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K-State Turf and Landscape Blog

Category: Diseases

“It’s not how fast you mow, It’s how well you mow fast!”

Posted on by jahoyle

(by Jared Hoyle; KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

The new John Deere lawn mower commercial cracks me up.  I feel like that has been the story of my life. The tag line in the commercial is, “It’s now how fast you mow, It’s how well you mow fast!” Take a look!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpBDDiQR80A

This gave me in inspiration to write a little article on mowing.  First of all, a couple fun facts.  Did you know that mowing your grass can be relaxing.  Researchers actually found out that the smell of fresh cut grass actually makes people happier.  Also, if you really like the smell of cut grass you can have it all the time; candles, air freshers, etc.

candle

Ok now actually to some information about mowing.  Mowing is one of the most important cultural practices we do.  If we don’t do anything else to our lawns we are at least going to mow. So below are some mowing tips

  • Actually, “It’s now how fast you mow, It’s how well you mow fast!” is not really true…. Operate your mower at a safe operating speed.  Usually 3 to 5 MPH. This will cut the grass cleanly and thoroughly.
  • Mowing height – When you mow turfgrass too short you can get weeds, diseases, and a thin canopy.  The same goes it you mow it too tall.  So staying in that optimal range is very important.  Listed below are the optimal mowing heights for each species and usage.

mowing heights

  • Mow according to the 1/3 rule.  Remove only 1/3 of the leaf blade at a time.  That means the shorter you mow your turf the more often you will have to mow it.  According to this rule, for example, if you want to keep your lawn at 2″ then you would mow when it gets to 3″.  If you wanted to keep your lawn at 4″ then you could wait till it got to 6″ before you mowed it.  But no matter what height you keep your lawn at it still grows the same speed, therefore the shorter you want to keep your lawn the more often you will have to mow it.
  • Clippings – Try and keep your clippings on your lawn.  It is free fertilizer!  Sometimes you may have to bag the clippings because too much grass was cut and you don’t want it to shad out the other grass.

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  • Always keep a sharp blade.  A sharp blade makes your mower more efficient and is better for the turfgrass.  A rotary mower actually doesn’t cut the grass, it actually chops the grass off therefore making sure you have sharp blade is very important.  A dull blade and rip and tear the grass apart making it look brown unhealthy not to mention it will take a lot of the plant’s energy to repair it.
  • Establish a mowing pattern. Blades tend to lean the grass in the direction of the mowing. So switch up the pattern at each mowing.  This will also help with soil compaction and turf wear.
  • Lastly, maintain your mower.  Proper maintenance is a must.  It will keep the turfgrass healthy and you safe.

For more information check out the latest Agriculture Today Radio Program about mowing and a publication at the KSRE bookstore on mowing!

http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=712

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***Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for identification purposes and does not imply recommendation or endorsement, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned by Kansas State University.***

Spring into greener lawns

Posted on by jahoyle

094Recently KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension Specialist, Jared Hoyle, was asked a couple questions about home lawn care on Agriculture Today Radio.  Agriculture Today is a daily radio program hosted by Eric Atkinson and distribued to radio stations throughout the state. It features K-State agricultural specialists and other experts examining agricultural issues facing Kansas and the nation. To listen to the show or for a copy of the press release click below.

http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/news-stories/2016-news-releases/march/greener-lawns033116.html

Sign up for The Turfgrass Management Workshop in Colby, KS

Posted on by jahoyle

(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)

Sign up today for the Turfgrass Management Workshop in Colby, KS.  This event is for anyone who manages turfgrass, from homeowners to professionals.

Kurt Sexton will be talking about soil sampling and the appropriate methods and I will be presenting on how to prepare your turfgrass for 2016.  Following the presentations we will have a question and answer session, so bring your questions!

Hope to see you there!

turf workshop colby

 

 

Kansas State Student Chapter GCSAA Yard Cleanup Drive

Posted on by jahoyle

We are writing this letter to inform everyone that the Kansas State Student Chapter Golf Course Superintendents of America Association is offering yard cleanup to anyone interested. We will be offering winter cleanup and hauling away any debris you would like us too. We are doing this as a fundraiser to help us get to San Diego in February to attend the national Golf Course Industry show. Going to this trade show is more than just seeing all of the new things coming out in the industry, it is a great way to network for potential internships and employment after graduation. We will also be competing with schools from across the country at the Collegiate Turf bowl, which is hosted by John Deere every year. Our goals are to represent Kansas State University in the best manner possible and any help we can get is appreciated. We will be asking for donations for this cause, the recommended donation is $50. We are also offering yard painting for the winter if you would like to keep that lush green color, the recommended donation for that is also $50. The donations can be written in a check to the Kansas State Student Chapter GCSAA, or cash is always accepted. We will provide you with a receipt for the transaction. If you are interested in having your yard cleaned by us you can contact us by phone: (620) 224-6109 or email: nlstark@ksu.edu. If you have any questions feel free to contact us as well.

