Creating Practical Turf Areas C Su
- 1. Creating practical turf and non-turf areas
- 2. Select turf based on actual use of the site. Higher quality = High water demand Expectations? Lower quality = Lower water demand
- 3. Water-wise lawn care Higher quality = High water demand Expectations? Lower quality = Lower water demand Routine irrigation High performance Bluegrass varieties and turf-type tall fescue Reduced irrigation Reduced inputs Bluegrass varieties and turf-type tall fescue Non-irrigated Buffalograss Blue Grama
- 4. Water-wise lawn care High water demand Expectations? Low water demand Increased drought tolerance with 3”- 4” mowing height. Spring fertilization decreases drought tolerance. Any grass is intolerant of traffic when under water stress.
- 5. Water-wise lawn care High water demand Expectations? Low water demand During periods of water shortage, reduce expectations.
- 6. Water-wise gardening is not anti-turf, it is about matching the expectation with the actual use of the site. Grass provides significant environmental and people benefits.
- 7. Reduces surface runoff An average golf course of 150 acres can absorbs 4 million gallons of water during a 1” rain. Thick turf allows 15 times less runoff than a thin turf. A dense turf can reduce runoff to almost zero. Grass protects surface water quality
- 8. Reduces surface runoff On a slope with good soil tilth, dense sod can absorbs 7.6”/hour compared to 2.4/hour for a thin sod When compared to a non-grass area (like a garden or field) grassy areas reduce soil erosion caused by runoff by 84 to 668 times Grass protects surface water quality
- 9. To protect surface water quality, direct surface runoff onto grass areas allowing for natural filtering in this biologically active turf soil.
- 10. Traps dust and pollen Reduces noise, summer heat, and glare (improving “people space”) Controls soil erosion by wind Grass mitigates pollutions
- 11. Soil microbial activity breaks down pollutants (such as air contaminants, pesticides and pollen) Grass mitigates pollutions
- 12. It takes 25 square feet of actively growing turf to convert the carbon dioxide, CO 2 , into oxygen, O 2 , needed per person per day. Grass converts CO 2 to O 2
- 13. Actively growing grass turf supports soil microorganism activity, which improves soil structure.
- 14. Cool, dirt-free play space for children and adults Turf is basic to “people space”
- 15. Element in landscape design Gives unity to the landscape design elements Provides a neutral background setting off flowers and shrubs Turf is basic to “people space”
- 16. Property value and marketability Fire Control Other benefits of turf
- 17. Objective: Match turf with needs of site! Expectations?
- 18. Kentucky bluegrass does NOT requires heavy irrigation. Standard for high aesthetic value “people space” Seasonal irrigation required = 34” water
- 19. Kentucky bluegrass does NOT requires heavy irrigation. Water use depends on the expectations, most landscapes are significantly over-watered.
- 20. Kentucky bluegrass does NOT requires heavy irrigation. Water use depends on the expectations, most landscapes are significantly over-watered. Bluegrass goes dormant under water stress. Makes a great reduced input lawn, allowing it go dormant in hot/dry weather.
- 21. Kentucky bluegrass does NOT requires heavy irrigation. Water use depends on the expectations, most landscapes are significantly over-watered. Bluegrass goes dormant under water stress. Makes a great reduced input lawn, allowing it go dormant in hot/dry weather. “ Drought-tolerant varieties use 25% less water .
- 22. Kentucky bluegrass does NOT requires heavy irrigation. Water use depends on the expectations, most landscapes are significantly over-watered. Bluegrass goes dormant under water stress. Makes a great reduced input lawn, allowing it go dormant in hot/dry weather. “ Drought-tolerant varieties use 25% less water.
- 23. Kentucky bluegrass does NOT requires heavy irrigation. Bottom line It’s not the grass that demands the water, but rather the gardener!
- 24. Turf-type tall fescue requires irrigation Actual irrigation requirement depends on soil conditions, precipitation, and management style. Actual water use of turf-quality tall fescue is 10% less than turf-quality bluegrass. If conditions allow deeper rooting, it will maintain green color longer between irrigation. Will also require longer irrigation period Tall fescue does not tolerate long-term drought, as it can not go dormant.
- 25. Turf-type tall fescue requires irrigation Reduced input tall fescue Makes a good reduced input lawn where top quality is not essential for the landscape design.
- 26. Buffalograss quality is dependant on the amount of rain and irrigation it receives. Turf-quality Buffalograss requires 50% less irrigation per season than bluegrass. This is partly due to being slower to green up in the spring and faster to go dormant in the fall. For turf-quality Buffalograss, the summer (June-August) irrigation requirement is 1”/ week. (By comparison, bluegrass is 1.3”/week.) Dormant brown from early fall to late spring Bunch grass
- 27. Comparative Annual Water Requirements 0” 5” 10” 15” 20” 25” 30” 35” Turf quality KBG (100% ET) 34”
- 28. Comparative Annual Water Requirements 0” 5” 10” 15” 20” 25” 30” 35” Turf quality KBG (100% ET) 34” Turf quality Tall Fescue (90% ET) 31”
- 29. Comparative Annual Water Requirements 0” 5” 10” 15” 20” 25” 30” 35” Turf quality KBG (100% ET) 34” Turf quality Tall Fescue (90% ET) 31” Turf quality Buffalo grass (50% ET) 17”
- 30. Comparative Annual Water Requirements 0” 5” 10” 15” 20” 25” 30” 35” Turf quality KBG (100% ET) 34” Turf quality Tall Fescue (90% ET) 31” 26” “ Drought tolerant” KBG cultivars (75% ET ) Turf quality Buffalo grass (50% ET) 17”
- 31. Comparative Annual Water Requirements Turf quality KBG (100% ET) 34” Turf quality Tall Fescue (90% ET) 31” 26” “ Drought tolerant” KBG cultivars (75% ET ) Turf quality Buffalo grass (50% ET) 17” 20” Reduced quality KBG and Tall Fescue watered at 60% ET (grass will thin) 31” Moderate quality KBG and Tall Fescue watered at 80% ET Summer dormant (June-August) KBG (40% ET) 14” 0” 5” 10” 15” 20” 25” 30” 35”
- 32. Creating practical turf areas and non-turf areas Take home message: Match turf type with use of site.