Natural/Synthetic Turf Blends

In the rapidly growing synthetic turf industry, St. Cloud Zeolite is widely used in residential, commercial, and professional and amateur turf installations. Zeolite is an all-natural, environmentally friendly, and cost competitive alternative to other infill materials, such as silica sand and crumb rubber.

Synthetic turf comes into contact with body fluids on sports fields and pet waste in kennels and yards. Synthetic fibers retain moisture and provide a habitat for bacterial growth, which creates an ideal environment for strong odors and a build-up of ammonia in the infill, particularly when synthetic turf is used in animal litter areas. Natural zeolites have a strong surface charge which can attract and remove these offensive smells. The ammonium created by biological decomposition in liquid waste is constantly undergoing conversion to ammonia gas, but St. Cloud Zeolite can control odors created by this gas.

Zeolites also have the ability to absorb and desorb water molecules. This feature allows St. Cloud Zeolite to bind excess moisture from infill, which combats the challenges surrounding bacterial growth. Conversely, zeolites can desorb water on hot days, creating a local adsorption cooling effect. Zeolite can withstand this process of dehydration and hydration though an almost infinite number of cycles without degrading – providing long-term water absorption capabilities with little maintenance. St. Cloud Zeolite is all-natural and produced without any additives. It contains no dyes or scents and is safe for athletes and pets, unlike the recycled petroleum products often found in synthetic turf installations.

In natural turf management, numerous studies have demonstrated zeolites’ ability to maximize the effectiveness and minimize the required usage of applied water and fertilizer. Zeolites’ rigid cage-like structure allows for increased water retention without any degradation of particle size, and their adsorption properties transform fertilizer treatments into “slow release” mixes that can minimize surge growth and prevent nutrient leaching into surrounding waterways – which is often the cause of eutrophication.

St. Cloud Zeolite is superior in its ability to minimize compaction and create more porosity in high stress zones such as tee boxes, putting greens, and the crown area of athletic fields. Once applied, the zeolite stays in the soil and will retain its capacity for nutrient exchange and water absorption/release indefinitely.

The addition of St. Cloud Zeolite to sand-based root zones is also more effective than calcined clay or diatomaceous earth in increasing CEC, helping to buffer the soil, and increasing retention of nutrients like K, NH4, Ca, and Mg. As a result, zeolite amended soils often produce higher turf quality and accelerate healthy turf establishment.

St. Cloud Zeolite is available in a variety of granular sizes to meet your requirements, whether as an underlayer, top dressing, or aeration media. Additionally, we can deliver product in bulk or in your private label packaging.