Sports Turf Management in the Transition Zone
Transcription
Sports Turf Management in the Transition Zone
SPORTS TURF MANAGEMENT IN THE TRANSITION ZONE Gregg Munshaw Cale Bigelow Contact Information • Gregg Munshaw - University of Kentucky • [email protected] • Cale Bigelow – Purdue University • [email protected] Web-Resources • Purdue: http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf • Kentucky: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/ukturf/ Feel Free to Connect with us on Social Media Climactic Zones In very general terms: The United States can be grouped into major Climactic Zones characterized by: Temperature: • Cool (A distinct winter period) • Warm (A sustained summer period) Precipitation: • Humid (Rainfall > Evaporation) • Arid (Rainfall < Evaporation) gm The Transition Zone The Transition Zone What is it? Some people describe it as “Fire and Ice” Annually challenges the skills of even the most experienced turf managers Summers “can” be hot and (dry) causing damage to cool-season turfgrasses Winters “can” be severe and damage warmseason turfgrasses Winter Comes to the Transition Zone but How Long/Severe varies each year Severe Summer Stress Can Have Consequences for Intense Fall Use on Cool-Season Turfgrasses like KBG The Transition Zone Factors to Consider when Selecting a Turfgrass in the Transition Zone • Upper or lower TZ • Time of athletic season • Amount of play • Equipment • Irrigation • Budget • Coach’s preference Desirable Species Characteristics • Vigorous growth • Mowing quality • Wear tolerance • Recovery (spreading habit?) • Environmental stress tolerance • Adapted to a wide range of environments (heat, cold, humidity, etc.) • Color? cb Growth Habits Spreading Grasses = Recovery Which Grass Species??? • Traditional cool-season • KBG • P. Rye • Mixes (KBG/P.Rye, KBG/TTTF, etc.) • TTTF? • Warm-season • Bermudagrass (common vs. improved) • Non-traditional species? • Rhizomatous “bunch” grasses P.Rye, TTTF, etc., HT Blue, Supina Blue? Kentucky bluegrass? • Weaknesses • durability for early season football (July/Aug) questionable • 1-2” cutting height required. • Very slow to establish. • Strengths • lots of seed and cultivars readily available • good traffic tolerance when mature (will it mature fast enough for your use?) • recuperative potential comes from rhizomatous growth habit. Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivar Diversity One Strength is How “Cleanly” it Mows Striping Too… KBG Field-Summer Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivar Categories • Common types • Aggressive types • Compact types • Mid-Atlantic types • BVMG • Texas x Kentucky Hybrids (Thermal) KBG Cultivar Variability Notice the difference in leaf elongation rates Long-term Annual bluegrass Encroachment Summer Patch Necrotic Ring Spot Perennial ryegrass • Weaknesses • Gray leaf spot • no recuperative potential • clumpy • Strengths • lots of seed and cultivars readily available • excellent traffic tolerance when mature • rapid germination and establishment. The gray leaf spot problem is significantly reducing the amount of perennial ryegrass being used on athletic fields, but mixtures of KY BG and Per. Ryegrass are still very popular. Photo: Brad Park- Rutgers The Reality of Inferior Seed, Species and a Spring Seeding, Mismanagement Perennial Ryegrass Can Become Clumpy when Overused and Thins Photo: Ohio State Turf Science OSU RPR Research showed most stolon growth at 2 inches and took 2 years to establish. Some appear ok, some not. Do your homework! Gray Leaf Spot Image: PaceTurf Tall fescue (Turf-types!!!) • Weaknesses • Strengths • can thin out significantly • lots of seed readily during the summer in available for many heavy use situations (but cultivars does have a very deep • good traffic tolerance root system that keeps it when mature (will it going) mature fast enough for • requires a regular 2-3” your use?) mowing height. • better shade tolerance • Difficult to mow--requires than bermudagrass a very sharp blade. • quick establishment rate • No recuperative potential. KBG vs. Tall fescue during and after summer stress Kentucky Bluegrass Tall Fescue Choose Turf-Types How Low can you Mow? Brown Patch Research @ UK has shown very little rhizome production with dense turfs Other Cool-Season Choices? Creeping bentgrass Fine fescue Supine bluegrass Annual ryegrass Intermediate ryegrass? KY 31 tall fescue Tall Fescues? Leaf Texture, Unacceptable ? Warm-season grasses Turfgrass Seasonal Growth Patterns Cool-season grasses Bermudagrass • Strengths: • Weaknesses: • better adapted to late • full sun turfgrass spring/summer • winter dormancy… conditions acceptable or not? • rapid establishment • cold tolerance concerns and recuperation rate if • most rapid growing grass timed appropriately in this climate (ie lots of • excellent wear, heat, cutting and vertical drought, and pest mowing necessary… of tolerance course, this might be a strength as well!) • mow between 0.5-2” Bermudagrass Tif-Sport Patriot Two weeks after divoting “Close, regular” mowing to facilitate a “faster surface” = better ball speed Surface Stability/Reliability Summer Clippings