Our Customers have many choices of fine fertilizer products available to them, whether it is derived from sources of synthetics, organic, or combination of both. However, when it comes to soil and plant nutrition for healthy plant growth and overall turf quality, Nature Safe Natural & Organic Fertilizers stands apart from the others.

Nature Safe is unlike any other organic fertilizer, in that it is a constructed fertilizer, composed of a blend of various plant and animal meals that have been balanced with proteins, fats, yeast, sugars, starches, and carbohydrates. These animal meals consisting of meat, bone, blood, fish, and poultry are rendered into very digestible protein sources and of various amino acids. Amino acids enhance turfgrass health and improve the overall nutrient efficiency by buffering heavy metals and sodium in the soil, improving the availability and exchange of plant nutrients on the root surface, and improving microbial activity in the soil. These constructed meals contain not only amino acids, but chelated secondary elements, vitamins, and enzymes. The different sources of protein derived from those animals and plant meals are then ultimately converted into slow release nitrogen. At Griffin Industries, we are the only company that manufactures their own proteins and formulates them in to a natural organic fertilizer. By producing our own sources of animal and plant meals, a high level of quality control and consistency in our manufacturing process is achieved in the final product.

Over the last 50 years, chemical fertilizers have become the choice for plant production. They can be relatively inexpensive, are rapidly available to the roots, and can be accurately delivered to the root zone. Such products however, provide no note energy input into soils. The flush of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) actually results in a short-term stimulation of microbial activity further accelerating the demise of soil organic matter. Loss of microbial diversity invariably leads to an unbalanced ecosystem, where plant pathogens can more readily survive and cause serious plant damage. Although plant pathogens are not great competitors in soil, they are good survivors, particularly in soils with low levels of microbial activity. Increased activity of plant parasites has numerous impacts on plant production. The most obvious is the destruction of plants requiring the use of chemical control. This further reduces microbial populations and creates “microbial vacuums” that lead to a rebound in pest populations and greater plant losses than originally targeted. Managers then become locked into a perpetual cycle of chemical usage. Reduced root health also means that plants become less effective in nutrient uptake or use of water. Diseased plants need more fertilizer, more water, and more management. Thus, over the long-term, the less costly approach to management of soil health ends up costing more if full cost accounting is used.

 Bacterial and fungal populations decline in about a month, resulting in the slow release of nutrients they originally incorporated from the organic fertilizer. Single applications of protein-based organic fertilizers like Nature Safe clearly provide benefits as far as plant nutrition is concerned and have the added advantage that they increase soil microorganism populations. Continued applications of Nature Safe help develop a strong, healthy soil ecosystem that will help plants through environmental stresses.

The real benefits of using Nature Safe organic fertilizers become fore evident with long-term use. Dr. George Lazarovits, Southern Crop Protection & Food Research Center, “stated when we compare adding a single rate of inorganic and organic fertilizer at 0.4g per 100g of soil, we found a significant increase in bacteria numbers. These populations remained higher than in untreated soil for 9 weeks. Inorganic fertilizers in contrast reduced populations by 100 fold within a week and they remained below those levels found in untreated soil for 15 weeks. Repeated applications of the same organic material (4 times) at 0.1 g per 100 g of soil at 3-week intervals maintained bacteria populations at higher levels than in soil with a single application. Repeated addition of inorganic fertilizer again reduced populations of bacteria.”

In summary, the on important thing to remember is that Nature Safe offers a balance in a fertilizer. All of the nutrients found in Nature Safe work together to promote total plant health. A plant can receive the required amount of N-P-K, however, if it does not receive other nutrients, water, light, vitamins, etc., it will be a poor plant in terms of its health, growth, and reproduction. Conversely, too much of any nutrient can do more harm than good. Nature Safe helps build from its foundation up!

Organic fertilizers are not new. They are actually the "Old School" way of fertilizing crops. Prior to our ability to react sulfur with natural gas (creating high analysis synthetic sources of nitrogen), they were our only method of fertilization. Manure, animal by-products, and cover crops were the main sources of plant food as recently as the 1940's.

