Commenter:
Ken Thompson
/ Green Guard Associates, Inc.
Section VI Turfgrass Nutrient Recommendations for...Residential/Commercial Grounds
I support your efforts to protect our environment, and this is a driving policy of my company as well. I am concerned with one aspect of the proposed changes of your nutrient management training and certification regulations. My company treats cool season grass lawns of residential and comercial properties. One of our main sources of fertilizer is "Stabilized Nitrogen" (brand name UMAXX).This is urea (100% watersoluable) combined with N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide, (NBPT), a urease inhibitor, and dicyandiamide, a nitrification inhibitor. The NBPT stops nitrogen volatization and dicyandiamide stops microbial conversion of ammonium to nitrate. This product makes for more efficient utilization of our nitrogen applications while protecting our water from leaching. While the effect is equivalent to a slow-release nitrogen source, it technically is not because all of the nitrogen is water soluable. I am concerned that our use of this environmentally friendly product might be restricted because of a technicality. This product saves us money both in material costs and time savings. Restricting its use to 3.5 pounds per 1000 ft. per year would be detrimental to our lawn care program. Can wording be added that will allow for use of this type of product at rates adequate for proper turf nutrition?