Lawn Care 101 Today s Outline Part 1: Grass species: Pros and Cons Part 2: Turfgrass Management Mowing, ferclizacon, irrigacon, aeracon, etc Paul Koch, Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Wisconsin Madison Ask QuesCons!!! Crown: Compressed stem; growing pt. Apical meristem: 1-3 mm at top = leaf primordia Axillary buds: Cllers, stolons, rhizomes Root primordia Growth Habits Rhizomatous Belowground lateral shoots Storage organs Uniform turfs Sod produccon Kentucky bluegrass, creeping red fescue Stoloniferous Aboveground lateral shoots Foraging organ; grow faster than rhizomes Sod produccon Creeping bentgrass Growth Habits Growth Habits Bunch- type:spread by Cllering Uniformity is problem long term or at low seeding rates Tall fescue, ryegrass, most fine fescues 1
Major Temperature Adapta7ons Turfgrass Growth Pa=ern Cool Season (C3) Kentucky bluegrass Fine fescue Tall fescue Creeping bentgrass Warm Season (C4) Zoyziagrass Crabgrass Bermudagrass Seashore paspalum St. AugusCnegrass Which Grass is Best? Selec7on depends on many factors: ExpectaCons and FuncCon/Use Environmental condicons reoccurring problems Soil type and condicon Amount of maintenance desired High maintenance vs. low maintenance Kentucky Bluegrass High maintenance grass needs 2-3 apps of ferclizer, and irrigacon to stay green Prefers moist, well drained soils Very slow germinacon (3 weeks!) Rhizomatous recuperates well from wear Good cold tolerance Poor shade tolerance Common Kentucky Bluegrass Premium Kentucky Bluegrass 0 Fert Apps 2 Fert Apps 4 Fert Apps 0 Fert Apps 4 Fert Apps 2 Fert Apps 2
Good Summer Dormancy Perennial Ryegrass Bunch type poor recuperacon Fast establishment from seed Poor cold and heat tolerance Fair shade tolerance Some varieces resistant to above ground feeding insects (chinch bugs) Medium to high maintenance requirements Perennial Ryegrass 0 Fert Apps 4 Fert Apps 2 Fert Apps Fine Fescue Five closely related species: creeping red fescue, chewings fescue, hard fescue, sheeps fescue, Low maintenance grass Quick germinacon, all bunch type except creeping red (rhizomes) Good in full sun or shade Will not persist in wet or compacted soils Poor traffic tolerance Fine Fescue 0 Fert Apps 2 Fert Apps 4 Fert Apps Tall Fescue Newer grass to this region, coarse leaf texture, mixes poorly with other grasses Very low maintenance Poor ice tolerance best in well drained areas Good drought tolerance Excellent traffic tolerance Fair shade tolerance Poor recuperacve ability bunch type 3
Tall Fescue Annual or Italian Ryegrass Annual will not survive winter Primary use quick cover, soil stabilizacon Light green, coarse leaf blade Very inexpensive, so many will purchase 4 Fert Apps 0 Fert Apps 2 Fert Apps Species Seeding Rates Seeding Rate (lb/m) Kentucky Bluegrass 1-2 Perennial Ryegrass 7-9 Tall fescue 7-9 Fine fescue 3-5 Why Use Mixtures and Blends? Blend: 2 or more culcvars of same species Mixture: 2 or more species Achieve mulcple afributes Wear tolerance Stability Erosion control Disease and insect resistance Avoid incompacble mixes/blends Leaf textures, color e.g., Tall fescue in Kentucky bluegrass Seed Establishment Sod Establishment Advantages Inexpensive Choice of turfgrasses Disadvantages Labor intensive to establish (water) Time to establish Daily water requirement Portable IrrigaCon Bases Weed germinacon Seasonal limits Advantages Very fast Erosion control AestheCcs Year round Cming Disadvantages Expensive Labor intensive to install Lifle or no species seleccon More on establishment: Lawn Renova7on and Establishment (A3434) at the UWEX Learning Store Online 4
Managing Turfgrasses in Shade Grasses Adapted to Shade Mowing Increase : 3-4 FerClizaCon Maintain frequency (3-4 Cmes/yr) Half rates (0.5 lb N/1000 l 2 ) 30-50%+ slow- release N IrrigaCon Deep, infrequent Early in day Supina bluegrass NaCve to sub- alpine Europe Stoloniferous Shade and traffic tolerant Fine fescues and Tall Fescues Shade tolerant Drought tolerance Lower ferclity requirements Part 2: Turfgrass Management Mowing Mowing Fer7lizing Irriga7ng Pest Control Cul7va7on Mowing is a stress Height of cut influences root depth Removes photosynthecc Cssue Reduces carbohydrate produccon and consumes carbohydrates to re- grow leaves Reduces root growth 5
