The Right Stuff

Douglas Bradley serves as the director of sports turf at a large university, and he manages a pretty diverse array of athletic fields.

“We have baseball, softball, soccer, track, and football fields (both practice and game), all of which are natural turf,” said Bradley. “We have Tahoma, which is a bermudagrass hybrid, and it’s overseeded with ryegrass.”

With nearly 40 years as a turf manager under his belt, Bradley knows a thing or two about quality. That’s why he turns to tools he trusts, including Foliar-Pak products.

Why Foliar-Pak?

With overseeding, growth can be a bit of a balancing act.

“I’ve always liked to use foliar products in the fall and the spring,” said Bradley. “In the fall, we overseed with ryegrass into our bermudagrass, and in the spring we use Grow-In to get [the new grass] out without pushing the bermuda too hard before it warms up.”

With a jam-packed athletic schedule, Foliar-Pak products also give Bradley the flexibility to get things done right in a limited amount of time.

“Between overseeding and just being able to spray week in, week out versus trying to get the granular out and watered in, broken down, and ready for uptake into the plant was significant,” said Bradley.

Bradley is also a big fan of granular products.

“The fields I have here are all sand-based, which has been my background for the past 20-some-odd years,” said Bradley. “The granulars with a combination of the foliars, I have found to be the way to go, especially in the spring and fall.”

Bradley didn’t choose Foliar-Pak overnight. Like any experienced professional, he did some field testing first.

“I used Grow-In on the game field and saw a good response, so I just started using it on the other fields, especially on the soccer field,” said Bradley. “We used it to grow the sprigs in and then maintain the field through the summer and into fall, and it did great.”

Using Grow-In

Among all the Foliar-Pak products Bradley uses, Grow-In stands out.

“Grow-In is very well-mixed and very well applied,” said Bradley. “I see the response in growth as well as color. It’s a good way to manage nutrients.”

Results aren’t the only thing that sets Grow-In apart; it’s the ease of application and overall product quality.

“It’s nice in that you can put it on, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be watered in,” said Bradley. “You don’t have to worry about salt or other junk, either; it’s good and clean.”

Plus, Grow-In works fast and lives up to its name.

“I had to grow in some sod in about two and a half weeks to get ready for football camp, and I think it definitely aided in getting the roots grown in.”

Results That Last

Getting fast results isn’t the only important thing, though. Maintaining those results is just as vital.

“I like the Play-On 7-0-7,” said Bradley. “You can put it out every week by itself or biweekly with a granular. It doesn’t flush growth, but keeps it consistent.”

Bradley elaborated on what sets Play-On apart.

“With some products, you put it out, and two days later, it flush grows, and then within a few days it’s come and gone,” said Bradley. “Play-On seems to sustain in the sand and the plants fairly well.”

Results That Truly Show

The improvements to field performance and appearance haven’t gone unnoticed. The results speak for themselves.

“The feedback I’ve gotten the last couple of years, especially on the practice field, is that we’ve had more turf there than ever before,” said Bradley. “The stadium field, people think it’s the best it’s ever looked. Good color, good strength.”

For Bradley, this success is the result of many factors, including his team, but Foliar-Pak’s liquid line has been a key player.

“I think it’s a combination of things, but definitely the Foliar-Pak products, the liquids that we’re using, are a part of that.”

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Douglas Bradley in his personal capacity and do not represent the views of the university at which he is employed. Any reference to product performance reflects his individual experience and does not constitute an institutional endorsement.

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