In the turf world, where we all strive for that golf-course look, scientists developed one of the greatest products known to man (in our eyes). Let's reduce the growth of the plant! Geniuses.

Originally, this treatment was developed as a tool to help the professional turf industry reduce maintenance requirements. However, the professional guys soon found out that PGR’s produced more benefits to turfgrass that just a reduction in growth. Fast forward to today and PGRs are now close to a whopping $1.2 billion-dollar industry worldwide! So that’s got to tell you something about performance and quality.

While PGRs have been around for some time, they are now starting to be used by homeowners and lawn enthusiasts who are striving to achieve the same results as professional turf managers. But how does it work?

After application with a fine droplet spray applicator, PGRs essentially stop your lawn growing by 50% by slowing the supply of gibberellic acid, something which is needed to make the plant grow.

For now, though, let’s keep the science out of it and simply provide you some cold hard facts about why you should be using a PGR on your lawn.

Why Use a Plant Growth Regulator?

The benefits of PGRs are truly outstanding and this trade secret has been utilised by professionals for years to create a dense coverage of turf for golf and other elite sporting playing surfaces. As a simple liquid applied to the leaf, not only will PGRs save you the hassle of mowing every second day during the high growth season, it will also save you time and money on your lawn care. As it promotes lateral growth rather than vertical, PGRs help to reduce the amount of clippings needing to be cleared after each mow. But it does not stop there! By achieving lateral growth, Plant Growth Regulators will also increase the thickness of your lawn, reduce unsightly scalping, improve colour, and aid with drought tolerance. Now there’s a real bonus!

Tips for Proper Use

• If you’re wanting to use a PGR, first thing is to ensure your turf is healthy before application. PGR’s are to be used to improve the aesthetics and maintenance of an already healthy lawn. If the lawn has disease, nutrient deficiencies, bare patches or other stresses, then these should be fixed BEFORE applying a PGR.
• It’s important not to use them when your turf is dormant (not growing) as this will present more issues than it will solve.
• PGR is not a herbicide, so do not think it will rid your lawn of weeds.
• Application timing and technique is vital. PGRs need to be applied evenly and consistently with a fine nozzle spray to the leaf to get best results (so if it is windy, forget it).
• Last but not least, there are many different products on the market so make sure to first read the label and use the correct PPE equipment.