Organic fertilizer acts in the soil very differently than a synthetic or chemical fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers are soluble. They dissolve, go into the soil solution, and are available immediately to the plant. They are also subject to leaching as they move with the water. Since these chemical fertilizers are soluble, the plant tends to take them up rather quickly. Organic fertilizers have been shown to:

reduce disease pressure
provide much higher populations of soil microbes
provide more root mass and length
thicker cell walls
higher levels of carbohydrates in the plant
improve recovery from cultural practices, ball marks, heat stress
tighter turf
provides long lasting color without surge growth patterns

Organic fertilizer works to counter the problems of localized dry spots that are a result of compaction and disease.

Organic fertilizer is insoluble. The plant is oblivious to the presence of organic fertilizer. Soil microbes, however, respond very quickly to the presence of organic fertilizers. They multiply rapidly and consume the available food. After consuming this organic material they die and release nitrogen (in the ammonium form), P, K, S, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, etc. The microbes collect all the minerals that are a part of the organic material they consume. They immobilize these elements in their bodies, chelate them, and then release them over a long period of time on a continuous basis. The plant does not experience the surge of growth with the consequential problems that result. The soil structure is improved through the microbial activity.

Since the advent of chemical fertilizers, the contribution that microbes make to soil and plant health has largely been ignored. This is no longer an option since the demands that are placed on our turf are higher each year. The golfing public, through the television, is much less tolerant of less than ideal playing conditions. Organic fertilizers, by becoming a part of a healthy fertilization program, can help us meet these higher expectations.

Organic fertilizers are insoluble and must be consumed by soil microbes to be effective. It makes sense then to maximize the microbial activity in our soil. Microbes need the same things we need; namely air, food, and water. If you remove anyone of these they, and we, will soon die. The quality of food products, and organic fertilizers are actually food, are measured by the total food value, the digestibility of the food value, and the variety of food sources. In order to maintain health, living creatures need to consume a balanced diet. Protein and energy must be balanced. The necessary vitamins and minerals must be present in the food.

We can evaluate organic fertilizers on the same basis. How do the different organic fertilizers compare to the job of supplying a the total food value, the quality of that food, and the variety of food sources.

Organic fertilizers fall into to one of three categories; Manure, Sewage Sludge, or Constructed.

Manure - These fertilizers compost the litter from poultry houses. One of the largest components of these types of fertilizers is the bedding material. Sawdust and wood chips are the preferred bedding materials for poultry houses. This must be composted or it will create odors, burn, and will actually steal nitrogen from your soil to finish the process of composting. The birds have removed a large part of the food value that would otherwise be available to feed soil microbes. The total food value is low as is the quality of that food value.

Sewage Sludge - These fertilizers utilize the microbial carcasses that are used to consume the solids in sewer water. This product is heated to extreme temperatures to make it safe for use and handling. This heating process renders the protein very indigestible. Less than 50% of the protein in sewage sludge is consumed in a 12 month period. These fertilizers also are subject to the presence of heavy metals that can persist in soils for many years and leach into the ground water. The total food value is high but the quality of the food value is very low.

Constructed - These fertilizers are made from feed products. They include blood meal, feather meal, fish meal, meat meal, bone meal, bakery by-products and sugars. These meet the standards of the food industry for total food value, quality of food, and variety of food. Not all constructed fertilizers have all of these ingredients and some include large amounts of chemical fertilizers.
Nature Safe is a constructed fertilizer. It has the highest food value of any organic on the market. Griffin Industries, the manufacturer of Nature Safe products, makes all of these feed ingredients. Nature Safe provides the highest total food, the best quality of food, and the widest variety of food in any organic fertilizer.

Greens
To maximize your microbial activity in your soil use Nature Safe as the foundation to your fertility program. Use 1/4 lb. N. from NS 8-3-5 every two weeks on your greens. At aerification apply 1 lb. of N. from NS 5-6-6 on top of your sand and drag into the holes.
You will be pleased with the response you get from your turf.

Tees
Nature Safe does an excellent job on Tee's. Apply 4-6 lbs. of nitrogen annually. You should experience faster recovery from divots, better rooting, reduced thatch, and resistance to soil compaction. You can apply it the same way you do your greens program or modify it to reflect the higher mowing heights and different turf.

Fairways
Apply 3 - 4 lbs. of nitrogen annually from Nature Safe for the best response. We have all organic products and products that incorporate controlled release synthetic nitrogen. You will see the same benefits to your fairways as you do in your greens and tees.