Thank you,

The Kansas State Student Chapter GCSAA

Golf Course Maintenance in South Korea and the Presidents Cup

Posted on by jahoyle

An interview with Jim Prusa, Director of Golf Courses and Laboratory for Sky 72 Golf, and Jay Sporl, Agronomist with the PGA TOUR who helped oversee the grow in for the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, where the Presidents Cup will be held in 2015. Interview is for the HORT 517 Golf Course and Sports Turf Operations class at Kansas State University taught by Dr. Jack Fry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtC91jURVZ0&feature=youtu.be

New Fine-Textured, Cold-Hardy Zoysiagrass on the Horizon

Posted on by jahoyle

‘Meyer’ zoysiagrass was released in 1952, and is still widely used in the transition zone due, in large part, to its excellent cold hardiness. However, as good as Meyer is, it has limitations, including a medium coarse leaf texture and inferior density compared to Zoysia matrella-type cultivars. In 2004, researchers at K-State and Texas A&M AgriLife Research-Dallas began working together to develop dense, fine-textured zoysiagrasses that are as cold hardy as Meyer. Eleven years later, the first zoysiagrass from this effort, KSUZ 0802 (a formal name is forthcoming), has been approved for release by K-State, and is expected to be approved for release by Texas A&M this autumn.

KSUZ 0802 is a fine-textured, cold-tolerant zoysiagrass hybrid co-developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Dallas, TX and the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Manhattan, KS. KSUZ 0802 is a F1 interspecific hybrid developed in 2001 from a cross between Z. matrella (L). Merr. cv. ‘Cavalier’ and an ecotype of Z. japonica Steud. named ‘Anderson 1’, a derivative of ‘Chinese Common’ which was collected from rough areas at Alvamar Golf Course in Lawrence, KS. Cavalier is a high quality Z. matrella cultivar, but lacks the hardiness to be used in the upper transition zone. By crossing it with Chinese Common, which is cold hardy, we have created a cultivar that has Z. matrella-like quality, but with good cold hardiness. KSUZ 0802 must be propagated vegetatively.

fig1 zoysia

Initially, over 800 individual, genetically different hybrids were developed at Texas A&M AgriLife Research – Dallas in 2001. Grasses were planted in Manhattan, KS in 2004 and evaluated for quality and winter survival between 2004 and 2006. KSUZ 0802 was one of 31 hybrids selected for further evaluation at Manhattan in 2007 and 2008 under golf course conditions. These 31 were later narrowed to 7 hybrids, including KSUZ 0802, which were evaluated at nine locations in the transition zone under typical lawn or golf course fairway management conditions from 2009 to 2012. These locations were Wichita and Manhattan, KS; Columbia, MO; Fletcher and Jackson Springs, NC; Stillwater, OK; Knoxville, TN; Virginia Beach, and Blacksburg, VA; and Dallas, TX.

KSUZ 0802 has repeatedly demonstrated cold hardiness equivalent to Meyer in replicated field plot research (Fig. 1). Following a severe winter in 2013 in Manhattan, KS, KSUZ 0802 and Meyer had >99% survival; conversely, ‘Empire’ (Z. japonica) had 78% survival, ‘Zeon’ (Z. matrella) had 72% survival, and a large number of experimental Z. matrella selections had <50% survival (Thompson et al. 2013). Freezing tolerance studies conducted under controlled conditions at K-State showed that KSUZ 0802 had an LT50 (lethal temperature that kills 50% of the tillers) that was statistically similar to Meyer in two consecutive winters (Okeyo et al., 2011). Observed LT50 ranged from – 8.4 to – 10.3º C (17 to 14 º F) for KSUZ 0802 and from – 10.7 to – 12.0º C (13 to 10 º F) for Meyer. Based upon the results from research, KSUZ 0802 can be used as far north as zone 6a on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/).

