ESN For Turf Management

Nitrogen management is crucial to maintaining healthy, dense turf. Nitrogen can be difficult to manage because of unpredictable weather events that can affect efficacy. Nitrogen management objectives in turf are usually focused on maintaining turf color and quality while minimizing top growth. Choosing the right nitrogen source or nitrogen program can be complicated.

Factors to consider when choosing a nitrogen source

1. Rapid green-up. When bringing turf out of dormancy or re-applying nitrogen, a quick response is often desirable.
2. Potential damage from nitrogen. There are two ways nitrogen can damage turf – leaf burn and root damage. Leaf burn is when soluble nitrogen is applied to wet leaves. Root damage can be caused by high salt index or ammonia toxicity.
3. Potential nitrogen loss to the environment by volatilization, leaching, and denitrification.
4. Long term nitrogen availability to maintain a constant supply that keeps turf green while avoiding excess nitrogen that causes excess top growth and cutting.

Why ESN should be considered for turf

1. Rapid green-up. ESN can be blended with a soluble nitrogen source. An 80-90% ESN with 10-20% urea or AMS blend can provide that quick nitrogen response and continue feeding nitrogen for 50-80 days for healthier, denser turf.
2. Potential damage from nitrogen. The ESN coating protects turf from leaf burn and root damage by controlling nitrogen release. ESN can be applied alone to virtually eliminate leaf burn and root damage. ESN is safe at significantly greater nitrogen rates than soluble nitrogen fertilizers.
3. Potential nitrogen loss to the environment. ESN has 20 years of research proving how it reduces nitrogen loss via volatilization, leaching, and denitrification. By reducing these nitrogen losses, more nitrogen is available to the turf.
4. Long term nitrogen availability. The polymer-coating of ESN controls the release of nitrogen for 50-80 days. This reduces the number of applications needed and number of growth flushes from re-applying soluble nitrogen sources. The turf stand will stay green longer and be more competitive against weeds and other pests.

ESN is a soluble nitrogen source within a polymer coating that controls the release of nitrogen by diffusion through the polymer. This controlled release allows for healthier, denser turf. All that is needed for ESN to perform is warm soils and some moisture, the same things turf needs to grow. ESN can reduce the number of applications needed and number of growth flushes from re-applying soluble nitrogen sources. The turf stand will stay green longer and be more competitive against weeds and other pests.

With two production facilities in North America, Nutrien has been producing top-performing polymer-coated nitrogen for over 20 years. Now, for the first time, ESN is available for turf. Contact your local ESN rep to learn more and get started with ESN.