What is a plant growth regulator (PGR)?
The first plant growth regulators (PGRs) were developed to shorten seed heads of bahia grass along roadsides. Naturally golf course superintendents saw the potential of PGRs to improve playing conditions on their courses.
Homeowners who want a golf course quality lawn need a service that provides golf course quality products.
TurfMasters of Augusta is now offering this service to residential homeowners.
Our plant growth regulator program begins mid-May and continues throughout the growing season on 28 day intervals. Please contact us for a quote to see what this amazing service can do for your lawn.
How does a PGR work?
Plant growth regulators prevent cell elongation of chlorophyll in grass plants. This causes the grass blades to be more compact. The end result is vertical growth is slowed, and lateral growth of the grass is boosted, improving turf density. When applied to your lawn a PGR will make the grass grow more side to side versus upright.
We have chronicled the use of this product through visual aids to give you, our customer a better understanding of how PGRs work. We applied PGR to a Bermuda lawn and followed the results over a 4 week period.
Note: PGR was applied to the lawn and the grass was cut one week later as directed.
The grass was cut at ¾ inch and was not mowed for 3 weeks afterward.
What are the advantages of applying PGRs?
• Fewer Clippings
The most obvious benefit of a PGR is slower growth. Studies show PGRs reduce the quantity of clippings by 50% or more, therefore reducing the time you spend mowing your lawn.
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• Less Watering is required
PGRs promote a thicker lawn which reduces the amount of moisture lost to evaporation. They also improve the root system giving your lawn access to deeper soil moisture
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Note: Regulated versus unregulated turf at 28 days
• Healthier Grass
PGRs decrease the leaf growth of grass, and in turn this energy is transferred to creating a deeper and stronger root system.
Note: At 3 weeks growth is focused in the roots and seeds versus the grass blades.
Every other week is a good time to mow your regulated lawn to clean up its appearance.
• A Better Looking Lawn
The greening agent in grass chlorophyll is concentrated in smaller blades creating a darker green color. Turf density and color increase with repeated plant growth regulator applications.
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Note: The color and thickness of regulated versus unregulated turf at 28 days is striking.
• Less Scalping
Anyone with a Bermuda lawn knows that more often than not the grass develops a brown, uneven appearance after mowing mid-summer. PGRs reduce scalping by slowing turf growth. PGRs reduce the need to mow from two times a week to every other week while maintaining a deep green lawn.
Note: This regulated turf has not been mowed for 3 weeks. As you can see it’s actually shorter than it was after mowing which is perfectly normal due to the side to side versus upright growth patterns of regulated turf.
• Less Weeds
Most annual weeds require sunlight to germinate. PGRs thicken lawns, thereby decreasing the sunlight needed for weeds to germinate.
Our plant growth regulator program begins mid-May and continues throughout the growing season on 28 day intervals. Please contact us for a quote to see what this amazing service can do for your lawn.