fig2

In general, KSUZ 0802 has a finer leaf texture and better density relative to Meyer, which results in better overall turf quality (Fig. 2 and 3). Average turf quality of KSUZ 0802 (average rating of 6.1 on a 1 to 9 scale) was higher than Meyer (average rating of 5.5) maintained at lawn height in Wichita, Kansas; Jackson Springs, NC; Stillwater, OK; Dallas, TX; and Blacksburg, VA. At fairway height, quality of KSUZ 0802 (average of 6.9) was superior to Meyer (average of 5.6) at the two locations it was evaluated – Manhattan, KS and Stillwater, OK.

fig 3

To summarize aforementioned results, and other research that has been with KSUZ 0802, its freezing tolerance, spring green-up and fall color retention are equivalent to Meyer, but it has a finer leaf texture than Meyer. KSUZ 0802 is also superior to Meyer for turfgrass quality and resistance to bluegrass billbug (Sphenophorus parvulus) damage. KSUZ 0802 is well suited for use on golf course fairways and tees, home lawns, and other recreational areas in the transition zone. It is currently under evaluation by sod growers in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Indiana and North Carolina. If you have questions about KSUZ 0802, or interest in producing it, contact either Jack Fry (jfry@ksu.edu) or Ambika Chandra (a-chandra@tamu.edu).

Acknowledgements

Funding tosupport the development of KSUZ 0802 came from a number of sources, including the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the Kansas Turfgrass Foundation, the Heart of America Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Kansas Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the Kansas Golf Association. also acknowledge others who contributed to this research: Genovesi, Meghyn Meeks, and Milt Engelke, Texas A&M AgriLife Research; Qi Zhang,Okeyo, Jason Griffin, and Linda Parsons,-State; Justin Moss, Oklahoma State Univ.; Erik Ervin, Virginia Tech; Xi Xiong, Univ. of Missouri; Susana Milla-Lewis, North Carolina State Univ.; andBrosnan, Univ. of Tennessee. you!

(Jack Fry and Ambika Chandra)

anthracnose in putting greens

Posted on by kennelly

(Megan Kennelly, KSU Plant Pathology)

DSCN0877

I just heard from a superintendent in South Central KS who is experiencing some anthracnose, and Dr. Lee Miller recently reported anthracnose activity in Missouri as well. We commonly see anthracnose during summer stress but it can definitely occur all season long.

Over the past few years, Rutgers University has led a multi-university research program to investigate the impact of cultural practices and fungicides on turfgrass anthracnose, including fertility (it’s really important!), mowing height (even a small increase can help!), and more.

We have some more information about anthracnose HERE.

The BMP’s from Rutgers are outlined HERE.

If you just can’t get enough, details from Rutgers are available HERE (you can click through a 54 page pdf with lots of images and data)

Spring dead spot in bermudagrass

Posted on by kennelly

(Megan Kennelly)

(Photos courtesy Jacob Weber, KSU Extension)

SDS jake weber 3 SDS jake weber 2

Spring dead spot is a severe root disease of bermudagrass. We see symptoms in the spring, as the turf is greening up. Affected areas remain brown, and the turf collapses leaving a sunken area that is prone to weed invasion. It can take a big chunk of the summer for recovery.

In the past, fungicide treatments in Kansas have had inconsistent results. Applications in September have sometimes had good results, but sometimes they have not worked at all.

There is some info about fungicide sprays for spring dead spot HERE (check page 20). Also, Dr. Lee Miller next door in Missouri reports that he has recently seen good results from Velista applied twice (mid September + mid October). Click HERE for Dr. Miller’s comments, paying particular attention to the fact that this usage involves a Section 2(ee) recommendation, not the main label.

Large patch prevention time

Posted on by kennelly

(Megan Kennelly, KSU Plant Pathology)

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It seems like we were just talking about all our summer diseases and summer stress, but now we need to be thinking about fall. September is the time to be thinking about large patch in zoysiagrass.

There is some great info about large patch control at this link, starting on page 14.

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ppa/ppa1/ppa1.pdf

We’ve done quite a few trials at KSU over the years, and our results match pretty closely with the efficacy data shown at the above link. Regarding timing, we’ve had good control from most application timings in September.

Large patch tends to be in the same areas from one year to the next, so one option is to map out “hot spots” and focus on those.

If you just can’t get enough large patch info, you can check out some short videos here that I made awhile back:

Part 1: (5 min symptoms/biology)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD-dlw9NfLk

Part 2 (14 min – management): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIl0bsLYatI