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Ag. ConceptsAg. ConceptsLawnsLawns
Turfgrass
• Lots of kinds of grasses• Corn, Wheat, Barley, • Sea Oats• Ornamental Grasses• Turfgrasses
– Lawns– Pastures– Sports fields
Grass Growth Habits
• Bunch type – – Grows where a seed lands. – Bunches get thicker– Don’t recover as well
• Creeping – – Start where seeds land or by sprig– Spread by rhizomes & stolons
Functions of turf
• Utility– Stabilize soil – reduce erosion– Cool areas by breaking up pavement– Remove toxic substances– Reduce CO2
• Ornamental– Enchances landscapes
• Sports– Reduce injuries
Turf Quality
• Visual– Density- # blades per inch– Texture – width of the blades– Uniformity– Color– Growth Habit– Smoothness
Functional quality
• Rigidity – resistance to compression & wear
• Elasticity – Ability to spring back after compression
• Resiliency – Ability to withstand damage• Recuperative potential – Ability to repair
itself after damage
Transition Zone
• The area where neither a cool season grass or a warm season grass will grow well all year round
Turfgrass - Zones
• Warm season (Brown)– C4 photosynthesis– Reproduce and grow best in hot
weather (80 – 105)
• Cool Season (Blue)– C3 photosynthesis– Reproduce and grow best in
cool weather (50 – 75)
• Transition Zone– Cool season grass grows well in
Apr – Jun & Sep – Nov– Warm season grass grows best
in June - September
Transition Zone Grasses
• No one type of grass will do well all year
• Both types of grasses will grow & live. In general the cool are more successful
• Possible to use both• Requires more intensive
maintenance if a cool season grass is required
• Or use a summer time warm season grass which goes dormant (and brown in color) in fall - spring.
Cool Season Grasses
• Need cold winters (with temperatures below 32°) and warm summers.
• Grow best at 60 - 75°• Need regular rain in
summer • May go dormant in
summer heat & drought• Kentucky bluegrass,
perennial rye, tall and fine fescues, & bentgrass
Warm Season Grasses
• Tropical origin and thrive during the scorching summer heat.
• They are tough and form a dense lawn cover that thickens as they age.
• Their leaves turn brown in late fall and don't green up again until warm weather returns.
• In general they are green about half the year.
Bahia, Bermuda, Centipede, St. Augustine, Zoysia
Tall Fescue
• Cool season grass• Tolerates some shade• Plant by seed or sod• Mow 2 – 4” height• Moderate drought tolerance• Needs moderate fertilizer• Coarse textured, clumpy• Does not spread well, slower to repair• Deep green color• Predominant lawn grass in Piedmont, Va.
Tall Fescue Varieties• Kentucky 31 – Old standard grows in
many lawns, now primarily used as a cheap seed for little-used areas like roadsides. – Has endophytes which make it problematic for
pastures – esp. horses.– MaxQ is endophyte free tall fescue
Other Tall Fescue Varieties
• Used primarily in blends:Durana, Penn 1901, Forte', Signia, Oncue, Virtue, Rebel Sentry and Duster
• Buy blends for specific purposes:– Shade– High traffic– Drought resistance
• New varieties have finer texture
Tall Fescue
• Rolled leaf• Collar• Ligule• Auricle• Rhizomes
Kentucky Bluegrass(Poa pratensis)• Shade tolerance: poor• Planting: seed or sod• Mowing height: 1 1/2" - 2 1/2"• Water: needs regular watering, will survive
droughts by going into a dormant state• Spreads and recovers well – good sports
turf.• Fertilization: needs regular fertilization• Cold/heat tolerance: Good cold, poor hot• Best lawn grass in appearance
Kentucky Blue Grass
• Boat-shaped tip• Parallel blades
• Short ligule, no auricle
• Underground Rhizomes
Perennial Ryegrass
• Germinates very quickly• Poor shade tolerance• Short-lived grass may only live one season• Only grows by seed – not sod• Mow at 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches• Poor drought tolerance• Bunch type grass – no stolons or rhizomes• Cool-season• Used for over-seeding dormant warm season
turf & quick green-up
Perennial Ryegrass
• Has auricles• Folded new leaves
• Bunch grass – No stolons– No rhizomes
Bermuda Grass
• Needs full sun• Drought tolerant• Warm-season grass• Plant from sod, seeds or plugs• Good traffic tolerance• Mow between ½ and 2”• Turns brown when soil temperature
falls below 60°• Can be an invasive weed
Bermuda Grass
• Hairy ligule• No auricle• Rhizomes• Stolons• Very segmented• Rolled or folded
Fine or Red Fescue
• Cool season• Shade tolerant• Fine texture• Establish by seed or sod• Deep green• Drought tolerant• Low – No additional fertilizer required• Mow to 1 ½ to 2”• Creeping fescue or Chewnings fescue
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