity ofmuch of this life in the soil under certain conditions. The microbes do notreproduce and function at healthy levels in soils that exhibit high salinity.

One of the soil tests that has been performed on the trial properties is the assayof microbial life. It is a test that gives us a picture of the living portion of the soil.This test gives us information on both the bacterial and fungal communities and

how much of each is actively working for us. We also get information on protozoaand nematodes which are higher-level predators. At the most basic level theseorganisms interact in a predatory relationship. It is a situation where organismscompete for a chance for survival. One organism consumes another and thebyproduct is carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients made available to either thebiomass or the grass plant. For example, a single cell bacteria is comprised ofindividual units of carbon and nitrogen. If that bacteria is consumed by aprotozoa, a higher level predator, that protozoa assumes the carbon andnitrogen. It possesses its own carbon and nitrogen; therefore, it does not needthat which has been processed from the bacteria. The excess carbon andnitrogen is exuded into the soil environment. The nitrogen is in an inorganic form

and readily available to be taken up by the grass plant. The carbon issequestered in the soil environment as an energy resource for other organisms.

During the transition from a conventional fertility management program to anatural one, it is important to address the role of the microbial community andchoose products that science has shown enhance their development andfunction. The soil environment, specifically the organic matter, is the home forsoil microbial life. When we have soils with a given organic matter percentage,we can use strategies to elevate that organic matter percentage to some degree,if need be. As acknowledged, with native soils, it is not likely that we will raisethat percentage any great amount. The enhancement of the organic matter

percentage improves the function of the microbial community, but increase islimited to what we can do with a sustainable approach. At some point we becomecontent with the percentage that we have and learn to best manage the soil andthe biomass to produce the best turf system that we can.

We now look at soil as being an interactive part of building this system. Theorganic management strategies that deal with the growth of the turf grassultimately will affect the microbes. For example, a healthy vigorously growing


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stand of grass will produce carbohydrate exudates that will be introduced to thesoil environment by way of the root system and ultimately become a food sourcefor the microbial community.

The existence and survival of a healthy microbial community depends on an

aerobic soil of good texture, chemistry, and fertility. This is the reason for thefocus on all three components of soils and work to establish desired ranges. Soiltexture will not be altered with inputs from us. It is what it is in each individualregion of the country and we learn how to work with it and adapt those soils tobest grow our system. We do have the ability to influence soil chemistry and thebiomass. It is in these two areas where we focus our attention.

It is the ability of the microbes to make the conversion from natural, organicsources of nitrogen to inorganic nitrogen that allows the natural process of fertilityto work. The organic nitrogen from natural fertilization or from the decompositionof organic matter is converted to inorganic ammonium nitrogen (NH4+) by

bacteria in the process of mineralization. It is also converted to nitrate nitrogen(NO3-) during the process of nitrification. Nitrate nitrogen has a negativeelectrical charge and is therefore soluble. It relatively quickly moves to the rootzone of the grass plants after it has been released from the bodies of thepredator organisms. Ammonium nitrogen on the other hand has a positive chargeand is therefore held on the cation exchange sites and is referred to as reservenitrogen. As higher-level predators consume the bacteria, the nitrogen is thenreleased in plant available forms. Higher-level successional plants, like highproduction turf grasses, prefer equal amounts of nitrate and ammonium. Thisconcept will be further clarified in the section on fertility.

When we design a fertility program that is based on natural, organic fertilizerinputs, we also include materials that support and maintain a healthy soil andmicrobial community. We have a wide range of inputs from which to choosedepending upon our transitional program that has been put in place.

These soil bioassay tests outline for us the living portion of the soil. Bydetermining the organisms that are in the soil, both active and dormant, we beginto understand what we have working for us and what we can expect in the way ofnutrient availability through the biomass. These tests also guide us in ourrecommendations for inputs to stimulate or improve the biological function of thesoil.


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Section 4Transition Period

When turf management programs change, there is a period of time we refer to asthe transition period. When we move from a conventional program to a natural

one, the length of time involved in transition is directly related to the intensity ofcurrent and past management practices and the overall turf quality.

During transition it is important to address the soil and the biomass, as well asthe cultural practices that support it and the turf itself. The biggest issue ismoving the management of fertility from the conventional program to a naturalone. After many years of conventional fertility management that has usedsynthetic, water-soluble fertilizers with high salt levels, the soil microbiology hasbeen bypassed and possibly compromised. We strive to support and restore thesoil to good health during this transition period so that the natural processes offertility will take over and produce healthy turf. During this transition, we do not

expect to see a collapse or failure of the turf grass system. As long as thetransition process addresses the whole system, including the soil biomass,natural product, and cultural practices, we expect to see steady improvement.

