Category: Establishing a Turf Area

With the renovation season here, questions abound about how much perennial ryegrass to use in a P. rye/K. bluegrass mix. Perennial ryegrass germinates quickly and provides quick cover and soil stabilization when used in a blend. However, too much perennial...

Recently I was contacted by a major newspaper reporter who was writing an article about more sustainable lawn systems, or lawns that would required fewer inputs, and was inquiring about the feasibility of  using clover as a lawn turf. After...

A fairly typical question now is, ”Can I seed into an area where preemergence herbicide was applied earlier this spring”. The answer is a very simple “No”. These herbicides are active in the soil for up to 120 days and...

In the southern third to of Indiana, seeded zoysia is a viable option for golf course fairway and tees, whereas seeded bermudagrass is an option for golf course fairways and athletic fields. A tremendous amount of recent research has been...

As lawns are greening up, many calls are coming in about damage left over from last summer or perhaps even winter damage. Unfortunately, spring seeding is difficult at best because of pending hot weather and/or weed and disease pressure. Late...

We get a ton of calls and email inquiring about low maintenance lawns. Simply put, there are no silver bullet grass species that are low maintenance and will also survive summers and winters in IN. That being said, hiring professionals...

We are out of the optimum window for seeding turfgrasses in Indiana. However, many are still hoping to seed. Following is a summary of our studies in the early 90’s on seeding at less than optimum times of the year....

Eight weeks or more of high temperatures with minimal rain has taken a toll on turfgrasses around the state. Though some local areas in central IN have received ample rain in the last week, many areas are still very dry....

With the renovation season fast-approaching, questions abound about how much perennial ryegrass to use in a P. rye/K. bluegrass mix. Perennial ryegrass germinates quickly and provides quick cover and soil stabilization when used in a blend. However, too much perennial...

There are many different sand topdressing programs used by superintendents. Budgets, experience, labor and equipment availability, and play schedule are just some of the factors affecting topdressing programs. Our research hopes to provide answers to many of the common topdressing...

As you begin planning for spring core cultivation, consider the following as some food for thought. Turf research has shown that excessive organic matter, and/or thatch (> ½ inch), in the upper (1-2 inches) rootzone profile can lead to rapid...

Late summer (August) is easily the best time to seed cool-season grasses, but sometimes turf must be seeded in the spring. The following points should help improve the success of spring seeding: 1. Seed as soon as possible (now is...

We are out of the optimum window for seeding turfgrasses in Indiana. However, many are still hoping to seed. Following is a summary of our studies in the early 90’s on seeding at less than optimum times of the year....

It is increasingly common for newly-established lawns to thin or completely fail within a year. There are many reasons for this to occur but here are my top ten: 1. Poor soil - heavy clay in today’s subdivisions is not...

Late summer is the best time to establish Kentucky bluegrass, creeping bentgrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass from seed. Between August 15 and September 15 is optimum seeding time in the northern half of Indiana, from September 1 to September...

Tremendous improvement in the artificial turfs has renewed interest in these turfs for sports fields. The decision to use artificial turf is difficult because these fields are a huge investment to install, maintain, and eventually replace. This technology is relatively...

We have received a ton of calls in the last week about improving shaded lawns. Following is a summary about shaded lawns:  Turf does not perform well in the shade  “Shade-adapted“ grass species and cultivars will always perform...

We are out of the optimum window for seeding turfgrasses in Indiana. However, many are still hoping to seed. Following is a summary of our studies in the early 90’s on seeding at less than optimum times of the year....

It now almost too late to seed this fall to expect the seedlings to form a good stand before winter, especially with the dry conditions that remain in the forecast. The optimum time to seed cool-season turfgrasses is between Aug....

We’ve just entered the optimum seeding window for cool-season grasses throughout the state of Indiana. Though seed will germinate at a wide variety of temperatures, the optimum temperatures for germination are in the table below. The temperatures listed are air...