Frequently Asked Questions about Wetting Agents:
- Why are wetting agents often ineffective in treating localized dry spots?
- Are wetting agents designed to help soils retain water or to drain excess water?
- Why does the use of soil surfactants occasionally cause excessive water retention in turf root zones?
- Why do some wetting agents discolor and burn grass?
- Should wetting agents be applied at higher rates with fewer applications or more frequently at lower rates?
- Is it better to inject or to spray soil wetting agents?
- Can I tank mix pesticides and/or fertilizers with wetting agents to allow easier application?
- Why are usage rates so varied between soil wetting agents?
- Can wetting agents be tank mixed with fairy ring control fungicides to improve efficacy?
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- Why are wetting agents often ineffective in treating localized
dry spots?
Most wetting agents will work under normal conditions, but many are ineffective on soils under severe drought stress. Surfactants are typically designed to treat soil, but are not efficient in treating organic material. When not effectively treated, soil organic matter such as thatch and peat often remains hydrophobic, causing uneven water movement and LDS.
TriCure AD addresses the cause of LDS by treating both thatch and soil.
Back to top - Are wetting agents designed to help soils retain water or to drain excess water?
Wetting agents are designed to reduce the surface tension of water and help water move evenly through soil profiles. Not all wetting agents act effectively to help drainage. In fact, use of some surfactants can result in too much moisture being held in the soil.
The chemistry in TriCure AD supports optimal conditions for both water retention and drainage.Back to top - Why does the use of soil surfactants occasionally cause excessive water retention in turf root zones?
Surfactants with simple, long chain molecules can create a webbing effect after multiple applications or at high application rates. This entanglement can restrict water flow causing excessive water retention on soil surfaces. Often, however, excessive moisture retention is caused by poor subsurface drainage and soil characteristics.
TriCure AD is formulated to optimize moisture content by engineering water movement vertically and horizontally.Back to top - Why do some wetting agents discolor and burn grass?
High rates of nonylphenols, alkylphenols, and alcohols contained in many surfactants can cause cell damage. Some surfactants dissolve cuticle/wax layers on the leaf blades causing discoloration and burning if allowed to stay on the leaf surface too long.
TriCure AD contains no harmful chemicals that can cause turf burn.Back to top - Should wetting agents be applied at higher rates with fewer applications or more frequently at lower rates?
More frequent application allows for more balanced water retention in the soil. Using higher rates to achieve seasonal control can reduce spraying frequency, but longevity is not always predictable due to soil type and climatic conditions. Also, the higher rates associated with seasonal applications can increase the risk of burning with some surfactants.
TriCure AD can be applied weekly, monthly or seasonally without the risk of burning.Back to top - Is it better to inject or to spray soil wetting agents?
Injecting allows for shorter reapplication intervals and more efficient mixing, which increases effectiveness. This can lead to lower use rates by providing better dispersion into the soil than when wetting agents are sprayed. Injecting a 100% concentrated product is most cost effective as it avoids the need for pre-mixed irrigation surfactants (containing typically 75-85% water).
Injecting TriCure AD (100% active) takes advantage of copious dilution and short reapplication intervals.Back to top - Can I tank mix pesticides and/or fertilizers with wetting agents to allow easier application?
Variations in product chemistries used with any surfactant can cause problems when mixed in combinations with other chemicals, making it impossible to guarantee compatibility. Field-testing should be done before tank mixing two or more chemicals not specifically designed to work together.
Although TriCure AD has been shown to be compatible with most common turf chemicals, it is recommended that field-testing is first done to assure compatibility.Back to top - Why are usage rates so varied between soil wetting agents?
The variation in rates and spray intervals differs based on the limitations of the chemistries. Usage rates are tied to a product’s ability to perform over its normal rate of degradation. Some products are significantly stronger than others and more stable and effective as product is degrading, even to very low in-soil levels.
TriCure has the lowest usage rate of any of the leading wetting agents, and slowly degrades, giving maximum flexibility with spray schedules.Back to top - Can wetting agents be tank mixed with fairy ring control fungicides to improve efficacy?
Numerous university studies have confirmed that tank mixing fairy ring control fungicides with wetting agents that hold moisture in the soil profile (as opposed to those designed specifically to flush water out of the soil profile) increases fungicide efficacy.
University research confirms that TriCure AD can be successfully tank mixed with various fairy ring fungicides to improve efficacy.Back to top