Any inputs to the system should remain constant for two or three years until wefeel comfortable that we are beginning to see the establishment of a healthyorganic system. Once we begin to approach some level of sustainability, we thencan revisit the product input and determine exactly where we need to be tomaintain the functionality of this system.

It is important during transition that we establish a sound management plan that

enables us to successfully move forward. The reality in the municipal sector isthat there is not always budget money available in the amount desired or neededto implement some turf management programs. In this approach, it is importantto address the 4Ps protocol, procedure, product, and prioritization. It is thisconcept of prioritization that allows us to create levels of management and thento allocate often scarce financial resources to those areas of properties wherethe greatest impact will be made. This is critical, especially during the transition,when we need to be the most aggressive with input and cultural practices.


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Section 5Site Analysis

The following properties will be included in the Organically Managed LandsProgram:

Pioneer ParkBrookside ParkRiverfront ParkIris ParkSchneider ParkNeedham ParkFanto ParkRiverview Sports ComplexFolsom Park

These properties represent a snapshot of different current and past managementprograms. Two of the properties have been managed organically for the pastthree to five years, five have been managed conventionally, and two have beenminimally managed. This representation includes passive neighborhood parks,elementary school playgrounds, and athletic fields.

The following descriptions of the individual properties and the accompanyingpictures are a representation of Osborne Organics observations on November 6& 7, 2012. Soil samples were collected at that time and the summary results areincluded. Nutrient and Textural Analyses were performed on all properties. SoilBiological Analyses were performed on Pioneer and Riverview only.

The testing methodology for the Nutrient tests is Mehlich III. This is a strong acidtest that extracts almost all of the nutrients that are in a given soil. There are onlya percentage of the extractable nutrients readily available to the grass plant in asoluble form. The balance remains in the soil in an insoluble state until they arechelated. The results are given in lbs. /acre. To convert to ppm, divide by 2.

Osborne Organics was accompanied to all of the properties by Ron Moore. Atthis point, let me say that the City of Durango is very fortunate to have someoneof his skill level and dedication managing these and the many other publicproperties that fall under the departments jurisdiction. Many municipalities are

not as fortunate as Durango in this regard.


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Pioneer 261 E. 37th St. 97,000 ft. Neighborhood Park

Pioneer is a neighborhood park of substantial size. It gets the general use thatone might expect from property situated in a neighborhood like this. Overall, turfdensity is good with strong, healthy grass evidenced. There are some weed

pressures throughout, but not substantial at the time of the site visit. It wasrelayed that summer weed pressure was more significant. There are isolatedpatches of clover, some minimal dandelion pressure, but not any substantialpopulations of these or other weeds. Osborne Organics estimate is that totalweed pressure did not exceed 10% at the time of the visit.

This property is the newest organically managed property. This has justcompleted its second year with no treatment in the conventional program. It hasreceived a granular, organic fertilizer split into two applications, one in the springand one in the fall. The park has not received any over seeding. It has beenaerated two times annually.


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Brookside 2301 Main Ave. 39,200 ft. Neighborhood Park

Brookside is a small park that was the first property moved into an organicprogram in 2008. It is a property that does not get much use. Turf density and

weed pressure is about the same here as evidenced at Pioneer. However, Citystaff report more weed pressure in the summer months.

This property has received two fertilizer applications annually, one in the springand one in the fall. The park has not been aerated or over seeded since beingincorporated into an organic management program.


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Riverfront 1235 Camino Del Rio 36,270 ft. Riverfront ParkIris

Although technically two separate properties, for the purposes of the organic

program the sites will discussed as one. Both sections of the property have beenmanaged in the same way. Turf density is very good, with no broadleaf weedpressures evident. There are a lot of trees on the property, particularly on the Irisportion. They cast some degree of shade and turf grass here needs to competewith the trees for water, nutrients, and sunlight. This is primarily a Kentuckybluegrass turf system.

The property has received a weed and feed liquid treatment in both spring andfall on an annual basis, which has been performed by an outside contractor.There have been no supplemental fertilizer applications. The mowing isoutsourced.


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Schneider 950/1300 Roosa Ave. 69,950 ft. Riverfront Park

Schneider is a neighborhood park on the river. It receives heavy use, withcitizens coming for lunch and walking dogs on a regular basis. In the early 1970sit was built and seeded with primarily Kentucky bluegrass and a small percentage

of Perennial rye grass. Turf density is maximum, with a substantial number ofgrass plants growing per square foot. There is no weed pressure evident. Fromtime to time, historically, a few dandelions pop up in the spring, but not in anygreat amount to be a cause for concern.

Schneider receives an application of a liquid weed and feed in the spring and inthe fall by an outside contractor. It is aerated twice a year. The grass is mown in-house. It receives no additional over seeding on an annual basis. From time totime a slow release fertilizer is applied during the growing season if determinedby need.


