Download Selecting and Installing Turfgrass on the Landscape Site

Selecting and Installing Turfgrass
on the Landscape Site
Presentation: A
Functions of Turfgrasses
• Aesthetically blends the house into its
surroundings.
• Establishes a “floor” or surface area for outdoor
recreational activities.
• Covers the ground to reduce and prevent erosion.
What is a grass?
• Common name for the Gramineae family of
plants.
• With more than 9,000 known species, this family
is one of the largest on Earth.
Parts of Grass
• Grass stems, called
culms, grow up from
the base of the plant
(the crown). In most
grass species, the culms
are hollow and rigid,
except at the nodes -joints that join stem
segments together.
Parts of Grass
• Narrow leaves extend out
from the culms, above each
node. The leaves alternate
in direction. That is, if the
first leaf on a culm grows to
the right, the second leaf
will grow to left and the
third leaf will grow to the
right and so on.
Rhisome
• Horizontal stem of a plant
• Grow underground
Stolons
• Shoots that bend to the
ground or that grow
horizontally above the
ground and produce roots
and shoots at the nodes
Nodes, Sheaths, and Blades
• Nodes- is the point on the
stem where a new sheath
for a leaf begins to grow
• Sheath- The tubular portion
of the leaf which wraps
around or encloses the
stem.
• Blade-The blade is the part
of the leaf that protrudes
from the stem
Selecting Turfgrasses
for Lawn Areas
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Environmental Considerations
Soil Considerations
Use Considerations
Compatibility Considerations
Maintenance Considerations
Environmental Considerations
• Turfgrasses must adapt
to the climatic zones.
• Choose the right type
of turfgrass:
– Cool-season
– Warm-season
C. Stetter
Climatic Zones
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Cool Humid Zone
Cool Arid/Semi-arid Zone
Warm Humid Zone
Warm Arid/Semi-arid Zone
Climate Zones
Climatic Zones (Cool Humid)
• Covers northeastern & north central parts of
U.S. & the Pacific coast.
• Elevation levels: 1000-14,000 feet
• Temperatures:
– Winters are cold
– Summers are mild to hot
• Rainfall: 20 to 45 inches/ year
Climatic Zones
(Cool Arid/Semi-arid)
• Covers most of central & western US.
• Elevation levels: 1000-14,000 feet
• Temperatures: decreases as elevation
increases
• Cold winters/mild to hot summers
• Rainfall: 10 to 25 inches/ year
Climatic Zones (Warm Humid)
• Covers eastern Texas & Oklahoma across
southeastern states & midway up Atlantic
coast.
• Temperatures: mild to subtropical
• Cold winters/mild to hot summers
• Rainfall: 25 to 70 inches/ year
Climatic Zones
(Warm Arid/Semi-arid)
• Covers across southwestern states & into central
Texas.
• Temperatures: days are hot & nights are cool
• Summers are dry
• Rainfall: 5 to 25 inches/ year
Turfgrass Types (Cool-Season)
• Primarily grow in northern
U.S.
• Best in temperatures
between 60°F & 75°F
C. Stetter
Turfgrass Types (Cool-Season)
• Examples:
– Bentgrass
– Fescue
– Bluegrass
– Ryegrass
Video
Turfgrass Types (Warm-Season)
• Grow in warmer
regions of U.S.
• Grow best between
80°F & 95°F.
• Usually become
dormant in winter.
C. Stetter
Turfgrass Types
(Warm-Season)
• Examples:
– Bermuda Grass
– St. Augustine Grass
– Zoysia Grass
– Buffalo Grass
Video
C. Stetter
Bermuda
Bermuda
St Augustine
Zoysia
Buffalo
Things to think about
Grass Species
Shade Tolerance
Water Requirement
Traffic
Tolerance
St. Augustine
High
Medium
Low
Bermuda
Very low
Med.-Low
High
Buffalo
Medium
Very Low
Medium
Centipede
Medium
Medium
Low
Tall Fescue
High
Medium
Medium
Zoysia japonica*
Med.-High
Medium
High
Zoysia matrella*
Med.-High
Medium
Medium
Things to think about
Grass Species
Cold Tolerance
Salinity Tolerance
Disease Potential
St. Augustine
Low
Medium
High
Bermuda
Medium
Med.-High
Med.-Low
Buffalo
High
Low
Low
Centipede
Low-Med.
Low
Med.-Low
Tall Fescue
High
Low
Low
Zoysia japonica*
High
Med.-High
Med.-Low
Things to Think About
Grass
Species
Mowing Mowing
Frequency Height
Fertility Requirement
Leaf Texture
St.
5-7 days
Augustine
2.5-3.5"
Medium
Coarse
Bermuda
3-7 days
1.0-1.5"
High
Fine
Buffalo
7-14 days 2.5-3.0"
Low
Fine
Centipede 7-14 days 1.5-2.5"
Low
Coarse
Tall Fescue 5-7 days
Medium
Coarse
Zoysia
7-10 days 1.0-1.5"
japonica*
Med.-Low
Medium
Zoysia
5-7 days
matrella*
Medium
Fine
2.5-3.0"
0.5-1.0"
Soil Considerations
• Soil conditions affecting the growth &
development of turfgrasses:
– pH
– Fertility
– Moisture
– Texture
– Salinity
C. Stetter
• Test the soil to find out its condition.
Soil Considerations—pH
• Optimal growth &
development occurs when
pH ranges from 6.0 to 7.0.
• pH can be adjusted by:
– Adding lime to increase
– Adding compost to
decrease
Soil Considerations—Fertility
• Can be easily corrected by:
– Doing a soil test to see what nutrients are
deficient.
– Applying the required fertilizers.
Soil Considerations—Moisture
• Soil texture & sub-surface drainage affect soil
moisture.
• Sandy soils dry out quickly.
• Clay soils remain too wet.
Soil Considerations—Texture
• Sandy soils:
– Coarse-textured
– Allow adequate drainage & aeration
– Do not compact easily
Soil Considerations—Texture
• Clay soils:
– Fine-textured
– Do not allow adequate drainage & aeration
– Compact easily when wet
Soil Considerations—Salinity
• Not typically a problem for turfgrasses
• Can be a problem:
– In arid regions of the southwest
– Along shore lines & flood plains of oceans
Soil Testing
• Sample should represent a given area
• Collect a sample:
– Scrape away plant materials.
– Cut a core 6 inches deep in 8-10 places.
– Mix collected soil & place in marked bag.
• Testing: Mail or take to extension office or use
soil testing kit.