Turf ID #1 KEY

Turf ID review - KEY Note, this review is intended to help you isolate key information that may be on a quiz, you’ll need to go back through the class presentations/module to find the answers. What is a bedding plant? A plant used in planting beds that will be replaced annually, regardless of how long it takes to complete its lifecycle. Sometimes they are annual plants, sometimes they are simply tender perennials, not hardy in our climate. What is the difference between the terms Turfgrass and Turf? Turfgrass refers to a grass plant that is commonly used in turf plantings - it knits together well and has reasonable uniformity under medium to high management. TURF refers to the grass plant, as well as a layer of the growing medium it is established in, as well as the thatch layer. When considering the impacts on Sustainability, what are the 3 pros and 3 cons to using Turf? Pros include - combat of the urban heat Island (transpirational cooling), carbon capture, and pollution removal (bio filtration through and a sediment filter). Cons are that there’s still a carbon footprint in the maintenance, and mismanagement leads to pollution from excess fertilizers and herbicides as well as water waste from runoff. What are the three types of turf, and which requires the highest cultural intensity? Sports, lawn and utility. Sports is the highest maintenance. What are the 3 Vegetative reproductive methods of grasses? List them, and then jot down at least 3 pros or cons relating to each one. Tillers - more prone to scalping, not as much energy in the spring, makes more bunchy growth/less uniformity Stolons - above ground stems that root at notes. Can make patchy, circular growth. Can get torn up by dull rotary mowers and make more thatch. Rhizomes - below ground stems that root at nodes. Often some nodes are dormant. Protected from the environment and human error, giving it a competitive advantage. To which family do all grasses belong? POACEAE List the Species and common names of the turfgrasses and 2 weeds you’ve learned: Kentucky bluegrass - Poa pratensis Perennial Ryegrass - Lolium perenne Creeping Red Fescue - Festuca rubra ssp rubra Creeping Bentgrass - Agrostis stolonifera Quackgrass - Agropyron repens Annual Bluegrass - Poa annua What is the germination rate of KB? 21 days Fill in these blanks: Kentucky Bluegrass is primarily used in sod production due to its aggressive rhizomes. These rhizomes give it a competitive advantage, helping the turf to knit tightly together. Because of their dormant nodes, this species forms a dense, uniform stand under medium management. It is used as both a sports and lawn turf because of its excellent wear tolerance. When it is used in a polystand, Kentucky Bluegrass will dominate in full sun. List 3 significant downsides to using KB: Summer dormancy (brown in hot dry weather), Poor seedling vigor, establishment time. What is the mowing height and fertilization rate of Kentucky Bluegrass? 20-75 mm, .25-.75 kg N per 100m2 per growing month. How can you combat Summer Dormancy in KB? WATER Where, in the landscape, is CRF most competitive? Dry Shade (does ok in full sun) How fast does it germinate? 7-14 days Why is its growth rate slower than other grasses? Lignin is a sclerenchyma tissue - it takes longer to form. What are some of the downsides of CRF? Doesn’t like the wet, can be thatchy, weaker rhizomes. What is the mowing range of CRF? 20-50 mm What is the significance of its fertilization rate? It needs significantly less than KB, but can overlap if its at its highest and KB is at its lowest. What other fescues do we see in newer “environmentally friendly” turf blends? Chewings, Hard and Sheeps fescues… among others. Why would we want to use Tall Fescue? Drought and salt tolerant, broad leaf fescue looks nice, is competitive at higher rates of cut. Good utility grass… good for beside sidewalks and in medians. Downside is that it’s not overly hardy here. What is its Vegetative Reproductive method? Why is this significant? Tillering - makes it bunchy, may take longer to regrow in the spring, will be out competed by the other grasses in the blends. What are the two primary uses of PR in turfgrass management? As a Nurse crop (10% - 20%, management preferences in line with both CRF and KB) and for quick cover in the spring (low temperature germination) If it is capable of overwintering, why do we rarely see it in a lawn after a few years of growing in a polystand? KB dominates in full sun - the rhizomes stimulate a denser stand of growth that chokes out the Nurse crop. What is the germination rate of this grass? 5-7 days What is endophyte enhanced seed? Is it a good thing? Why do we want it? Endophyte enhanced seed has a beneficial fungus in it that helps with drought resistance and insect tolerance. What is the primary use of CB? Golf Greens and Tboxes - areas with low mowing heights and high value (they can charge money for it). What is the main benefit of this grass? (underscores what we use it for). LOW MOWING HEIGHT. Tolerates ice and cold weather well. What are the primary downsides of this grass? High maintenance. Herbicide injury, Thatchy. What are the management preferences of CB? Low mowing (4-20mm), high fertilizing (same as KB), lots of water, Topdressing to control thatch, verti-cutting to slice stolons and help deal with grain How do you know you’re looking at Quackgrass? Rolled vernation, claw like auricles, coarse texture What are its competitive advantages? 95% dormant nodes, allelopathy, rhizomes can travel 3m through compacted soil and fabric How can it be controlled? BEFORE establishment of lawn - Till the soil, rake it and pick rhizomes. Let it grow, spray it with systemic and nonselective herbicide, till it, pick rhizomes. Repeat at least once more. After establishment, in shrub beds - thick mulch so it can be pulled better. In lawns If it's in a stand of turf, what are your management options? Hand paint each blade with herbicide or mask it by managing the other grasses as competitively as possible. What are the dead giveaways that a plant is Annual Bluegrass? Prominent ligule, apple green colour, seed heads, cross crinkling of leaves, growing environment. Why do we consider this plant a weed? Its an aggressive grower and aggressive seeder, but it has an incompatible colour, grows in patches (stolons). It dies if its too hot, too cold, or too dry. It isn’t reliable. In what type of turf is it the biggest problem? Sports turf, growing with CB - its management preferences are so similar. Where will you find it growing? EVERYWHERE!!! Compacted areas, wet areas, turf with poor density (seeds can germinate)... How should you discourage it from growing? Water deeply (it has shallow roots), fertilize less (it’s a heavy feeder), reduce compaction, mow higher than 25mm, repair damage. Basically, encourage Kentucky bluegrass to out compete it. What types of places would we want to use a NON-turfgrass organic groundcover? Places that will be mowed at higher heights than 75mm. Those with no irrigation or fertilizer. Places where ball roll/predictable establishment don’t matter. Ie ditches, green roofs, steep slopes… some residential lawns! What do all low maintenance groundcovers have in common? They are quick to establish with aggressive roots that don’t need extra fertilizer or water. They don’t care about their soil conditions as much, tolerate occasional mowing but are competitive regardless. What kinds of plants do we find growing in “Bee turf” or “Xerilawn” or “Enviro sod” (groundcovers that are considered traditional turf substitutions) Fescues, legumes, and nuisance weeds. Some other plants like alyssum help to attract predatory insects. What is driving this cultural shift? Sustainable movement - reduction of herbicides, protection of pollinators, reduction of water and fertilizers. Which kind of turf will dicots and many polystands always be unacceptable in? Sports turf will ALWAYS need to be grass only. The changing textures of leaves make ball roll unpredictable. Also thatch is needed for them (more on that later). Which two utility grasses are invasive in native plantings? Bromegrass and crested wheatgrass. Which legume has the highest nitrogen fixation? Alfalfa There are about 35 test questions on your quiz…