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Needham 2455 W. 3rd St. 39,204 ft. School Playground

This property is an elementary school playground. It suffers from the wear andtear that one might expect to see in a property like this. The soil is extremelycompacted; there are large bare spots from repeated wear and tear, and

significant voids in the turf throughout the property. There are some areas offairly decent grass that could be improved under a management program. Thisproperty suffers from the typical pressures that accompany a school playground,that when combined with low level management, create conditions like we seehere.

The property was aerated once a year. The park has received some fertilizer andno weed control. It was over seeded two years ago in conjunction with a topdressing.


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Fanto 445 E. 7th Ave. 129,809 ft. School Playground

Fanto is an elementary school playground which receives a substantial amountof use during the school year. There are areas of the property that exhibit goodturf density. It can be described as spotty and clumpy. There are voids in the turf

which appear as scattered bare spots throughout. There are concentrated wearareas where children congregate that are now primarily large bare areas. Therewere no weeds evident at the time of the on-site visit. The grass is primarilyKentucky bluegrass and was over seeded with a turf type tall fescue. Thisproperty is irrigated.

During 2012 it was determined that broadleaf plantain, an indicator weed ofcompacted soils, was above threshold levels. In the spring of 2012 a selective,post emergence herbicide application was made to the area to eradicate theplantain. For the first time in a long time there was a fertilizer application of aslow release material made to the property this year.


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Riverview 2900 Mesa Ave. 291,145 ft. Sports Fields

Riverview is a premier athletic field complex. it consists of two individual fields.The upper area doubles as a baseball field and an all-purpose field. This fieldwas built and seeded to establish the grass cover. It is primarily Kentucky

bluegrass. Subsequent over seedings are primarily Kentucky bluegrass with asmaller percentage of Perennial rye grass (70/30). This property takessubstantial wear from heavy use. It is under an aggressive management programto maintain grass cover for both the spring and fall playing seasons.

The lower soccer field was built and the initial grass was Kentucky bluegrasssod. It has been over seeded since with the same seed mixture. This field alsosees heavy use.

Turf density on both fields is good. There is evidence of the wear and tear withsome relatively small voids throughout the fields. These fields are top-dressed

with a soil mixture. They are seeded twice annually at the minimum andsometimes a third seeding is done if needed. The fields receive both a spring andfall liquid weed and feed application. They are spoon fed regularly throughout theseason with supplemental fertilizer applications. An 181818 fertilizer isgenerally used for this purpose. The fields are aerated every 30 days during thegrowing season.


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Folsom 11 Folsom Place 167,995 ft. Sports Field andPark

Folsom consists of three distinct areas. There is an area of general parkland, abaseball field, and another area of park. It is good, strong, old grass. The system

has been established for some time. There are no weeds present. The grassareas are of good turf density with little or no bare spots.

This property receives a liquid weed and feed application in the spring and thefall. It is aerated twice a year. It is not over seeded. As needed, a spoon feedfertilizer application is done with a slow release material.


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Section 6Soil Test Analysis

Pioneer

Silt Loam Lower clay than other properties Organic matter is 6.45% pH is 7.6 Mineral nutrients at optimum levels Both active and total bacteria above expected levels Total fungi above expected levels Active fungi below desired levels Good fungal to bacterial ratio for turf Protozoa levels are somewhat low, indicating reduced nutrient cycling

Mycorrhizal colonization of the roots is good Nitrogen cycling potential at 75-100 lbs./acre

Brookside

Loam Organic matter Is 4.44% pH is 7.5 Phosphorus is somewhat low, but not problematic Mineral nutrients are at optimum levels

RiverfrontIris

Silt loam Organic matter is 3.67% pH is 8.3 Phosphorus is somewhat low, but not problematic Calcium is high and magnesium a bit low related to pH

Schneider

Silt loam Organic matter is 6.99% pH is 7.9 Mineral nutrients generally in line


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Needham

Silt loam Organic matter is 3.65% pH is 8.2

Phosphorus is low Calcium is high- related to the pH Magnesium is below optimum levels Potassium is below optimum levels CEC is 27.72 indicating a high potential to retain nutrients

Fanto

Silt loam Organic matter is 4.84% pH is 8.1 Calcium is high- related to the pH Mineral nutrients generally in line

Riverview Sports ComplexSoccer

Silt loam 12% clay 52% silt CEC at 21.53

Organic matter is 5.18% pH is 7.6 Phosphorus is excessively high Potassium is high, but can be processed by the system Retest in the spring

Riverview Sports ComplexBaseball

Loam 25% clay

33% silt Organic matter is 6.57% pH is 8.2 Calcium is high- related to the pH Magnesium is very low Phosphorus is high but not excessive Retest in the spring


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Riverview Sports ComplexComposite Biological Results

