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Typical Lawn Grasses

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LHAP 106 Turfgrass & Ext Softscape Presentation turf

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Slide 1 Turfgrass ID: Poa pratensis Kentucky Bluegrass Click Here and here Slide 2 Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis Germination Rate: 21 days Slide 3 Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis PROS: High quality, fine to medium textured turf under medium (to high) management Excellent wear tolerance** Rapid repair due to aggressive rhizome Slide 4 Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis CONS: More prone to summer dormancy - above ground portions becoming brown and inactive during extended drought Does not tolerate excessive acidic, infertile soils Slow to germinate when seeded (21 days) Has low seedling vigour and poor competitive ability with weeds (needs a nurse crop) Slide 5 Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis USEAGE: General purpose - lawns, parks, cemeteries, institutional grounds, roadsides, airfields Sport turf – athletic fields Golf courses – all except greens Commercial sod production alone (monostand), or blended (polystand with Red Fescue) KB dominates in full sun Slide 6 Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis MANAGEMENT PREFERENCES: pH from 5 to 7 Seeding Rate: 0.5 - 0.7 kg / 100 square meters Preferred mowing height of 20 to 75 mm Medium to high fertility: 0.25 to 0.75 kg of actual N (nitrogen) per 100 sq. meters per growing month Regular irrigation required during summer heat stress to prevent wilt, dormancy, and to sustain density Slide 7 Definition of a Cultivar Plants of the same species that are distinguished by various characteristics When reproduced they retain their distinguishing features: shade tolerance leaf width, and colour tolerance for low mowing heights, low temperature hardiness, heat and drought tolerance insect and disease tolerance fertility and establishment rate Many cultivars of all of these plants exist with characteristics to help them blend better or survive our climate. Slide 8 Typical KB stand in a side yard (north facing): Cut height is too long Density affected by cut height (and compaction?) Dry under eaves Powdery Mildew present (in foreground/white patches) Brown patch further down (compaction? low spot in lawn?) Slide 9 Turfgrass ID: Lolium perenne - Perennial Ryegrass Slide 10 Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne Germination Rate: 5-7 Days Slide 11 Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne PROS: Seeds that germinate rapidly Excellent seedling vigor, beneficial in erosion control (new seedbeds, not so much hills) Has best low soil temperature germination of all turfgrasses (5 to 8 C) Endophyte enhanced seed available Improves drought resistance, insect tolerance (surface feeding insects especially - makes the leaves less tasty) Very little thatch development Better tolerance of road salt than KB Slide 12 Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne CONS: Irregular upright growth, Clumping habit Reflection contrast and low density Mixed reports on winter hardiness Can suffer from poor visual appearance after mowing due to shredded tips Slide 13 Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne General Use Nurse-grass to aid in the establishment of KB/RF turf mixes As a quick cover crop – temporary repairs to make a turf area functional Spring overseeding of heavily damaged areas Reasonably good shade tolerance – widely used on shaded heavy wear areas with frequent overseeding Slide 14 Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne Management Preferences 20 to 75mm mowing height (same as KB) Water requirements are less than most other turfgrasses but some irrigation necessary 0.1 - 0.5 kg of actual N per 100 sq. m per growing month (Very low) Seeding Rate: 3.2 - 4.0 kg / 100m2 Overseed as frequently as necessary to maintain density Slide 15 Turfgrass ID: Festuca Rubra ssp Rubra - Creeping Red Fescue (Strong) Slide 16 (Strong) Creeping Red FescueFestuca rubra ssp. rubra PROS: Outstanding turf for drier, shaded locations and will grow well in full sun Leaf growth rate slower than other grasses Forms a fine textured turf of high shoot density, uniformity, and quality Germination rate: 7 - 14 days. Slide 17 (Strong)Creeping Red Fescue Festuca rubra ssp. rubra CONS: Weak rhizomes and slow growth rate equate to reduced recuperative capacity (compared to KB) Thatch decomposes very slowly because of high lignin content in leaf sheath Does not tolerate wet, poorly drained soils Slide 18 (Strong) Creeping Red FescueFestuca rubra ssp. rubra General Use: Often mixed in polystand with Poa pratensis Widely used in parks, cemeteries, roadsides, and airfields Produces an acceptable home lawn - Prominently found now in “Eco” blend turf Slide 19 (Strong) Creeping Red FescueFestuca rubra ssp. rubra Management Preferences: Low to moderate cultural intensity Mowing range of 20 to 50 mm (shorter than KB) At higher heights of cut, disease susceptibility increases and competitive ability reduced 0.1 to 0 .25 Kg of actual N (nitrogen) per 100 sq. m per growing month Seeding Rate: 1.6 - 2.0 kg / 100 square meters Slide 20 Sheep Fescue Chewings Fescue Hard Fescue Other Fescues Slide 21

