Capillary Hydronics reaches North American market

Capillary Concrete has announced that its new Capillary Hydroponics turfgrass growing environment is now on sale.

 

The system uses the capillary properties of Capillary Concrete to enable both drainage and irrigation from below and to precisely regulate the moisture content of the turf’s rootzone.

 

“The system divides the turf into two areas of equal size,” Capillary Concrete inventor and CEO Martin Sternberg said. “A control basin automatically oxygenates and pumps or drains water between the two areas on a regular schedule. The system is powered by a small solar panel and the water levels in the turf profile can easily be adjusted.”

 

Capillary Hydroponics enables increases in gas exchange below the top 4 inches of the rootzone. It also delivers optimal levels of nutrients directly to the rootzone.

 

Capillary Hydroponics has been in use for multiple years at trial sites. At Pompano Beach Golf Course in Florida, a test green has been in place for just over a year. Scott Zakany CGCS, president of Cypress Golf Management, which runs the course, said: “The results on our test green are truly astounding. Since we installed this test green, we have seen a huge increase in our roots and huge decrease in our water usage, because the green is completely irrigated and fertilised from below ground, which means we don’t lose water to evaporation and we don’t have to spray fertilizers all the time. This product is going to revolutionize the way we manage and maintain our courses.”

 

In September/October 2018 Capillary Concrete built a new tee box at Hawk’s Landing Golf, outside Orlando, incorporating the Capillary Hydroponics system, along with superintendent Josh Kelley’s team and contractor Double Eagle Golf Works. The system divides the tee box into two areas, with a layer of Capillary Concrete under the rootzone. Two air lift pumps, powered by a 55-watt solar panel, move water inside the closed system.

“It is a trial site; we aren’t doing anything special to it,” Kelley said. “We have run no overhead irrigation at all, except to water in two applications of herbicide. The tee itself has performed superbly; zero hotspots, no disease issues, no wet areas.”

 

Kelly added: “I really think in markets where water is scarce or expensive, this will change the way we do things in the golf business, and I’m delighted that we at Hawk’s Landing were one of the first to get to try it out.”