F environment . Where they are not mined with heavy machinery , they are produced in large energy-intensive factories . It doesn ’ t stop there , the way that fertilisers are used has big impacts on emissions and sensitive wildlife areas . Sports turf represents a small dot on the large landscape of fertiliser use , but as many of our turf areas and practices are publicly visible , we must lead by example and join the journey towards sustainability .
TURF MANAGEMENT
Fertilisers are on a journey towards sustainability
ertilisers are not known for being good for the
F environment . Where they are not mined with heavy machinery , they are produced in large energy-intensive factories . It doesn ’ t stop there , the way that fertilisers are used has big impacts on emissions and sensitive wildlife areas . Sports turf represents a small dot on the large landscape of fertiliser use , but as many of our turf areas and practices are publicly visible , we must lead by example and join the journey towards sustainability .
Source and use nitrogen fertilisers with care Nitrogen is a favourite of grass . It makes it grow fast , and green . Historically we used high-nitrogen fertilisers without a thought to how much of that nitrogen ends up inside the grass . Nitrogen leaches from soil quickly and impacts the biodiversity of local waterways and ponds . So , we have made use of technology to reduce that loss where possible .
Most recently , polymer-coated ureas ( PCUs ), such as Nutrilong , have proved extremely efficient and timesaving . These are changing slightly as new microplastics legislation comes into effect but are still the only reliable controlled-release option available .
Inhibited ureas , such as Velvit NMAXX , are a great option for short-term nitrogen requirements . Enzyme inhibitors slow down the transformation of urea by soil bacteria . This gives the plants more time to use the nitrogen , reduces nitrogen leached from the soil , and reduces nitrogen being released into the atmosphere in the form of the greenhouse gas , ammonia .
The future of fertilisers is in recycled nutrients
Some manufacturers , such as GreenBest , are investigating alternative sources of plant nutrients . Key grass nutrients , phosphorus and potassium , are usually mined out of the ground . Shockingly , it is estimated that mines will start to run out of good-quality phosphorus in as little as 50 years .
Plant-based materials that are produced as byproducts from other industries will be key contributors to the future of fertilisers . Velvit Shea Fertilisers , for example , contains shea shells from cosmetics and food manufacturing . Here at GreenBest , the innovation centre team are exploring other suitable materials that could provide a source of organic nutrients to turfgrass .
Education and information are the key
GreenBest is committed to providing educational material to those that sell or use their products . Sign up to our mailing list for product updates and to hear about our live webinars ; BASIS CPD points are available . You can also visit our website ( www . greenbest . co . uk ) to read our blog posts or find out more about our products . We also welcome you to sign up to the GreenBest Academy ( www . greenbestacademy . co . uk ) to watch one of our pre-recorded webinars and access our premium online courses .
sales @ greenbest . co . uk www . greenbest . co . uk + 44 ( 0 ) 1963 364788
Plant-based materials that are produced as byproducts from other industries will be key contributors to the future of fertilisers .
92 GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | September / October 2024