North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC
Bob Erickson, Director of Golf Turf Management at North Carolina State University, was so happy with DAKOTA and our products that he wrote the following letter.
On behalf of the Turf Work Group at North Carolina State University, I would like to extend our sincerest appreciation for all that DAKOTA Peat and Equipment has done to support our research, extension, and teaching programs.
As you know, TurfNet recently ranked our program as the number one turfgrass program in the nation. Without industry support from companies such as DAKOTA Peat, that achievement would not have been possible. We sincerely appreciate the role you have played to help our program excel.
I have come to know that the quality equipment that you have provided us is backed up by stellar customer service. In addition, your peat and blending service is one that I would highly recommend to others in the industry. I was especially impressed by the consistency of the DAKOTA Peat and its ability to be blended so uniformly.
I am in the unique position to be able to manage multiple varieties of creeping bentgrass on a number of different greensmixes under difficult conditions of the transition zone. For example, our newly built, A-1 USGA bentgrass greens were seeded in late December and entered our hottest summer on record, while only five months old. As you can see by the photos taken at the end of the season, the greens with the DAKOTA Peat in the greensmix performed remarkably well given the record number of 90+ degree days that we had this season. From May 1st to October 7th this year, we had 81 days of 90°F or higher temperatures.
In my experience, the greens we have that have DAKOTA Peat incorporated into the greensmix have a very consistent nutrient holding capacity which aided in a very quick and easy grow-in. That resulted in a very consistent turf color and quality throughout the growing season. The pictures also speak to the excellent rooting depth we had on those greens, even at the end of such a harsh season.
Again, thank you for all that you have done for us at NCSU.
Bob Erickson, CGCS
Director of Golf Turf Management