Who is this fashionable guy? We’ll get to that in a sec…
Thanks to Holly Dickman, Ellis County Horticulture Agent, for sending in the lawn photos. Holly came across some bermudagrass with these very funky stripes. What causes this? This is caused by frost damage. Why the squiggles? I can’t find it now, but several years ago I stumbled across an article by some physicists where they modeled heat fluxes/temperature and came up with a model to describe how and why this happens. It was full of big scary equations I did not understand. Will there be lasting damage? No – this is a temporary condition, and the lawn will even out and go uniformly dormant as cool fall temperatures become more consistent.
Then, I had a thought – why not capitalize on this funky pattern? I have seen very interested plaids, stripes, etc., when it comes to golf attire. So I quickly came up with my prototype above. I’m off to the patent office – I’m sure I’ll be raking in the big-time money pretty soon 🙂
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
What a beautiful day we had this year for the 2014 KSU Turfgrass Field Day. Thank you to all the attendees, vendors, sponsors, faculty, staff, students and anyone else that was out at the field day!
If you weren’t able to make it, I decided to post some pictures and links to research reports so you can get more information about each stop that we had this year.
Copyright 2014, Kansas State University
Also, I will include the QR codes. These codes can be scanned by your phone and will take you directly to the information! Check it out!
This year my stop at field day was “Kansas Turfgrass Weed Control Update”. Here is discussed one of the most problematic weeds in cool-season turfgrass, bermudagrass. I talked about both selective and non-selective methods. For more information about bermudagrass removal check it out here. https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/non-selective-bermudagrass-removal/
Copyright 2014, Kansas State University
KSU Turfgrass Research Technician and Graduate Student, Jake Reeves, presented information on the best management practices for buffalograss establishment. Jake has been conducting some great research that will really help us out when we want to convert cool-season turfgrass to buffalograss. For more information check out his latest blog post. https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/establishing-buffalograss-in-golf-course-roughs/
Copyright 2014, Kansas State University
Zane Raudenbush, KSU Turfgrass Graduate Student, and Dr. Keeley has been conducting research on the cultural management of moss infestations on bentgrass putting greens. Zane got to display some great looking research on one of the putting greens out at the Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research center looking at cultural practices in conjunction with chemical applications of carfentrazone. For more information check out his latest research report. http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/SRP1107D-MOSS-FERTILITY.pdf
Copyright 2014, Kansas State University
Ever wondered what was the best preforming kentucky bluegrass cultivar? Well, Evan Alderman, KSU Turfgrass Graduate Student, discussed the best preforming Kentucky bluegrass cultivars in Manhattan, KS. This study is part of the Nation Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP). Check out the NTEP website for the most current bluegrass cultivar information. http://www.ntep.org/data/kb11/kb11_14-2/kb11_14-2.pdf And some more information on prolonged drought and recovery characteristics of Kentucky bluegrass cultivars http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=17861
Copyright 2014, Kansas State University
Although this summer has seen to be pretty mild when it comes to diseases in turfgrass, Dr. Kennelly discussed both turf and landscape disease updates. Don’t forget to periodically check the blog as Dr. Kennelly updates the blog with what is going on with diseases in Kansas. Here is some more information on all sorts of turf disease publications. http://www.plantpath.ksu.edu/p.aspx?tabid=551
Copyright 2014, Kansas State University
Is the grass really greener on the other side? Ross Braun, KSU Turfgrass Graduate Student, presented on using paints and pigments for coloring turfgrass. Ross has conducted many trials looking at painting zoysiagrass and buffalograss. He has evaluated different paints and pigments as well as rates and spray volumes. Check out his latest research update on paints and pigments. http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/Item.aspx?catId=545&pubId=17867
Copyright 2014, Kansas State University
As it is hard to grow cool-season turf in Kansas it is also tough to grow warm-season turf. Dr. Fry presented about the best zoysiagrass and bermudagrass cultivars for Kansas. He discussed everything from color to pest tolerance. This included information about how the cultivars held up to last winter. For more information about the zoysiagrass and bermudagrass cultivars here is a great research report about winter survival on the 2013 NTEP zoysiagrass and bermudagrass in Kansas. http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/SRP1107G-NTEP-ZOYSIA-AND-BERMUDA.pdf
Thanks again to everyone that came out to this years KSU Turfgrass Field Day. It was a great success and hope to see you next year in Olathe. Also, don’t forget this December is the Kansas Turfgrass Conference in Topeka. It’s going to be great as well. Keep and eye out for more information on registration.
