SUPER TURF SATURDAY
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Transcript of SUPER TURF SATURDAY
Did you know???
Virginia’s TurfIndustry as of2004:
$2.6 billionindustry inVirginia
1,702,000 Acresof maintained turf
61.6 % or over1,048,000 acresare in home lawns
A 46.8% increaseover 1998
Turfgrass provides several kinds ofbenefits.
Scientific research has documented the manybenefits of turfgrass to our environment. Ourturfgrass lawns, parks and open areas:
Provide a natural, comfortable, and safeProvide a natural, comfortable, and safesetting for fun and games.setting for fun and games.Release oxygen and cool the air.Release oxygen and cool the air.Control pollution and reduce soil erosion.Control pollution and reduce soil erosion.Purify and replenish our water supply.Purify and replenish our water supply.
Copyright 1998-99 Turfgrass Producers International
Turfgrass provides several kindsof benefits.
Turfgrass acts as a natural filter, reducing pollution bypurifying the water passing through its root zone.
• On a hot summer day, lawns will be 30 degrees coolerthan asphalt and 14 degrees cooler than bare soil.
• The front lawns of eight houses have the cooling effectof about 70 tons of air conditioning. That's amazingwhen the average home has an air conditioner with justa three or four ton capacity.
Copyright 1998-99 Turfgrass Producers International
“The amount of oxygen produced bygrass in the yard of an Americanfamily is estimated to be sufficient tosustain four people for a year”
Yocum, C. F. University of Michigan; Department ofBiology; Ann Arbor, Ml
Turfgrass and Turf
Turfgrasses are grasses (monocots) thatfunction as a vegetative ground cover bypersisting under mowing and trafficMONOCOT DICOT
Parallel veins NetlikeOne seed leaf (cotyledon) Two seed leaf Leaves 180O from the previous
Turf is the SYSTEM of the turfgrass plantsand the soil they are rooted in
There is natural and artificial “turf” - plastic
Broadleaf plants [dicots] grow from thetop and Turfgrass [monocots] growsfrom the bottom
NATURAL ORGANIC
The TurfgrassPlant
Crown
Rhizome
Stolon
Tiller
Leaf
Sheath
Node
Seedhead
Healthy roots are the#1 priority for asustainable lawn
ROOT FUNCTIONSabsorb essential nutrients (phloem)absorb water for Ps and transpiration (xylem)anchor the plant against erosion and divotingstore energy for withstanding/recovering fromstress
Healthy roots key toplant survival
Deeper roots can gathermore water and nutrientsfrom a larger amount of soil
= better drought tolerance
Better aeration – physical, culturalRoots need O2
Watering – deep vs. shallow
A number of factors canresult in poor root growthand survival
Under- or over-wateringNutrient deficiency; SaltsHigh soil temperatures > 85 oFpH < 5 or > 7.5 Excessive thatch; Too much NLow soil O2 due to compaction or waterloggingImproper mowing heights and frequencies
Two Major Divisions of Grasses
Cool Season – C3Ryegrasses, Bluegrasses, Bentgrasses
Tall Fescue
Warm Season – C4Centipede, St Augustine, Seashore paspalium
Bermudagrass, Zoysia
Roots develop and die in periodiccycles
Most roots of C3 and C4 grasseshave a 6 to 12 month lifespan
Bermuda - C4: most roots aredead or die at greenup
C4: maximum root growth is inthe summer
C3: Fall, winter and early springroot growth occurs
C3 lose root density in summer
C3
C4
55 F optimum
80 F optimum
Warm season versus Cool season
Winter Optimum Air Temperatures Kill 50%
Photosynthesis Root growth Shoot Growth Soil Temp
Cool seasonC3 60 –77OF 50-65OF 60-75OF -6 to – 11OF
Warm seasonC4 80-117 OF 75-95 OF 85- 100OF 18 to 23OF
Maximum growth should be when and where??