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Slide 1

Turfgrass ID:

Poa pratensis

Kentucky Bluegrass

Click Here and here

Speaker Notes

photo image: E.Wheale 2015
ALL GRASSES ARE FAMILY POACEAE
Native - in meadows.
VERY WINTER HARDY - good fall colour and spring green-up
Four species found in turf – P. pratensis is the most widely used perennial turfgrass in temperate and subarctic climates (Canada);
P. compressa - Canada bluegrass utility grass;
P. trivialis – rough bluegrass for moist shade;
P. annua – annual bluegrass, occurs in turf in subarctic, temperate, subtropical climates (IT’s a WEED here, more to come)

Slide 2

Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis

Germination Rate:

21 days

Speaker Notes

After you’ve looked at Vernation, Ligules, and Auricles, it’ll be down to Kentucky Blue vs Creeping Red Fescue.
POSSIBLY seeing a small ligule and branching rhizomes, look at the leaf blade and how wide it is.

Slide 3

Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis

PROS:

High quality, fine to medium textured turf under medium (to high) management

Excellent wear tolerance**

Rapid repair due to aggressive rhizome

Speaker Notes

There are 200 species of blue grasses - it’s the workhorse of the Canadian Grasses.
The Wear tolerance is what makes it such a widely used grass (it can tolerate being stepped on without destroying its cell walls)
Generally requires full sun, good drainage, fertile, medium textured soils - what doesn’t?
All cool season grasses are prone to summer dormancy, but kentucky is especially so. The classic summer browning is NORMAL for it, it WILL regenerate. During early fall, when favourable moisture conditions return, new shoot growth is initiated from nodes of rhizomes and crowns )

Slide 4

Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis

CONS:

More prone to summer dormancy - above ground portions becoming brown and inactive during extended drought

Does not tolerate excessive acidic, infertile soils

Slow to germinate when seeded (21 days)

Has low seedling vigour and poor competitive ability with weeds (needs a nurse crop)

Speaker Notes

Thatch can be a problem in poor drainage and excess fertility - it will grow too much and get too much mown off and it can’t decompose fast enough.
Turf areas seeded in spring can become infected with broadleaf weeds that must be hand-rogued out (Use of a “Nurse Crop”** - a more quickly germinating genus that will compete with weed seedlings).

Slide 5

Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis

USEAGE:

General purpose - lawns, parks, cemeteries, institutional grounds, roadsides, airfields

Sport turf – athletic fields

Golf courses – all except greens

Commercial sod production alone (monostand), or blended (polystand with Red Fescue)

KB dominates in full sun

Speaker Notes

Monostand - refers to a stand of grass comprised of just one genus. Polystand has more than one.
Sod production - rhizomes make for excellent knitting abilities.
In Polystands: PR acts as “nurse grass” and will not compete with emerging KB seedlings.

Slide 6

Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensis

MANAGEMENT PREFERENCES:

pH from 5 to 7

Seeding Rate: 0.5 - 0.7 kg / 100 square meters

Preferred mowing height of 20 to 75 mm

Medium to high fertility:

0.25 to 0.75 kg of actual N (nitrogen) per 100 sq. meters per growing month

Regular irrigation required during summer heat stress to prevent wilt, dormancy, and to sustain density

Speaker Notes

Reasons to foster competition - for weed control, and for strong healthy turf. Select what you want to encourage and manage with this in mind.
What is “Actual N”?
Review fertilizer analysis from GH Prod.
Requires LOTS of water to stay out of summer dormancy
Are grass lawns actually the best low maintenance option esp for xeriscape?

Slide 7

Definition of a Cultivar

Plants of the same species that are distinguished by various characteristics

When reproduced they retain their distinguishing features:

shade tolerance

leaf width, and colour

tolerance for low mowing heights,

low temperature hardiness, heat and drought tolerance

insect and disease tolerance

fertility and establishment rate

Many cultivars of all of these plants exist with characteristics to help them blend better or survive our climate.

Speaker Notes

Examples…
Calamagrostic acutiflora ‘Stricta’
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Bowl of Beauty’

Slide 8

Typical KB stand in a side yard (north facing):

Cut height is too long

Density affected by cut height (and compaction?)

Dry under eaves

Powdery Mildew present (in foreground/white patches)

Brown patch further down (compaction? low spot in lawn?)

