GRASS BASICS. CHOOSING A TURF GRASS One should consider several factors when determining what grass to have in your lawn:

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1 Getting the type of lawn, you want depends a lot on the type of grass or grasses you choose. Some create a beautiful, tight turf but require a lot of work while others not appear as nice but take less maintenance. Some take physical wear better than others. There are grasses that grow well in the warmer climates while others grow better in the colder climates. CHOOSING A TURF GRASS One should consider several factors when determining what grass to have in your lawn: What type of lawn do you want? One for show or one for lots of activity? What is the climate of your area? What are the physical limitations of your lawn site, such as slope, shade, and sunlight? What is the chemical balance of the soil? It is recommended to do a preliminary simple soil test. The test is easy and inexpensive, and it can save time and money now and in the years ahead. How much maintenance is needed? Is water plentiful? Does the turf grass need much mowing and fertilizing? A. KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS The most common cool-season turf grass, bluegrass wears well and makes a good, hardy, all-purpose lawn. However, it can suffer from summer heat or low mowing. Its color is medium to dark blue-green, and it has medium to finetextured blades (Fig. 1). There are many species of this grass, including Adelphi, Bristol, Merion, Newport, Nugget, Vantage, Victa, and Windsor. Environment. Bluegrass tolerates cold well and likes full sun or light shade. However, some species don't tolerate shade or intense heat well. Bluegrass loves slightly acidic soil with a ph of 6.0 to 7.0. Maintenance. Bluegrass requires frequent watering. It may turn brownish in hot weather, but watering should restore its rich color. Keep bluegrass cut 1-1/2 to 3 inches high. You may even prefer to leave it at 2-1/2 to 3 inches for a carpet effect and that cushiony feeling when you walk over it. Fertilize the grass moderately during the growing season.

2 Planting Methods. Bluegrass is usually available in seed and sod. B. RED FESCUE Also called creeping red fescue, this cool-season, fine textured grass is actually a deep green. Red fescue is often blended with Kentucky bluegrass to make a mixture with greater resistance to shade and drought. However, red fescue is not as durable as Kentucky bluegrass. Susceptible to summer diseases during hot and humid weather, red fescue is slow to recover when damaged. Environment. Red fescue likes well-drained sandy soil and grows well in shade. The soil should have a ph of 5.5 to 6.5. Maintenance. Water it sparingly to moderately and kept cut at 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches. Fertilize it lightly each month during the growing season. Planting Methods. Red fescue is usually planted from seed. C. TALL FESCUE More heat- and drought-resistant than other cool season grasses, tall fescue is a tough grass with rough blades. It can handle lots of work and play activities without damage. Coarser species are used for athletic surfaces, while newer, less coarse species are used for lawns. The grass clumps, so it can create an irregular surface. Environment. Tall fescue likes cool weather and has moderate shade tolerance. It likes an acidic soil with a ph of 5.5 to 6.5. Maintenance. Water infrequently but deeply to keep the deep roots moist. If the soil is rich, you can keep it cut at 1 inch. If the soil is average, 2-1/2 to 3 inches produces more body in the turf. Fertilize twice annually-in the spring and fall. Planting Methods. Tall fescue is usually available in seed and sod. The best time to seed is late summer. D. CHEWING FESCUE This fine-textured grass mixes well with Kentucky bluegrass. The mix is often used in seed blends to make them adaptable to both hot sun and cool shade. Environment. Chewing fescue doesn't do well in hot, wet weather, but it is tolerant of shade and drought. It prefers dry, sandy soil with a ph of 5.5 to 6.5. Maintenance. Water lightly, as fescue doesn't need a lot of moisture. Keep the height at about 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches. Fertilize the turf lightly in the spring, summer, and fall. Planting Methods. Chewing fescue is usually planted by seed. The best planting time is in the fall.

