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Expert: Tom Glendinning - 7/27/2007


Question
1. Please tell me the advantages of putting sand on turf?
2. I'm a huge advocate of compost & soon a producer of compost. I want to sell compost/sand mix to golf courses, home owners, etc... What would be an ideal mix ratio?
3. What are your thoughts on compost tea?
Thanks, Bill

Answer
Bill:
There are many reasons to apply sand to turf, mostly on the golf course.  I use it to level ground in existing grass.  If drainage needs to be increased, sand can help.
The ratio of sand to organic in greens & tees mix is high.  Handling sand to sell compost is an expensive way to make money.  If you start from handling and trucking sand, it can be profitable.  The key is the USGA (and PGA) contact and approval.
I made compost professionally for many years and was never attracted to golf course mix, except to sell compost to the pros in the field.  For home mix, try a 50/50 to 70/30. sand/compost.  Mostly for leveling and increased drainage.
Do not think much of compost tea.  If high in N or unstable, it stinks and will lose customers.

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Tom Glendinning

Expertise

I can answer questions about biological issues, "organic" turf concepts, turf varieties in zones 5,6,7 (depending on date of zone map); basically for Piedmont North Carolina and similar zones' some experience in sandy type soils in eastern NC, mostly with Piedmont clays. Raised in Ohio, where I started my career, I have a good memory of lawns and landscapes from up north also.

Experience

My experience began in 1958 as a groundskeeper on a thirty acre hospital campus. In 1971, I started my own business focused on delivering landscapes organically and soon discovered the benefits of compost (BioDynamic)

Organizations
Past memberships in ALC, AAN, NCAN, NCLCA, ISTC (ISA), NC Turfgrass Assoc.

Education/Credentials
Univ North Carolina - Chapel Hill, caretaker Coker Arboretum (1973), NC Landscape Contractor Board 1974-7, contractor courses (NCLA) 1976-1984, published "Manual on Horticultural and Landscape Applications of Compost," 1993

Past/Present Clients
Performed commercial/institutional jobs at IBM, county and city government jobs in NC, US Army Corps job (Jordan Lake, NC), UNC-CH, Duke University, NC Central University, developments: Fearrington, Landfall, and many private jobs through association with landscape architects and architects

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