Speaker Notes

photo e.kawahara 2021

Slide 9

Turfgrass ID:

Lolium perenne - Perennial Ryegrass

Speaker Notes

Forms a medium textured turf, with good density and uniformity

Slide 10

Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne

Germination Rate:

5-7 Days

Slide 11

Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne

PROS:

Seeds that germinate rapidly

Excellent seedling vigor, beneficial in erosion control (new seedbeds, not so much hills)

Has best low soil temperature germination of all turfgrasses (5 to 8 C)

Endophyte enhanced seed available

Improves drought resistance, insect tolerance (surface feeding insects especially - makes the leaves less tasty)

Very little thatch development

Better tolerance of road salt than KB

Speaker Notes

Clump type of grass (tillers); cultivars should be selected for lawn types
Very wear tolerant
Very aggressive during establishment,
Low soil temps germination - good for first spring green up.
You have read in popular articles and trade magazines about endophyte enhanced grasses. What is an endophyte?
“An endophyte is a fungus which grows inside a plant. The endophytes that we are most concerned with are the ones growing inside a turfgrass plant. These endophytes, unlike disease causing fungi, do not cause any harm to the turfgrass plant. Currently, endophytes have been found in tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, hard fescue, chewing fescue and creeping red fescue. There are no known endophytes occurring in Kentucky bluegrass or creeping bentgrass. Endophytes are found in all parts of the plant except the roots with the highest concentration found in the leaf sheath...Since this chance discovery many research reports on turfgrass species containing endophytes have shown that they enhance resistance to surface feeding insects including sod webworm, bill bugs and chinch bugs. The endophyte either produces a poison or makes the plant produce a chemical which repels insects that feed on turf. Studies have shown that the amount of insect resistance is directly proportional to the percentage of endophyte living within the turfgrass plant” http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/endophyt.htm “debunking endophytes” - Pam Charbonneau -Turfgrass Specialist/OMAFRA Creation Date: 1997. Last Reviewed:February 2006
For turfgrasses, the Acremonium spp. of fungus has received the most attention in the last 10 - 12 years, after it was discovered that the presence of the fungus was associated with long term survival of turfgrass plants.The presence of the endophyte causes the production of loline alkaloid chemicals.
These chemicals allow turfgrass plants to either ward off or tolerate debilitating infestations of aboveground feeding insects. These include chinch bugs, stem weevils, sod webworms, armyworms and aphids.
They do not have an effect on underground feeding insects, such as whitegrubs. The fungal endophyte is found in the leaf sheath, where many insects feed and seek protection. The loline chemicals are not transmitted to the roots.
.For turf purposes, endophyte enhanced seed is commercially available in most states.
One of the first turf-type perennial ryegrasses released including the endophyte was called "Repell". Many more varieties now are endophyte enhanced. Check the label and look for the percentage of seed which is endophyte enhanced. If it's not on the tag, ask the dealer to confirm the percentage. Breeders have tried to make forage types endophyte free and turf types endophyte enhanced. Mowing does not remove the endophyte. So if you plan to use a grass for either purpose, make sure that it contains no endophyte. For turf purposes, endophyte enhancement offers natural biological control of some of the above ground feeding insects in lawns.
Excellent wear - you can feel it in the grass, it has stronger mid-ribs and tougher leaves… but no stolons or rhizomes to contribute to thatch.
Improved cultivars have darker green colour, improved mowing, and a compatibility with KB
Varieties are compatible with KB cultivars in texture and colour

Slide 12

Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne

CONS:

Irregular upright growth, Clumping habit

Reflection contrast and low density

Mixed reports on winter hardiness

Can suffer from poor visual appearance after mowing due to shredded tips

Speaker Notes

Clumps look like a less exaggerated form of sheep’s fescue (low density)
Reflection contrast stands out from the other species so it’s less uniform.
Shredded tips - normally it’s so smooth, suddenly not; so it stands out.

Slide 13

Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne

General Use

Nurse-grass to aid in the establishment of KB/RF turf mixes

As a quick cover crop – temporary repairs to make a turf area functional

Spring overseeding of heavily damaged areas

Reasonably good shade tolerance – widely used on shaded heavy wear areas with frequent overseeding

Speaker Notes

Use – as a nurse crop to protect more desirable species in a mix – limit to 10% otherwise aggressive nature takes over (NEVER more than 20%) and then dies off over winter
Use as a quick cover crop of turf in heavily damaged areas; use as an annual grass where winter hardiness is questionable
Use where probability of successful establishment is low ie. seeding in August when no irrigation is necessary
Use on slopes where a quick take is required

Slide 14

Perennial RyegrassLolium perenne

Management Preferences

20 to 75mm mowing height (same as KB)

Water requirements are less than most other turfgrasses but some irrigation necessary

0.1 - 0.5 kg of actual N per 100 sq. m per growing month (Very low)