3 E. BENTGRASS A fine-textured grass, Bentgrass creates a highquality lawn. In the Pacific Northwest or the northeastern United States and want a lawn that looks like a golf course putting green, plant Bentgrass. However, such a lawn takes a lot of work, and Bentgrass is susceptible to disease and pests. Before you invest in this grass or try to doctor the Bentgrass you have, we recommend that you contact the greens keeper at a local golf course. This person can give you good advice about local conditions. Environment. It does best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. Bentgrass can grow in acidic soil with poor drainage, though good drainage is better. Maintenance. Bentgrass needs lots of moisture, so water often. Cut it to about 1/4 to 1 inch. Because it is so thick, Bentgrass must be cut low to avoid a buildup of thatch (dead grass). If too much thatch accumulates, it must be removed. Bentgrass needs fertilizer every four weeks during the growing season and will probably need treatment for fungal diseases and pests. Planting Methods. Can be grown from seed. F. PERENNIAL RYE GRASS This fine medium green grass is very fast at establishing itself and is often the first shoots that appear after a seeding. It is well suited for the milder climate of western Canada, as it doesn t fair well with harsh cold. Environment. Perennial Rye Grass tolerates heat and favors direct sun, and prefers slightly acid, moist, rich soil. Maintenance. Can be planted in poorly drained soil, but does not do well with standing water. This cover should be cut from 1 to 3 inches. Fertilize it every other month during the active growing period. Planting Methods. Can be grown from seed TESTING YOUR SOIL There are two ways to test soil: Buy a inexpensive soil testing kit at a nursery or a lawn and garden outlet, or take a soil sample to a soil testing facility. Professional soil testing companies are more expensive compared to the DIY kits, but are typically more accurate. Gather soil for a test from at least four different areas in your yard. Just dig with a spade to expose soil 6 inches deep (the root depth of many turf grasses). Then cut a 1/2-inch-thick slab of soil from the edge of the hole. Mix the samples in a bucket and use a small portion of the mixture for the test.

4 ph Testing. The number 7 on a ph scale is a neutral rating. Numbers below 7 indicate the soil is acidic. Numbers higher than 7 indicate the soil is alkaline, or sweet. Turf grass generally does best in soil with a ph of 6.0 to 7.0. CONDITIONING YOUR SOIL Limestone is commonly used to raise the ph of acidic soil. It's available as finely ground stone, hydrated lime, and quicklime. Hydrated lime and quicklime are fast acting, but should be avoided as they change the ph too fast. If you need to make the soil more acidic, add organic material such as peat moss, ground bark, or aged sawdust. For drastic changes, aluminum sulfate and sulfur are the best choices. If the soil is sandy and loamy, use a little less limestone or chemical. If the soil is heavy with clay, then a bit more limestone or sulfur would be needed. In any case, go easy. The ph should change only one unit each year. It s tempting to change the ph faster, but soil experts agree that it's best to let the soil adjust gradually. Lime conditions the soil - but it is not a fertilizer. It helps loosen hard, clay soil, and it helps humus decay faster. Do not apply lime and fertilizer at the same time. The lime works chemically on the fertilizer and the benefits will be lost. The best time to condition the soil is in the fall to allow the lime/sulphur to penetrate the soil over the winter months. TABLE 1: Minimum Frequencies for Fertilizing Lawns MAINTENANCE LEVEL FREQUENCY RECOMMENDED TIMING (applications per year) 1. Well-Groomed 3-4 March 15 May 1-15 June Late August Late October 1. Groomed 3 March 15 April 15 June 1. Average 2 March 15 April Open Space 1 March 15 April 15 or 1. Background / Natural Area Not required N/A 1. Service & Industrial Not required N/A

5 FERTILIZING YOUR LAWN In the perfect world one should fertilize according to a soil test, but the reality is that this is both time consuming and expensive. In the lower mainland with its temperate rainforest climate, a minimum of two fertilizations should be done annually and up to 5 applications can be made. Fertilizations should be spaced days apart and inspections should be done for signs of overfertilization. The BCLNA minimum frequencies for lawn fertilization is shown in Table 1. Talk to your landscape professional about how to get the most out of your lawn within your budget. Donnelly Landscapes Ltd. is the Lower Mainland s (Vancouver, BC, Canada) premiere commercial landscaping company since Specializing in strata, commercial, industrial, and rental property landscaping, Donnelly offers a comprehensive list of services including maintenance, hardscaping, softscaping, irrigation, drainage, lawn remediation, integrated pest management and snow and ice management. At Donnelly Landscapes we will not compromise on quality. We take a partnership approach with our clients working with them to achieve their landscaping goals within their budgets and time constraints. We pride ourselves on our work and professional approach in our dealings with our customers, suppliers and employees. Our commitment is to provide every customer with the very best service and highest quality workmanship at a fair price.