Natural Organic Eco-Tea Spray on Greens

If you see the sprayer out on the course, don't assume we are spraying chemical pesticides.  A lot of the times we are out there feeding the turf with a foliar spray application.  Our turf care team continues to search and discover ways to minimize the impact on the natural Muskoka environment.  Conventional plant protectants (chemicals), although safe, are used judiciously, only when needed to keep damaging pests in check.  We continue to look for products to compliment these products with those that are more natural/organic based.

Speaking of which, this season we joined a long list of golf clubs across the country using the product Eco-Tea.  Eco-Tea is a specially blended engineered compost tea, comprised of a blended mixture of high-grade composts and worm castings.

The main role of Eco-Tea is to inoculate soil and plant surfaces with massive populations of beneficial bacteria, fungi and protozoa, which can help naturally fight disease and bring balance back to the soil.

Eco-Tea is brewed for a 24-hour period in a specialized “brewing unit” and then sprayed on the turf.  One batch will treat 3 acres (the total size of our greens).   The end product is a microbial fluid that contains billions of plant beneficial aerobic microbes that is sprayed over the turf to get into the soil profile . These aerobic microbes play many important roles in the soil system. They help hold and cycle nutrients within the root zone and also help to decrease disease pressure both on the plant surface and in the soil.

The Eco-Tea brewing unit located in upper yard spray room

Eco-Tea is high tech and designed to help reduce the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers.  Most golf courses have noticed in the short-term improved plant health, vigorous root growth, reduced disease and insect pressure and improved stress tolerance (drought, cold and compaction).  We have already noticed healthier roots on our greens through this stressful hot period this season.  Another couple of weeks down the road will be the real test for the product.

Eco-Tea is sprayed on the greens every 21 days

In the long term continual Eco-Tea applications will help increase soil structure and function from an ecological standpoint and contribute to a continued natural Muskoka environment.