Mowing has some benefits too Great weed control Improved density Will also improve aestheccs and uniformity Don t remove more than 1/3 of the leaf Cssue at one Cme Compensatory growth The 1/3 Rule Mowing height (inches) Annual bluegrass 0.1 0.75 Creeping bentgrass 0.1 0.75 Fine fescue 0.5 3.5 Kentucky bluegrass 0.75 3.5 Perennial ryegrass 0.5 3.5 Tall fescue 1.5 4.0 Zoysiagrass 0.5 2.0 Bermudagrass 0.2 1.5 Buffalograss 0.75 unmowed As mowing height decrease, management inputs increase Disadvantages of lower end of height range Decrease root / stolon / rhizome growth Decrease carbohydrate storage and produccon More frequent irriga7on More disease / stress Benefits of lower end Increase Cllering Increase shoot growth rate Shorter shoots = finer shoots = denser turf Summer mowing recommenda7ons Raise cuqng height on cool season grasses. If under drought stress, don t mow Drought stress Increase height in: Shaded condicons more leaf area Mid summer stress deeper roots Weakened condicon reduce stress Establishment promote lateral growth 6
Mower sharpening A dull mower blade: Decreases turf quality Increases water use rates Increases disease Increase gasoline use Rotary mower Stone grinder or file Striping = visual effect Light reflectance Grass away lighter green Grass toward observer darker green Mow same direccon repeatedly to burn in stripe Vary direccon to lessen grain Mowing pafern Clipping Management Clipping myths Removal vs. Disadvantages Loss of nutrients What to do w/ clippings Advantages Weed seed removal AestheCcs Puqng green play Return Advantages Return 1 2 lbs N / year No clipping disposal No significant thatch contribucon why? No significant disease contribucon Small (mulched) clippings may increase beneficial organisms Height of Cut and Weeds Grass 1.5 2.5 3.5 % weeds Tall Fescue 8 2 1 Fine Fescue 16 6 7 P. Ryegrass 21 12 9 KBG #1 20 4 5 KBG #2 44 12 15 DeBels et al, 2012 Turfgrass Fer7liza7on 7
Function of Plants Photosynthesis Light + CO 2 + H 2 O = CH 2 O + O 2 CH 2 O + O 2 = CO 2 + H 2 O + Energy Essential Mineral Nutrients 17 elements Carbon (C) Hydrogen (H) Oxygen (O) Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) Potassium (K) Sulfur (S) Calcium (Ca) Magnesium (Mg) Iron (Fe) Manganese (Mn) Molybdenum (Mo) Zinc (Zn) Boron (B) Chlorine (Cl) Copper (Cu) Nickel (Ni) Make up over 90% of plant s weight Come from the atmosphere and water Essential Mineral Nutrients 17 elements Macronutrients Carbon (C) Iron (Fe) Must Hydrogen be > 0.1% (H) of plant s Manganese weight (Mn) Oxygen (O) Molybdenum (Mo) Nitrogen (N) Zinc (Zn) Phosphorus (P) Boron (B) Potassium (K) Chlorine (Cl) Sulfur (S) Copper (Cu) Calcium (Ca) Nickel (Ni) Magnesium (Mg) Primary Secondary Essential Mineral Nutrients Macronutrients 17 elements Divided Carbon in (C) to Primary Iron and (Fe) Secondary Macronutrients Hydrogen (H) Manganese (Mn) Oxygen (O) Molybdenum (Mo) Nitrogen (N) Zinc (Zn) Phosphorus (P) Boron (B) Potassium (K) Chlorine (Cl) Sulfur (S) Copper (Cu) Calcium (Ca) Nickel (Ni) Magnesium (Mg) Essential Mineral Nutrients 17 elements Carbon (C) Hydrogen (H) Micronutrients Oxygen (O) Typically Nitrogen < 0.01% (N) of plant s Phosphorus weight (P) Potassium (K) Sulfur (S) Calcium (Ca) Magnesium (Mg) Iron (Fe) Manganese (Mn) Molybdenum (Mo) Zinc (Zn) Boron (B) Chlorine (Cl) Copper (Cu) Nickel (Ni) Primary Macronutrients Secondary Turfgrass tissue sufficiency ranges Micronutrients Nutrient Creeping Bentgrass Perennial Ryegrass General N, % 4.50 6.00 3.34 5.10 2.75 3.50 P, % 0.40 0.60 0.35 0.55 0.30 0.55 K, % 2.20 2.60 2.00 3.42 1.00 2.50 Ca, % 0.50 0.75 0.25 0.51 0.50 1.25 Mg, % 0.13 0.40 0.16 0.32 0.20 0.60 S, % 0.20 0.50 0.27 0.56 0.20 0.45 Fe, ppm 50 500 97 934 35 100 Mn, ppm 25 300 30 73 25 100 Cu, ppm 5 50 6 38 5 20 Zn, ppm 20 250 14 64 20 55 B, ppm 6 30 5 17 10 60 Mo, ppm 0.10 1.20 0.5 1.00 no data Adapted from Jones, 1980 and Mills and Jones, 1996 8
