innovative alternative turfgrass dr. leah brilman — dr. gwen stahnke

Innovative Alternative Turfgrass

Dr. Leah Brilman — Dr. Gwen Stahnke


• Traditional golf course turf species– Strengths and weaknesses

– Primary use site and geographic area

• Alternative turfgrass species– Strengths and weaknesses

– Where to use - golf course and geographic area

– Why to use on golf course

• Reduction in water usage

• Reduction in chemical usage

• Management changes

• Different look

Dr. Gwen Stahnke - Washington State University Puyallup, WA Dr. Leah A. Brilman - Seed Research of Oregon


• Traditional golf course turf species– Hybrid bermudagrass

• Greens, tees, fairways

– Perennial ryegrass

• Fairways, tees, roughs

• Permanent and overseeding

– Creeping bentgrass

• Fairways, tees, roughs

– Kentucky bluegrass

• Greens, fairways, roughs



• Alternative turfgrass species– Seeded bermudagrass

• Fairways, roughs

• Repair usage

– American buffalograss


• Combined with fine fescues

– Zoysia - seeded and vegetative


– Seashore paspalum - seeded, vegetative

• Greens, fairways, roughs - separate course



• Alternative turfgrass species– Colonial (browntop) bentgrass

• Fairways, possibly roughs, greens overseeding

– Velvet bentgrass

• Greens (permanent and overseeding), tees, fairways

– Fine fescues

• Chewings fescue - fairways, roughs, overseeding

• Slender creeping red fescue - fairways, roughs

• Strong creeping red fescue - fairways, roughs

• Hard fescue - roughs, fairways (?)

• Blue and Sheeps fescue - roughs


Innovative Alternative Turfgrass• Alternative turfgrass species

– Transitional ryegrass


• Northern and overseeding uses- Tufted hairgrass

. Fairways, roughs

. Swales on edges of rough

. Inside wetland areas

– Tall fescue

• Roughs, fairways?

– Texas X Kentucky Hybrids

• Roughs, fairways


Hybrid Bermudagrass

• Strengths– Heat and drought tolerant - best summer performance

– Self-repairing

– Salt tolerant

– Low water use

– Uniform appearance with certified sod or sprigs

– High wear tolerance

– Many chemical available for weeds and insect control

– Cultivars developed for greens, fairways and more northern locations


Hybrid Bermudagrass

• Weaknesses– Must overseed for winter color in most areas - problems with

transition, weakened bermuda

– Poor spring playability without overseeding in many areas

– Low tolerance to shade

– Spring dead spot susceptibility in many cultivars

– Many times sod or sprigs not certified - non-uniform

– Dense greens types - specialized thatch control


Creeping Bentgrass

• Strengths– Tolerates low height of cut

• Various densities in new cultivars - some adapted to green usage only

– Repairs through stolons

– Can be used greens, tees and fairways

– High saline tolerance - lower at greens height

– Excellent winter hardiness

– Good to excellent heat tolerance

– Responds well to growth regulator programs


Creeping Bentgrass - Overseeding

• Strengths

• Small seed (good for ultradwarf greens)

• High putting quality

• High salt tolerance – effluent & drought

• Moderate transition - cultivar dependent

• Can persist into early summer

• Medium establishment in Fall

• Dark to medium blue green color

• Excellent if have heavy play in early summer


Creeping Bentgrass• Weaknesses

– Slow divot recovery in summer - varies by cultivar

• Use divot-filling program with Chewings fescue

– Thatch must be controlled - added cost

– Best on fairways with lightweight mowing - added cost

– Moderate fungicide program - dollar spot, brown patch, snow mold, take-all, anthracnose