Turfgrass Adaptation
T-ZoneHardiness =Zones 6a-7b
Cool-aridCool-arid
Hot-arid Hot-humid
Warm-humidWarm-humid
Cool-Cool-humidhumid
Warm season versus Cool season
Energy Sunlight ET Water usage to fix a CO2 Requirement Dry matter prod
Cool seasonC3 3 ATP Low High 1X
Warm seasonC4 5 ATP High Low 3X
Rooting depth – generally speaking
90% of turf roots are generally in top 4-6inches
C4 –Warm Season species have thicker,deeper roots than C3 –Cool Season
There are cultivar differences
High
Med.
Low
. Seasonal Growth Patterns ofCool-Season Turfgrasses – C3
Rel
ativ
e gr
owth
rate
BEST TIMEGood, but
High
Med.
Low
. Seasonal Growth Patterns ofWarm-Season Turfgrasses
Rel
ativ
e gr
owth
rate
ONLY
Photorespiration [Pr] – one reason thatC3 plants don’t do well in the summer
Ps = photosynthesis
• There is a “balance” between
Ps [plus] and Pr [minus]• Pr is heat driven – more heat = more Pr
• On hot, dry, windy days Pr uses moreenergy [food] than Ps can make.
• C4 grasses don’t have much Pr• C4 grasses do very well in the summer
TURFGRASS PLANTING METHODS
Slit orSeed Sod Sprig no-till
Selection V Good Limited Limited Limited growers growers equipment
Preplant Extensive Extensive Extensive Minimal
Cost $-$$$$ $ $$$$ $$- $$$ $$$
Postplant $$ $$ $$ $
Establish Speed Slow Fast Medium Depends1 Season + 0 – 4 wks 8 – 12 wks 3 – 12 wks
Sodding
SEEDEDSEEDED SODDEDSODDED
SAVE MONEY VERSUS INSTANT LAWNSAVE MONEY VERSUS INSTANT LAWN
Renovation- what does it involve?
YOUTime, energy, money
YOUR EXPECTATIONSHow perfect is perfect?
SO YOU NEED TO PLAN !!
First Steps in any renovation
1) GET A GOODGOOD SOIL TEST
2) WHY DID YOU LAWN NOT PERFORM?Soil problemsPlant problemsEnvironmental conditionsPest problemsMaintenance problems
Combination of all the above
SOIL FACTORS
SOIL STRUCTURE
TOXIC MATERIALS
CHEMICAL – SALT –EXCESS NUTRIENTS
DRAINAGE
INFILTRATION
PLANT FACTORS
-UNADAPTED SPECIESRight plant in wrong place
Wrong plant in wrong place
-EXCESS THATCH
-TREE ROOTS
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS -microclimates
Shade
Air circulation
Hot/Dry or Cool/Wet areasSE vs. NW
PEST FACTORSincreased by all the previousfactors
InsectWeedDiseasePeople
These factors usually have a historyIPM
Indicator plants/locationsTreat only areas that need help – Establish thresholds
Correct theunderlyingcause thenrenovate
- if not you are justputting a pretty cover
on a bad situation
It’s YOUR $$
Why much “renovation” isneeded?
A = Minor areas not doing wellB = 30 – 50% not doing wellC = More than 50%
Can you say bulldozer
D = Desired grass can’t be planted at thistime.
Bermuda & zoysia in fall / springTall fescue in late spring / summer
Minor renovation
Prepare soil {can use hand tools}Soil test => lime, fertilizer [starter 1-2-1]Organic matter / well composted material NEED SEED TO SOIL CONTACT
Use a species and cultivar that works in YOURsituationUse “certified” seed {blue tag} when possibleStraw blankets, straw, peat moss [depth]
Moderate renovation 30- 50 %
Prepare soil {easier to use power tools}Soil test => lime, fertilizer [starter 1-2-1]
Organic matter / well compostedmaterial Great time to add organic matter to your soil
TILL DOWN 3-4 INCHES
NEED SEED TO SOIL CONTACT
Major Renovation - more than 50 %
EROSION CONTROLIS NOW A BIGCONCERN Straw or straw coconut fiber
erosion control materials –pinned , straw tacked down,possibly silt control measures
Control is needed to accountfor heavy rainfall[thunderstorms]
Quiz time
What is first step in renovation =GOOD Soil test – tells you what?