Cultivars Vary in Winter-Survival/Kill Latitude 36 NorthBridge Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivar Categories • Common types • Aggressive types • Compact types • Mid-Atlantic types Bermudagrass • BVMG • Texas x Kentucky Hybrids (Thermal) Tif-Sport Patriot Traffic Tolerance: Cultivar Differences Riviera Latitude 36 Tifway Plant Morphology Differences Dr. Goatley “Building grass from the ground up…” Winter Traffic Feb. 16, 2008 Mar. 20, 2008 •Spring recovery/greenup in March approximately 50% for control plots, 15% for drained traffic, and <10% for wet traffic. •Control areas reached 100% spring recovery/greenup in April vs. June for the areas receiving winter traffic. Spring Green Up Following Fall Use cb Spring Dead Spot??? Major Turfgrass Species Suitable for Athletic Fields in Transition Zone Major Cool-Season Turfgrasses: • Kentucky bluegrass (cultivar!) • Turf-type tall fescue (cultivar!) • Perennial Ryegrass (cultivar!) • Species Mixtures • Other species? Major Warm-Season Turfgrasses: • Bermudagrass • Zoysiagrass? cb In Addition to Persistence/Adaptation Selection Needs to be Based on Expectations??? Period of Intense Use Should Drive Species Selection Which makes more sense to use? A grass that is at its weakest to start or one that is at its strongest? Best Species for Fall Use ?! Take home message: There is NO PERFECT grass! Major Cool-Season Turfgrasses: • Kentucky bluegrass (cultivar!) • Turf-type tall fescue (cultivar!) • Perennial Ryegrass (cultivar!) • Species Mixtures • Other species? • Remember • Wear and Recovery are different! • Matching Intense Use with Seasonal Turfgrass Growth Patterns? Traffic Management!!! Traffic Management Late Fall Bermudagrass Soccer Performance Winter Survival? Traffic Issues Long-Term Success = Cultivate, Cultivate, Cultivate That Soil Mowing Practices • Height/frequency/equipment • ALWAYS think about how mowing will stress the turf • Too high? • Too low? (scalp) • Clipping management • Compaction effects Reel-type mower for 1” Cutting Height Mowingever remove more than 1/3 of the plant at a time. Foliage removed 40% 50% after 33 d 60% 80% 90% Effects on root growth Slowed but not stopped 35% of roots growing Stopped by the 28th d Stopped by the 10th d No root growth Mowing Height Ranges for Commonly used Turfgrasses on Sports Fields Turfgrass Kentucky bluegrass Tall fescue Perennial ryegrass Bermudagrass Range (in inches) 0.75-2.0 2.0-2.5 0.5-2 0.5-2 Raising the mowing ht does not improve traffic tolerance but will increase rooting, resulting in increased stress tolerance Question: How Low Can you Go? How low should you mow? Tall Fescue mowed at 1 inch Mowing Height and Sprint Speeds • K.J. Trotta, 2004. 6.2 Athletic Turf News. sprint speeds on turf mowed at 1, 2, and 3 inches. • JV and Varsity football athletes. Time (Seconds) • Measured 40-yard 6 5.8 JV Varsity 5.6 5.4 5.2 5 1" 2" 3" Mowing Heights Offseason Mowing Heights • Mow tall, but mow! Aesthetics? Turf Fertility and Fertilizer Products General Fertility Program? • Fall Nitrogen = Yes!!! But how…and How Much? • Many product options… but your fertility program all begins with nitrogen fertility • This nutrient is the catalyst for uptake of so many other nutrients • Goal: apply nitrogen in a controlled manner to NOT force too much leaf growth and not compromising root growth or carbohydrate storage. Growth-Color Response Growth Responses of Fast and Slow Release Fertilizers 1 lb N fast release 1 lb N slow release Time Nitrogen Timing For Cool-Season Grasses • Spring/Summer Nitrogen Encourages: • Crabgrass • Foxtail • Dallisgrass • Johnsongrass • Bermudagrass • Nimblewill • Nutsedge • Apply N Every Fall • Less on Good Soils • Less When Not Irrigated • Less when not trafficked • Less on large industrial lawns ADVANTAGES of Fall Nitrogen on Cool-Season Grasses • Greener Color in Winter • Less Spring Mowing • Less Weeds in Summer • Less Heat Stress in Summer • Less Water Needed in Summer • Less Disease Problems in Summer Rules of Thumb Nitrogen Timing For Warm-Season Grasses Maintenance Program Normal (native soil) Nitrogen Recommendation per Growing Month 0.5-1.0 lb/1000 ft2 Intensive (native soil) 1.0 lb/1000 ft2 Intensive (sandy soil) 1.0-2.0 lb/1000 ft2 General Fertilizer Timing Warm-Season Turf Irrigated Turf Sand-based Fertilizer Timing Irrigated Turf Spoon-Feeding My Question: How Low Can you Go? Concerns with Bermudagrass Fall Fertilizing • Leaching • Winter Weeds • Winterkill? Other Nutrients and Supplements? • All other nutrients should be applied based on soil test • • • • results P K Micros Other products? PGRs and timing? Summer Clippings Improved Mowing Quality w/ PGRs Overseeding Bermudagrass Overseeding • What species? • Alternative/Non-traditional Species? • Removal and Transition? Overseeded Fall Use VERY POOR OVERSEEDING DISTRIBUTION Photo: L.B. McCarty Covers The Effect of Overseeding on Bermudagrass Winter Survival Honestly, we don’t know much in terms of facts? Plant More Warm-Season Fields? Questions/Follow-up Contact Information • Gregg Munshaw - University of Kentucky • [email protected] • Cale Bigelow – Purdue University • [email protected]