• New cultivars improved disease resistance

– Good irrigation system required

– Bentgrass can creep into other areas - change look

– Tight fairway lies not liked by all golfers


Perennial Ryegrass

• Strengths– Good playability - ball sits up well

– Tolerance to a wide range of herbicides

– Nice dark green color

– Inexpensive seed

– Rapid germination and seedling vigor

– Easy to repair with new cultivars

– Responds well to growth regulators

– Resistant to different diseases than KBG/TF

– Endophyte-enhanced

– Broad range of herbicides for weed control


Perennial Ryegrass

• Weaknesses– Susceptible to many diseases

• Gray leaf spot susceptibility in older varieties

• Red thread

• Crown rust

• Dollar spot

• Brown patch

– Overdominate other components

– Bunch-type growth

– Reduced stress tolerance

– Stemminess in spring


Perennial Ryegrass

• Weaknesses– Not enough winter-active growth

– Need more decumbent, spreading growth

– High nitrogen requirements

– Poor red thread resistance

– High water requirements

– Easily invaded by weedy grasses


Perennial ryegrass

• Gray leaf spot resistance

• Important in Midwest, transitional zone and now California• California reports in both permanent and overseeded turf -

verified in Bay Area• Seedlings most vulnerable• Warm, moist conditions, especially with less hours of

sunlight• Rapid advances in resistance• Warm, above 68 degrees, with 3 hours leaf wetness can start

to grow• Turf looks droughty at first

Gray Leaf Spot Resistance

2004 Perennial ryegrass

NTEP Gray leaf spot -

Rutgers University

Seeded Bermudagrass

• Strengths– Rapid establishment

– Can be used to rapidly repair damage

– Drought resistance improved over hybrid bermuda

– Higher salt tolerance than hybrid

– Cold tolerant cultivars available• Resistance to Spring Dead Spot


Seeded Bermudagrass

• Weaknesses– Quality not quite as good as hybrid bermuda - getting

closer

– Not as uniform as certified hybrid


Divot Repair Data

TifWay 419

TifSport

Seeded bermudagrass

Spring Dead Spot resistance

Yukon & Midlawn

• Highest resistance

Riviera & TifSport

•Moderate resistance

Princess 77 & Tifway

• Most susceptible

Salt Stress – Poor Drainage, Effluent Water or Poor Quality Well

In general, the Seeded bermuda varieties (Cynodon dactylon) have proven more salt tolerant than the Hybrid bermuda varieties (C. dactylon x transvalensis)

Conversion From Cool SeasonIssues to Overcome

• Ryegrass competition – shade, toxicity, etc.

• Soil temperature – bermuda germination

• Budget vs. adequate seeding rate – not excessive

• Budget vs. adequate water & fertilizer

• Transition & grow-in period– smoother to retain playing surface

– reduced brown grass period?

– traffic during seeding & grow-in?

Conversion From Cool SeasonTechniques and Recommendations

• Glyphosate – (RoundUp, etc.)

• Other Herbicides – Pronamide, Sulf. Ureas, etc.

• Plant Growth Regulators (PGR’s)

• Simple Interseeding – NOT effective unless

many bare areas already exist – uneven results

• Summer Heat Critical to All Methods

• Pre-Emergent use on greens, tees, etc. to protect

Glyphosate = Best and Fastest

• Knocks out competition immediately but gradual color loss

• Plant bermuda seed same day you spray

• 20-40% bermuda within 3 weeks after seed

• 60-90% bermuda within 8 weeks after seed

• Negative – brown period before bermuda covers

Cool Season Selective HerbicideMonument, Manor, Revolver, etc.

• More gradual transition to bermudagrass• Plant bermuda seed 1 week after herbicide app..• Some initial seedling burn possible• Benefits outweigh seedling harm• 10-20% bermuda within 3 weeks after seeding• 40-70% bermuda within 8 weeks after seeding• 90+% bermuda within 12-14 weeks after seeding

• Benefit – more gradual, less visible disruption

PGR’s can be effective…….

• Must apply timely with bermuda soil temp.

• Timing critical with hot temperatures increasing

• PGR application rate to slow the rye / blue growth for 6 to 8 weeks or longer

• Reduce traffic & mowing on seeded areas

• IF ALL GOES PERFECTLY, this can a very effective technique for smooth conversion to bermudagrass

• Scalp cool season close before seeding after spray

Seeded Bermuda Establishment

• Establishment of seeded bermuda

• Establish early in summer, can go later than zoysia

• Seed at 12 to 49 kg/ha, higher if coated seed

• Use at least 49 kg/ ha of N per month

• Herbicides

– Quinclorac 0.84 kg/ha 0+ weeks after emergence

– Dithiopyr 0.56 kg/ha 1+ weeks after emergence

Seeded Turf-Type Bermuda Missouri - Conversion from Rye / Blue

Before - Poor turf conditions after years of drought, heat, disease & other stresses

AFTER – Spring 1 year after killing cool season and converting to seeded bermuda. SUCCESS!!