Amino acids are the fundamental building blocks of all protein. Amino acids enhance physiological mechanisms that control the photosynthetic activity, water and nutrient efficiency of plants. The following is a breakdown of how Nature Safe, which delivers the highest and most available concentration of amino acids available in a complete organic fertilizer line, compares with the competition. See chart on page 2.

Summary: Nature Safe amino acids and proteins are hydrolyzed using steam, heat and pressure making them extremely digestible and available to the plant, providing a consistent and predictable release of nutrients. This contrasts from sewage sludge that, due to the extreme processing temperatures to “denature” the proteins, result in their relative unavailability (as much as 50%) their first year.

Nitrogen: Organic nitrogen is derived from protein. Therefore, the higher the concentration of amino acids, the higher the protein and consequently, the higher the nitrogen. “Turf grasses require nitrogen in the largest amount of any of the essential nutrients with the exception of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. For this reason, nitrogen is the nutrient applied in the largest amounts to

turfgrass. Nitrogen is a vital constituent of a) the chlorophyll molecule, which is involved in photosynthesis; b) amino acids and proteins, which compose a major portion of the protoplasm; c) nucleic acids, which function in hereditary transfer of plant characteristics; d) enzymes and vitamins, which catalyze metabolic reactions within the plant. All are vitally important in turfgrass growth and development. James B. Beard Turfgrass Science and Culture

Vitamins and Enzymes: Vitamin E, B12, riboflavin, biotin, choline, thiamine, pantothenic acid, folic acid and niacin are the vitamins in Nature Safe that enhance the bio-stimulant properties of the fertilizer. These vitamins are needed for the basic metabolic process within the plant such as chlorophyll production, cell division, transpiration and respiration. Enzymes stimulate the natural process of microbes surrounding the root zone of the plant.

Conclusion: An extremely high concentration of amino acids translates into not only exceptional levels of organic nitrogen, but also, in the case of Nature Safe, an extremely available contribution of chelated phosphorous and calcium. These nutrients, coupled with the inclusion of humates, sugars, carbohydrates, vitamins and enzymes, results in the most complete organic fertilizer available.

Aspartic acid Enhances seed germination; Source of organic N 4.13% 0.88% 2.92%

Threonin Defense mechanism during stress 2.58% 0.56% 1.65%

Serine Increases stress tolerance; Forms humic compounds 6.70% 1.14% 1.33%

Glutamic Acid Chlorophyll forerunner; Enhances seed germination - 7.95% 1.45% 3.80%

activates resistance mechanisms

Poline Favors opening of the stomata; Enhances tolerance to 5.69% 0.99% 1.52%

osmotic stresses; Increases photosynthetic capacity

Glycine Chelating properties; Favors new growth 5.68% 1.18% 2.01%

Alanine Regulates stomata opening 0.00% 0.70% 2.31%

Cystine Antioxidant activity for proper cellular functions 3.00% 0.36% 0.47%

Valine Increases drought tolerance and seed establishment 4.22% 0.95% 2.16%

Methionine Enhances root growth and regulates stomata opening 0.60% -0.12% 0.62%

Isoleucine Increases tolerance to saline stress 2.79% 0.61% 1.44%

Leucine Increases saline tolerance and pollen germination 5.08% 1.02% 2.41%

Tyrosine Increases tolerance to drought stress 2.40% 0.21% 1.02%

Phenylalanine Formation of humic compounds for new growth 2.77% 0.58% 1.54%

Histidine Regulates opening of stomata 0.56% 0.10% 0.49%

Lysine Enhances chlorophyll synthesis 1.41% 0.30% 1.63%

Arginine Enhances root development and stress tolerance 4.32% 0.96% 1.88%

Tryptophan Precursor of Auxins 0.40% 0.13% 0.40%

Hydroxyproline Enhances root development 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

TOTAL 60.28% 12.25% 29.60%

Golf Enviro Systems is pleased to offer Nature Safe in the following formulations:

Nature Safe Fine 8-3-5 Nature Safe Superfine 8-3-5

Nature Safe Fine 12-2-6 Nature Safe Coarse 15-2-8

The cumulative use of Nature Safe will provide the turf with better roots and higher reserves of carbohydrates, resulting in increased density and stress tolerance. This is especially important this Fall as you work to prepare the turf for winter. Use Nature Safe this Fall to improve your chances for success next Spring.