A Field Trial Comparing 20 Different Rootzone Mixes of Various Organic and Inorganic Amendments

A short game practice facility was constructed at North Shore Country Club, Glenview Illinois in the summer of 1997. In addition to it being a functional practice area, the design included various research objectives including field-testing several rootzone amendments in the 7,200 square feet putting green. All rootzones were constructed with the same sand, meeting USGA specifications in particle size and distribution and built to a USGA profile standard. 20 different rootzone mixes were used in cells measuring 14’ × 15’ and 12” deep. A permanent 80-mil high-density polyethylene barrier extending from the top of the pea gravel bed to the surface divided the cells. All plots were seeded with a 50/50 blend of L-93 and SR-1119 at 2 lbs/1,000 ft².

A seed blanket was used to assist grow-in and protect from any potential erosion until seedling establishment. All plots were managed equally and topdressed with straight sand as the turf matured. Rootzone cells consisted of: Straight Sand; 85/15 Sphagnum Peat; 90/10 Dakota Peat; 90/10 Dakota Peat plus Chip Humate (250#); 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 22.5% Profile (porous ceramic); 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 15% (v/v) Profile and 350 pounds ZeoPro (zeoponic zeolite); 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 10% (v/v) Zeopro; 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 10% Axis (calcined diatomaceous earth); 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 10% Axis and 350 pounds Zeopro; 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 100 pounds OptiMil (granular Sea Plant Meal and Milorganite with sunflower seed hull ash, total N-P-K of 3-1-4); 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 100 pounds OptiMil and Emerald Isle Microbial Trichoderma harzianum and endomycorrhizal fungi; 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 60 pounds SAND_AID (granular Sea Plant Meal, 1-0-1); 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 60 pounds SAND-AID and Emerald Isle Microbial Trichoderma harzianum and endomycorrhizal fungi; 90/10 Dakota Peat plus 300 pounds Paramagnetic basalt rock, 40 pounds Hard Rock Phosphate and 40 pounds Greensand; 90/10 Yardwaste Compost; 90/10 Biosolids; 90/5/5 yardwaste/biosolids; Sand mixed with 10 pounds Hydrozone (water absorbing polyacrylamide copolymer); Sand mixed with 5 pounds Hydrozone and earthworm castings; and 90/10 local peat. The results will be presented and discussed.