- B. P. ROBINSON Southeastern Director UNITED STATES QOLF ASSOCIATION ÇREEN SECTION S O U T H E A S T E RN O F F I CE Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station TIFTON, GEORGIA SOUTHEASTERN TURFLETTER V o l. Is No. 1 June 1, 1954 YOUP SOUTHEASTERN TURFLETTER The Southeastern T u r f l e t t er is a part of the new Regional Turf Service being o f f e r ed to USGA member clubs through regional o f f i c es of the USGA Green Section. The regional o f f i ce recently located at the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, T i f t o n, Georgia, is the fourth regional o f f i ce to be established, and i ts T u r f l e t t er has been prepared f or subscribers to the Regional Turf Service in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Approximately six issues of the T u r f l e t t er w i ll be published each year. Clubs subscribing to the Regional Service w i ll receive two copies, addressed to individuals designated by the Club The T u r f l e t t er is your publication. It is designed to help you in your turf production problems. Any suggestions which you may have f or improvement w i ll be g r a t e f u l ly received. i ts REGIONAL TURF SERVICE Since the Regional Turf Service was introduced this spring at a series of meetings f or green committee chairmen and golf course superintendents in the Southeast, f o r t y - f i ve clubs have subscribed. In b r i e f, the heart of the service is to strengthen the superintendent's and the green committee chair- man's hands—to insure that both new developments in research and practical findings are promptly available. An agronomist (the Regional Director) trained in turf research and production is their agent f or doing t h i s. The services to each subscriber of the Regional Turf Service are as f o l l o w s: 1. Three direct conferences with the Regional Director each year on the following schedule: (el) One-half day v i s it to the course by the agronomist, followed by a written confidential report from him to the course superinten- dent and the green committee chairman. (b) Two group conferences in which the agronomist w i ll meet with the golf course superintendents and green committee chairmen of a geographical group of clubs. 2. Assistance by correspondence and telephone» 3« Two subscriptions to the Southeastern T u r f l e t t e r, published six times a year* 4. One subscription to the USGA Journal and Turf Management, published seven times a year, 5. A voice in the direction of research dealing with golf course turf problems. Part of the funds obtained from the turf service w i ll be used f or turf research within the region. There w i ll also be other funds available f or research which are allocated annually by the USGA f or studying turf problems. The Green Section representatives of the USGA and the Regional Directors have a voice in the allocation of these funds. Since the USGA Green Section Committee includes super- intendents, club o f f i c i a l s, and'agronomists of State Experiment Stations, it is evident that the funds w i ll be wisely spent and golf courses w i ll have opportunity to suggest types of research to be included in the program. THE REGIONAL SERVICE AJZD TIFTOM PROGRAM Many individuals have been concerned about the relationship of the Regional Turf Service to the research programs at Tifton and elsewhere the Southeast. Provisions have been made to continue the turf research work at T i f t o n. A f t er receiving his master's degree in agronomy at Texas A & M College, Jim Latham joined the Experiment Station s t a ff June 1, 1954, to work with Dr. Glenn Burton and B. P. Robinson, USGA Regional Director, on the ex- perimental p l o t s. in Establishment of a regional o f f i ce at Tifton is a natural development of the cooperative turf work which has been conducted since 1946 by the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station and the U. S. Department of Agriculture, with financial support from the Southern Golf Association and the USGA. The turf service actually supplements other programs now in existence. With the Regional Turf Sorvice in f u ll swing, more funds than ever before should be available within a region f or turf research related to golf courses. SOIL TESTING AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS OF THE REGIONAL TURF SERVICE Clubs subscribing to the Regional Turf Service may have their s o il analyzed at the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station. The laboratory supported by tax funds from the State of Georgia. The Station, therefore, does not have authority to test out-of-state soila without a small charge to o f f s et i ts expenses; this fee is f i f ty cents per sample. Clubs within the State of Georgia do not pay a f ee f or the s e r v i c e. Other States within the Southeast have laboratories f or testing s o i l s. Various methods are used ana recommendations vary according to the type of test run. The Southeastern O f f i ce would be in a better position to make recommendations to golf clubs the samples were tested at one laboratory. The Regional Director is accus- tomed to making recommendations based upon tests from the Tifton laboratory. is if Purpose of S o il Testing. The question often arises, "How much and what kind of lime or f e r t i l i z er should we use?" It is d i f f i c u lt to follow standard recommendations due to wide variation in soils and previous f e r t i l i z a t i o n» Soil testing helps to remove some of the guesswork in f e