Active bacteria is at the low end of the desired range

Total bacteria is within range, active fungal is extremely low-below thedesired range Total fungal is above expected levels Active fungal is well below the desired range and needs improvement The soil is too fungal dominated for turf Bacteria levels in relation to fungal need to be improved Protozoa are within the desired range to cycle nutrients Mycorrhizal colonization is within the desired range Nitrogen cycling potential is 100-150 lbs./acre

Folsom

Clay loam 32% clay 44.5% silt CEC is 25.86 Highest clay percentage of all properties in the program Substantial retained nutrients as evidenced by high NH4+ late in the

season Organic matter is 7.52%

pH is 7.9 Phosphorus is high, but not excessive Calcium is high-related to pH Potassium and magnesium are in line


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Section 7Current Materials and Cultural Practices Staff Input

The following information has been supplied by City staff regarding the current

programs.

Selected Parks for Transition Program

Pioneer Park organic inputs 2011 and 2012Brookside Park organic inputs 2008 through 2012Iris Park conventional programRiverfront Park conventional programRiverview Sports Complex conventional programFolsom Park conventional programSchneider Park conventional program

Needham Park aeration and fertilization once in 2012Fanto Park aeration twice and fertilization once 2012

Fertility In-house Applications

Howard Johnsons Umaxx 20-10-20 plus 4% Fe

Basin COOP 18-18-18 plus 4% Sulphur

Winfield Solutions 13-13-13 plus 4% sulfur

Winfield Solutions 20-10-20 Umaxx plus 4% Fe

Scotts Pro Lawn Organic spring and fall

Richlawn Organic 8-2-1 poultry manure, blood and feather meals 12.5 lbs./1000

Fertility and Weed Control Out-sourced Applications

Scotts Pro Lawn Conventional

Spring 18-2-3 liquid fertilizer

.60 gal/1000 ft. equals 1.12 lbs. N/1000 ft. 30% slow release

Frontier 5% liquid iron 3 oz. / 1000 ft.

Vessel herbicide 1.2 oz. / 1000 ft.

Hydrexx nitrogen stabilizer .16 oz. /1000 ft.

Application rate of finished solution is 3 gal/ 1000 ft.


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Fall 18-2-3 liquid fertilizer

.65 gal/1000 ft. equals 1.22 lbs. N/1000 ft. 30% slow release

Frontier 5% liquid iron 2 oz. /1000 ft.

Vessel herbicide 1.2 oz. / 1000 ft.

Hydrexx nitrogen stabilizer .16 oz. /1000 ft.

Application rate of finished solution is 3 gal/ 1000 ft.

Pioneer and Brookside Scotts Pro Lawn organic fertilizer spring and fall

Iris Scotts Pro Lawn conventional fertilizer spring and fall

Riverview Scotts Pro Lawn conventional fertilizer spring and fall

Spoon feed .75 lb. N/ 1000 ft. 181818 or 13-13-13in June, July, August, and September

Folsom Scotts Pro Lawn conventional fertilizer spring and fall

Spoon feed .75 lb. N/ 1000 ft. 181818 or 13-13-13in June, July, August, and September

Schneider Scotts Pro Lawn conventional fertilizer spring and fall

20-10-20 slow release 400 lbs. /acre

Needham 20-10-20 400 lbs. /acre once in the spring

Fanto 20-10-20 400 lbs. /acre spring and late summer

Weed control

Applications are part of the Scotts fertility program. Vessel is the product. Iris,Riverfront, Riverview, Folsom, and Schneider receive this in both spring and fall.Pioneer, Brookside, Needham, and Fanto did not receive these applications.

Aeration

Tracaire Model S44423 .75 x 6 tinesBrookside None

Pioneer Spring

Iris None

Riverfront None

Riverview March, April, May, June, July, October


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Folsom March, August, October

Schneider March and September

Needham June

Fanto June and October

Over seeding

Landpride OS I1548

Of the parks in the transition program, Riverview Sports Complex is the only onethat is over seeded and top-dressed. Timing depends a lot on the usage of thefields. It usually works out that over seeding is completed in June and July.

Application rate about 4lbs/ 1000 ft.

Seed mixture 70/30 Blue/Rye mixture Winfield Solutions

29.79% Zoom Perennial ryegrass24.88% Quantum leap Kentucky bluegrass

24.80% SR2100 Kentucky bluegrass

19.62% Argos Kentucky bluegrass

Topdressing

Topdressing is completed at the same time as over seeding. A topsoil blend isused for topdressing. The equipment used is Tycrop 400MH rear spinners.

