Sport Field GrassesSport Field Grasses

Cool Season GrassesCool Season Grasses

C3 PlantsC3 Plants Optimum temp: 60 -75Optimum temp: 60 -75 Most came from Europe – Forest Fringe Most came from Europe – Forest Fringe

grassesgrasses Good low temp hardinessGood low temp hardiness Established by seed and sodEstablished by seed and sod In south US: grows fall, winter, spring – dead or In south US: grows fall, winter, spring – dead or

dormant in summerdormant in summer In north: grows spring, summer, fall – dormant In north: grows spring, summer, fall – dormant

in winterin winter

Kentucky Bluegrass Kentucky Bluegrass Poa pratensisPoa pratensis

Blue colorBlue color Medium leaf textureMedium leaf texture Medium leaf density and colorMedium leaf density and color Forms rhizomes – good sodForms rhizomes – good sod Good recuperative potentialGood recuperative potential Long –lived perennialLong –lived perennial Good low temp hardinessGood low temp hardiness Lacks shade adaptation – full sunLacks shade adaptation – full sun

Kentucky Blue grass

Kentucky Bluegrass Cont.Kentucky Bluegrass Cont.

Good wear toleranceGood wear tolerance Likes fertile, moist well-drained soil – pH 6-7.0Likes fertile, moist well-drained soil – pH 6-7.0 Not drought tolerantNot drought tolerant Tendency to produce thatchTendency to produce thatch Several varietiesSeveral varieties Fert: .4-1 lb N/1000 sq ft/ growing monthFert: .4-1 lb N/1000 sq ft/ growing month Med – med. high intensity of cultureMed – med. high intensity of culture Mow 1-2” but 1.5-2” optimalMow 1-2” but 1.5-2” optimal Used for fairways, sports fields, lawnsUsed for fairways, sports fields, lawns

Creeping Bentgrass Creeping Bentgrass Agrostis palustrisAgrostis palustris

Pale greenPale green Medium to fine textureMedium to fine texture High densityHigh density Established by seed or vegetativelyEstablished by seed or vegetatively Slow establishmentSlow establishment Long-lived perennialLong-lived perennial Excellent low temp hardinessExcellent low temp hardiness Tolerant to shadeTolerant to shade Fine textured, fertile, moist soilFine textured, fertile, moist soil pH 5.5 -6.5pH 5.5 -6.5

Creeping Bentgrass

Creeping Bentgrass Cont.Creeping Bentgrass Cont.

tolerant to salinity and floodingtolerant to salinity and flooding used on greens (south), tees and fairways used on greens (south), tees and fairways

(north)(north) high culture intensityhigh culture intensity mow .2 -.7”mow .2 -.7” fert .5 – 1.4 lbs N/1000 sq ft/ growing monthsfert .5 – 1.4 lbs N/1000 sq ft/ growing months prone to thatchprone to thatch susceptible to diseasesusceptible to disease

Tall Fescue Tall Fescue Festuca Festuca arundinaceaearundinaceae

very coarse texturevery coarse texture low densitylow density medium green colormedium green color established by seed – good rateestablished by seed – good rate bunch typebunch type short – lived perennialshort – lived perennial seed every fallseed every fall poor low temp hardinesspoor low temp hardiness good heat, drought, wear tolerance good heat, drought, wear tolerance

Tall fescue

Tall Fescue cont.Tall Fescue cont.

higher compensation pointhigher compensation point medium shade adaptationmedium shade adaptation fine texture, moist, fertile soilfine texture, moist, fertile soil pH 5.5 – 6.5pH 5.5 – 6.5 salt, flooding tolerantsalt, flooding tolerant extensive root systemextensive root system fert 2-4 lb N/1000 sq ft/per yearfert 2-4 lb N/1000 sq ft/per year minimal thatchminimal thatch

Tall Fescue cont.Tall Fescue cont.

good heat, drought, wear tolerance good heat, drought, wear tolerance med – low intensity of culturemed – low intensity of culture used for lawns, sports fields, roadsides, used for lawns, sports fields, roadsides,

utility areasutility areas mow: turf –above 1.5 inchesmow: turf –above 1.5 inches

Perennial Ryegrass Perennial Ryegrass Lolium perenneLolium perenne

short-lived perennialshort-lived perennial bunch typebunch type medium texturemedium texture glossy yellow to dark greenglossy yellow to dark green tough fibrous vascular bundlestough fibrous vascular bundles good wear resistancegood wear resistance establishes quickly from seedestablishes quickly from seed low recuperative potentiallow recuperative potential poor tolerance to heat, drought stresspoor tolerance to heat, drought stress

Perennial Ryegrass

Perennial Ryegrass cont.Perennial Ryegrass cont.

fertile, moist soilfertile, moist soil pH 6.5 -7pH 6.5 -7 good salt tolerancegood salt tolerance lawns, sports fields, roadsideslawns, sports fields, roadsides winter over seedingwinter over seeding mow 1.5 – 2”mow 1.5 – 2” fert .4 -1 lbs N/1000 sq ft/ growing monthfert .4 -1 lbs N/1000 sq ft/ growing month endophyte enhancedendophyte enhanced

WARM SEASON GRASSES WARM SEASON GRASSES

C4 plantsC4 plants Optimum temp 85-95Optimum temp 85-95 West IndiesWest Indies AfricaAfrica North AmericaNorth America Mowed closerMowed closer Deeper rootedDeeper rooted More heat, drought, wear toleranceMore heat, drought, wear tolerance Less low temp hardinessLess low temp hardiness Sod, sprigs, plugsSod, sprigs, plugs

Common Bermuda Common Bermuda Cynodon dactylonCynodon dactylon

AfricaAfrica Med textureMed texture High densityHigh density Dull greenDull green Rhizomes, stolonsRhizomes, stolons Fibrous root systemFibrous root system Extensive and deep rootsExtensive and deep roots Established by seedEstablished by seed Very quickly establishedVery quickly established Long – lived perennialLong – lived perennial

Common Bermuda Grass

Common Bermuda cont.Common Bermuda cont.

Good heat, drought, wear toleranceGood heat, drought, wear tolerance Poor shade, low temp tolerancePoor shade, low temp tolerance Well drained, fine, fertile soilWell drained, fine, fertile soil pH 5.5 -7.5pH 5.5 -7.5 good salt, flooding tolerancegood salt, flooding tolerance lawns sports fields, tees, fairways, greenslawns sports fields, tees, fairways, greens med to high culturemed to high culture mow .25 – 1”mow .25 – 1” fert .8 -1.8 lbs N/1000sq ft/growing monthsfert .8 -1.8 lbs N/1000sq ft/growing months

Hybrid Bermuda Hybrid Bermuda Cynodon transusulensisCynodon transusulensis Same as common Bermuda except:Same as common Bermuda except: fine texturefine texture established vegetativelyestablished vegetatively

Hybrid Bermuda Grass

Sports FieldsSports Fields

Football FieldsFootball Fields Soccer FieldsSoccer Fields Baseball FieldsBaseball Fields Softball FieldsSoftball Fields Tennis CourtsTennis Courts Practice FieldsPractice Fields

Football Fields

Baseball Field

Softball Field

Grass Tennis Courts

Practice Fields