Good vitality is not a guarantee that the turf will also recover; it is essential that the soil absorbs water. If the soil is water repellent, the turf will not recover, not even if it gets water. Water-repellent soil is caused by stress in the grass plants, other plants and soil organisms during hot and dry periods. As a result, water can no longer, or sometimes only locally, enter the soil. Water-repellent soil makes it even more difficult for the dried grass plant to recover when rain falls again, because rainwater does not reach the roots. The issue of water repellency must therefore first be solved.
Drop test:
The following test gives a good indication of the water repellency of the soil:
- Use the shovel or gouge to cut out a piece of turf.
- Put a drop of water at every 2 cm depth.
- If it takes more than 1 minute for the droplet to be absorbed by the soil, the soil is too water repellent for normal recovery of the turf. Overseeding with ordinary grass seed will have no effect.
Conclusion step 2: water repellent or not?
If the soil is water repellent, there is no point in overseeding with a normal grass seed mixture! Water will not be able to reach the seed for germination and possibly germinated seeds cannot grow into plants if water cannot reach the roots. Barenbrug has a solution for water-repellent soils: Yellow Jacket Water Manager! This revolutionary seed treatment with Yellow Jacket Water Manager combats water repellency and prevents it from recurring during the period that the young grass plants grow into mature plants (settlement period). Your turf will once again be strong and vital with healthy, strong young plants.