(By Jared Hoyle, KSU Turfgrass Research and Extension)
For the short time I have been in the turfgrass business, I always get asked the question, “How do I kill bermudagrass?” And before I can give the recommendation of multiple applications of glyphosate (≥ 3 lbs ae/gal) at 3 qts/A over the growing season (May, July, and September) and waiting three to four weeks for regrowth before making the follow up application, I get the response “That doesn’t work.”
To help out you can add 24 fl oz of fluazifop (Fusilade II) to the tank and it will help with bermudagrass control over the glyphosate application alone. Remember that fluazifop has some soil residual so it can stay in the soil for some time. So, wait 30 days before reseeding if you apply it to bare soil or 14 days if you apply it to turf. But I would still get the response “That doesn’t work.”
Well, I got to talking with a couple of turfgrass managers about this application process and started to ask the question, “What if we are wanting to renovate during the Spring?”
Research in the past has resulted in better control with perennial broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, in the Fall compared to Spring applications. So after a little brainstorming we decided to apply this concept to controlling bermudagrass before dormancy. This way the bermudagrass would have the dormant look throughout the winter but would be ready for renovation in the Spring.
Research Trial Location Stagg Hill (October 3, 2013)
Research was conducted at Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research Center and Stagg Hill Golf Course in Manhattan, KS to determine bermudagrass control with glyphosate, mesotrione, and fluazifop applications prior to dormancy. Applications were made on October 3, 2013. Treatments consisted of a non-treated control, glyphosate (6 pt/A), mesotrione (8 oz/A), fluazifop (24 fl oz/A), glyphosate (6 pt/A)+ mesotrione (8 oz/A), glyphosate (6 pt/A) + fluazifop (24 fl oz/A), mesotrione (8 oz/A) + fluazifop (24 fl oz/A), and glyphosate (6 pt/A)+ mesotrione (8 oz/A) + fluazifop (24 fl oz/A). All treatment included at 0.25% V/V non-ionic surfactant (NIS). All treatments were 100% brown (dormant) bermudagrass by October 31, 2013.
Rocky Ford Trial Location (October 17, 2013)
What we found initially is that there were drastic differences between these two locations. Bermduagrass control at the Stagg Hill location out performed the Rocky Ford location. We believe this was due to the differences in bermudagrass cultivars. The Rocky Ford Location was ‘Midlawn’ bermudagrass and the Stagg Hill location is a common bermudagrass.
Rocky Ford Trial Location (May 14, 2014)
At Rocky Ford the untreated control reached 100% bermudagrass cover on June 12, 2014. At that time treatments that included glyphosate resulted in <18% bermudagrass green cover. On June 13, 2014 the untreated control at Stagg Hill was 100% green bermudagrass cover. All other treatments that included glyphosate resulted in <9% green bermudagrass cover.
What is really surprising is the rating that was conducted just a couple of days ago. At Rocky Ford all bermudagrass treatments recovered to at least 90% green bermudagrass cover by July 14, 2014. But the Stagg Hill location is still showing significantly more control. Glyphosate, glyphosate + fulazifop, glyphosate + mesotrione, and glyphosate + mesotrione + fluazifop resulted in only 27%, 26%, 17%, and 23% green bermudagrass cover, respectively.
Rocky Ford Location (June 3, 2014)
These results suggest that a single application of glyphosate in the Fall prior to bermudagrass dormancy can aid in non-selective bermuagrass removal. We are going to repeat these trials again this year along with trying some Spring applications in combination to see if we can increase bermudagrass control.
Always remember to READ THE LABEL for the correct rate, turfgrass tolerance, and specific instructions before application!!!
***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.***
