Turf Diagnostics & Design

Helping You Have Healthy Turf

Issue 2                                                    2003

I sent in my samples yesterday.   Why don’t I have my test results yet?

Laboratory testing is an integral part of golf and sports turf  construction and maintenance. Analysis results impact  fertilization programs, help to guide  materials selection, and are used for quality control during the construction process.

Although most people are generally pleased with the lab they use, an occasional complaint is that the lab is too slow.  When samples are delivered to a lab, the customer needs the data.  They don’t want to wait.

Why does it take so long to get lab data?   The most direct  answer is, because laboratory testing is a lot of work.  It is a multi-step process that starts with sample receiving, proceeds through analysis, and ends with the report.

Customers usually ship samples to the laboratory.  Upon arrival at the lab, a sample receipt person or group is responsible for ensuring sample integrity, logging in the samples, contacting the customers (if necessary), and starting the samples on their way through the lab.  This process can be as quick as a half-hour for small sample shipments with no problems.  When there are problems, such as broken sample containers or missing testing  requirements, sample log in and subsequent testing can be delayed until the lab can contact the customer.

The step that takes the longest to perform is the actual testing.  Laboratory analyses usually consist of two parts, sample preparation and sample analysis.  Sample preparation can be quick, or it can be quite time consuming.  The USGA particle size test, for example, requires an overnight preparation step.  Other analyses, such as gravel size distribution, require virtually no sample preparation.  

Sample analysis can take anywhere from a couple minutes for a conductivity test, to a couple days for a USGA performance test, to a week for a water release characterization. But most tests take less than one full day to perform.

Data processing and reporting are the final steps.  These are usually pretty rapid, because most labs use computer based data systems to calculate analysis results.  Typically data can be reported on the same day as the analysis results are completed.  For complex reports and recommendations, however, reporting is more time consuming.

Well that’s it.  If it only takes a half-hour for sample receiving, overnight for sample preparation, and one day for analysis, why aren’t testing results ready the day after the samples are received by the lab?  Part of the reason may be scheduling.  Most labs perform a wide variety of tests, and they may not perform every test every day.  Low volume tests may be performed on a less than regular basis, which can delay analysis results.  Sample quantity can also be a culprit.  Soil laboratories are usually busier in the spring and summer.  These seasonal increases in workload can affect turnaround times.

Another potential factor for a delay in results is the need for retesting.  A good laboratory will test quality check samples along with customer samples to ensure that good data is being generated.  If quality control parameters aren’t met, then samples have to be retested, which obviously causes delays. 

What can you do to help get faster lab turnaround?  Make sure sample shipments are packed safely and securely.  Provide as much information as possible concerning sample type, tests requested, customer name, contact person, phone number, and a mailing/billing address.  You should also inform the lab of any specifications or targets that your sample is required to meet.  Finally if you need something really fast, request a rush analysis.  While most labs will have a mark up in price for rush testing, the mark up is usually quite small when compared to costs of construction or shipping delays.  If you need rush testing, it’s a good idea to inform the lab ahead of time about the incoming rush samples.

Unfortunately the occasional lab delay is inevitable.  Hopefully this information will make those delays a little more understandable, if not a little easier to take.

Here are typical turnaround times for some of the tests performed at Turf Diagnostics & Design.

Particle Size – 2 to 3 working days

QC Particle Size – 1 working day

Infiltration Rate – 1 to 3 working days

QC Infiltration Rate – 1 working day

Gravel Distribution – 1 to 2 working days

QC Gravel Distribution – Same day as recd.

Organic Matter – 1 to 2 working days

QC Organic Matter – Same day as recd.

Full USGA Physical Evaluation – 2 to 4 working days

Water Release Characterization – 1 week

Bunker Evaluation – 2 to 4 working days

Organic Amendment Evaluation – 2 to 3 working days

At Turf Diagnostics & Design we pride ourselves on providing  unmatched capabilities, service, and support to our customers.  In our efforts to remain at the forefront of the testing industry, we are the first lab to offer a complete suite of tests for artificial turf.

Our testing capabilities include an  array of laboratory tests for sub grade materials (somewhat analogous to rootzone testing).  We also perform field hardness or gmax testing.  Hardness testing, which is performed following ASTM F355A, can be performed in the field on installed turf systems or in the lab

A couple of articles by Turf Diagnostics & Design staff are due to be published in  October and November 2003.  An article on sampling  procedures will be in SportsTurf magazine, and an article on bunker sand will be in Superintendent magazine.

If you don’t subscribe to these magazines, the articles will eventually be added to the turf library section of our website.  Along with our other past articles and newsletters, you can find a wealth of interesting and useful info on our website.  Please check it out at www.turfdiag.com.

Are you tired of hard to read faxes?

Turf Diagnostics and Design can provide reports electronically.  Electronic reports can be printed on your own printer, and they look great.  They even include our letter head and electronic signatures.  If you have access to the internet, you can have secure access to your lab data.  Give us a call or send us an email, and we’ll get you set up.

SandFinder.com is the place to find information on rootzone products.  Rootzone construction recommendations, bunker sand guidelines, product information, and more can be found at www.SandFinder.com.

To enlist our cost effective services, or for more information, contact Sam or Duane at:

Turf Diagnostics and Design, Inc.

310-A N. Winchester

Olathe, KS  66062

Phone:  913-780-6725

Fax:  913-780-6759

Website:  www.turfdiag.com

Email:  turfdiag@turfdiag.com

Send mail to turfdiag@turfdiag.com with questions or comments about this web site.
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