TESM FINAL REVIEW TURF SELECTION Turf types: What are the three levels of maintenance of turf and What is an example of where each would be used How often would they typically be mown, fertilized and watered? When we talk about sustainability and turfgrass, what are the primary considerations / What makes an organic groundcover sustainable? What is the germination timing for the following grasses (under ideal conditions)? Kentucky Bluegrass Creeping Red Fescue Perennial Ryegrass Why are fescues being used more and more often in the landscape industry? Which two grasses are often used for utility stands but are non native and invasive? What makes Annual Bluegrass a weed? SOFTSCAPE INSTALLATION How are annual beds best prepared for planting? What is cross directional seeding and why is it important? What is a nurse crop and why do we use them? When is the best time to seed a lawn? Why do we tarp sod during transportation? How should sod be laid? FERTILIZATION What are the three legs of the turfgrass maintenance stool? What does nitrogen deficiency look like in a plant? Where is it first seen? What factors affect nutrient uptake in plants? What ratio of NPK are we looking for in turf during active growth? When timing fertilizer application, what should be considered in early spring? Why do we need to be careful fertilizing in late Fall? MAINTENANCE What is the difference between: Pinching Deadheading Shearing Pruning Cutting back Which three mowers were discussed and what would I typically use them each for? What is an indicator that your reel mower was not put back together properly after being sharpened or maintained? What is an optimal mowing height for: A lawn that is a polystand of fescues, bluegrass and ryegrass? A lawn that is a monostand of Kentucky bluegrass? Sports turf? What is the mowing rule of thumb (how much should I remove in one cut) Why is it critical to have a sharp lawn mower? How do you know its time to mow? (what SHOULD dictate mowing schedules) Why would you decide to remove the clippings after mowing? (2 reasons) What is the watering rule of thumb? How can too much water make plants die? What effect does a water deficit have on a plant? First Signs? Signs of Wilt? Long term deficit? (think of all the things that water is used for in a plant) LONG TERM PROBLEMS/TROUBLESHOOTING Why would we use turf tires or tracks instead of regular skidsteer tires on our machines? What preventative measures can be taken to avoid compaction? What is an acceptable amount of thatch (hint, relative to the mowing height) What causes thatch to accumulate? What are the problems with having a thick thatch layer? What environmental and soil conditions lead to severe soil compaction? What factors should be considered when selecting an aeration method? What are the primary benefits of aeration? Why would we choose to disperse the cores after aeration (instead of collecting them) What problem is bumpy (spongy) turf an indicator of? What are holes in the leaf of a bedding plant usually an indicator of? Which tool can be used to slice stolons, as a dethatcher, or to break apart cores after aerating? Which aeration practices are most common in high maintenance turf? What is an advantage of a piston aerator over a ground driven aerator? How should Fairy Ring be controlled? Which disease organism presents as white spots in shade? Why do we so rarely have problems with turfgrass disease in Alberta? DON’T FORGET TO REVIEW HOW TO DO SEED AND FERTILIZER CALCULATIONS