Seeded Bermudagrass

• Where to use– Fairways

– Roughs

• How to use– Repair hybrid bermudagrass after overseeding

– Lower maintenance sites

– Combine with strong creeping red fescue or slender for green without overseeding (not for hottest locations)

– Replace cool-season turf


American Buffalograss• Strengths

– Vegetative and seeded cultivars

– Drought resistant and cold tolerant

– Prefers heavy soils with high alkaline soil tolerance

– Aggressive stoloniferous habit

– Dense sod-forming capabilities

– Extensive fine-branched roots

– Leaf blades roll tightly to limit transpiration ( less than 6 mm (0.24 in) per day.

– Found on rocky, calcareous slopes mixed with blue grama, sand dropseed, sideoats grama, hairy grama and little bluestem.


American Buffalograss

• Weaknesses– Adapted primarily to arid regions

– Does not do well on sandy soils

– Is not shade tolerant

– Will thin out if overwatered

– Needs warmer soil temperatures to spread

– Slow establishment rate

– Short growing season

– Tan to grey when dormant

– High seed cost




•Buffalograss is dioecious, both male and female plants

-Female plant have more desirable turf charactersShorter, denser leaves, more stolons, shorter internodes

-Male flowers are produced above grass and require more frequent mowing to keep a smooth look to the turf

“Buffalograss will survive the greatest hardships and isAbout the last species to succumb under excessive use”(Beetle, 1950)



Male Plants



Female plant

American Buffalograss• Where to use

– Fairways

– Roughs

• How to use

- alone

- seeded with blue grama or other warm season native grasses in the rough.

- overseeded with blue or fine fescue, rough or fairway




Seeding

•Research at Univ. of Nebraska showed best turf quality with fall overseeding and blue fescue at 20 g m-2. It gave 3 months more green color than the monostand of buffalograss .

•Fine-leaved fescue seeded in fall also gave good turfgrass quality. Seeding with fine fescue gives more green color spring and fall, buffalograss is green in summer. Composition of the mixture stabilized near 75 to 80% fescue and 20 to 25% buffalograss 2 yr

after overseeding.



Plugging or sodding

• Plugs should be 2 inches (0.8 cm) in diameter, 2.5 inches (1 cm) deep. Maximum spacing is 24 in. (60 cm) apart.

• Mow at a 2 to 3 inch height during establishment.

•Sod of older cultivars (Texoka, Sharps)should be harvested 2 to 3 inches deep, while improved types (‘609’, ‘315’, ‘378’) can be harvested shallower.

• Sod may exhibit an off-color appearance during first few weeks after planting.



Establishment

•Establish early in summer• Use 49 kg/ha of N for first 3 months to establish

-Back off on fertility depending on use after it is established

•Vegetative- Sod - Do not roll sod, it will bruise the turf- Plugs – Plant plugs on 4-5 cm (10 –12 inch) centers

• Seed- Seed at 49-98 kg/ha (1-2 lb./1000 sq. ft.)- Treated (KNO3) seed will germinate in 7 to 9 days



Management

• Mowing – 0.5 – 4 inches for golf courses

• Watering – Deep soak once a month July-Sept. for higher maint.-Soak before winter id soil is dry for low maintenance.

• Fertilizing – June 15/30 is best; 2nd app. July/August-1-2 lbs N/1000 sq. ft.; Less on low maintenance areas

• Weed Control – Avoid frequent watering, short mowing and overfertilizing- Avoid 2,4-D and related products in the spring, when temps are above 80 F and on first year turf- Control broadleaf weeds in the fall- Use labeled pre-emergence weed control products

Available buffalograss cultivarsCultivar Sex Adapt. Prop. Perform.

