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