Superintendents have reduced fertilizer use while continuing to spend more on product compared to three years ago, according to research conducted by Golf Course Industry in partnership with Koch Turf & Ornamental.
Often, superintendents are creatures of habit when it comes to their fertilizer programs. But faced with a weakened economy, they made changes to keep their turf alive.
Compared to three years ago, has the acreage of turf you fertilize changed?
More than two-thirds of respondents (69 percent) indicated they haven’t changed the amount of acreage they’re feeding at their facility. However, a shift is evident for others. Some superintendents (12 percent) are actually caring for more turf. But more (19 percent) have found places to trim, possibly connecting to the turf removal trend on courses to reduce labor and material costs and water usage.
During the past three years, has your fertilizer spending changed?
Though most superintendents have seen either no spending change or less fertilized turf, about a third (31 percent) are spending more on that product. Those could be superintendents rebuilding constrained programs as budgets start to open up again after the recession, maybe with a focus on fertilizer technology. Almost half (48 percent) have seen no change, though, and 21 percent have actually continued to see a decrease in spending. Even if a golf course’s budget rebounded, other neglected areas like equipment could also take precedence.
Compared to three years ago, are you using more or less fertilizer products on your course?
While the majority of superintendents (36 percent) haven’t had any change in the amount of product used on the course, the data evenly distributes to either extreme. Though the results were the same for 20 percent more or less, slightly more superintendents still used less in the middle range. Overall, a total of 30 percent of superintendents are using more products, but 34 percent are working with less. Most superintendents haven’t seen recovery in spending to earlier levels, and it follows that fertilizer use has kept pace with budgets. But it’s possible some discovered ways to get similar results without as many inputs or by trying different approaches using a higher quality of product.
Have you switched up your fertilizer program in the last three years?
Whether it’s because of budget cuts, legislative restrictions or trying out new technology, almost three quarters (74 percent) of superintendents changed their fertilizer program within the last three years, with only 26 percent still using the same approach. Whether comfortable or not, most superintendents had to try something new to keep turf alive.
About the survey
Superintendents have many approaches to their fertilizer program, and just as many reasons why it’s built a certain way – whether it comes from their mentor, because it just works or is the result of meticulous research. Some embrace changes in technology or more organic products in an effort to keep up with changes in restrictions. And some have had to rebuild after slashed budgets forced tough choices.
Golf Course Industry surveyed 408 superintendents about how they handle their fertilizer program, and how that approach has changed during the last three years. This is the first of four enewsletters, sponsored by Koch Turf & Ornamental, presenting the research results and some analysis on how these programs have recovered.