Legacy F N/T Sod/Plug ExcellentScout F S/T Sod Excellent609 F S/T Sod

Excellent315 F N/T Sod/Plug Good378 F N/T Sod/Plug ExcellentPrairie F S/T Sod GoodStampede F S/T Sod GoodCody M/F N/S/T Seed ExcellentBison M/F N/T Seed GoodTexoka M/F N/T Seed FairSharps Imp. M/F N/T Seed FairTopgun M/F S/T Seed GoodPlains M/F S/T Seed Fair

N = Northern U.S.; S = Southern U.S.; T = Transition Zone. ( NTEP Evaluation, 1999)

Seeded Zoysiagrass

• Strengths– Less expensive than sod

– Seed and sod very low maintenance once established

– Winter hardy / cold tolerant

– Medium texture, very dense

– Dark green color - Shade tolerant

– Blends well with Turf-Type Tall Fescues

– Faster establishment by seed than plugs or sprigs

– Low mowing requirement


Seeded Zoysiagrass

• Weaknesses– Slow establishment

– Not well adapted to overseeding


Seeded Zoysiagrass

• Establishment of seeded zoysia

• Establish early in summer

• Seed at 49 to 98 kg/ha

• Use at least 49 kg/ ha of N per month

• Herbicides– Siduron PRE 6.7 kg/ha

– Quinclorac 0.84 kg/ha 0+ weeks after emergence

– Dithiopyr 0.56 kg/ha 1+ weeks after emergence

Zoysiagrass Seeding18 days 8 weeks

Turf-Type Zoysia Establishment

Plugs on 1 foot centers

Seeded plot

1 lb. Per 1,000 sq.ft.

4 months after planting

NTEP, Arkansas

Seeded Zoysiagrass

• Where to use– Fairways

– Roughs

• How to use– Golf fairways, tees and roughs, sod farms, parks, home lawns

– Edges of bunkers - leave dormant

– Mixed stand with turf-type tall fescue


• Strengths– Paspalum vaginatum – many sod varieties available

– Research on wear tolerance being done

– Extremely salt tolerant – native to tropics/subtropics

– High quality turf in adapted areas

– Seeded types coming on market - Seaspray from Turf Seed. SRO initiated production

– Seeded types rapidly cover after germination

– Tolerant of low light intensity such as cloudy tropics or some shade

Seashore Paspalum


Seashore Paspalum


• Weaknesses– Difficult to winter overseed - Dr. Kopec and others in

USA - researching cultural practices

– Sod types need water with reduced salt levels during sprigging and establishment

– Research being done on salt levels for seeding

– Some certified cultivars, others not

Seashore Paspalum


• Where to use– Tropical environments especially low light ones

– Will tolerate some freezing weather if mature

– Not as cold tolerant as highest cold tolerant bermudas

• How to use– Greens - improved vegetative cultivars

– Fairways and Tees - vegetative and seeded types

– Roughs - vegetative and seeded types

– Seeding rates 1/2 to 1 lb / 1000 sq. ft. Some seed dormancy

Colonial Bentgrass

• Strengths– Low nitrogen requirement

– Snow mold resistance

– Dollar spot resistant against most strains

– Less thatch than creepers

– Best at low fertility

– Better wear resistance than creepers

– Hold ball upright

– Low water use - in Utah maintain density 50% ET

– Use with fine fescues


Colonial bentgrass

• In fairway or tee usage best combined with

• Chewings and/or creeping red fescue

Use fine fescues in divot repair mixes

• More sensitive to ethofumesate

• Varieties - SR 7150, SR 7100, Bardot, Egmont, Tiger, Tiger II, Alistair, Glory, Heriot, Revere, Viter

• Use low fertility

Colonial BentgrassDollar Spot Ratings 1999-2002 Data

1-9, 9 = no disease, Mean of ten locations

Cultivar Species Mean Resistance

Tiger II Colonial 7.5

Glory Colonial 7.4

SR 7150 Colonial 7.3


L-93 Creeping 6.6

Penncross Creeping 6.1

Penn G-6 Creeping 5.9

SR 1119 Creeping 5.7

Princeville Creeping 5.5

Century Creeping 4.4

LSD @ 5% 0.8


Colonial BentgrassPink Snow Mold Resistance 1999-2002 Data

1-9, 9 = no disease, Mean of three locations

Cultivar Species Mean Resistance

Tiger II Colonial 6.5

Glory Colonial 6.2


Penn G-6 Creeping 5.6



SR 1119 Creeping 4.6

L-93 Creeping 4.4

Seaside II Creeping 3.4

LSD @ 5% 2.6


Colonial Bentgrass

• Weaknesses– Not very salt tolerant

– ‘Highland’ bentgrass is a dryland bent not a colonial

– Early literature often based on dryland bent

– Brown patch susceptibility - does not kill

– Reduced stolons and some with rhizomes - need to use seed with Chewings fescue for divot repair

