Home Lawns Poaceae Domus

1. Home LawnsPoaceae Domus King County Master Gardeners Austin Watson March 10, 2009

2. About Me • Austin Watson • www.austingwatson.com/mg/ • Master Gardener since 2002 • Son and Husband of WSU Master Gardeners

3. Seminar Outline • Introduction and Lawn History • Biology & Lifecycle of the Lawn • Planting a New Lawn • Renovating an Existing Lawn • Maintaining your Lawn • Problems of the Lawn • Diseases of the Lawn • Insect Problems of the Lawn • Animal Problems of the Lawn • MG Clinic Questions / Final Exam

4. MG Clinic Q&A regarding the Lawn After Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Lawns are the third most common category of question you will get at a Master Gardener clinic. If you include Weeds, Insects, Soil and Landscaping, It is the most common category. Be prepared… • Lawn Care For Dummies ISBN 0764550772 • The Lawn Bible ISBN 0786888423 and EB’s…

5. Typical MG Lawn Questions

6. Lawn Class Summary • Fertilize 4 times per year with 3:1:2, using 4 lb N / 1000 sq ft / yr • Mow weekly at 1.5” to 2”. Remove top third • Water 1” per week, as needed, or not at all. • To plant a new lawn – get a book & follow directions • Use Perennial Rye Grass and Fine Fescue • To Renovate a lawn – get a book & follow directions • Disease Management – repeat (1,2,3) above

8. LAWN

9. Definitions • Lawn • a stretch of open, grass-covered land, esp. one closely mowed, as near a house, on an estate, or in a park. • Yard • the ground that immediately adjoins or surrounds a house, public building, or other structure. • Turf • a layer of matted earth formed by grass and plant roots • Grass • any plant of the family Gramineae, having jointed stems, sheathing leaves, and seedlike grains • such plants collectively, as when cultivated in lawns or used as pasture for grazing animals or cut and dried as hay

10. My Lawn – The Green One

11. Effects of WaterSept 9, 2006 Nobody watered the lawn this summer. Aug 2006 = 0” rain. It turned brown. When the rains came, it turned green.

12. Sept 9

13. Effects of WaterSept 9, 2007 Nature watered the lawn this summer. Aug 2007 = .73” rain It stayed green. Except where the Poa Annua was.

14. Dec 29

15. Feb 5

16. History • Lawns became popular in Europe from the Middle Ages onward • The early lawns were not always distinguishable from pasture fields • It is thought that the associations with pasture and the biblical connotations of this word made them attractive culturally http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn

17. Today’s Dream Lawns Today’s premier lawns are all about of Baseball, Football and Golf.

18. Turf Systems And they are very high tech.

19. Biology & Lifecycle “Grass is the premier plant for improving soil structure.” “Turf in an organic matter factory.” Notes from 2002 MG Soils training.

20. Grass Biology • Stolons – above ground rooting • Rhizomes – below ground rooting • Blade - photosynthesis • Collar • Stem • Sheaf • Node Internode • Ligule http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaceae

21. Naming RYE • Kingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: LiliopsidaOrder: PoalesFamily: Poaceae • Genus: Lolium FESCUE • Kingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: LiliopsidaOrder: PoalesFamily: Poaceae • Genus: Festuca

22. Perennial Ryegrass - Lolium • Group: Monocot  • Family: Poaceae  • Duration: Perennial, Annual  • Growth Habit: Graminoid <grasslike>

23. Fescue - Festuca • Group: Monocot  • Family: Poaceae  • Duration: Perennial   • Growth Habit: Graminoid Quite a good place to learn biology: http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch

24. Lifecycle • Repeat { • Green • Brown } • Repeat { • Seed • Sprout • Stolon • Rhizome • Flower }

25. Grasses • Fine Fescue • shade tolerant, • low maintenance (low N fert, water, mow) • Gets Red Thread Disease • Perennial Rye • Green later in fall, earlier in spring • More thatch than bentgrass • Gets Red Thread Disease • Bentgrass • Beautiful – but lots of work. High maintenance • Thatch, Creep into beds, get red thread • Can mow to 1/8 to 1/2 in • Use colonial, not creeping • Works well on soils that are saturated for long periods • Tall Fescue • Transition areas (hot and cold) • Needs water

26. Just say no to these Grasses • In the PNW just say no to these grasses • No! Zoisia • Warm season – browns at 55 deg • No! Kentucky Blue Grass • Needs dormancy period , needs low ph soil, disease prone in Western WA

27. A Typical Lawn History • My Lawn 1987 New – New house – Two small boys 1988-2003 – Maintenance 2003 – Renovation – Overuse 2007 – Renovation – Weed Infestation

28. Planning for a New Lawn • Plan so there will be 6 to 8 weeks of good growing weather • The fall optimum is mid-Aug to mid-Sept • The period from mid-May to approximately mid-June is a pretty good time to plant • The rest of the year is a poor to bad time to plant grass

29. Planting a New Lawn • Plan so you plant during the optimum time of the year • Mid Aug to mid September or mid May to mid June as a second choice • Till and rough grade existing soil. • Use existing soil when feasible. • Till in Lime or other amendments if needed. • Add amendments or imported soil at this time, spread as a layer. • Finish grade via raking and rolling to produce a uniform profile with a firm surface. • Apply pre-plant fertilizer high in Nitrogen and Phosphorus; 10:20:20 • Apply seed with a drop seeder, or by hand and lightly rake it in. • Apply no more than ¼ inch of mulch with wire basket mulch roller, or by hand. • Irrigate site thoroughly at first and then with light repeat applications. • Keep seedbed moist but not saturated for 1 to 2 weeks. • Reduce frequency of irrigation after germination occurs. • Mow as soon as there is grass to cut at about three weeks after planting. • Fertilize with Nitrogen based fertilizer 3:1:2 about 4 to 6 weeks after planting. • Sit back and enjoy your new lawn!

