sodium

I’ve written about the rapid change in soil pH that can occur in sand rootzones, especially when turf is grown in a tropical climate. That potential for soil pH and other soil parameters to change substantially is one of the reasons I recommend annual testing of turf grown in sand rootzones.

I received an interesting question about some soil test results. Hey Micah, I’m just looking at the soil test results again … is there anything to worry about regarding sodium (Na) being higher than potassium (K)?

The short answer is no, so long as sufficient potassium (K) is present in the soil. Cisar et al. looked at Tifway bermudagrass performance when the soil contained high amounts of sodium (Na).

Sand rootzones are common the world over for golf course putting greens. Many athletic fields are also built with a sand rootzone, and in Asia, many of the tees, fairways, and even roughs are grown in a sand rootzone.