Historical information

Typically, the weed pressure is dandelions in the spring. Then the clover andplantation come on in mid-summer. As for turf density, wear patterns on sportsfields are about a strip of 100 feet wide down the middle of the field. In this area,there can be as much as 50% to 60% turf loss. On the soccer fields, there isusually 100% turf loss in the goal mouths. Baseball fields and parks usually donthave this heavy wear problem. For compaction, the parks with very highcompaction have to be addressed aggressively.

Irrigation

Irrigation is managed with a central irrigation controller. It is difficult in Durango towater to evapotranspiration (ET) because of the variability of soils at the differentsites. Generally speaking, irrigation runs every other day. There are times of theseason when the frequency is increased to daily run times, and the duration ofthe run time is reduced.


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Section 8

Current Product AnalysisSpecimen Labels and MSDS Sheets

This section will deal with an analysis of the current programs that are currently

in place. The properties that have been chosen for the beginning of theOrganically Managed Lands Program represent three different managementstrategies. They range from a high degree of cultural intensity designed tomaximize product and labor input to meet high expectations to a very low level ofcultural intensity that reflects minimal product of labor input, and the result is turfthat meets low expectations.

In general, most of the properties in Durango that were visited are managed at arelatively high level. The products used, labor invested, irrigation, and grass seedselection are all designed to meet high expectations. They are managedconventionally with synthetic fertilizers and herbicides are applied for the control

of broadleaf weeds. Of those properties that are conventionally managed, someare managed at a higher degree than others.

In addition to outlining the individual program approaches, and an analysis ofmaterial inputs, specimen labels will be included along with brief descriptions ofthe products. The scope of this report is not to dwell on toxicological data and anin-depth presentation of the potential negative consequences of herbicides,although comments throughout this section will address that issue.

The properties in this program fall into the above described categories. They are:

PioneerBrooksideThese two neighborhood parks were converted from a chemical-based approachto an organic approach at different times over the last four years. For the mostpart, the organic program consists basically of a product swap for fertility.Synthetic fertilizers and herbicides were stopped and organic fertilizer wassubstituted. A comprehensive approach to managing these lands organically hasnot been put in place. In one case, minimal aeration has happened, while at theother there has been no aeration at all. Over seeding to maintain turf density hasnot been done.

FantoNeedhamThese are both elementary school playgrounds. As described in the site analysis,they suffer from the typical wear and tear that one might expect to see onproperties like these. They would fall into a category that might be best describedas organic by neglect. Very little has been done over the past several years ateither of these properties in the way of a management program. There has beenminimal topdressing and seed, very little fertility if any, and an isolated herbicide


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treatment for the removal of a particular broadleaf weed that exceeded thresholdlevels.

Schneider

Riverfront/IrisThese are neighborhood parks that border the river. Schneider has beenmanaged a little more aggressively than Riverfront and Iris. The parks have beenmanaged in a conventional/chemical program, but the level of intensity is higherat Schneider. Schneider has received a liquid weed and feed application in boththe spring and fall by an outside contractor. It is aerated twice annually. If neededa slow release fertilizer has been applied once or twice during the growingseason. It has received no supplemental spoon feed applications of fertilizer, norhas it received any grass seed. Riverfront and Iris have received the spring andfall weed and feed application. There has been no supplemental fertilization, noaeration, and no grass seed.

FolsomThis neighborhood park/baseball field is managed with the weed and feedapplication in both spring and fall. It is aerated three times annually. It receivesone slow release fertilizer application, and spoon feed applications of fertilizer isapplied as needed.

Riverview Baseball and Soccer fieldsThese fields are representations of the highest level of conventionalmanagement in the City. They both receive the same applications. Weed andfeed applications are done in both the spring and the fall. They receive anapplication of a slow release fertilizer. They receive spoon feed fertilizerapplications. It is aerated monthly. The fields are top-dressed. They are overseeded twice annually and sometimes a third seeding is done at City staffsdiscretion.

These different management strategies reflect the levels of prioritization of theindividual properties. The higher profile properties receive more and the lowerprofile properties received less. This is normally the situation that one would seein a municipality. It is this approach that allows the city to allocate budget dollarsto the areas of greatest impact.

Terminology

By the term weed and feed, we mean an application that contains both afertilizer and a selective, post emergence, broadleaf herbicide in one application.This is a liquid application that is outsourced and performed by a contractorunder an annual contract. An RFP is put out for the service, and the productchoice is that of the service provider. It is part of their proprietary applications.


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Spoon feeding refers to frequent, lower dose applications of a partially solublenitrogen source. These applications are done to supplement the turf system atspecific times during the season to get a particular response.

Slow release fertilizer application refers to a process by which synthetic, water-soluble fertilizer is reacted with other materials in a proprietary process that slowsdown the nitrogen release. A description of formulations and the mechanics ofthe nitrogen will be discussed.

