Environmentally Sound Turfgrass Management

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Environmentally SoundTurfgrass Management

• University of Wisconsin-Extension
• and
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

Prepared by Dr. John C. Stier, UW-Extension and
UW-Madison
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Properly Managed Turf Benefits the Environment

• Prevents erosion
• Inhibits runoff
• Filters water
• Cooling effect
• Sports and play
• Aesthetic-health
• Home/site value

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Primary Cultural Practices

• Mowing
• sharp blades
• 1/3 rule
• Fertilizing
• 4 lb N/1000 ft2/yr (1-2 lb N/application)
• Calibrate spreader
• Irrigation
• prevent drought stress to enhance growth
• avoid overwatering and runoff

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Types of Mowers

• Rotary
• Blades parallel to ground
• Inexpensive, durable
• Mowing height 1-3 inches
• Reel
• Superior cut
• Expensive, frequent maintenance
• Mowing height limitations

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Mowing Practices

• 1/3 Rule
• Avoid scalping
• Exposed soil surface weeds
• Clippings recyclable into turf
• Quick turf recovery
• Seasonal frequency
• Spring 1-2x / week
• Summer Once every 1-3 weeks
• Autumn 7-10 days until growth ceases

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Mowing Practices

• Proper height
• Lawns 2.5 to 3.5 inches
• Stimulate dense turf
• Sharp mower blades
• Turf heals faster
• Less disease
• Better appearance
• Good Mowing Practices Reduce Weeds!

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Soil Test

• 12-24 cores / lawn or soil type, 4 depth
• Soil probe, bulb planter or pocket knife
• Mix thoroughly in bucket
• Send to lab for analysis

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Soil Test Results

• Amount P and K needed
• No test for N
• pH Acidity test
• Desire 6.0 to 7.0
• Recommendations
• N, P, K additions
• Lime requirement

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Fertility

• Lawn fertilizers
• Major Nutrients N - P - K
• Starter 121 (e.g., 13-25-12) -- P for root
  growth
• Winterizer 616 (e.g., 18-3-18) -- K for
  stress tolerance
• General 711 (e.g., 21-3-4) -- N for growth
• Remainder of fertilizer granules are carbon,
  hydrogen, oxygen, (sulfur)

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Characteristics of Nitrogen Fertilizers

• Rapidly Soluble
• Ammonium phosphate, Amm. Nitrate, Amm. Sulfate
• Urea
• Slowly Soluble
• IBDU
• Ureaformaldehyde
• Slow release
• SCU, Polymer coated urea

H2O
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Characteristics of Nitrogen Fertilizers

• Natural Organics
• Microbial hydrolysis
• Milorganite, Sustane
• Animal by-products
• Low N
• High cost per N unit

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Corn Gluten Meal

• 50 weed reduction
• Rate 12-20 lbs/M
• Fertility 9-0-0
• Established turf only
• Residual activity
• Buckhorn, crabgrass, dandelions, foxtail, etc.

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Fertilizer Application

• Drop spreader
• Uniform application
• Use 1/2 rates in 2 directions
• Small areas
• Broadcast spreader
• Wheel - wheel overlap
• Large areas
• Difficult to avoid sidewalks, flowerbeds, etc.
• Settings Determine amount N per 1000 ft2
• 1 lb N/1000 ft2 maximum per application

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Seasonal Turf Growth
Shoots
Roots
Growth
Mar Apr May June Jul Aug Sept
Oct Nov Dec
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Fertilization Schedule

• Low maintenance turf October
• Medium quality (September), October, late May
• High quality September 1, October, May 31,
  (July 4)
• Ideal 4 lb N/1000 ft2 per Year
• Holiday Schedule
• Shaded turf Use half rate for each application
• Avoid early spring applications

Apply at time of or after last mowing of season

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Irrigation

• Turf uses 1 water/week
• Purposes of water
• Cools turf
• Biological processes
• Turf leaf growth, crowds out weeds
• Irrigate early morning
• Late afternoon/evening Diseases!

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Irrigation

• Water when a) Footprinting
• b) Blue-green color
• Clay/loam soils 1x/week
• Sandy soils 2x/week, 0.5-0.75 each
• Coffee cans for measurement

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Weeds

• Weeds dont cause poor turf, they are a result
  of poor turf
• Improper mowing
• Inadequate fertilization
• Improper irrigation
• Excessive traffic/compaction
• Poor environment (shade, etc.)

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Weed Management

• Good cultural practices
• Primary Mowing, fertilizing, irrigation
• Secondary Pest control, core aeration
• Proper turf species for site
• e.g., fine fescues for dry, shaded area
• Supina or rough bluegrass for
• moist, shaded sites (10 in mix)

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Turf Herbicides

• Annual weeds (crabgrass)
• Pre-emergent herbicide in spring
• Perennial broadleaf weeds
• 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba mixtures
• Apply during autumn!
• Perennial grassy weeds
• Non-selective herbicide (glyphosate)

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Turf Herbicides

• Weed and Feed Products
• Good control is difficult
• Post-emergents must stick 24-28 hr
• Fertilization improperly timed
• Apply pre-emergents in April or
• when Forsythia blooms
• Handle product as an herbicide!
• Can stop germinating grass seeds

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Insect Pests

• Relatively rare
• White grubs (e.g., Japanese beetle)
• Feed on roots
• Shoot feeders
• Sod webworm, chinch bug
• Control Make sure pest is properly identified
• Proper timing and application of insecticide is
  critical
• Good turf management is usually sufficient

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Turf Diseases
NRS on Kentucky bluegrass

• Rare on home lawns
• Almost never kill turf
• Most noticeable
• Necrotic ring spot
• Rots roots
• Rust

Closeup of rust on ryegrass
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Pesticide Application

• Read the label LABEL IS THE LAW!
• Personal Safety-Greatest danger is to applicator
• Rubber gloves, rubber boots, eye protection
• Environmental considerations
• Surface waters, runoff/leaching potential,
  non-target plants (ornamental flowers, trees)
• Select proper herbicide for
• the weed!

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Thatch

• Layer of living and dead organic matter
• Turf growth gt breakdown by microbes
• Clippings dont contribute!
• Roots, rhizomes, stolons, crowns
• Species with creeping growth habits
• Kentucky bluegrass, creeping bentgrass,
• supina and rough bluegrasses, creeping red fescue

Photo courtesy of American Society of Agronomy,
C-5 division
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Thatch

• Advantages
• Soft cushion for play to reduce human injuries
• Protects crowns from traffic
• Reduces evaporation

• Disadvantages
• Harbors diseases, insect pests
• Shallow root growth, prone to drying out
• Adsorbs pesticides

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Thatch Management

• OK if lt 1.25 depth
• Vertical mowing
• Rake and remove debris
• Core cultivate (aeration)
• Best long-term effects
• Alleviates compaction problems
• Let cores disintegrate
• Dilutes thatch mat layer

Thatch
Mat
Soil
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Additional Resources

• Homeowner Lawn Care Field Days-UWEX
• O.J. Noer Turfgrass Facility, Verona, WI
• Last Saturday of July, odd-numbered years
• Call 608-845-6536 for information
• UW-Extension bulletins
• www.uwex.edu
• Examples
• Lawn maintenance A3435
• Lawn establishment and renovation A3434
• Growing grass in shade A3700
• Lawn weed prevention and control A1990
• And many more!