Air2G2 Benefits / Concept
The Air2G2 Soil C.P.R. machine revolutionizes how turf managers at golf courses, sports fields and landscape companies think about their soil management practices. The Air2G2 Soil C.P.R. machine is the winner of the 2015 Innovation Award from the Sports Turf Managers Association, (STMA). True aerification injects air into the soil profile and the Air2G2 is the only machine on the market today that utilizes air injection technology.
Air2G2 Soil CPR
Soil C.P.R. Benefits:
C = Compaction Relief
P = Porosity Increased
R = Respiration Enhanced
Living organisms need air to survive, and your turf grass is no exception. When soil is compacted and oxygen can’t circulate, your soil needs C.P.R.—Compaction relief, increased Porosity, and enhanced Respiration – to keep turf looking and performing its best. The Air2G2 ‘soil C.P.R.’ machine is designed to keep your turf breathing day after day, promoting gas exchange, better root growth, and rapid drainage.
How it Works
The Air2G2 Soil C.P.R. machine uses three probes to laterally inject pressurized air up to 12-inches beneath the surface of the soil to laterally fracture the compacted layers that form as a result of foot traffic, mechanical traffic, and nature’s daily wear and tear. These laterally injected air blasts loosen up compacted soil immediately, yet without any disruption to the surface of the turf. With frequent, regular use, Soil C.P.R. creates surfaces that are healthy, firm, and ready for play immediately after treatment. Air is everything to anything that lives, and for your soil, the Air2G2 is a breath of fresh air.
Science of It
Most problems concerning turf on sports fields, golf course greens, tee boxes, or athletic playing surfaces can generally be attributed to soil compaction in one way or another. When the spaces between the particles of soil or sand become restricted, the paths for air, water, and nutrients are greatly affected. All plant cells need oxygen to live. Without oxygen, plants cannot perform aerobic respiration (respiration is the process of breaking down food to get energy). The cells in the green parts of the plant (the part of the plant you can see on the surface), where photosynthesis is taking place, get all the oxygen they need from the oxygen produced by photosynthesis. The trick is getting oxygen to the cells down in the roots, where there is no photosynthesis occurring. In most plants, these cells get their oxygen from air in the pore spaces between dirt particles in the soil. When pore space shrinks, there is less air and moisture in the soil, a condition that negatively influences root growth, nutrient uptake, and in reality, all phases of turf growth. This ultimately creates what is called a "Black Layer." This “Black Layer” is a compacted anaerobic layer of soil. It inhibits root growth and causes the soil to become stagnant. This layer restricts the natural air channels and decreases porosity. When porosity is altered (due to compaction) you still need air to keep the structure of the soil regulating the movement of water, nutrients, and developing roots. Air is a constant need for the plant to survive and to maintain the soil structure to provide for the healthy processes to take place. This compaction isn't due to just foot traffic and the everyday use of machinery alone, it also occurs as a result of nature itself. Over a short period of time, the soil combines with water, which causes it to tightly fit together. In addition, without good aeration penetration into the soil below the black layer, the roots will not have the oxygen molecules to attach that are necessary in order for them to absorb moisture and healthy nutrients. If roots do not have oxygen, detrimental microbial activity will occur.