r t i l i z i ng t u r f. Plants require some f i f t e en chemical elements f or growth. Of these, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium are most l i k e ly to be d e f i c i e nt in Southeastern s o i l s. Soils vary widely in their f e r t i l i ty and in their f e r t i l i z er requirements. Knowing which element or elements are lacking w i ll enable the superintendent to get the most out of his f e r t i l i z er d o l l a r. S o il tests can help determine the kind and amount of elements a particular s o il needs. Soil Sampling. The proper sample is the most important step in any analysis. If one realizes that results obtained from testing a small smount of s o il may be used f or making recommendations on several fairways or greens, the need f or a good sample becomes evident. Every sample should be a thorough mixture of s o il taken from at least ten d i f f e r e nt locations within an area from which a s o il analysis is desired. This is a composite sample. Specific instructions f or sampling and mailing to the laboratory are as f o l l o w s: 1. Take a thin v e r t i c -1 s l i ce of s o il to a depth of 2" to 3" from at least ten d i f f e r e nt places within the area. Combine a ll ten portions, mix thoroughly without touching with the hands, and save about pint of the mixture. 2. Samples may be taken from representative fairways, greens, or tees. For instance, a club may wish to sample i ts f i r st nine and second nine greens separately and make a composite sample of each nine greens. some cases it might be desirable to keep samples separate f or areas which have d i s t i n c t i ve s o il types or drainage conditions, i . e ., high areas. From 5 to 10 samples should be s u f f i c i e nt f or each club. low and In 3. A trowel, spade, auger, or broken golf shaft may be used in sampling. 4. Samples should be taken and sent to the laboratory between April 1 and September 1. Do not send samples at other periods of the year. would be best to have results of s o il analysis before the Regional Director's annual v i s it to the club. Do not sample immediately a f t er f e r t i l i z a t i o n. It 5. Place the s o il in a paper carton ( - p i nt ice cream cartons, e t c .) or other suitable containers that w i ll not crush or break, number, label and wrap samples in cardboard boxes for mailing. Include check or money order to cover expense of testing — 50^ per sample. Address as follows B. P. Robinson USGA Green Section Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station T i f t o n, Georgia 6« Keep a personal record of where the samples were taken, results of the laboratory, and suggestions of the agronomist. This record over a period of years should give an indication of the amount of f e r t i l i z er which should be applied in order to keep soils in a good state of f e r t i l i t y• MAT ARE SOIL TESTS? Soil tests measure the amount of available plant nutrients in the s o i l. Available plant nutrients are nutrients which turf grasses can obtain f or immediate growth. There are, however, nutrients held in soils which plants cannot u t i l i ze f or growth. Tests are made on each s o il f or pE available pounds per acre of nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. These are the elements most l i k e ly needed in Southeastern s o i l s. ( a c i d i t y ), The pH Test. It Measurements of s o il reaction (whether acid or basic) is made with a pH is an accurate measurement, and when the s o il type and turf grass meter. are known lining recommendations can be made based on pli. Soils high in clay and organic matter require more lime to raise to a given pH l e v el than l i g ht sandy s o i l s. Available Plant Nutrients. NITRATE NITROGEN. Nitrates may vary in s o i ls from day to day, as they readily subject to leaching and plant use. Chemical s o il tests indicate the general l e v el of nitrates and may be of some help in indicating the need f or nitrogen, PHOSPHATE. Some heavily f e r t i l i z ed putting greens are building up a reserve of phosphorus. An excess of phosphorus may be datrimantal-te^plarit growth. Most s o i l s, however, are low in phosphorus except those that have been f e r t i l i z ed with phosphorus f e r t i l i z e rs f or several years. A s o il test w i ll indicate the phosphorus l e v e l. POTASH. The amount of potash in Southeastern soils varies considerably. A s o il t e st is very helpful in indicating potash needs of a s o i l. CALCIUM. Soil pH, in most cases, indicates the l e v el of available calcium in s o i l s. A low pH coupled, with low available calcium indicates need f or high liming rate. Some soils such as those with high organic matter and clay may have low pH with f a i r ly high available calcium. This i n d i- cates lime is s t i ll needed f or some grasses. Such soils have a high capacity to hold and exchange nutrients. High pH and high available calcium indicate no lime is needed. MAGNESIUM. In general, soils that are high in calcium contain ample mag- nesium. Putting greens may, however, have a good supply of calcium and s t i ll be low in magnesium content. Magnesium deficiencies may be corrected by the use of soluble magnesium salts in f e r t i l i z e rs or by applying f i n e ly ground limestone containing magnesium (dolomitic limestone). A s o il test w i ll indicate if this element is needed. Southeastern Turfletter U S GA G R E EN S E C T I ON Sec. 34.66, P.L.& R. U, S. POSTAGE iy2c PAID TIFTON, GA. Permit No. 46 0. J. Noer.