– Bright green color - new types such as SR 7150 darker

– More sensitive to ethofumesate

– Less herbicides registered for use

– Variable Take-all resistance


Colonial Bentgrass

• Where to use– Overseeding combined with Poa trivialis, velvet

– Fairways - California, PNW, Mountain, Northeast, New England, Mid-west

– Roughs - higher mowing

• How to use– Combine with fine fescues - select fine fescue species and cultivars

with fairway performance

– Use 5 to 10% colonial bentgrass by weight

– Can add in Kentucky bluegrass


Colonial Bentgrass - Overseeding

• Small seed (good for ultra-dwarf bermudas)

• Medium Fall establishment

• Medium dark green

• High wear tolerance

• Good Spring transition

• High turf quality - High density

• Less expensive / lower seed rate


Velvet Bentgrass

• Strengths– High quality

– High density and fine leaf texture

– Disease resistance - dollar spot, brown patch

– Reduced water requirement - 40 to 60% ET

– Wear tolerant

– Excellent drought and heat resistance

– Best shade tolerance

– Low fertility (after established)

– Best in acid sands or soils - needs acid fertilizer and iron in alkaline conditions


Velvet BentgrassPercent Dollar Spot Lexington, KY 2004

Mean of 5 ratings, May through August

Cultivar Species Mean Per Cent

Independence Creeping 21.9


T-1 Creeping 16.0

Penn A-1 Creeping 13.5

Tyee XD Creeping 12.3

007 Creeping 8.7

Greenwich Velvet 8.1

Declaration Creeping 7.3

SR 7200 Velvet 7.1

Villa Velvet 4.9

LSD @ 5% 6.5


Velvet Bentgrass

• Weaknesses– Seedling Pythium - buy treated seed

– Not salt tolerant

– Copper spot susceptible

– Requires acid soil conditions

– Slower to repair damage

– Need thatch control program

– Less herbicides registered for use


Velvet BentgrassCopper Spot Ratings 2004

1-9, 9 = No disease, NJ NTEP Trial

Cultivar Species Mean Ratings

Tyee XD Creeping 7.3

Penn A-1 Creeping 6.3

007 Creeping 6.0

Declaration Creeping 5.7

Legendary Velvet 5.3

T-1 Creeping 4.7

Greenwich Velvet 3.7


SR 7200 Velvet 3.0

LSD @ 5% 1.6


Velvet Bentgrass

• Where to use– Greens - Northeast, New England, PNW, MidWest - with acid sands. Southeast,

Southwest

– Overseeding blends - germinates at low soil temperatures and light. Repair overseeded greens

– Tees - combine with fine fescues. Great in shade.

– Cultivars - SR 7200, Vesper, Greenwich, Legendary

• How to use– Best seeded in June and August in New Jersey

– Competitive against Poa annua

– Bright, medium green color - not blue-green


Velvet Bentgrass - Overseeding

• Very small seed size (best for ultradwarfs)

• Best putting surface

• Highest wear tolerance, high density

• Medium establishment

• Germinates well at low soil temperatures

• Medium dark green – Mixes well

• Best low light or shade tolerance

• Excellent Spring transition


Velvet Bentgrass - Overseeding

SR 7200 Velvet bentgrass

Creeping bentgrass

Fine Fescue Usage• Add into overseeding blends for salt / Labyrinthula tolerance• High stress tolerance - significant improvements• Use for low maintenance turf alone or as major percentage in blend• Improved cultivars allow use as high quality turf• Rough use most prevalent• Fairways usage alone or in mixtures

– Low water use, less fertilizer, reduced mowing, fewer diseases

• All species can be purchased endophyte -enhanced• Not just for shade mixtures


Fine Fescue Usage

• Species of fine fescues– Chewings fescue– Slender creeping red fescue– Strong creeping red fescue– Hard fescue– Blue or ‘Sheeps’ fescue– True Sheeps fescue


Fine Fescue Usage

• Low maintenance fairway trials - WI, MN, IL– Colonial bentgrass + fine fescues– Fine fescues mixtures– Individual fine fescue cultivars– Organic and synthetic fertilizers– No irrigation, wear applied

• Highest quality improved Chewings, Mixture of improved cultivars of fine fescues

• Fine fescues better under drought• Organic maintained higher fine fescue, faster divot recovery with

synthetic


Species for Overseeding

RyegrassesPerennial, intermediate, annual

Fine fescuesChewings, slender creeping red, strong creeping red, hard

BentgrassesVelvet, colonial, creeping, dryland, Idaho

BluegrassesRough bluegrass, Kentucky, others

Other species

Why overseed with different species?