Seeding Rate: 3.2 - 4.0 kg / 100m2

Overseed as frequently as necessary to maintain density

Speaker Notes

Same height as KB - 2-7.5 cm … compatible with CRF… Could be a KB / TF blend
Higher length needed in mid-summer than in spring and fall – increase mowing frequency to maintain quality -
Fertility program similar to KB, avoid high nitrogen during heat stress to minimize injury from pythium and rhizoctonia diseases. Requires lots of water to stay out of summer dormancy

Slide 15

Turfgrass ID:

Festuca Rubra ssp Rubra - Creeping Red Fescue

(Strong)

Speaker Notes

Medium to dark green perennial turf with fibrous, extremely dense root system
Divided into 2 types: One of broader leaved, bunching grasses including tall fescue
And the group of finer leaved shorter fescue grass named Fine Fescues.
The Fines are then divided into Aggregates (or complexes) that include several species and divide further into subspecies
The “Strong” is to differentiate from “Slender Creeping Red Fescue: ssp. litoralis (G.F.W. Meyer) Auquier”
All of the fine fescues are commonly used in Turf more on slide 7.
http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/fine-fescues

Slide 16

(Strong) Creeping Red FescueFestuca rubra ssp. rubra

PROS:

Outstanding turf for drier, shaded locations and will grow well in full sun

Leaf growth rate slower than other grasses

Forms a fine textured turf of high shoot density, uniformity, and quality

Germination rate: 7 - 14 days.

Speaker Notes

Drought resistant; in dry conditions its leaves curl up to reduce evaporative losses
High lignin content in leaves takes longer to replace, thereby creating a slower leaf growth rate.
Is most often mixed with Kentucky Bluegrass (grows in sun or shade - competitive in shade when KB is weaker)
Will produce an excellent stand of turf on its own, particularly with newer cultivars (Has anyone tried this? Has anyone ordered this sod? and from where?)

Slide 17

(Strong)Creeping Red Fescue

Festuca rubra ssp. rubra

CONS:

Weak rhizomes and slow growth rate equate to reduced recuperative capacity (compared to KB)

Thatch decomposes very slowly because of high lignin content in leaf sheath

Does not tolerate wet, poorly drained soils

Speaker Notes

Good wear resistance but lower recuperative potential - once it’s damaged, it’s hard to bounce back (unlike KB)
No cultivars resistant to helminthasporium (leaf spot) and melting out diseases
More susceptible to fusarium patch and grey snow mould than KB

Slide 18

(Strong) Creeping Red FescueFestuca rubra ssp. rubra

General Use:

Often mixed in polystand with Poa pratensis

Widely used in parks, cemeteries, roadsides, and airfields

Produces an acceptable home lawn - Prominently found now in “Eco” blend turf

Speaker Notes

Complementary to KB: One competes in shade, one in sun (both tolerate both)
Semi Nurse crop - germinates in 14 days vs 21.
Not AS tough or quick to recup; better in low traffic areas (also lower maintenance).

Slide 19

(Strong) Creeping Red FescueFestuca rubra ssp. rubra

Management Preferences:

Low to moderate cultural intensity

Mowing range of 20 to 50 mm (shorter than KB)

At higher heights of cut, disease susceptibility increases and competitive ability reduced

0.1 to 0 .25 Kg of actual N (nitrogen) per 100 sq. m per growing month

Seeding Rate: 1.6 - 2.0 kg / 100 square meters

Speaker Notes

Management – prefers low amounts of irrigation; high amounts increase disease incidence and it loses its aggressiveness
When in a polystand with KB - don’t go to the max KB mowing height (75mm) or it won’t compete.
Take home point - keep it around 2.5 cm (one inch) tall, no standing water (a little dry) and don’t feed it much and you’ll have a great lawn.

Slide 20

Sheep Fescue

Chewings Fescue

Hard Fescue

Other Fescues

Speaker Notes

HARD: Plot 104 containing Hard Fescue-note the healthy green color of this grass.
http://blogs.cornell.edu/ccesummerinterns2012/tag/hard-fescue/
Festuca longifolia
Cool-season bunch grass for shade or high altitude.
A cool-season bunch grass that has some shade tolerance. This perennial is considered a fine fescue and grows shorter than tall fescue. Used in shade mixes and as a cover crop for native grasses and forbs. Likes good soil in central and northern latitudes. More drought tolerant than sod forming cool-seasons. Works well in erosion control mixtures. Spring or fall seeding.
SHEEPS: Possibility of low maintenance lawn replacement? (probably won’t tolerate foot traffic well)

Slide 21

Speaker Notes

“Envirogreen”

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Typical Lawn Grasses

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