What is step #2 =Find out WHY did the turfgrass fail?
What is needed to fix it?
More questions
Why is seed to soil contact important?Soil has what the plant needs to grow
All grass is the same – True or False
All yards are the same – True or False
Post-establishment irrigationstrategies
Seeding establishment: lightly and frequentlyuntil turf has rooted;
Sprig establishment: experience suggests that youkeep the soil significantly wetter than you can forseed plantings… “rice paddy” for the first 7-10 days?
Sod and plug establishment: will respond to deeper,more infrequent waterings due to presence of rootsystem and built in “mulch”
Post-establishment fertilization and pestcontrol strategies
Develop a fertility program that initially promotesroots.Once root establishment is complete, levels of N can be increased topromote lateral spread of grasses that were plugged or sprigged
Tupersan (siduron) and Drive (quinclorac) have great application forspring establishments of tall fescue because of their activity on crabgrass(note: Tupersan can not be applied to warm-season turfgrasses).Follow the label for all other products re: safety in application… seedlinggrasses are particularly susceptible to many common pesticides.
Disease pressure? At seeding--- be wary of Pythium damping of.Pythium is a water loving, soil-borne fungus that can rapidly kill seedlingturfgrasses. Regular irrigation enhances the development of this disease.
Purchase “certified” [blue tag] seed to minimize weeds
Post-establishment mowingmowingstrategies
Rule of thumb: cut the grass when it needsto be cut
Once rooting is complete, begin a regularmowing schedule at the appropriate height
Regular mowing at the lower end ofrecommended mowing heights encourageslateral spread… particularly important pointfor creeping turfgrasses like most C4 grasses.
QUESTIONS?
MethodsSimple to Complex
Vertical Mowing
Aeration
RowSprigging:
D = RIGHT GRASS WRONGTIME
#1) SEEDED Warm season is desired,but it’s fall.
Seed a cover crop [p. rye] now; 100-150lb/A
possibly a clover Holds soil, looks green
Kill in late spring – early to mid May
Prep soil and seed
RIGHT GRASS WRONG TIME
#2) SEEDED COOL season is desired, but it’slate spring / summer
1) Seed now Prep soil and seed
Fight weeds [DRIVE 75 OR TUPERSAN]
Have a good irrigation system
PLAN TO DO ADDITIONAL SEEDING IN FALL
2) Seed now Don’t worry…be happy
SEED IN THE FALL
OR USE SOD ( needs soil prep & water)
Methods of Turfgrass Establishment –what options do you have?
Seeding: cheapest initial establishment method
Sprigging: most cost-effective means ofvegetative establishment with creeping grasses,but initial watering requirement is absolute (andcritical for success) since stems must initiate anew root system.
For any of these establishment methods to work,adequate soil preparation is essential!!
Methods of Turfgrass Establishment –what options do you have?
Sodding: most initial expense, but immediate,complete turf coverage
Plugging: An establishment method possible
with any creeping turfgrass. Very probable means ofestablishing zoysiagrass, but equally effective forBermudagrass, centipede, and St. Augustine grass aswell. Rooted plugs typically improve establishmentsuccess because desiccation is not as likely to occur.
Seeding? Check Seed TagInformation
Purchase certified seed.
Test date should be well within the last calendaryear.
Pay attention to what weeds and “other crop seed”(if any, preferably there are none) are in your seedchoice.
Pay attention to seed purity and percentgermination… buy PURE LIVE SEED! Don’t pay fora lot of weight that has little or nothing to do withgaining a seedling plant.
= 42.5%= 20.4%= 20.4% 83.3% PLS
25 lbs * 0.833= 20.83 lbs of pure live tall fescue seed;$45.98/20.83 = $2.21/lb of pure live seed
Seed Purchases
Additional Resources
http://www.vtturf.com/Virginia Tech Turfgrass Bulletins, events, journal articles, extension
publications, FAQ
http://www.turfweeds.net/Turf Weeds at VA Tech Weed identification by photos or description,
FAQ, links