• Use mixtures for genetic diversity

• Resistance to diseases and stresses

• Color contrast

• Improved transition

• Improved quality

• Smaller seeds

• Potential cost savings

Labyrinthula on Poa trivialis in SC

Why overseed with different species?

Fine fescues - Overseeding• Very fine with stiff texture• Good wear tolerance • Winter-active growth • Improved transition with high quality• Rapid germination - Chewings and red• Resistance to Labyrinthula fungus• Medium seed size

Fine fescues - Overseeding• High salt tolerance

• Color and texture contrast

• Increase genetic diversity of mixtures

• Mixtures with perennial ryegrass,

bentgrasses, Poa trivialis

• Seeding rates (alone) - Do not mow too soon

• Greens 25 - 30 lbs./1000 sq. ft.

• Tees 20-25 lbs./1000 sq. ft.

• Fairways 10-15 lbs./1000 sq.ft. - Excellent

Chewings Fescue

• Strengths– Rapid germination - close to perennial ryegrass

– Winter-active growth

– Heat tolerance - improved cultivars

– Tolerant of low height of cut - most improved cultivars

– Shade tolerance

– Recent studies on low maintenance fairways in WI, MN and IL showed highest performance by Chewings

– WI NTEP Fairway Trials with wear applied Chewings fescue was highest ranked

– Good summer patch, leaf spot resistance


Chewings Fescue

• Weaknesses– Bunch-type growth

– Seeding needed for recovery if damaged

– Red thread resistance variable - select improved cultivars

– Endophyte-enhanced cultivars show improved dollar spot resistance


Chewings Fescue

Comparison of fine fescue with Penncross creeping bentgrass in fairway under drought conditions WI


Chewings Fescue

• Where to use– Fairways - Northern United States, PNW, Coastal CA

– Fairways - Overseeding blends with perennial ryegrass

– Roughs - Northern through transition zone.

• How to use– With all bentgrasses for divot repair or greens repair

– Low maintenance fairways

– Roughs - shaded, ornamental seedheads

– Overseeding blends - better transition, fine textured

– In blends with Kentucky bluegrass for fairways/roughs


Slender Creeping Red Fescue

• Strengths– High salt tolerance

– Resistance to rapid blight

– Short rhizomes for repair

– Tolerant of short cutting heights for fairways

– Improved ones with high heat tolerance

– Excellent fall, winter and spring color

– Extensively used in Europe for fairways . European types have less heat tolerance, higher density, low seed yields.

– Short growing height



• Weaknesses– Brighter green color - not as dark green

– Limited number of cultivars with endophytes

– New cultivars tolerate heat in Central Valley of California - others not enough heat tolerance for some areas

– Most cultivars with good resistance to leaf spot and red thread, but poor resistance to dollar spot and summer patch. Newest cultivars improved resistance to all diseases.



• Where to use– Fairways - areas with salt problems overseeding blends and permanent turf in cool

season areas

– Greens and tees for overseeding in salt areas - used for permanent greens in UK

– Roughs - mown and unmown.

– Important component in links style blends

– Besides parking lots, roadways where salt is used

• How to use– Blends with other fine fescues, colonial bentgrass, bluegrass and perennial

ryegrass



The application of Monument and Tranxit (Both one time and two times)1 week before seeding had no effect on the germination of perennial ryegrass, Chewings fescue, or slender creeping red fescue.

The application of Barricade and Dimension 4 weeks before seeding slowed the germination of all species but all of them have germinated within two weeks. The Chewings seemed less influenced by Barricade than the ryegrass germinating within one day of the control. The Chewings

and slender creeping red fescue were 1 to 3 days later germinating than the ryegrass. They appear slower than that because the seedlings are smaller.



We seeded again 5 weeks after application and again the Barricade and Dimension are slower germinating than the control for all species but all are starting to germinate.

