Chapters 14-16 Flashcards
List the warm-season turf grasses according to their texture (fine to coarse); wear resistance; shade tolerance; rate of establishment; method of establishment; drought resistance; and mowing height.
BERMUDAGRASS, Fine text, very good wear, very poor shade, excellent rate of establishment, vegetative, excellent drought, 0.25”-1”
ZOYSIAGRASS, med-fine text, excellent wear, good shade, vegetative, excellent drought, 0.5”-1”
ST. AUGUSTINEGRASS, very coarse, interm wear, excellent shade, good to interm rate of establishment, vegetative, fair drought 1.5”-2.5”
CENTIPEDEGRASS, coarse, poor wear, interm to fair shade, poor rate of establishment, seed or sod, poor drought, 1.0”-2.0
CARPETGRASS, very coarse, interm to poor wear, interm to fair shade, interm rate of establishment, seed or sod, poor drought, 1.0”-3.0
BAHIAGRASS, very coarse, good wear, good shade, interm to poor rate of establishment,, seed or sod, excellent drought, 1.5”-2.5”
Discuss the five ways to vegetatively establish turfgrass.
STOLONIZING. Stolons are scattered over a well prepared seedbed and topdressed to help prevent stolon desiccation.
SPRIGGING. Most warm-season grasses can be established by sprigging.
PLUGGING. Small soil plugs can be used to establish all warm-season turfgrasses. Plugging requires less plant material than sodding, but establishment is slower.
SODDING. Sodding is the most expensive type of vegetative establishment. It provides an “instant lawn” with few weed problems.
STRIP SODDING. Sod is laid in strips rather than as a solid cover. This is less expensive than sodding but quality is low until complete cover occurs.
Discuss the steps in establishing a turf area.
- Control persistent weeds by application of non-selective herbicides such as glyphosate or by fumigation.
- Remove rocks and debris.
- Remove desirable topsoil and sockpile. Establish desire rough grade (maintain at least a 1% slope away from building).
- Provide adequate subsurface drainage. This is often done on high maintenance turf areas such as golf greens and athletic fields.
- Return topsoil and improve with the addition of organic matter or sand if necessary.
- Firm and level. Water heavily to allow settling.
- Rototill soil 6” to 8” in depth.
- Establish final grade. Seedbed should not be too soft or too firm. One’s shoes should sink about 1” when walking across the area.
- Add a starter fertilizer before planting and lightly incorporate.
- Seed, plug, sprig, stolonize, or sod.
- Cover seeds or sprigs by topdressing to prevent drying. Use a straw or synthetic mulch if possible.
- Water to meet needs. Newly sprigged or seeded areas may need to be irrigated lightly two or more times daily until roots begin to penetrate the soil.
- Mow as soon as turf reaches a height that requires mowing.
- Most herbicides cannot be used on newly established turf areas.
Discuss the steps in turfgrass renovation.
DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DETERIORATION. Possible explanations for decline in turf quality include a) poor soil physical or chemical properties, b) excessive thatch build up, or c) injury by insects or diseases. Review management practices performed and identify possible causes.
ERADICATE UNDESIRABLE SPECIES. Decline in turf density often leads to weed encroachment. Some perennial weeds, such as common bermudagrass, cannot be controlled with selective herbicides. Therefore, treatment with a non-selective herbicide is required before renovation. Other broadleaf and grassy weeds may also be present and must be eradicated to achieve successful renovation.
REMOVE THATCH. Excessive thatch accumulation is a common contributor to turf deterioration. Centipedegrass decline is commonly seen on home lawns that have been overmanaged. That is, excessive amounts of nitrogen have been applied or the turf has been mowed too high or too infrequently. Thatch is commonly removed with a vertical mower (verti-cutter, vertical slicer, dethatcher).
CULTIVATE. Cultivation refers to the use of machinery to disturb the soil or thatch without uprooting the existing turf. Methods of cultivation include core aerification, vertical mowing, slicing, and spiking. Cultivation before seeding will improve seed to soil contact.
APPLY LIME AND/OR FERTILIZER. Turf quality decline may be because of poor soil chemical conditions. A soil test will indicate required elements and the pH status.
SEEDING OR VEGETATIVE ESTABLISHMENT. If seeding is to be done, higher rates should be used than when establishing a new turf area. Greater seed exposure and increasing competition generally results in decreased seedling survival. Mowing closely before seeding will also increase seedling survival. Groove seeds ae available that slice a small furrow and drop seeds to ensure survival. If vegetative establishment is to be used, plugging or sodding are recommended. Plugs can be transplanted from out-of-sight areas to repair thin areas. Sodding allows immediate cover.
