Master Gardener Lawns

Cliff RuthExtension Area Agent

NCSU/NCCES

Select Turf Based on the Following:

• CLIMATE - NC is in the transition zone• TYPE OF LAWN DESIRED - Will lawn be grown for

show, outdoor living, play area, etc.• MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS• SITE CONSIDERATIONS - Shade, slope, air circulation,

exposure and other microclimatic effects

Warm Season Grasses

• BERMUDAGRASS• ZOYSIAGRASS• CENTIPEDEGRASS• ST. AUGUSTINEGRASS• BAHIAGRASS

Cool-Season GrassesGROW WELL IN SPRING AND FALL; MAY GO

“DORMANT” IN SUMMER

• Tall Fescue• Kentucky Bluegrass• Fine Fescue (creeping red fescue, hard fescue, sheeps

fescue)• Ryegrass (Annual or Perennial)• Bentgrass

Starting a New Lawn

• Cool-season grasses best planted in the Fall• Warm-season grasses best planted April - July• Good site preparation is essential

6 Steps to a Healthy Lawn• Select the right grass• Soil test • Plant correctly• Fertilize correctly• Mow correctly• Water correctly

Planting

• SEEDING• SPRIGGING• PLUGGING• SODDING

Site Preparation

• CONTROL PERENNIAL WEEDS (EX. BERMUDAGRASS)

• PROPER GRADING AND DEBRIS REMOVAL• LIME AND FERTILIZE ACCORDING TO SOIL TEST

(75# LIME AND 40# 5-10-10)

Reseeding - Partial Renovation

• GOOD SEED/SOIL CONTACT IS ESSENTIAL• RAKE SMALL AREAS• CORE AERATION FOR LARGER AREAS• SLIT SEEDER

Irrigation

• IT IS DIFFICULT TO EFFECTIVELY IRRIGATE WITHOUT A PERMANENT SYSTEM

• CONSIDER ALLOWING COOL-SEASON TURF TO GO DORMANT

Irrigation

• IMPROPER IRRIGATION RESULTS IN WASTE, ADDED COST, AND UNHEALTHY PLANTS

• APPLY WATER AT FIRST SIGNS OF MOISTURE STRESS

• EARLY MORNING (2-8 AM) IS THE BEST TIME TO IRRIGATE

Irrigation

• ESTABLISHED LAWNS SHOULD BE WATERED TO A DEPTH OF 4-6 INCHES OR APPROXIMATELY 1” PER WEEK (640 GALLONS PER 1000 SQ. FT.)

• KEY FOR NEW LAWNS…KEEP TOP 1/2 INCH MOIST. GRADUALLY WEAN TURF AFTER 15 TO 20 DAYS

Water deeply

Mowing

• PROPER MOWING IS KEY TO LONG-TERM LAWN SURVIVAL

• CLEANEST CUT AND BEST MOWING IS OBTAINED WITH SHARP BLADES

• MOW OFTEN ENOUGH THAT NO MORE THAN 50% OF LEAF SURFACE IS REMOVED

Mowing

• TALL FESCUE AND KY. BLUGRASS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AT 2.5 TO 3.5 INCHES

• IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BAG CLIPPINGS UNLESS EXCESSIVE

• CLIPPINGS DO NOT CAUSE THATCH• MOWING TOO LOW = WEEDS!

Mow cool season grass taller for larger root system

Correct mowing height

Mowing height = best weed control

2 ½”2”1 ½”

1”

½”

Reasons to leave clippings on the lawn

• Less work• No longer accepted in

NC landfills• Acts as mulch:

– Moisture retention– Weed suppression

Nutrient recycling

100 lb dry clippings:

4 lb. N½ lb. P3 lb. K

Fertilization

• SOIL TEST EVERY 2-3 YEARS• AVOID FERTILIZING COOL SEASON GRASSES

AFTER LATE MARCH AND BEFORE LATE AUGUST• HOLIDAY REMINDERS: VALENTINES DAY, LABOR

DAY, AND THANKSGIVING DAY

LIME

• MOST UNLIMED NC PIEDMONT AND MOUNTAIN SOILS ARE ACIDIC (PH 5.5 OR LESS)

• ALL TURFGRASSES EXCEPT CENTIPEDEGRASS GROW BEST AT 6.0 TO 7.0

• LIME RAISES PH AND PROVIDES CA AND MG

Correct soil pH according to plant needs

Healthy roots: ahealthy plants

adrought tolerance

Coring (Aerification)

• Best method to reduce compaction & improve water penetration

• Use hollow tines which remove plugs• Core during active growth

– Quick recover

Weed Control

• Winter Annuals (Ex. Annual bluegrass, chickweed, wild onions, and henbit)

• Summer Annuals (Ex. Wild lespedeza, crabgrass, and goosegrass, foxtail)

• Perennials (Ex. White clover, dandelions, and plantains)

Weed Biology• Identifying Weeds by Life Cycle (page 51)

Biennial weedscomplete a life

cycle in 2 years.

Perennial weedspersist from yearto year. They can

be spread by seeds

and regrow from roots, rhizomes,

stolons or tubers.

Weed Biology

• Identifying Weeds by Life Cycle

Annual weeds complete a life

cycle in a single year.

