Maricopa Meadows give their turf a boost

Maricopa Meadows recently spent over $200,000 on the beautification of the turf throughout the subdivision.

The project included the installation of smart controllers into entire irrigation system in Maricopa Meadows.

Using weather radar and ground sensors, these smart controllers will water the grass as needed, saving both water and labor costs.

Anthony Vicich is the president of the Maricopa Meadows Homeowners Association. He explained that the sensors will save a lot of time and effort.

“If the ground has adequate hydration, then the sprinklers will not come on automatically,” he said.

If a pipe or sprinkler head is broken, causing a leak, the smart controllers will turn off the water.

With 45 acres of green land to keep healthy in the Maricopa Meadows, Vicich acknowledges the difficulty of growing and maintaining grass in the desert, “If you travel the 347 (SR347) you see the topography of our area looks like it’s in its natural state,” he said.

Maricopa Meadows recently started covering the grass with grass beautification additive called Endurant, an all-organic turf paint.

“Though the industry calls it turf paint, it is much more than that,” Vicich said. “We are adding an organic compound that not only beautifies the grass but benefits the overall health of the turf. Many state-of-the-art golf courses, college football stadiums, and professional football stadiums are now or have been using this. I know for the fact that Nissan Stadium where the Tennessee Titans play use the same company that will be improving and beautifying Maricopa Meadows.”

A tricky part of the turf management happens to be the transition from season to season.

Before the turf enhancement, the switch between the two grasses in Fall required an overseeding, requiring more water, so the Rye grass could grow through the Bermuda grass, this allowed for green grass all year long.

“One of the things that traditionally takes place is a switch between summer grass to a winter grass” Vicich said referring to the switch between Bermuda grass (summer) and Rye grass (winter).

After the turf enhancement, there will no longer be a need for overseeding, which stresses the soil.

There will be three applications of Endurant to the Maricopa Meadows, each spread apart by weeks.

The first application, Genesis Landscape Solutions has sprayed about 5 to 6 gallons of turf paint per acre.

The second application includes another three gallons per acre will be applied.

The third application, 2 to 3 gallons per acre will be distributed on the turf.

Warren Wheat is the owner of Genesis Landscape Solutions.

Due to a seed shortage, “The cost of Rye seed has nearly doubled” Wheat stated.

Conserving water is crucial with the ongoing drought.

With being in the midst of both a drought a seed shortage, the installation of smart controllers and the replacement of overseeding with turf enhancement is a step forward for the Maricopa Meadows.

“This is the best of both worlds” Wheat said.