Golf Course Superintendents and Sports Field Managers have been using CytoGro in their turf management programs for over a decade, but in last couple of years, the product has begun to catch on in the lawn care market. So, what is CytoGro and what are the advantages of using it in lawn care? We sat down with Ecologel’s director of agronomy to discuss this root stimulating product and why you should use it yourself.
Q. What are the advantages of using CytoGro in lawn care?
The advantages of utilizing CytoGro in a lawn care program is reaping the benefits of a denser, deeper root system. Benefits such as greater nutrient and water uptake which provide for deep green color and healthy, dense growth. All this allows the turf to better withstand and recover from damage from pests and other factors. The hormones in CytoGro will allow for maximized turf performance during the heat of the summer and those extended dry periods that can cause a lawn’s quality to decline.
Q. What is the science behind CytoGro that makes it work?
The CytoGro technology and formula was developed by Dr. Jerry Mayeux, a former professor from Colorado State University. He developed a way to take the best-performing seaweed extracts from Ascophyllum nodosum and combine them with hormone cofactors, including amino acids, vitamins, proteins, and others, to amplify the performance of the cytokins and auxins in the seaweed extracts. Cytokins and auxins are naturally occurring plant hormones that have a great effect on the density, depth, and length of plant roots. Dr. Mayeux also developed a way to nearly eliminate gibberellic acids from the CytoGro formula. Gibberellic acids can tend to promote excessive top growth and seed head formationIn addition, research has shown that cytokins help plants tolerate and withstand many types of abiotic stresses, such as drought, salts, heat, and more.
Q. Can’t I just use Hydretain to help reduce stress on the lawn?
Hydretain is a superior product to help with soil water management, but CytoGro brings in the added dimension of increasing the root system and beefing up the plant’s physiology. Therefore, CytoGro and Hydretain complement each other and help maximize the performance of any type of lawn. We often see that the benefits of using both products together are greater than the performance of either product alone.
Q. Do I need to manage the lawn any differently when I use CytoGro?
No, there is no reason to modify any of the normal turf management operations. CytoGro can be combined with any other products being sprayed on the lawn. It also can fit into the regular application schedule. Apply the CytoGro at 0.8 ounces per 1,000 square feet (1 quart per acre) every 6 to 8 weeks depending on the lawn care application schedule.
Q. What have CytoGro users said about the product? Are they happy with the results?
More and more lawn care companies, as well as sod companies and other turf managers are including CytoGro in their regular turf maintenance programs. For example, Gary Terrell of Georgia Turf Management (GTM) shared,
“CytoGro is so impressive with root growth, supporting the plant’s immune system and establishing new plants, we have made a permanent home for it in almost all of our turf and landscape programs.”
Adoption into turf management programs speaks volumes for how pleased people are with the performance of the product. Additionally, some send us photographs of their deeper green lawns and pictures of long root systems from their lawns. Some have even shared the great results from CytoGro on YouTube and other social media channels. They are proud to share how happy they are with the results CytoGro provides them.