Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and...
Transcript of Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and...
![Page 1: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing
Chuck Ingels
Farm & Horticulture Advisor
UC Cooperative Extension, Sacramento County
![Page 2: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Sustainable Turf Species Most Desirable Characteristics
• Drought tolerant
• Reduced mowing frequency
• Spread aggressively – Compete against weeds
• Do not spread aggressively – Maintenance
• Reasonably priced or cost effective
• Also:
Tolerant of foot traffic
Green year-round – minimal dormancy
![Page 3: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Turf Demonstration Project Species/Irrigation Study
• Compare 3 species / blends…
Tall fescue / Kentucky bluegrass blend
‘UC Verde’ buffalograss
Field sedge (Carex praegracilis) /
Dune sedge (Carex pansa)
•…under 3 irrigation treatments
80%, 60%, and 40% ET
![Page 4: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Turf Demonstration Native Grasses
• Compare Calif. native grasses
Seashore bentgrass (Agrostis pallens)
Hall’s bentgrass (Agrostis hallii)
Molate red fescue (Festuca rubra ‘Molate’)
Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa)
June grass (Koeleria macrantha)
Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
• Evaluations
Mowing frequency, clipping weight, visual
![Page 5: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Turf Demonstration Planted Sept. 2010
Tall Fescue
Tall Fescue
Tall Fescue UC Verde
Buffalo
UC Verde
Buffalo
UC Verde
Buffalo
Field sedge
Field sedge
Field sedge
Dune sedge
Dune sedge
Dune sedge
Agrostis
Molate
T. hairgrass
Junegrass
Blue grama
Native
grass
meadow
![Page 6: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Irrigation July 28 – Sept. 23
60% Native
grass
meadow
60%
60%
80%
60%
40%
80%
60%
40%
80%
60%
40%
![Page 7: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Irrigation
ETo = Reference evapotranspiration
Local data from UC IPM web site
Watered every 4 days
Standards:
»80% for cool-season grasses
»60% for warm-season grasses
![Page 8: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Irrigation Summer 2010
![Page 9: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Compost, Nozzles, and Borders
![Page 10: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Sod – Tall Fescue Blend All planting – Sept. 23, 2010
![Page 11: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
‘UC Verde’ Buffalograss
Other varieties
available too
(‘Legacy’, ‘Prestige’)
Mowed
Unmowed
![Page 12: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Buffalograss native to U.S.
UC Verde developed by UC, 2003
Max. height: 4-8 inches
Infrequent mowing (2-3 wks.?); can be mowed once a year
Highly drought resistant – “Up to 75% water use reduction”
Winter dormancy
‘UC Verde’ Buffalograss Characteristics
![Page 13: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
4 weeks
6 weeks
2 weeks
UC Verde
Plugs
‘UC Verde’ Buffalograss Planting Scheme July Planting, Fresno
![Page 14: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Sept. 2009
June 2010
Graduate School of Management, UC Davis
Feb. 2011
‘UC Verde’ Buffalograss
![Page 15: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
‘UC Verde’ Buffalograss
Spreading
(stolons)
![Page 16: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
UC Verde Buffalograss
July
August
-before mowing
August
-after mowing
![Page 17: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
UC Verde Buffalograss Jan. 2012
![Page 18: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Carex Species for Turf
Field sedge (C. praegracilis)
Dune sedge (C. pansa)
Texas sedge (C. texensis)
C.
praegracili
s
C. pansa
![Page 20: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Carex Turf Species Characteristics
Native throughout U.S. and Calif.
Taxonomy is ambiguous; much variation
Most in hort. trade were collected from dunes in Central Calif. coast
Drought tolerant (?)
Summer dormancy (?)
![Page 21: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Carex
C. praegracilis C. pansa
Spreads
slowly
(rhizomes)
![Page 22: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
C. pansa C. praegracilis
Rust on Carex Feb. 2011
![Page 23: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Carex May 2012
C. praeg. C. pansa
![Page 24: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
80%
60%
40% 80% ETo
(some dormancy)
40% ETo
Carex Under Stress Late August 2011
![Page 25: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
California Native Species
![Page 26: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Molate Red Fescue Festuca rubra ‘Molate’
Fine texture, upright growth
Tolerant of many soils
Native of coastal areas
Inactive (dormant?) in Central Valley heat
![Page 27: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Tufted Hairgrass Deschampsia caespitosa
A densely tufted, rather short-lived bunchgrass, growing 2 to 4 feet tall
Forage species
Tolerates poor drainage
![Page 28: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Left: Tufted Hairgrass Right: Molate Fescue
May 2011
Sept. 2011
(60% ETo)
![Page 29: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Bentgrass (Agrostis)
“Bent”: Shallow roots, bend just below the soil surface, grow laterally
Fairly tolerant of shade
Withstands low mowing heights
Tolerates some traffic (rhizomes)
A. stolonifera used for putting greens
Agrostis
hallii
Agrostis
pallens
![Page 30: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Native Bentgrass Spp. Agrostis
A. hallii
(plugs)
A. pallens
(seeded)
Sept. 2011
(60% ETo)
![Page 31: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
Large component of grass prairies
Used in landscapes
Clumping and spreading
Fully dormant in winter
![Page 32: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Blue Grama
(Bouteloua gracilis)
![Page 33: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
Blue Grama (left) Jan. 2012
![Page 34: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Junegrass Koeleria macrantha
Tufts of narrow bluish-green blades
Does not tolerate heavy, wet soils
Great left unmowed, not a good turf
![Page 35: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Fresh Clipping Weights Tall Fescue
![Page 36: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Fresh Clipping Weights UC Verde
80%
![Page 37: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Fresh Clipping Weights Field sedge (Carex praegracilis)
80%
![Page 38: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Fresh Clipping Weights Dune sedge (Carex pansa)
80%
![Page 39: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Fresh Clipping Weights Native grasses
80% 60%
![Page 40: Alternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and …cesacramento.ucdavis.edu/files/136363.pdfAlternative Turf Species for Reducing Water Use and Mowing Chuck Ingels Farm & Horticulture](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070611/5b07f9e87f8b9a93738baffd/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
Turf Demonstration Conclusions – 2011
Tall fescue dark green, but needs water!
UC Verde promising for reducing water use
Dune sedge also promising vs. field sedge:
»Less growth, less rust, mowed turf softer
Several native grasses promising, but have
some dormancy and require full watering to
keep green (year 1 data)