Basics of Turfgrass Selection

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Basics of Turfgrass Selection

• Kansas State University

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Topic Outline

• Options and limitations for turf growth in Kansas
• Turfgrass biology
• Species selection

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Common Turfgrasses in Kansas
Two Major Groups

• Warm-Season Turfgrasses (C4 metabolism)
• More efficient photosynthesis
• Cool-Season Turfgrasses (C3 metabolism)
• Less efficient photosynthesis (especially when
  hot)

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Kansas is in the Transition Zone

• Both warm- and cool-season turfgrasses grow here
  but the climate is ideal for neither.

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Cool-Season Turfgrasses

• Grow best during spring and fall

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Cool-Season Turfgrasses

• Grow best during spring and fall, summer is
  difficult (respiration gt photosynthesis)
• May go dormant in summer if there is a lack of
  moisture (5-8 weeks of dormancy OK)

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Differences Between Cool- and Warm- Season
Turfgrasses

• Warm-season turfgrasses have better heat and
  drought tolerance but worse cold tolerance.
• Warm-season turfgrasses are more competitive in
  sunny locations.

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Turfgrasses Commonly Grown in KS

• Cool-Season
• Tall Fescue (1 for lawns)
• Kentucky Bluegrass (lawns, athletic fields)
• Perennial Ryegrass (various but difficult)
• Creeping Bentgrass (golf course putting greens)
• Warm-Season
• Zoysiagrass (lawns, golf course turf)
• Bermudagrass (lawns, athletic field turf)
• Buffalograss (lawns, drier parts of KS)

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Turfgrass Structure
Crown
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Turfgrass Structure
Tiller
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Turfgrass Structure
Stolon
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Turfgrass Structure
Rhizome
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Turfgrass Structure
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Turfgrass Structure

• Leaf Structure

Leaf Blade
Leaf Sheath
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Turfgrass Structure

• Leaf Structure

Grass Grows from Here
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Turfgrass Species Selection

• Species adaptability (climatic region)
• Site characteristics (shady, sloped, etc.)
• Function of turf (home lawn, athletic field,
  etc.)
• Maintenance (how much input ?)
• Soil (texture, depth)
• Personal preference

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Cool-Season Turfgrasses

• Tall Fescue
• Kentucky Bluegrass
• Perennial Ryegrass
• Creeping Bentgrass

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Tall Fescue
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Tall Fescue

• Has mini-rhizomes but basically bunch grass

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Tall Fescue

• Best adapted cool-season grass in Kansas
• Used on home lawns, parks and athletic fields
• Propagated by seed and sometimes by sod
• Sod doesnt hold together well and so either mix
  in bluegrass or use plastic mesh at planting
• Seed germinates quickly everything perfect, 4
  days
• Coarse leaves but new cultivars are improved
• Avoid K-31 coarser, less dense, lighter color
  and seed tends to be contaminated with orchard
  grass

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Tall Fescue

• Best Choice for the Shade

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Tall Fescue

• Major Problem Brown Patch

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What About Fine-Leaf Fescues?

• There are tall fescues with finer leaves than
  K-31
• Turf-type tall fescues (many blends available)
• There are true fine-leaved fescues
• Chewings fescue
• Hard Fescue
• Creeping Red Fescue
• Sheeps Fescue

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Cool-Season Turfgrasses

• Tall Fescue
• Kentucky Bluegrass
• Perennial Ryegrass
• Creeping Bentgrass

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Kentucky Bluegrass
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Kentucky Bluegrass

• Spreads by rhizomes

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Kentucky Bluegrass

• Fine-bladed, makes an attractive lawn
• Used on athletic fields, parks, and home lawns
• Propagated by seed or sod
• Greater sod strength than tall fescue (rhizomes)
• Poor heat tolerance
• Has trouble surviving our summers without damage
• Better adapted further north

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Kentucky Bluegrass
Numerous Problems Summer Patch Can Be Severe
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Tall Fescue/Bluegrass Mixtures

• Mixture turf stand composed of two or more
  species (e.g. fescue/bluegrass,
  bluegrass/ryegrass)
• Mixtures of these two species feature the
  advantages of each component.
• Blend turf stand composed of two or more
  varieties of the same species (most commercially
  sold tall fescue)
• Seed size influences mixture ratios
• Example 90 fescue, 10 bluegrass (recommended)
  by weight is closer to 5050 in terms of seed
  number

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Cool-Season Turfgrasses

• Tall Fescue
• Kentucky Bluegrass
• Perennial Ryegrass
• Creeping Bentgrass

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Perennial Ryegrass
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Perennial Ryegrass

• Bunch grass

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Perennial Ryegrass

• Thin-bladed turfgrass like Kentucky bluegrass
• Used on golf course fairways and tees because of
  tolerance to low mowing heights.
• Poor heat tolerance
• Propagated by seed (very quick to germinate)
• Subject to disease and insect problems (gray leaf
  spot can be devastating)

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Perennial Ryegrass

• Gray Leaf Spot

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Cool-Season Turfgrasses

• Tall Fescue
• Kentucky Bluegrass
• Perennial Ryegrass
• Creeping Bentgrass

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Creeping Bentgrass
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Creeping Bentgrass

• Stoloniferous grass

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Warm-Season Turfgrasses

• Some people dont like warm-season turfgrasses
  because they are dormant for part of the year
• Warm and cool season grasses should not be mixed
  together for season- long green turf

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Warm-season Turfgrasses

• Common species for Kansas
• Bermudagrass
• Buffalograss
• Zoysiagrass

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Bermudagrass
Mid-Lawn
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Bermudagrass

• Has stolons and rhizomes

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Bermudagrass

• Aggressive, hard to keep under control
• A bush used to be visible where the bermuda at
  right is shown

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Bermudagrass

• Used for athletic fields, parks, home lawns and
  golf courses- can cover in 6 weeks or less
• Propagated by sprigs or seed
• Sprigs Mid-Lawn is finest textured, hardy
  bermuda. Mid- Field not as fine but more
  aggressive.
• Seed Yukon and Riviera are hardy and good
  quality
• Even hardy bermudas can be hurt by severe
  winter.

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Bermudagrass - Spring Dead Spot

• Large dead spots fail to green up in spring
• Winter cold injury will be similar in appearance

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Warm-season Turfgrasses

• Common species for Kansas
• Bermudagrass
• Buffalograss
• Zoysiagrass

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Buffalograss
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Buffalograss

• Has stolons

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Buffalograss

• Has stolons
• Has both male and female plants

Female
Male
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Buffalograss

• May be propagated by seed, plugs, or sod
• Characteristic but improving grayish-green color
• Doesnt resist weed invasion well, especially
  during establishment
• Best cultivars include Legacy (seeded), Bowie
  (seeded), 609 (vegetative), Prairie (vegetative),
  Sharps Improved (seeded)

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Warm-season Turfgrasses

• Common species for Kansas
• Bermudagrass
• Buffalograss
• Zoysiagrass

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Zoysiagrass

• Tends to be lighter green than some other grasses

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Zoysiagrass

• Has stolons and rhizomes

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Zoysiagrass

• Forms very dense, thick lawn if healthy
• Very prone to thatch development
• May require spring and fall thatch removal
• Letting thatch go may cause irreparable decline
• Used on home lawns and golf courses
• Propagated by seed, plugs, sod or sod strips
• Meyer the best proven cultivar in Kansas (good
  cold tolerance) seeded types are available but
  are still gaining acceptance (e.g. Zenith)

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Zoysia - Large Patch

• Large dead spots fail to green up in spring or
  die out in fall

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The End