TOP-DRESS AND MULCH. If the area has been seeded, sprigged, or stonolized, lightly topdressing with (1/4”) soil or sand will provide a protective cover for germinating seedlings and tender stolons. Topdressing, although not as much critical, will also benefit areas that have been plugged or sodded. Mulch is beneficial to prevent soil from eroding during heavy summer rainfall. Straw or hay (1 to 2 bales per 1,000 sq. ft.) provides good protection for newly seeded, sprigged, or plugged areas that are susceptible to soil erosion.
IRRIGATION. Newly renovated turf areas must be kept moist to prevent seedlings or stolons from dying out. Sodded areas should also be irrigated to maintain adequate moisture at the sod/soil interface.
List fertilizer types, examples of each and their characteristics.
FERTILIZER TYPE: Synthetic Inorganic: Examples: ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea. CHARACTERISTICS: Relatively cheap, water soluble, fast release, and quick turf response; N prone to leaching, high burn potential.
FERTILIZER TYPE: Synthetic Organic: Examples: urea formaldehyde (UF), IBDU, Coron, sulfur coated area (SCU). CHARACTERISTICS: Relatively expensive, slow release with longer residual, slow turf response, low water solubility, low burn potential.
FERTILIZER TYPE: Natural Organic: Examples: milorganite, bone meal, other organic materials. CHARACTERISCTIS: Relatively expensive, slow release, slow turf response, not water soluble. High bulk needed because of low N content. Low burn potential.
“1/3 rule” for mowing frequency.
Generally, no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade should be removed in one cutting. Removal of more than 1/3 of the leaf blade in one cutting can result in scalping.
Should grass clippings be returned or collected during mowing?
Research has indicated that returning clippings will contribute no more than 5% to 10% to thatch accumulation. Of course, there are times when collecting clippings is preferred to returning them, such as: a) on high quality turf areas such as putting greens and tees, b) when children or animals track clippings into the house, or c) when clippings are used for mulch in gardens. Turf areas from which clippings are removed generally require more fertilizer than those where clippings are returned. Turfgrass clippings contain substantial levels of N and K; therefore, removing clippings requires that these nutrients ve replaced by fertilizer applications.
When and why do lawns need dethatching.
Turf areas that have accumulated a deep thatch layer are more susceptible to mechanical, biological, and environmental, stresses. Because thatch is spongy, mowers tend to sink in, and the effective cutting height is then lower that what was desired. Thatchy turf is easily escalped.
Life cycles of the following turfgrass weed groups.
a) winter annuals: An annual that grows during the cool portions of the season.
b) summer annuals: a weed that completes its entire life cycle in one growing season, i.e. germinates, matures, produces seed, and dies.
c) perennials: a weed that grows indefinitely, and will be present year after year.
List turf insect pests and classify them as foliar, root, or nuisance pests.
FOLIAR: armyworms, sod webworms, cutworms, and southern chinch bug.
ROOT: mole crickets, may beetles, japanese beetles, green june beetle, and hunting billbugs.
NUISANCE: fire ant, ticks, and earwigs.
List the hot weather, warm weather, and cool weather diseases.
HOT-WEATHER: pythium blight, gray leaf spot.
WARM WEATHER: brown patch, dollar spot, rust.
COOL-WEATHER: spring dead spot.
What are two major points the Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees (CODIT) system based on?
First, a tree is a highly compartmented plant. Second, after a tree is wounded, the resulting defects are compartmentalized or walled off.
Basic steps in properly planting a tree.
- Dig the hole a foot wider than needed to accommodate the root ball, but no deeper. Do not mix or use amendments with the backfill soil. Research has suggested that this is detrimental to good lateral root development. Place plant into hole.
- Remove wire or twine from around the trunk, and if balled and burlapped (B&B), pull the burlap 2/3 down from around the ball. If grow bags are used, remove them entirely.
- Refill the hole with backfill soil only, and belch all air pockets by tamping and/or watering the backfill. Do not water then tamp; soil compaction will result.
- Slow-release fertilizers may be placed two to six inches below grade while refilling with backfill; avoid direct root to fertilizer contact. Plant starter fertilizers may also be used. Follow manufacturer’s labeled directions for both.
- Guy and stake trees, but leave them in place no longer than necessary. Leaving the guy wires in place too long can cause breakage of the tree stem or trunk.
- Create a levee around the circumference of the root ball to facilitate more through watering. After the levee is formed and firmed, mulch the plant with an organic material such as cypress mulch or pine needles. These two mulches tend to knit together, therefore resisting washing away during heavy rains.
- Do not prune the newly planted or transplanted tree or shrub. Pruning will stop root development and will retard growth. Wait at least one year before pruning or shaping (except native azaleas). The use of antidesiccants may be used after planting which often helps keep the plant from drying excessively.
True or False. Generally, smaller plants will transplant more successfully than larger plants of the same species.
True
What is the best time for planting or transplanting trees in Louisiana?
From late November through February
