Title: Turfgrass Cultural Problems
1Turfgrass Cultural Problems
Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
2Two Basic Problems
- Soil Compaction
- Thatch Build-up
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
3What is Soil Compaction?
- Condition of soil when particles become packed
tightly together
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
4Pore space
Non-Compacted Soil
for
air and water
Air
Water
Soil
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
5- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Non-Compacted Soil
Good Root Growth
Good Shoot Growth
6Three Results of Soil Compaction
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
- Poor root growth due to restricted air and poor
percolation of water
Compacted Soil
little space
Roots can't grow
7Results of Soil Compaction
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
- Thin and shallow root system that cannot sustain
shoot growth
Compacted Soil
8Results of Soil Compaction
- Thin turf that stresses easily and develops bare
spots
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
9What is the major cause of soil compaction in
turf?
Traffic
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
10Sources of traffic
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
- Athletics
- Football
- Soccer
- Baseball
11Sources of Traffic
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
12Sources of Traffic
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
- Ordinary foot traffic at public facilities
schools, hospitals, government offices
Photo by Cheryl Reynolds
13Kinds of Traffic
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
- Human
- Animal - pets
- Machines golf carts, mowing equipment, vehicles
14Treatment for Soil Compaction
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Coring (Aeration)
15Coring or Aeration Defined
Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
- Removal of soil cores from a turf with hollow
tines or spoons.
16Several Coring Machines Available
- Vary in Quality of job performed!
- Background Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for
Turfgrass Environmental Research Education
(CENTEREs) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
17Several Coring Machines Available
- Vary in Quality of job performed!
- Background Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for
Turfgrass Environmental Research Education
(CENTEREs) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
18Several Coring Machines Available
- Vary in Quality of job performed!
Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
19Coring Machine Must Pull Soil Cores From the Soil!
- Spike coring machines are okay for overseeding to
get grass seed in contact with soil - Might help with lime and fertilizer
- HELPS LITTLE OR NOT AT ALL with Compaction!
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
20Except on very light soils, coring without
removing cores may actually compact the soil.
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Solid Tine
Pushes soil particles together around the hole
21For Best Results!
- Pictures from http//clayvaughn.com/aeration.aspx
website
Remove the plugs!
22Coring Cultural Practice Tips
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
- Core when the grass is actively growing
- Top-dress the area with a peat and sand
combination and rake mixture into core holes - Or, if practical, chop up cores and redistribute
them across the turf
23Benefits of Coring
- Picture from http//clayvaughn.com/aeration.aspx
website
24Thatch Build-up
- What is thatch?
- Why is thatch build-up a problem?
- How is thatch build-up treated?
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
25Thatch Defined
Thatch is a tightly intermingled layer of
undecomposed roots, stems, and shoots located
between the soil surface and the green vegetation
of the turf grass.
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
26Causes of Thatch
- Some thatch is natural however, excessive thatch
may be caused by - Over fertilizing with nitrogen
- Improper mowing by cutting too much leaf area off
at one time - Poor soil environment
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
27- Issue with sod-forming grasses
- Small amounts of thatch is good. It
- Cushions turf and prevents wear
- Insulates soil from extreme hot and cold
temperatures - Reduces evaporation losses from soil surface
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
28- Restricts air and water movement
- Requires more frequent watering
- Great environment for disease insects
- Can cause scalping when mowing
- Contributes to winter injury
- Restrict fertilizer and pesticide movement
- Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
29When is thatch build-up a problem?
Less than 1/2 inch - no problem
Over 3/4 inch power rake or verticut and/or core
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
30Treatment for Thatch
Timing is Important Best done when grass greens
up from dormant season
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
31Treatment for Thatch
- Can top-dress with ¼ inch of topsoil once a year.
- Very expensive,
- Requires special equipment,
- Not usually practical
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
32Treatment for Thatch
- Coring as performed for soil compaction
- Used in conjunction with power raking or
verticutting
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
33Treatment for Thatch
- Power Raking
- Similar to verticutting but uses spring-type
wires instead of blades
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
34Treatment for Thatch
- Verticutting
- 3" blade spacing for Centipede and St. Augustine
- 2" blade spacing for bermudagrass
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
35Treatment for Thatch
- Verticutting
- Size of equipment varies
Close Up of surface after verticutting
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
36Treatment for Thatch
- Verticutting
- Reels may be added to mowers
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
37Treatment for Thatch
- Verticutting
- Reels may be added to mowers
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
38Treatment for Thatch
- The Key to Thatch control is to keep it under
control to begin with - Use light raking or cutting to keep thatch
manageable
- Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass
Environmental Research Education (CENTEREs)
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website