After a good wait, the TRI-est (out of Greenville, NC) group is on site fumigating the nursery at the driving range. Soil fumigation is done to eliminate any and all pests that may inhabit a soil that is to be used for an important purpose. At HCC, we are using an existing sand medium to establish a new nursery. It's important that we sterilize the soil so we eliminate any Poa annua seed, nematodes or other living organisms that could negatively impact our turf before growing a pure stand of bentgrass. As I discussed before, the nursery, which is 5,000ft2, will be seeded with 8 different varieties of bentgrass. This will allow us to observe the different characteristics of each grass on site. The varieties we will be looking at are:
1. Penn A4
2. Penn A4/ Penn A1 blend
3. Declaration
4. T-1
5. 007
6. Pure Distinction
7. V8
8. Pure Select
Each variety will be seeded to roughly 625 square feet.
The product used is called Basamid. The Basamid is applied as a granule which is irrigated into the soil. Once this reaction occurs, the product is turned to a gas and works its way back to the surface. A cover is placed over the area for 5 days to prevent the gas from escaping. This gas kills all living things in the soil which allows us to seed into a sterile environment.