Weed Control

The product being used by Scotts Pro Lawn for weed control is a selective,broadleaf herbicide. The product name is Vessel. When we talk about pesticidesthere is some basic information that appears on the label. Among other thingsare the active ingredient or ingredients, the inert ingredients, some cautionary

statements, general use for the material, a signal word that describes toxicity ofthe product, mixing rates, application rates, and crops to be treated. It is theMSDS sheet (Material Safety Data Sheet) that gives us information on health andenvironmental effects, based on acute exposure, to the degree that anyindividual material has been tested to date. Earlier in this report a briefdescription of the process regarding pesticide registration was discussed.

Signal words are found on pesticide product labels, and they describe the acute(short term) toxicity of the formulated pesticide product. Keep in mind that therehas been no testing done on the formulated product. Testing is limited to theactive ingredient. The signal word can be either DANGER, WARNING, orCAUTION. Products with the DANGER signal word are the most toxic. Productswith the signal word CAUTION are lower in toxicity. The US EPA requires asignal word on most pesticide product labels. They also require it to be printed onthe front panel, in all capital letters, to make it easy for users to find.

CAUTION Means the pesticide product is slightly toxic if eaten, absorbed throughthe skin, inhaled, or it causes slight eye or skin irritation.

WARNING Indicate the pesticide product is moderately toxic if eaten, absorbedthrough the skin, inhaled, or it causes moderate eye or skin irritation.

DANGER Means the pesticide product is highly toxic by at least one route ofexposure. It may be corrosive, causing irreversible damage to the skin or eyes.Alternatively, it may be highly toxic if eaten, absorbed to the skin, or inhaled.

These descriptions have been created under the framework of risk assessment.They look at a particular formulation from the perspective of acute toxicity. Muchof the concern now is the effect of these products at lower dose exposures. Thisis not taken into consideration in this model.


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Vessel carries a signal word of DANGER. It is a three way combination ofherbicides. It contains a product called Trimec. Trimec is a combination of 2, 4 D,Dicamba, and Mecoprop. Three products are combined because they mitigatedifferent weeds. This formulation exhibits increased strength through the

synergistic action of the individual chemicals. This formulation has not beentested when these materials have been put in combination. Testing has beenlimited to each of these three as a pure active ingredient. The inert ingredientsthat make up 58.50% of the formulation have not been tested in combination.

Fertility Materials

Richlawn Organic 8-2-1This is an organic nitrogen source that contains minimal phosphate and potash.The organic nitrogen is 75% water insoluble and 25% water-soluble. It is derived

from dried poultry manure, blood meal, and feather meal. It is a granular productthat is applied by some type of spreading equipment. This is an example of amaterial that is not primarily broken down by soil moisture, but rather convertedto inorganic nitrogen by way of the microbial community during the process ofmineralization.

HydrexxThis is a dry nitrogen fertilizer additive that is used with urea. It prevents nitrogenloss through volatilization from synthetic urea. It is used to primarily stabilizesynthetic nitrogen.

Frontier Fertilizer 18-2-3 plus 2.04% sulfur + 30% NSUREThis is a urea nitrogen source. 70% of the total nitrogen is water-soluble. 30% isa proprietary formula to slow the release of the nitrogen. Urea-triazone nitrogen(N) is a stable solution resulting from a controlled reaction in aqueous medium ofurea, formaldehyde, and ammonia which contains at least 25% total N. This Nsource contains no more than 40%, nor less than 5%, of total N from unreactedurea and not less than 40% from triazone. All other N shall be derived fromwater-soluble dissolved reaction products of the above reactants. It is a source ofslowly available N.

There are several fertilizer formulations that are used in house at various times ofthe year for various purposes. A complete breakdown of each product will not bediscussed here. they are similar to the other materials being used. They aresynthetic in nature and have different characteristics which can be used for avariety of purposes.

18-18-18

13-13-13


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Section 9

Fertility and Turf Grass Nutrition, An Organic Perspective

When an organic program address fertility issues, it is important to look at theneeds of the grass itself. Of the three major nutrients used by turf grass, nitrogenis used in the largest amount. It is followed by potassium and then phosphorus.There are other nutrients, of course, but our primary focus is with these three.When nutrient budgets are established, the organic program is basing them onnitrogen to be delivered in one form or another to the turf grass system. Thenutrient analysis soil tests point out any deficiencies in the other macro nutrientsor micronutrients. The organic program then takes the opportunity during theinitial years of transition to balance soil chemistry with the appropriateamendments.