Phosphorus and Potassium Phosphorus and Potassium Soil test to determine need Nitrogen No soil test Apply based on expectations, function/use, environment, species, etc. Forms in Soil Organic (complex) Nitrate (NO 3- ) Ammonium (NH 4+ ) Functions Proteins Chlorophyll molecule DNA Nitrogen www.soils.umn.edu Nitrogen deficiency in turf Nitrogen The Goldilocks nutrient Too much Too little Just right Turf s Perpetual Hunger for N Nitrogen Clippings lb/m 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 5 10 15 20 N Rate lb/m/yr Credit: W.R. Kussow Too much N Reduced root growth Decreases stress tolerance - esp. water Excessive thatch development Increased mowing requirement Increases incidence of many diseases brown patch, snow mold, gray leaf spot, take-all patch 9
Nitrogen Not enough Reduced shoot density Increased weed invasion esp. clover and crabgrass Increased reliance on pesticides May need to completely renovate if weeds win Unsafe playing conditions Unattractive Increases incidence of certain diseases Rust, red thread, dollar spot Nitrogen Just right Good green color Moderate growth rate Optimum tolerance to environmental stresses Minimal need for pesticides High shoot density but vigorous root system Good recuperative potential Nitrogen Fertilization Challenges How much to apply for the year? When to apply during the year? Which type of nitrogen fertilizer to use? Factors that result in adjustments to general N fertility program (Carrow et al. 2001) 1. Expectations 2. Clippings removed or mulched (mulching can reduce N fertilization need by 1/3) 3. Use (wear, traffic) 4. Irrigation (irrigation promotes more growth, which means more nutrient use) 5. Rainfall (high rainfall promotes growth and causes nutrient leaching Factors that result in adjustments to general N fertility program (Carrow et al. 2001) Guidelines for N Fertilization: High maintenance Kentucky bluegrass lawns Rate of Application lbs N/M 6. Soil type, high CEC vs. low CEC; High organic matter vs. low organic matter 7. Overseeding (lengthens growing season) 8. Shade (less growth, less N required) 9. Disease management 10. Recuperative needs (recovery from divots, wear, aeration, or pests) Time of Application Clippings removed Clippings returned May 1 15 1.0 1.0 July 1 15 1.0 1.0* Sept. 1 15 1.0 1.0 After Oct. 15 1.0 0.0 Season Total 4.0 3.0 * Skip if dormant, if non-dormant 100% slow release preferred 10
Guidelines for N Fertilization: Athletic Fields Guidelines for N Fertilization: Low maintenance areas Time of Application Rate of Application lbs N/M Irrigated Not Irrigated May 1 15 1.0 1.0 July 1 15 1.0 0.0 Aug. 1 15 1.0 1.0 Sept. 1 15 1.0 1.0 After Oct. 15 1.0 1.0 Season Total 5.0 4.0 Time of Application Rate of Application lbs N/M May 1 15 1.0 Sept. 1 15 0.0-1.0 After Oct. 15 1.0 Season Total 2.0-3.0 Guidelines for N Fertilization: Fine fescues Watering Rate of Application lbs N/M Time of Application High Maint. Low Maint. or shade May 1 15 1.0 1.0 Sept. 1 15 1.0 1.0 After Oct. 15 1.0 0.0 Season Total 3.0 2.0 Water the grass to keep it green. Apply 1 inch of water in early morning once a week FootprinCng, screwdriver test Don t water. Let it turn brown and go dormant. Core Aera7ng or Core Cul7va7on Footprints Photo: Karl Danneberger, Ohio State University 11
Core Aera7ng Best done in fall Recommended for: Sodded lawns (7+ years old) Seeded lawns (15+ years old) Compacted soils Good Cme to overseed Paul s 5 Tips to a Healthy Lawn 1. Make sure you have the right grass 2. Mow between 2.5 3 inches, don t collect clippings 3. Fertilize 2 3 times per year 4. Irrigate no more than twice per week if at all! 5. Be patient! The grass often recovers Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab Bruce Schweiger 608-845-2535 bschweiger@wisc.edu www.tdl.wisc.edu Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab 2502 Highway M Verona, WI 53593 What we look for in a submission Take a 4 diameter sample with half the sample being affected grass and half being healthy Go down into the soil approximately 3-4 to include some roots Wrap in tinfoil (NOT PLASTIC BAG) and ship overnight to TDL Submit pictures!!! www.tdl.wisc.edu Not filling out the submission form completely Not leaving contact information Packing sample in plastic bag Packing submission form with sample Spraying right before shipping the sample SENDING DEAD GRASS!!! Common Mistakes www.tdl.wisc.edu 12
Thank you! plkoch@wisc.edu 608-262-6531 @uwpaul tdl.wisc.edu Koch Lab Bruce Schweiger Kurt Hockemeyer Brijesh Karakkat Michael Millican Emma Buczkowski Ron Townsend 13