Waking Up Your Sleepy Lawn. Joe Clark Rutgers Plant Biology Pathology Dept. Research Farm Supervisor

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1 Waking Up Your Sleepy Lawn Joe Clark Rutgers Plant Biology Pathology Dept. Research Farm Supervisor

2 Contents Soil testing time Interpreting test results Planning before you start Fertilizer law Choosing the correct fertilizer How to plan & setup for fert. app. P&K Liming??? Spring weed & pest control

3 Plan Ahead Poor planning can land you in the dog house!

4 Soil testing Collecting soil samples (Hands on) Tools Soil probe Hand trowel Shovel Depth About 6 Take many samples.

5 Planning your Fertility applications Determine what material Soil test 1 st Soil type will effect fertilizer choices. ph issues can look like nutrient deficiencies. Need to know base line for P & K before making changes. Fertilizer law requires testing to apply Phosphates in NJ to existing turf. Test results will recommend ratio of N-P-K based on soils and turf type Starter fertilizers = Equal amounts of N-P-K or General maintenance = More N than P or K or Maintenance level High maintenance = more fertility on a light and frequent schedule Low maintenance = less fertility higher amounts a few times and more SRN Determine application techniques Light and frequent may require sprayed fertility or material with a lower %N Will applications be at half rate or full rate

6 Fertilizer label Information

7 What roles N - P - K play for the lawn Nitrogen Adequate Plant growth at an acceptable rate Able to out grow most diseases and damage Green color Deficient Yellowish color (chlorotic) Thin turf cover Weak or little plant growth Disease damage not covered by new growth Excessive Very dark color Excessive plant growth and heavy clipping when mowed Many diseases enjoy lush conditions Unused N will leach from soils into ground water

8 What Roles N - P - K Play for the lawn Phosphorus Adequate Root growth rate increased Will aid seedling development Aids tillering Deficient Purplish color Stunted growth Weak or little plant growth Common in sandy soils Excessive Most is tightly bound to soil Common in loamy or heavy soils Excess will wash off out of turf

9 What Roles N - P - K play for the lawn Potassium Adequate Aids in stress tolerance Strengthens plants Aids in disease and damage resistance Deficient Weak plants More Susceptible to disease High rain fall of irrigation will wash K out of sandy soils Excessive Heavy soils have large amounts but most unavailable to plant Excess will Leaches from soil

10 12.3/35 = 35% slowly available N

11 Fertilizer Labels N = %Nitrogen (N) is divided in two types: WSN & SRN WSN = Water Soluble Nitrogen Any Nitrogen source that is quickly available to the plants. Temperature sensitive with a high burn potential N can be lost to volatilization Last a few weeks Lower cost Easily leached from soils or washed into surface waterways Types of WSN: Urea, Ammoniacal Nitrogen, Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium Sulfate, Calcium Nitrate 11

12 Fertilizer Labels SRN = Slow Release Nitrogen» Any nitrogen source that need to be broken down before being available to the plants» More stable in higher temps» Lower leaching potential» Last longer depending on particle size and environmental conditions» Higher cost Types Natural organics Water insoluble: Ureaform, Isobutylidene diurea (IBDU) Coated slow release Sulfur coated, Encapsulated, polymer coating Slowly available water soluble long chain polymers Methylenediurea (MDU)

13 Fertilizer Labels Other Water Soluble : Can mean either Quick or Slow release Part of it can be slow release and part can also be quick release. Without an asterisks or footnote = Quick release With an asterisks or footnote = Slow release How quickly N is released depends on polymer chain length Types: Methylenediurea (MDU) Dimethylenetriurea (DMTU) Discyanodiamide (DCD)

14 Athletic fields Examples of Nitrogen Recommendations Irrigated: 4.25 lbs N/1000 sq. ft. Non-irrigated: 2-3 lbs N/1000 sq. ft. Kentucky Bluegrass/ Perennial Ryegrass 2-4 lbs N/1000 sq. ft. Fine Fescues 1-2 lbs N/1000 sq. ft. Tall Fescue lbs N/1000 sq ft

15 Nitrogen Program for Medium Maintenance Lawns Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Fertilization window in NJ: Professionals: March 1 December 1 Homeowners: March 1 November 15

16 Nitrogen Program for Low Maintenance Lawns Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Fertilization window in NJ: Professionals: March 1 December 1 Homeowners: March 1 November 15

17 NJ Nitrogen Restrictions C.58:10A-63 Additional requirements. 3. a. In addition to the requirements set forth in section 2 of this act, no person, other than a professional fertilizer applicator, shall: (1) apply fertilizer to turf in an amount that is more than an annual total of 3.2 pounds of total nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, except as provided otherwise in subsection b. of this section; or (2) apply fertilizer containing: (a) nitrogen that is less than 20 percent slow release; (b) nitrogen to turf at a rate of more than 0.7 pounds of water-soluble nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per application; or (c) nitrogen to turf at a rate of more than 0.9 pounds of total nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per application, except as provided otherwise in subsection b. of this section.

18 Except as provided otherwise in subsection e. of this section, no person may apply fertilizer containing phosphorus unless the person: (1) determines that the fertilizer is necessary for the specific soils and target vegetation pursuant to a soil test performed no more than three years before the application, and pursuant to the associated annual fertilizer recommendation issued by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers, the State University; (2) is establishing vegetation for the first time, such as after land disturbance, provided the application is in accordance with the standards and requirements established under the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act, P.L.1975, c.251 (C.4:24-39 et seq.), and the rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto;

19 Soil amendments What If The soils are too heavy (poor drainage) The soil PH is out of the correct range. Sandy soil need less lime to adjust PH Clay soils need more lime to adjust PH Check what the CCE calcium carbonate equivalent

20 Calcium carbonate equivalent CCE rates for some common materials Based off of the acid neutralizing capabilities of Calcitic Limestone. The higher the CCE the less material you need. The lower the CCE the more you need Common name Chemical formula CCE Calcitic limestone CaCO3 100 Dolomitic limestone CaMg(CO3)2 109 Burned lime, quick lime CaO 179 Hydrated or slaked lime Ca(OH)2 136

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23 Types of Weeds broadleaves grasses sedges

24 IPM for Turf Weed Management Site right for turf? Maintain dense, healthy stand Proper mowing practices Balance fertility Manage thatch Repair damaged areas Irrigation Spot treat or hand pull Identify problem weeds Choose herbicides wisely

25 Herbicide Selection Pre-emergence Post-emergence Selective Non-selective Contact Systemic

26 Preemergence herbicides form barrier to prevent seed from emerging

27 Postemergence Herbicides Target weed is emerged Usually control only weeds present at time of application

28 Herbicide Properties Selective Non-selective Contact Systemic

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30 Broadleaf Weed Identification Flower Leaf Stem Family

31 Broadleaf Weed Management Cultural Chemical Weed and Feed Actively growing weeds Only when needed

32 Mowing Height and Spurge 1 inch 1.75 inch 2.5 inch

33 Managing Broadleaf Weeds in Turf Identification Maintain dense, competitive turf Reduce vegetative spread of perennials Selective herbicides: many choices Most postemergence