The EW Podcast - Kevin Hicks with Joel Simmons - Construction

For over 30 years, EarthWorks has helped turf managers successfully establish golf courses and sports fields during construction and grow-in. Our soil-first approach has consistently delivered stronger rooting, more efficient fertility programs, and long-term performance. Sand-based root zones, however, present a unique set of challenges. They are naturally low in mineral content, have limited nutrient holding capacity (CEC), and provide little to no carbon to fuel soil biology. The result is reduced microbial activity, an overreliance on synthetic nitrogen during grow-in, and the development of excessive, unmanageable thatch. In this episode, Kevin Hicks sits down with Joel Simmons to explore the origins of the EarthWorks construction grow-in program—and the why behind amending sand-based soils from the start. As Joel puts it, “someone you know has used the EarthWorks grow-in program.” Built around proven inputs like Renovate Plus, Ecolite, and MycoReplenish, this construction-focused approach has been trusted by thousands of turf managers since the mid-1990s. The results are consistent—faster grow-ins, deeper rooting, reduced nitrogen inputs, and a dramatic reduction in thatch. By shifting from a nitrogen-heavy strategy to a carbon-driven, biologically active system during construction, turf managers turn thatch into usable organic matter—and make grow-ins far more manageable from day one. Visit EarthWorks at: Podcasts: EW Turf Talks:

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The EW Podcast - Kevin Hicks with Joel Simmons - Construction is an episode from The EarthWorks Podcast by EarthWorks.

This episode is 65:52 long.

This episode was published on Apr 30, 2026.

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