Superintendent Matt Lean of Monterey Yacht and Country Club in Stuart, Florida shares how Geoponics products, of all the turf, soil, and plant products he’s used, are the first to show visible results within days when used on the turf and ornamental plants under his care, which include a golf course and landscaping around condominiums. The golf course greens, condo lawns and ornamental plants have all posed their challenges at times. Three Geoponics products, Agriox, Penterra and Carbotein, provided solutions.
In his own words, here is what Matt’s been working with for the past year, including some of the challenges he faced:
We’re an old course. This place was built in 1970.
The original greens were push up greens. They basically used the pond muck to make the greens.
We’re now going to a dwarf Bermuda and Geoponics products have been good on both—the 328 Bermuda and the dwarf.
Three of my greens right now are dwarf Bermuda and the rest are 328 and these products work well with both of them, which is awesome. My rough is 419 and that’s what my fairway is. I used Geoponics products on my fairways as well.
When I got here, nobody had aerified in a few years. Actually I don’t think anybody did before I got here on the fairways.
Actually, we didn’t even really have fairways. It was all just 419 and all they did was overseed the tees and the greens. I came in and cut in fairways a little less than a ½ an inch. Everything was just so compacted.
We’re an old course. This place was built in 1970.
The original greens were push up greens. They basically used the pond muck to make the greens.
We’re now going to a dwarf Bermuda and Geoponics products have been good on both—the 328 Bermuda and the dwarf.
Three of my greens right now are dwarf Bermuda and the rest are 328 and these products work well with both of them, which is awesome. My rough is 419 and that’s what my fairway is. I used Geoponics products on my fairways as well.
When I got here, nobody had aerified in a few years. Actually I don’t think anybody did before I got here on the fairways.
Actually, we didn’t even really have fairways. It was all just 419 and all they did was overseed the tees and the greens. I came in and cut in fairways a little less than a ½ an inch. Everything was just so compacted.
I was only allowed to water the condos’ landscaping twice a week and we have 50 condos here. You’re only getting five or 10 minutes. Some are on wells. Some wouldn’t be watered for a week.
Geoponics offered some solutions that Matt shared in a recent interview.
Geoponics Corporation: Matt, when did you first hear of Geoponics products?
Matt: Beginning of the year (January 2011) my wife saw a post on Facebook. (Like Geoponics Facebook page at Facebook.com/Geoponics). It was a picture of a green with a snow all around it… It was just a really wild looking picture. She showed it to me and I went on the site (to learn more.)
Vidoes of superintendents and turf managers from around the world share how-to’s and testimonials on www.Geoponics.TV
Geoponics: What made you decide to try Geoponics products?
Matt: After checking out the website, I called Geoponics because at the time we were having a lot of problems with organics in our soil and compaction, they recommended using Penterra. It relieved the compaction and really opened up the soil, helping me out tremendously.
Geoponics: What other challenges did you seek to address with the products?
Matt: The course was a little bit neglected, so we had the compaction problem. We had a lot of organic in the ground. It was hard as a rock. We were having the same issues with the greens.
We also had a problem this summer in that it was very dry out. We were under water restrictions.
We also had a problem this summer in that it was very dry out. We were under water restrictions.
Geoponics: Did you find solutions in Geoponics products?
I used Penterra and we had great penetration through the soil. So it’s been a great product.
Geoponics said it would open up the soil pores. They said it would relieve my compaction problem. It would improve water penetration. So, I decided to give it a try, and, it did just what they said it was going to do.
I used Penterra and we had great penetration through the soil. So it’s been a great product.
Geoponics said it would open up the soil pores. They said it would relieve my compaction problem. It would improve water penetration. So, I decided to give it a try, and, it did just what they said it was going to do.
Geoponics: Have you tried any other Geoponics products?
Matt: The other product I used was Carbotein. Again, I was on the Geoponics website (www.GeoponicsCorp.com) looking at some of the products and I saw some of the pictures of the flower beds.
On our property, we have quite a bit of plants. I was going to use that Carbotein around our condos and the plants.
The weather got really bad. It got really hot in the summer. I had ordered four of five jugs of Carbotein hoping to use the Carbotein more around the plants and the condos, but I ended up using the Carbotein on the greens.
All I did was add it to my current program and within the first week I noticed a difference, actually within the first like two or three days I started noticing the green just had a better look to it and by the end of the week it was more dense.
It was the only thing I did differently that week was add that product. It looked a lot healthier and I’ve been using it ever since. All I did was add it to my current program that I’m using. I built it around the Carbotein and it’s very natural and it has organic nutritional extracts in it. What more can you ask for? It’s great.
I’m really impressed with the Carbotein. You don’t have to use it just on the grass. I mean, it’s a great product for plants and it’s safe to use. So, how can you beat that?
I’m hoping going into the next year, I can use the Carbotein more around the plants and the condos.
Water restrictions made it less effective of a plan for this year.
Water restrictions made it less effective of a plan for this year.
Another product, Agriox, helps reduce black layer and it puts oxygen into the soil. I used that for about two or three months. It’s great also.
Geoponics: Would you recommend Geoponics to people?
Matt: Yes. I would without a doubt and I have. One of the professors at the college I gave a brochure about them and I gave half of a jug of the Carbotein to a horticulture teacher there. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think the product was as good as it was.
In two days, I was just like wow. Everything just looked vibrant. Wow. They just looked good. By the end of the week they just looked fuller. They just had a great healthy look to them. I put it in my program every two to three weeks.
When I used Penterra, I didn’t have dew on the greens in the morning. I knew I was getting penetration through the soil. I could see it.
The same thing with the Carbotein. I noticed the difference within a week.
That’s what you’re looking for. You want to see your product working. There are a lot of products we buy that we don’t really see. We know the microorganisms are working in the ground, but you don’t see it or you don’t see it over time.
That’s what I like about the products. I could tell right away. With these two products (Penterra and Carbotein) it was nice being able to see it. I’m not saying instantaneously or anything, but it was just nice to see the product work in a very short period of time. You know the product is working. You’re getting your money’s worth. I think that’s very important. Fertilizing a golf course is expensive, so it’s nice to know the products that you’re buying do what they say and you can see the results.