Barricade herbicide applied 7.5 weeks before seeding had no difference on the establishment time or rate of Hawkeye perennial ryegrass, SR 5100 Chewings Fescue or Dawson slender creeping red fescue. All species germinated on the same day as the control and established as rapidly as the control. In all cases, both control and Barricade treated, the fescues germinated 1 to 2 days behind the ryegrass. Dimension was still slightly slowing the germination of all species.


Dawson slender creeping red fescue Perennial ryegrass

Strong Creeping Red Fescue

• Strengths– Long rhizomes for rapid repair

– New cultivars show excellent heat tolerance

– New cultivars tolerate mowing at 1/2 inch with wear

– New cultivars have high summer patch resistance

– Very compatible in blends with Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescues and colonial bentgrass

– Quick germination


Strong Creeping Red Fescue

• Weaknesses– Older material such as common creeping red fescue or

Boreal does not perform like improved material

– Leaf spot resistance weak in older cultivars


Strong Creeping Red Fescue• Where to use

– Northern United States through transition zone

– Lawn height Central Valley, CA , OK, KS

– Full sun and Shade

• How to use– Fairways - with Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, Colonial bentgrass and perennial ryegrass

– Roughs - alone or with bluegrass or fine fescues

– Divot repair from rhizomes useful in blends - still use seed

– Permanent combination with buffalograss


Hard Fescue

• Strengths– Very drought tolerant

– Excellent performance in dry shade, under trees

– New cultivars improved summer patch resistance - can be used in fairways

– Slow growth

– Low fertility requirement

– Lower growing ornamental seedhead for roughs


Hard Fescue

• Weaknesses– Slow germination and establishment

– More winter dormancy - slower spring green-up

– Less wear tolerance

– Summer patch susceptibility - new cultivars better


Hard Fescue

• Where to use– Transition zone north

– Georgia north in shade in rough

– Fairway northern areas, PNW

• How to use– Fairways with other fine fescues or colonial bentgrass

– Roughs alone or with other fine fescues


Blue and Sheeps Fescue

• Strengths– Superior drought tolerance

– Ornamental seedheads

– Excellent shade tolerance

– Most marketed are closely related to hard fescues - only one true sheep's fescue - Quatro



• Weaknesses– Slow germination and establishment

– Very blue color can segregate in blends (depends on desired look)

– Longer winter dormancy



• Where to use– Low maintenance sites - roughs

– Transition zone North

– Dry sites

• How to use– Shady sites - under trees

– Roughs

– Blend with flowers

– Blend with other fine fescues


Transitional Ryegrass

Percent Cover Annual, Transitional, Perennial + mixtures. Seeded Feb. 20, 2004. Puyallup, WA.

Treatment March March April April April April 12 25 2 9 16 22

Axcella AR 26.7 50.0 68.3 91.7 98.3 100 Transeze TR 23.3 48.3 70.0 90.0 95.0 100 PR Blend 8.3 23.3 53.3 53.3 76.7 95TR + PR 21.7 38.3 70.0 85.0 100 100 AR + PR 25.0 43.3 71.7 90.0 98.3 100

LSD@5% 10.2 12.7 11.7 24.9 0 0



• Strengths– Very quick establishment

– Less expensive seed

– Lasts only one to two seasons

– Germination and growth at cooler temp.

– Moderate green color

– Less mowing requirement than annual

– Does not overdominate mixtures

– Can be used with Kentucky bluegrass as nurse grass


Transitional ryegrass

PR TR AR

PR/TR


• Weaknesses– Poor mowing quality in spring

– Lighter green than current perennial ryegrass varieties

– Low salt tolerance



• Where to use– Overseeding south

– Nurse crop north

• How to use– Overseeding - to improve transition

– Nurse grass

– Repair during colder times of the year


Turf-type Tall Fescue

• Strengths– Excellent wear tolerance once established

– Drought tolerance useful many sites

– Can be mown at 1/2 inch

– Shade tolerant

– Tolerates broad range of soils

– Speed of establishment

• New data Ohio State - new varieties can maintain quality with wear after 15 weeks, spring establishment

