SUPER TURF SATURDAY

SUPER TURF SATURDAY

16 AUGUST 2008

sdoak@vt.edu

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