30. Planting a New Lawn in Summer • Don’t if you can avoid it! • Plant seed treated with a fungicide to prevent damping off • Use the lowest seed rate in the optimum range • Use a light colored mulch at a low rate or no mulch at all • Water very carefully to avoid drought and saturation • Fertilize cautiously • Be patient and wait for fall for better growing weather. • Pray for a cool summer

31. Planting a New Lawn in Late Fall • Don’t if you can avoid it! • If you must plant late increase seeding rates. • Add 2 lbs mix per 1000 sq ft per week after mid-Sept • Use a dark colored mulch to absorb as much heat as possible from the meager fall sunshine • Increase the percentage of perennial ryegrass in the mix • Fertilize at the time of planting and again 4 to 6 weeks later • Pray for a warm fall

32. Soil & Soil Prep (sand silt clay) • Sandy loam best • Soil makeup = (Normal, compacted, poorly drained) • Soil needs air • Sand has less water capacity, loam more water capacity • Natural depth typically 2 – 4 in – add up to 4 in • Drain at 16” deep if wet (trench, perf-pipe, gravel) • Soil test kit (send it in) • Or, assume typical PNW soil and add 10:20:20 + Lime • Topsoil ½ in depth below patio height • Compact after seeding, not before • Prep is same for sod, seed, or spray

33. Seeding the new lawn • Shade over 50% is too much – you can cut down the tree  – or use fine fescue • If poorly drained do not use fine fescue, use ryegrass or tall fescue • If highly trafficked, use perennial rye • Seed in X direction, Seed in Y direction. Rake & Roll • Keep moist until germination • Cover w/ mulch if hot and dry or windy or to discourage birds (Cover with bird net if needed) • Expect to mow in three weeks

34. Seeding a New Lawn • If you plant during an optimum planting period and want a perennial ryegrass - fine fescue lawn then use a minimum of 5 lb. mix/1000 sq. ft. • For each week you plant later than the optimum period in the fall, increase the seed rate by 2 lb. mix/1000 sq. ft. • Applying Seed • Overseed • Spray on / Hydroseed • Sod (aka: sprouted seed)

35. Seed VS Sod VS Spray • Seed • Lowest cost • Excellent likelihood for good results • Sod • Highest cost • Instant gratification – don’t forget to water it! • May separate if poorly installed • May include interlopers • Spray • Good for very large areas

36. Grass Seed Label

37. Grass Seed Label

38. Grass Seed Label OOPS! Kentucky Blue grass not recommended for Western WA

39. Lawn Renovation - Step by Step • Mow short • Thatch • Aerate • Fill low spots – re-level • Feed (Fertilizer, Lime) • Over seed • Remaining steps same as for new lawn • Water, Mow

40. Renovating an Existing Lawn • Link to Renovation Slide Show

41. About Thatch • Thatch is caused by the accumulation of roots and dead grass stolons, and it builds up faster with some grass types than with others. • The layer of dead material acts just like the thatch on an old-fashioned roof, and it repels water. • If it's more than about 1/2 inches thick, it will keep air, water, and nutrients from reaching the grass roots and turf quality will be poor. • Harbors disease • Prevents fertilization • Reduces water uptake • Remove Thatch in Spring – before end of April (Feb to April)

42. As thatch accumulates, turf grass roots grow in the thatch rather than in the soil, resulting in weakened turfs that are prone to stress injury. Thatch

43. Power Rake Blade THATCH  MASTER Thatcher aka POWER Rake

44. Aerators NO

45. Aerators

46. Maintaining your Lawn • Watering • Mowing • Feeding • Weeding

47. Watering your lawn • One inch per week • Once a week sufficient • Early morning preferred • Use a rain gauge to decide when to water • Look at it and pour it out once a week. If more than one inch, don’t water. • Or, just water from Mid July to Mid Sept • Or, just let it go dormant.

48. Lawn Watering Tools

49. Effect of Water on Summer Grass

50. Drought • Many established lawns, even though they look brown and dry when not watered through summer, will recover with fall rains. • Recovery from dormancy depends on lawn grass type. Dr. Gwen Stahnke, Turf Agronomist at WSU, says that bentgrass lawns can go totally dormant and recover. Perennial ryegrass lawns — often those used in Western Washington — will thin out, with some dead blades. Those lawns could be seeded again in fall. • If you plan to allow the lawn to go dormant, do not spread seed — or overseed — during drought. Lack of water will kill the small grasses. • When fertilizing for the April-May period, apply only half the usual rate of fertilizer to keep the grass from growing too lush. • Do not fertilize established (older) lawns during June, July or August. • Do recycle grass clippings on the lawn — this will provide nutrients and can help shade the soil. • If grass is dormant or getting little water, stay off it. Mary Robson