What most people really want... Establishing & maintaining lawns in western Oregon Content edited by Jeff Choate on 3 February 2015 Outline Planting options: seed/hydroseed/sod Turfgrass varieties Environment: shade, compaction Establishing a new lawn Renovating an old lawn Maintaining an established lawn Irrigation Mowing Fertilizing Aerating De-thatching Pest management Weeds Insects Diseases Questions? Planting options Seed Hydroseed Sod 17 days after planting Sod Seed Tilled/graded Seed Killed/dethatched Kill/dethatch seed Till/grade sod Till/grade seed 17 days after planting 1
Establishing a new lawn Turfgrass varieties Ryegrass Perennial Annual Fescues Fine (e.g., creeping, red, Chewing s) Dwarf Tall Kentucky Bluegrass Bentgrass Perennial ryegrass cultivars Annual ryegrass Perennial ryegrass Cool Season Grasses Tall fescue mowed at 2 Kentucky bluegrass mowed at 2 Dwarf Tall Fescue Kentucky Bluegrass Perennial Ryegrass Fine Fescue 2
Cool Season Turfgrasses Germination rate Warm season grasses in the PNW Grass seed package labels Pure Seed Percent (by weight) of the total package. JB SIGNATURE BRAND SUN & SHADE MIXTURE PURE SEED VARIETY GERM ORIGIN 39.21 % INTRIGUE CHEWINGS FESCUE 85 % CAN/OR 29.40 % CELESTIAL RED FESCUE 85 % WA 14.72 % JB 4 PERENNIAL RYEGRASS 90 % OR 14.72 % PARAGON GLR PERENNIAL RYEGRASS 90 % OR 0.09 % OTHER CROP 1.85 % INERT MATTER LOT # 8-0203-SS 0.01 % WEED SEED NET WT. 3 LBS NOXIOUS WEED: NONE FOUND TESTED 9/05 AMS 643 PURITY BASED ON GROW-OUT TEST JB INSTANT LAWN SILVERTON, OR 97381 Germination How much of each variety will germinate. Other Crop Seed Seed from other species that are grown for harvest (e.g., tall fescue). Inert Matter Usually empty seed shells, but still part of the weight of the package. Weed Seed Undesirable. Even a low percentage can mean thousands of weeds. Noxious Weed Seed Harmful to livestock or crops. Per. Ryegrass in full sun Environment Shade & Compaction 3
Per. Ryegrass in shade Full Sun Shade Shade & compaction Shade & compaction Velvet bentgrass Poa supina Shade $24/lb $40/2 lbs $75/5 lbs 2-3 lbs/1,000 ft 2 Encroachment by annual bluegrass as turf thins. Col. Bent + Poa trivialis Per. Rye. + Fine Fescue 4
With proper care even shady lawns can perform well. As a rule, mow on the high side, irrigate carefully to avoid excess moisture, and fertilize sparingly. Also adjust your expectations and accept the reality that turf in shade will rarely look as good as turf in full sun. Sun flecks throughout the day can often provide enough light to sustain reasonably good lawns even if the site seems generally too shady. Establishing a New Lawn Soil testing Site preparation Planting Mulch Standard site conditions in Oregon Ready for planting!?!? 5
Soil preparation Install sprinkler system, if desired. Till. Incorporate starter fertilizer. Level (grade). Remove rocks & debris as necessary/desired. Roll to create a firm seedbed. Alternate raking and rolling until surface is graded satisfactorily. Searching for the optimum seed rate for P rye 2 lb 4 lb 6 lb Perennial rye seeding rates 8 lb 10 lb 12 lb 6
Perennial rye seeding rates Plant development is affected by seeding rate 20 lbs at 30 days after planting 6 lbs at 30 days OSU mulch trials + mulch - mulch No Mulch Mulched Mulches hold seed in place. Speed germination. Improve stand Uniformity. Mulch type and depth affect development Mulch roller applying a light mulch No mulch Lite Sawdust Hvy Sawdust Lite Compost Hvy Compost 17 days after planting 7
Damping off in mid summer seeding Seeding Overview Optimum times: Aug 15 Sept 15 & May 1 June 15. Mid summer is a bad time use treated seed or sod. Late fall plantings tend to be weedy and too soft to mow. Mulch is useful in cool weather but may cause damping off in hot weather. Increase seed rate to replace mulch. Increase seed rate in late fall. Decrease seed rate in hot weather. Fertilize with N at planting and again 4-6 weeks later. Pennington s Penkoted seed will help reduce problems damping off. Renovating an old lawn 4/20/05 Kill existing turf. Take care of any and all soil disturbances. Sprinkler system installation. Leveling/grading. Aerating. De-thatching. Water lawn, if necessary, for ~3 weeks. Kill germinated weeds. Do not disturb soil! Seed as per establishing a new lawn. 4/21/05 4/27/05 8
4/29/05 4/29/05 4/29/05 4/29/05 5/2/05 5/26/05 9
5/26/05 5/26/05 6/10/05 6/17/05 Maintaining an Established Lawn Irrigation Irrigation Mowing Fertilizing Aerating De-thatching 10
Head-to-head coverage Measuring coverage Uniform coverage Irrigation & mowing J F M A M J J A S O N D In. H 2 O/mth Seattle -- 2.8 3.7 3.6 3 2.4 -- Portland 2.3 3.6 4.1 5.2 4.7 3.1 1.6 Corvallis 1.9 3.1 3.9 5.3 4.7 3.2 1.4 Eugene 2.1 3.4 4.2 5.5 4.9 3.2 1.5 Roseburg 2.3 3.5 4.4 5.9 5.4 3.3 1.6 mowings/mth 0-1 1-2 3-4 4-6 4-6 4-6 4 4 4 3-4 1-2 0-1 Green Grass Gauge http://www.eweb.org Mowing 11