When a turf area is used, as opposed to just viewed, the turf is generally undersome stress. Grass plants get damaged and often cannot reproduce at a rapidenough rate to maintain maximum turf density. The recuperative capacity of thegrass plant is governed by the genetic capabilities of individual species as well asnutrient availability. For example, Kentucky bluegrass does not wear well underathletic play and is easily damaged, but it repairs itself from that injury moreeffectively, efficiently, and faster than the other cool season turf grasses. Theorganic program needs more available nutrient, specifically nitrogen, to sustainthis type of turf system as opposed to what might be needed for a homeownerslawn. It is available nitrogen that directly stimulates growth. That is not to say thatexcessive amounts of nitrogen is needed, but rather nitrogen delivered in an

appropriate form and in a manner that will allow the capabilities of the grass to dowhat we need them to do. The organic program now begins to think in terms ofthe concept less is more. Introduction of nitrogen to a turf grass system inorganic program can be done at rates as low as .2 lb. of actual nitrogen.

The organic program establishes nutrient budgets based on nitrogen forindividual turf systems. The nutrient budget has a direct relationship to theexpectations for that grass. If the expectations are on the lower side, then we cansatisfy that system with a lower total annual nitrogen input. If we have high use orhigh profile playing fields, our expectations are high, and therefore the nutrientbudget needs to be set at a higher level so that that system can reproduce and

maintain itself in relatively short growing seasons in the northern regions of thecountry.

One of the basic differences between a natural program and a conventional oneis that the organic program does not expect to get all of the nitrogen from natural,organic, granular fertilizer product alone. Nitrogen from that product is certainlyimportant, but it is only a part of a balanced approach. The organic programacknowledge that contributory nitrogen from compost topdressing, liquid


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fertilizers, compost tea, humic substances, and clippings returned to the system.Some of these products contain actual nitrogen, while others; although theycontain no nitrogen, stimulate the soil system to the point that nitrogen availabilitythrough the biomass can be improved. When a product is used to initiallyimprove soil health, we are building a system that will make nitrogen readily

available naturally to the grass plant in the future. It is this concept that allows theorganic program to have a healthy turf at a lower cost three or four years downthe road.

In a conventional program, when primarily water-soluble nitrogen is delivered atthe customary rate of one pound of nitrogen to 1000 ft., much of that materialdoes not make a beneficial impact on the grass. This type of fertility productworks in such a way that it is readily available upon contact with moisture. Thenitrogen begins to become available within 48 hours of application. Maximumnitrogen release occurs in the 7 to 10 day range. By the end of a 4 to 5 weekperiod the nitrogen is no longer available, because it has been either used by the

grass plant, or it has moved through the soil profile. This type of fertility canpotentially pose negative issues for bodies of water in close proximity to thegrass area or to groundwater.

Depending upon a variety of factors, much of this nitrogen can have the ability tomove below the root zone and potentially become a problem. Universityresearch has produced trials that indicate that almost all of the nitrogen applied inthis manner is used by the grass and poses no adverse threat. It is important toremember that in this work, we are generally looking at a relatively perfect turfsystem that exhibits maximum turf density with little or no voids in the surfacearea. The fact is that in the real world those perfect conditions do not alwaysexist and a turf system with less than 100% turf density will not process all of thenitrogen in the same way the research plots did. This is especially true when wehave regular irrigation or heavy rains after an application. Because all of thenitrogen may not be used by the grass plant from this conventional material, wecan have problems. There are different ways that the nitrogen can leave thissystem including leaching below the root zone, runoff, and volatilization. As thismaterial leeches, it can become a groundwater contaminant as well as runoff intofresh or salt water bodies. In many regions of the country there are restrictionsbeing placed on this type of fertility for the reasons mentioned above.

Natural, organic fertilizers can be either granular or liquid. Granular fertilityproduct is generally a source of nitrogen that is water insoluble. The liquidfertilizers can be water-soluble, but not in the same sense as synthetic fertilizers.The nitrogen is from protein. Nitrogen is a building block of proteins and aminoacids. Along with nitrogen, these fertilizers can deliver enzymes, amino acids,and proteins to the grass plant. With organic fertilizers, the nitrogen reaches itstarget goal, the grass plant. They are not soluble in the same way as theirsynthetic counterparts because moisture has very little to do with the actualrelease of nitrogen to the plant. It is the natural process of mineralization that


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makes nitrogen available. Nitrogen can be delivered in an organic form, but it isimportant to realize that the plant can only process it in the inorganic form. It isthis process of mineralization that makes that conversion first to ammoniumnitrogen and then secondarily to nitrate nitrogen.

The difference between natural, organic fertilizers and conventional or syntheticfertilizers is simple. Synthetic fertilizer is inorganic. It is manufactured during achemical process that produces a highly water soluble fertilizer. Anhydrousammonia is reacted under great pressure and high temperatures. Urea is formed.It takes five ton of petroleum to produce one ton of urea. It breaks down oncontact with soil moisture and is taken up by the grass plant very rapidly. This iswhy you see a quick green up or burst of growth with these products. There is away to coat or encapsulate the fertilizer to delay the breakdown. Urea can alsobe secondarily reacted with formaldehyde to produce a ureaformaldehyde ormethylene urea product. This material is synthetic slow release and needsmicrobial action to break it down. Generally speaking with urea, it is taken up

rapidly, works quickly, and then leaves the root zone. There are also syntheticforms of nitrogen fertilizer in the ammonium family. This process is directlyfeeding the grass plant. Most synthetic fertilizer programs call for numerousapplications annually.