:Turf Weed Management• Bahiagrass• Perennial grass• Rhizomatous

Lawn Weed Management

• Crabgrass• Annual

Lawn Weed Management

• Dallisgrass• Perennial

Lawn Weed Management

• Goosegrass• Annual• Prostrate growth habit

Lawn Weed Management

• Nutsedge• Perennial• Triangular stems• Purple and yellow

species

Lawn Weed Management

• Curly Dock• Perennial

Lawn Weed Management

• Dandelion• Carolina False is

winter annual or biennial

• Common and Cat’s Ear are perennials

Pasture Weed Management

• Carolina Geranium• Annual

Lawn Weed Management

• Henbit• Annual• Square stems

Lawn Weed Management

• Plaintain• Perennial

Weeds of Turfgrasses

Common Chickweed

▪Winter annual

J. N

eal

J. D

iTom

aso

▪Germinates fall and spring▪Prefers shady,

moist areas

Broadleaf Weeds

Lawn Weed Management

• Red Sorrel• Perennial

Pasture Weed Management

• Virginia Pepperweed• Annual

Lawn Weed Management

• Wild Garlic• Perennial

Lawn Weed Management

• Annual Bluegrass• Annual

Weeds of Turfgrasses

▪Creeping perennial White clover

J. N

eal

▪Trifoliate leaves on long petioles

red clover

▪Red clover is related

Broadleaf Weeds

▪Reproduce by seeds and stolons

(Other creepingperennials reproduce

from rhizomes, stolons, tubers and

bulbs.)

Weed Pests of Lawns

J. N

eal

J. N

e al

Woodsorrel

▪Seeds shoot up to 16’

▪Trifoliate leaves with heart-shaped leaflets

▪Prostrate, stoloniferous▪Perennial

Identifying Weeds

▪Hoe or hand pull

Conditions for applying Pre-emergent herbicides

• Use BEFORE weeds germinate• For summer weeds such as, crabgrass, goosegrass &

foxtail– Apply early to mid Spring

• Winter annual weeds such as bluegrass, henbit, wild onions– Apply in September

Conditions for Applying Post-emergence Herbicides

• Actively growing weeds• Daytime temperatures between 60 and 80 F• Adequate soil moisture• Ample leaf surface area ( Apply before mowing)

Crabgrass Control

• Crabgrass is the most prevalent grassy weed • Annual which germinates April -Summer. Plants killed by

frost– Under normal conditions germination begins around

March 10 - April 1• Pre-emergence or Post-emergence control• Numerous products available. Most common

active ingredients are: benefin(Balan), pendimethalin (Halts), and prodiamine (Barricade)

Insect Control

• Ants• Army/Cutworms• Bees/Wasps• White Grubs• Leafhoppers/Spittlebugs• Sod Webworms

Insect Pests of Turfgrasses

Cutworms and armyworms

adult moth

eggs caterpillar

pupa

➢ Pests that Feed on Leaves and Stems

Complete Metamorphosis

caterpillar

(page 34)

Insect Pests of Turfgrasses

Sod webworm➢ Pests that Feed on Leaves and Stems

eggssod webworm

pupaadultmoth

Insect Pests of TurfgrassesIdentifying Insect Pests

➢ Pests that Discolor Leaves and Stems

chinch bugs (page 35)

Gradual Metamorphosiseggs

1st nymph

2nd nymph

3rd nymph4th nymph

5th nymph

adult bug

Insect Pests of Turfgrasses

▪Pests that Feed on Roots– White grubs

Mole crickets

(page 36)

Insect Pests of TurfgrassesIdentifying Insect Pests

➢ White Grubs that Feed on Roots

green June beetle

White Grubs are the larvae of beetles such as the

Japanese beetle

masked chaferOriental beetle

(page 36)

Weeds of TurfgrassesWild Garlic

▪Bulbous perennial

R. U

va

J. Nea

l

▪Strong scent ▪Reproduces by aerial

and underground bulblets▪Emerges in the

winter and dies back in late spring or early summer

(page 57)

Diseases of Plants

Terms to Know: Disorders and Diseases

Plant problems caused by pathogens (fungi, bacteria & viruses) which can spread from plant to plant.

Diseases --

Irregular plant development caused by unfavorable growing conditions. Non-infectious (does not spread from plant to plant).

Disorders --

(page 61)

Plant DiseasesTo have a disease you need all four of these.

Environment

HostPathogen

Time

The “Disease Pyramid”

Diseases of Turfgrasses

Brown patch ▪Most common

disease of fescue▪Cool-season grasses:

warm, humid weather▪Warm-season grasses:

cool, wet weather

Common Diseases (page 65)

▪Avoid high nitrogen▪Avoid excessive water▪Fungicides can help

F H Baker

Diseases of Turfgrasses

Fairy Rings▪Several kinds of

mushrooms & puffballs

▪Hard to control▪Rings may brown out

in hot, dry weather

Common Diseases (page 67)

▪Remove stumps and roots before planting ▪Irrigation and proper

fertilization help

Diseases of Turfgrasses

Helminthosporium Diseases

(Also called Melting Out, Leaf Spot, Net-blotch, Crown and Root Rot)

▪Wet or very humid weather▪Attacks all turf types▪Starts as leaf spot and goes

to crown and root rot

Common Diseases

(page 69)

▪Avoid high nitrogen fertilization

Diseases of Turfgrasses

Pythium Blight (Also called Cottony Blight and Greasy Spot)

▪Hot and wet or very humid weather

▪Attacks all cool-season grasses

▪Can damage large areas overnight

Common Diseases

(page 70)

▪Provide good drainage▪Increase light penetration and air movement

(such as fans on greens)

Conclusion

• Get clarification on location• Look at management strategy• Identify the problem• Look at alternative solutions

Questions