What element should you use if you would like to lower the pH in your soil?

1. What element should you use if you would like to lower the pH in your soil?

2. Answer: Sulfur • Max 2-4 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. per ap • Max 10 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. in a year • Approx 12 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. to lower 0.5 points (9 lbs in sandy soils) • Apply right after aeration in cool weather and higher cut turf • Always defer to the lab

3. Which element should you use if you would like to raise the pH in your soil?

4. Answer: Lime • Max 50 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. per ap • Max 100 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. per year • Approx 50 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. to lower 0.5 points (25 lbs in sandy soils) • Apply right after aeration in cool weather and higher cut turf • Always defer to the lab

5. For our area, what range of pH is considered acceptable? • 4.5-6.0 • 6.0-7.5 • 7.5-9.0

6. Answer: B) 6.0-7.5

7. Put these grasses in order of shade tolerance: • Kentucky Bluegrass • Perennial Ryegrass • Tall Fescue • Fine Fescues

8. Answer: • 1) Fine Fescues • 2) Tall Fescues • 3) Perennial Ryegrass • 4) Kentucky Bluegrass

9. Name the 4 types of Fine Fescues

10. Answer: • Red Fescue (Strong & Slender) • Chewings Fescue • Sheep Fescue • Hard Fescue

11. Advantages of Fine Fescues • Excellent Drought Tolerance • Low Fertility Requirements • Excellent Shade Tolerance • Low Growing –4”-6”

12. Disadvantages of Fine Fescues • Poor wear tolerance • Certain types may go dormant in summer when heat is highest (chewings & creeping red fescue)

13. Which species of grass is this?

14. Answer: Tall Fescue • Moderately wear tolerant • Good shade tolerance • Excellent drought tolerance • Improved disease tolerance • Resistance to certain insects if endophyte-enhanced

15. Which species of grass is this?

16. Answer: Tall FescueDisadvantages • Questionable cold tolerance • Not as fine-bladed as other turf grasses • More frequent mowing • A bunch-type grass • Does not mix so well with other grasses—seed by itself or with 10-20% kentucky bluegrass

17. I am a perennial, bunch-type grass that exhibits good green color. My latin name is lolium perenne. What am I?

18. Answer: Perennial Ryegrass • Establishes quickly • Good color • Blends well with bluegrass and fine fescues • Bunch-type growth • Should be endophyte-enhanced

19. When is the best time to aerate a lawn? • A) Late March • B) End of May/early June • C) Late September/early October

20. Answer:B) End of May/early June

21. Ohio St. did a study on wear tolerance. Which of these combinations performed the best? • A) Kentucky Bluegrass/Perennial Ryegrass Mix • B) 100% Kentucky Bluegrass (Improved) • C) 100% Tall Fescue (rhizomatous) Kentucky D) Bluegrass/Tall Fescue Mix

22. Answer: • B) 100% Kentucky Bluegrass (Improved) • A) Kentucky Bluegrass/Perennial Ryegrass Mix • D) Kentucky Bluegrass/Tall Fescue Mix • C) 100% Tall Fescue (rhizomatous) --A & D were roughly a tie

23. True or False: • Coatings on grass seed have been shown to consistently increase seed germination and should be integrated into your overseeding program?

24. Answer: False • “I’d like to charge you more money for a gimmick”. • Fertilizer Coating = Not Enough • Water absorbing polymer = Little Effect • Exceptions: Apron or Maxim Coatings

25. As a general rule of thumb, after grass seed germinates, how long should you wait before it is safe to apply an herbicide? • When the grass is at least one inch tall. • Once the grass has been mowed 2 times • 6 months from the time you seeded

26. Answer: • B) Once the grass has been mowed 2 times • Always defer to the label and manufacturer’s recommendations

27. What is the proper planting depth for turf seed? • A) Sitting on top of the Soil • B) 1/16” – 1/8” • C) ¼” – ½” • D) ¾”

28. Answer: • B) 1/16” – 1/8” inch Too shallow = nowhere for roots to go Too deep = Tired Seed

29. True or False: There is no such thing as putting down too much seed?

30. Answer: False • Too much seed = carpet effect

31. In a word, what is the #1 reason why seed sometimes fails?

32. Answer: Watering!! • Too much = dormancy/washing out • Too little = wilting & death

33. Poa Supina is: • A) A last resort species of grass for shady areas • B) An annual weed • C) A term I made up • D) Another name for Poa Trivialis

34. Answer: • A) A last resort species of grass for shady areas • Slow to germinate, but very aggressive when established • Extremely wear tolerant • Quick spring green-up • Lighter green color • Very expensive—5-10% is enough in mix

35. According to a New York trial, which element, when applied annually at 2-4 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft., increased water-use efficiency by 19-45%?

36. Answer: Potassium • Makes turf tougher—increasing wear tolerance • Has been shown to diminish disease before when applied before an outbreak

37. I spread via rhizomes and am well equipped to handle our harsh winters. I mix well with others (grasses) but I am slow to germinate and can be expensive (but I’m worth it). Which grass am I?

38. Answer: Kentucky Bluegrass • Very wear tolerant and excellent recuperative ability • Slow to germinate (14-28 days) • New varieties = dark green color • Likes to be fertilized—higher maintenance • Relatively good drought tolerance • Mixes well with other grasses • New varieties exhibit good resistance

39. I am a parasite that helps protect some types of grasses from certain insects. What am I called?

40. Answer: An Endophyte • Perennial Ryegrass/Tall Fescue and a limited # of fine fesuces • Makes plant tougher naturally • Defends against sod webworm, billbug, fall armyworms, stem weevils, and chinch bugs • Non-toxic to dogs or other pets

41. A few last helpful tips: • Irrigate in the early morning • Mow in the morning • Keep mowing heights high (2.5” or so) • Irrigate before and after applying insecticide • Try using Iron in place of an application • Only use slow release fertilizers in all areas, but particularly in shady areas.