Mowing height & rooting depth Bentgrass, 1 mowing height Bentgrass, 2-2.5 mowing height 2 mowing height 1 mowing height Understanding The NPK Ratio N P K Fertilizing 30-3-3 Nitrogen makes grass plants grow and become greener Phosphorus stimulates root and seedling (blossom) development Potassium promotes disease and drought tolerance Some like to remember the NPK ratio as N = Up, P = Down, K = All Around 12
Fertilizer analysis & application rates Fertilizer burn Fertilizer burn Non-Uniform Granules = Uneven Feeding Any fertilizer is better than none. Organic vs. inorganic in spring. Kentucky bluegrass plots, fertilized (or not) mid-fall. 13
Adequate fertilizer Inadequate fertilizer (in most places!?!?) Fertilizer schedule Broadcast vs. Drop Spreaders Aeration A typical coring machine for home lawns 14
Aeration Aeration Prime candidate for aeration Another prime candidate for aeration What is thatch? Thatch & de-thatching 15
Thatch Thatch: ~1/2 okay Adjust blade depth on a hard surface before you destroy the lawn! De-thatching First pass Third pass Second pass Turf appearance after 3 passes Fertilize after cleaning up debris. 16
De-thatching too heavily Appearance two weeks after dethatching Weak area Strong area Pest Management Weeds Insects Diseases Thatch increases with mowing height. Broadleaf Weeds Weeds Broadleaf Grasses Moss With good management practices, broadleaf weeds are rarely more than a minor inconvenience. Hand pulling or spot-spraying with selective herbicides are generally suitable strategies for controlling weeds in a well-maintained lawn. 17
MCPP (mecoprop) 2,4-D MCPA dicamba triclopyr quinclorac MSMA carfentrazone sulfentrazone Postemergent lawn weed control Products (listed alphabetically) Brand All-in-one Lawn Weed & Crabgrass Killer (RTU & concentrate formulations) Bayer X X X X All-in-one Lawn Weed & Crabgrass Killer (hose-end sprayer) Bayer X X X Dandelion & Lawn Weed Killer Maxide X X X Lawn Weed Killer Lilly Miller X X X Weed Beater Ultra (RTU) Bonide X X X X Weed Stop 2X Weed Killer for Lawns Spectracide X X X X Weed-B-Gon (RTU formulation) Ortho X X X Weed-B-Gon Max (concentrate formulation) Ortho X X X Weed-B-Gon Max Plus Crabgrass Control (RTU) Ortho X X X X Weed-B-Gon Chickweed, Clover & Oxalis Killer Ortho X Climax lawns (grassy weed species) Early stages of encroachment (yr 2) Enlarging patches of bentgrass (yr 3) Bentgrass patches expanding (yr 3-4) Encroaching grasses dominating (yr 5+) 18
10 yr old climax lawn in Seattle Bentgrass invasion of lawns early stage Bentgrass Agrostis sp. climax stage 60+ yr old climax lawn in Seattle Annual bluegrass Velvetgrass Annual bluegrass is one of the few grasses that can flower and set seed under regular mowing. Annual seed set enables it to dominate lawns by constantly re-establishing itself. 19
Poa trivialis Controlling Perennial Grasses Rough Bluegrass Poa trivialis Velvetgrass Holcus lanatus Annual bluegrass Poa annua var. reptans Bentgrass Agrostis sp. Common Climax Species General Qualities of Climax grasses Scientific name Agrostis sp. Poa trivialis Poa annua Holcus lanatus Vulpia myuros Various moss species Numerous dicot species Common name Bentgrasses Rough Bluegrass Annual Bluegrass Velvetgrass Rat s Tail Fescue Look better at lower mowing heights. Color is generally lighter green. Generally require less fertilizer. Most have limited drought resistance. All form long lived soil seed bank. Generally strong competitors. Moss Dethatching Can remove up to 75% of the moss T Cook photos 20
Iron and soap kill moss on contact Neither iron or soap translocate T Cook photo T Cook photo Iron sulfate Dish detergent ECF (adult) Insects European crane fly (ECF) Sod webworm (lawn moth) Others (see PNW ) Photo courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. 21
ECF (larva) ECF damage Photo courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. Photo courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. Scouting for ECF larvae Tipula paludosa Life Cycle J F M A M J J A S O N D Adults Eggs Larvae 3rd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd Pupae Produces one generation per year Injury may occur Source: Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. Photo courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. Background photo from unknown Internet source. Sod webworm (lawn moth) Diseases Source: http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/ Photos courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. Background photo from unknown Internet source. 22
Dog urine damage Fusarium blight Dollar spot Pythium blight Southern blight Fairy ring Take-all patch Summer patch Rhizoctonia blight Fusarium patch Photo courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. Copyright 2006, University of California, Davis, all rights reserved. Leaf Spot Red thread Source: http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/ Photo courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. Red thread (close-up) Rust Photo courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. Photo courtesy of Tom Cook, Oregon State University, all rights reserved. 23