• Establishes slower than perennial rye faster than bluegrass


Turf-type Tall Fescue

• Weaknesses – Bunch-type growth

– Speed of repair slow

– Rhizomes in new varieties may help

– Need more winter-active growth

– Brown patch susceptibility - in enclosed shade can severely damage

– Old cultivars lacked density and texture, new cultivars finer textured, darker green, higher density


Turf-type Tall Fescue• Where to use

– Roughs - mown for drought avoidance

– Fairways

• How to use – Best results when blended with Kentucky bluegrass - 85 to 90% Tall fescue

– Blending with Texas x Kentucky hybrids may be useful in stress sites

– Brown patch reduced in blends

– Establish in spring or late summer

– Provide protection against Pythium and seedling brown patch


Tall Fescue Turf Rhizome

• 4 inch wide divot cut May 4 , 6 weeks growth

• Tall fescue rhizome 3 inches

from mother plant

• Not as many as in bluegrass

• More rhizomes observed in fall than spring

Texas X Kentucky Bluegrass

• Texas bluegrass heat and drought tolerant, extensive and deep rhizomes

• Kentucky bluegrass turf quality

• 1st generation low fertility, low germination

• Backcrossed to Kentucky bluegrass

• More extensive rhizomes

• Greater heat and drought tolerance

• Must evaluate for diseases, germination vigor, apomixis



• Strengths

– High shear strength

– Excellent rhizomes = good recovery

– Good wear tolerance in Ohio - not high Rutgers



• Weaknesses– Some cultivars slower establishment


Texas X Kentucky bluegrass

• Rhizomes on young spaced plants

• Deep rhizomes contribute to recovery

• Bluegrass usage further south

• Top rated for shear strength NTEP


• Where to use– Roughs

– Fairways

• How to use


Kentucky Bluegrass

• Strengths– Self-repairing

– High recuperative ability

– Dense stand, high quality

– Excellent mowing quality

– High cold tolerance

– New cultivars that tolerate low height of cut for fairway

– Choose aggressive, wear tolerant types

– Some cultivars with improved drought tolerance

– Excellent choice for roughs

– Less fungicides


Types of Kentucky Bluegrasses

Compact Types CELA Type

Compact BVMG Type

Midnight Shamrock type

America Cheri Type

Aggressive Type Julia Type

Bellevue Type Common Type

Mid-Atlantic Type Other Type

Kentucky Bluegrass

• Weaknesses– Poa annua invasion - less options in herbicides

– Slow germination and establishment

– Older varieties do not take low cut - loss of density

– Shade tolerance cultivar dependent

– Bluegrass billbugs

– Must mix cultivars carefully - use different types to match strengths and weaknesses

– Not adapted to some regions


Tufted Hairgrass – Deschampsia spp.


• Hairgrass species are found in temperate, arctic and Antarctic regions (Gould & Shaw, 1983) Used for a forage in the northern alpine regions.

• In the past have been used mainly for wetland restoration riparian plantings and reclamation (Alderson & Sharp, 1994)

• It is one of the first colonizers in a disturbed area, especially under acid soil conditions (pH 3.00-5) or heavy metal concentrations.



• Strengths

- Tolerates acid soils and heavy metals- Establishes well on disturbed sites- Tolerates low light intensities- Tolerates wet or waterlogged sites- Low nitrogen requirement- Useful in high wear situations with low light- Stand is dense and keeps out annual bluegrass

longer than Kentucky bluegrass or perennial rye



• Weaknesses

- Grey-green color- Plants appear rather prostrate and have much lignin in the leaf blades which makes the plant more coarse in appearance.- If heavy wear late in the year, annual bluegrass may fill in before the hairgrass does- Seed is light and fluffy and swirls quite a bit during the seeding process. About the same size as fine fescue seed- Billbug problems when under summer stress (Northeast U.S.)



• Where to use- temperate region- arctic region

•How to use

- roughs, edge of roughs for filtration- natural or manmade wetlands- shady, wet areas- acid soil conditions- disturbed soil areas



Biological Filtration of Nutrients

Trophy Lake Golf and Casting

Port Orchard, WA



TLGC, Hole 1

innovative alternative turfgrass dr. leah brilman — dr. gwen stahnke

Documents

vegetative fairways

gwen stahnke slide

hard fescue roughs

sheeps fescue roughs

leah brilman

roughs separate course

roughs seashore paspalum

vegetative greens