Turfgrass Cultural Problems PPT 6.03.01 Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass...
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Transcript of Turfgrass Cultural Problems PPT 6.03.01 Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass...
Turfgrass Cultural Problems
PPT 6.03.01
Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Two Basic Problems
• Soil Compaction
• Thatch Build-up
• Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
What is Soil Compaction?
Condition of soil when particles become packed tightly together
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Three Results of Soil Compaction
1. Poor root growth due to restricted air and poor percolation of water
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Results of Soil Compaction
2. Thin and shallow root system that cannot sustain shoot growth
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Results of Soil Compaction
3. Thin turf that stresses easily and develops bare spots
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
What is the major cause of soil compaction in turf?
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Sources of traffic:
Athletics
Football
Soccer
Baseball
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Sources of Traffic
Golf courses
Playgrounds
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Sources of TrafficOrdinary foot traffic at public
facilities – schools, hospitals, government offices
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Photo by Cheryl Reynolds
Kinds of Traffic
Human
Animal - pets
Machines – golf carts, mowing equipment, vehicles
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Treatment for Soil Compaction
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Coring or Aeration Defined
Removal of soil cores from a turf with hollow tines or
spoons.
Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Several Coring Machines Available
Vary in Quality of job performed!
•Background Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Several Coring Machines Available
Vary in Quality of job performed!
•Background Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Several Coring Machines Available
Vary in Quality of job performed!
Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Coring Machine Must Pull Soil Cores From the Soil!
• Spike coring machines are okay for overseeding to get grass seed in contact with soil
• Might help with lime and fertilizer• HELPS LITTLE OR NOT AT ALL with
Compaction!
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Except on very light soils, coring without removing cores may
actually compact the soil.
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
For Best Results!
•Pictures from http://clayvaughn.com/aeration.aspx website
Coring Cultural Practice Tips
• Core when the grass is actively growing• Top-dress the area with a peat and sand
combination and rake mixture into core holes• Or, if practical, chop up cores and redistribute
them across the turf
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Benefits of Coring
•Picture from http://clayvaughn.com/aeration.aspx website
Thatch Build-up
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
1.What is thatch? 2.Why is thatch build-up a
problem?3.How is thatch build-up treated?
Thatch Defined
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Thatch is a tightly intermingled layer of undecomposed roots, stems, and shoots located between the soil surface and the green vegetation of the turf grass.
Causes of ThatchSome thatch is natural; however,
excessive thatch may be caused by:
• Over fertilizing with nitrogen
• Improper mowing by cutting too much leaf area off at one time
• Poor soil environment
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Not all Thatch is BAD!
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
•Issue with sod-forming grasses •Small amounts of thatch is good. It:
•Cushions turf and prevents wear•Insulates soil from extreme hot and cold temperatures•Reduces evaporation losses from soil surface
Too Much Thatch is BAD!
•Picture by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
•Restricts air and water movement •Requires more frequent watering•Great environment for disease & insects•Can cause scalping when mowing•Contributes to winter injury •Restrict fertilizer and pesticide movement
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
When is thatch build-up a problem?
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
Timing is ImportantBest done when grass greens up from dormant season
Treatment for Thatch
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
1.Can top-dress with ¼ inch of topsoil once a year. • Very expensive, • Requires special equipment, • Not usually practical
Treatment for Thatch
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
2.Coring – as performed for soil compaction• Used in conjunction with power
raking or verticutting
Treatment for Thatch
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
3.Power Raking • Similar to verticutting but uses
spring-type wires instead of blades
Treatment for Thatch
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
4.Verticutting – • 3" blade spacing for Centipede and
St. Augustine• 2" blade spacing for bermudagrass
Treatment for Thatch
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
4.Verticutting• Size of equipment varies
Treatment for Thatch
Close Up of surface after verticutting
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
4.Verticutting• Reels may be added to mowers
Treatment for Thatch
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
4.Verticutting• Reels may be added to mowers
Treatment for Thatch
•Pictures by Casey Reynolds, Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education (CENTERE’s) www.turffiles.ncsu.edu website
• The Key to Thatch control is to keep it under control to begin with
• Use light raking or cutting to keep thatch manageable
Treatment for Thatch