Why math matters in turfgrass management

You’re not a turfgrass manager, not a good one anyway, if you don’t understand and apply the mathematics required to perform your day-to-day tasks to grow and maintain turfgrass in an efficient, environmental fashion.

Not performing basic mathematic computations in maintaining turfgrass can lead to over or under application of pesticides and fertilizers which will injure turf, waste money, and potentially harm the environment. Miscalibration is the number one reason for pesticide performance failure. It can also lead to wasted water and damage caused by over or under application of irrigation.

As a turfgrass manager you need mathematics:

‚ to make area calculations
‚ to make volume calculations
‚ to make irrigation calculations
‚ to make seed calculations
‚ to make fertilizer calculations
‚ to make pesticide calculations
‚ to calibrate sprayers and spreaders

Even if you think you’re pretty sharp when it comes to mathematic, you may want to download a PDF of the publication that Dr. Aaron Patton prepared when he was a turfgrass specialist with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service. Patton has since joined the turfgrass team at Purdue University.

To download the publication “Practical Math for the Turfgrass Professional” clickhere.