1. Creeping bentgrass growth in sand- based root zones amended with biochar and various composts Steve Vaughn, Dan Dinelli, Martha Vaughan and Steve Peterson

2. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is the principal cool season grass used for golf greens in the northern United States.

3. Golf greens must be designed to provide high water infiltration and drainage rates, and prevent compaction. At the same time they must retain enough water and nutrients to support vigorous growth.

4. Current USGA recommendations for golf green construction are for a 30- cm sand root zone on top of a 10-30 cm pea gravel bed.

5. Organic amendments such as peat increase water and nutrient retention, but peat decomposes over time, which results in lower air-filled porosity and water infiltration.

6. In the U.S., peat moss is almost exclusively used by the horticulture industry. Forty thousand acres of sphagnum are currently being harvested in Canada, with 90% of the product destined for the U.S. In the U.K., where peat moss is burned as fuel, nearly 94% of the lowland bogs have been altered or completely destroyed due to harvesting.

7. Much of the western U.S. is experiencing some level of drought.

8. Gov. Jerry Brown of California on April 1, 2015 imposed mandatory water restrictions for the first time on residents, businesses and farms, ordering cities and towns in the drought- ravaged state to reduce usage by 25%. "We're in a new era," Brown said. "The idea of your nice little green grass getting lots of water every day, that's going to be a thing of the past."

9. This has led to decreased or even the elimination of watering turfgrasses on commercial properties and homes.

10. Golf courses must water to have actively growing grass which can recover from divots and other wear and tear.

11. In this study we are comparing creeping bentgrass growth in 85% sand-based media with 15% (v/v) of biochar or biochar/organic composts.

12. Biochars and composts were mixed with sand using a commercial cement mixer.

13. Evaluation of biochar added to simulated golf green experimental setup using 66 cm tall 10.2-cm inside diameter PVC tubes.

14. Bentgrass growth in 35 days after seeding

15. Experimental greens at North Shore Country Club, Glenview, IL, 2014

16. Pea gravel layer applied

17. Root zone layers applied

18. Experimental greens, April 2015

19. Experimental greens, June 9, 2015

20. Mechanical mixer for producing biochar- compost tea slurries for application to established turf.

21. Mixing biochar with a compost to “charge” the biochar with nutrients.

22. Biochar-compost tea slurry being pumped into a sprayer.

23. Biochar-compost tea slurry directly applied to an established golf green.

24. Questions?