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Natural, organic fertilizer products work in a completely different way. Nature hasput in place a system that makes nutrients available to the grass plant. A goodexample of this is a mature forest. No one fertilizes a forest, yet plant materialgrows and is healthy and adequately nourished. Other plant material functions inbasically the same way, but because in a turf grass area it is a closed system,

the organic program will add fertilizer or other nutrients to meet the needs of thegrass in the same way that the fallen leaves meet the needs of the tree. Grass asa horticultural crop needs more nitrogen than nature can provide if we areseeking to achieve higher expectations. Grass can obtain nutrients it needs fromsoil organic matter, the biomass, and minerals in the soil, but not enoughnitrogen can be made available to produce a high quality turf system. If ourexpectations are on the lower side, then we can be satisfied with nitrogen madeavailable by nature only. Given that we are managing sports fields and publicparks with a high set of expectations, it is necessary for us to providesupplemental nitrogen to drive this process.

The nitrogen in natural, organic fertilizers is in the organic form. It is important toremember that plants cannot use organic forms of nitrogen. They can only use itin the inorganic form. The two inorganic forms of nitrogen that are plant availablewithin the soil are ammonium and nitrate. Synthetics work rapidly becauselaboratory derived nitrogen, in a synthetic form, is designed to mimic what theplant can actually use. Natural fertilizers supply organic nitrogen to the microbesas a food source, and then the microbes break it down and in turn release it tothe plant in the inorganic form. It is in the process of mineralization where thatorganic nitrogen is converted to ammonium nitrogen which can be found in soilsolution as well as held on to on the cation exchange sites. Bacteria in the soilthen further convert the ammonium to nitrate. The nitrate is soluble, is notattracted to exchange sites, and is immediately in the soil solution. Nitrogen fixingbacteria can then further convert ammonium from the exchange sites to nitrate tomeet the needs of the plant. The grass plant prefers its nitrogen in equal parts,nitrate and ammonium.

It is the microbial life in the soil that makes nutrients available to the grass plantsin a natural program. If we think back to a basic biology course, we learned that ahandful of soil contains billions of mostly beneficial living organisms that natureput in place for the sole purpose of growing plants. It is these organisms that infact make the nutrients available. This is the foundation for the feed the soilapproach as outlined in the biomass section.

Nutrients in organic fertilizers can be derived from either plant, animal, or mineralsources. Nitrogen is derived from plants (grains like corn, soy, alfalfa) or animalbyproducts (manure, feathers, bones, blood). It is important to note that thesenutrients that make up fertilizer products, either synthetic or natural, are not plantfood.

These materials are simply catalysts in the process of photosynthesis. When


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nitrogen is introduced to a turf grass system the plant responds in multiple ways.One of the responses is a greening of the plant. This greening is theintensification of chlorophyll in the blades. As the grass gets greener, chlorophyllis becoming more dense. During the process of photosynthesis, chlorophyllreacts with energy from the sun in the presence of carbon dioxide and moisture.

There are microscopic openings on the underside of the leaf blades calledstomates. These stomates open and close at the times of the day when the air isgenerally the calmest; dawn and dusk. Carbon dioxide enters the grass plantthrough these openings and a reaction takes place between the carbon dioxide,the suns energy, and the chlorophyll. The end result is the production ofcarbohydrates and sugars. It is these carbohydrates and sugars that are plantfood. These materials provide energy for the plant to grow and reproduce.Respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis, or the function that releases thisstored energy that facilitates the actual growth of the plant. Our job as turfmanagers is to maximize the growing conditions of the grass plant that willenable it to photosynthesize at its maximum rate. As photosynthesis improves,

more carbohydrate is produced for the plant.

The grass plant uses these carbohydrates for its immediate growth, stores aportion of the carbohydrates in the crown for future growth, and then the balanceof the carbohydrates are exuded through the root system into the rhizosphere.These exudates provide nourishment for microbes that colonize and live in thisregion and help support the turf grass plant in the soil.

Fertilizer Summary

Synthetic and natural fertilizers work in completely different ways, but can

produce similar results. Synthetic can be harsh to the biomass and can be counterproductive to

building a healthy microbial soil population. Because synthetics work rapidly and organics work more slowly, we must

set our expectations appropriately. There are organic liquids that will produce more results in the short term

and sustain it f

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