Turf Tips Archives
Record drought and heat are making seedling establishment a serious challenge
After the extremely stressful summer conditions of 2010 many thin areas in cool-season lawns have been reseeded to restore turf density and improve appearance. Regardless of environmental conditions, establishing a turf from seed is a challenge and the process is as much art as it is science. Seedling establishment requires two steps, germination and development. […]
What to do about deteriorated lawns
This year there were multiple causes for turf decline in home lawns. High temperatures and drought were the primary causes for a decline in turf and an increase in weed incidence. During warm weather (especially temperatures > 87 °F) cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass have trouble making energy while much energy is needed to maintain […]
Late Season Insects Found in Turfgrass
The following letter and pictures were sent to us for identification. There was a buzz of follow-up letters and communication afterward indicating that maybe this is not just an isolated occurrence. I have enclosed the initial letter, accompanying photographs and the return response in hopes that this is of value to others noticing the same […]
Predicting the Future and Documenting the Past
When weather patterns are not typical, as with this summer, it is useful to both look ahead and behind to help improve your maintenance practices and better time future applications. Documenting the Past One advantage to tough summers like this is they provide an opportunity to learn. Experiencing tough summers will prepare us to better […]
Fertilizer Recommendations
The amount of nitrogen fertilizer required by turf depends on various management and environmental/management factors (Table 1). A good rule to follow is to never apply more than 1.0 lb N/1000ft2 in any one application. Do not apply fertilizer more frequently than once monthly at a 1.0 lb N/1000ft2 unless you are establishing a new […]
Lawn Cultivation: Is now the time?
Lawns are cultivated (sometimes referred to as aerfication) primarily to relieve soil compaction and manage thatch (organic) layers. Other reasons may be to open the turf canopy and create a seedbed in order to facilitate interseeding or overseeding, or move certain nutrients, composts, pesticides etc. into the rootzone. Common questions regarding lawn cultivation: What are […]
Now is the time to seed lawns and other turf areas
Timing The best time to seed a lawn is in the late summer to early fall. Adequate soil moisture, warm soil, and limited weed pressure allow for excellent seedling growth. Between August 15 and September 15 is optimum seeding time in the northern half of Indiana, and September 1 to September 30 is optimum in […]
Time to make the donuts… or better yet, time to cultivate!
A shallow root system in putting green bentgrass, this plant may not tolerate deep cultivation very well Surface following solid-tine cultivation procedure, notice the rootzone mixture on the surface, the point, be careful and be gentle! A Late-Summer Cultivation Checklist: Considerations for Success: What you are trying to accomplish with this practice? Organic matter/thatch removal? […]
Summer Stress
With a warm and wet summer, we are experiencing decline in some of our turf around the state due to temperatures, disease, insects, and weeds. In response, we are publishing a four part series on this topic to help turfgrass managers respond. Look forward to the following topics over the next two weeks. Part I: […]
Crabgrass
Crabgrass is running rampant this year as the hot summer and more than adequate rainfall has helped to push this beast of a weed along. Crabgrass is a warm-season annual grass meaning that it thrives under hot and moist conditions. The high rainfall during germination (late April and early May) coupled with the wet and […]
Grass Moths Everywhere
If you have walked out on your lawn recently you may have noticed hundreds of small, buff colored, moths flittering here or there as you approach. These may be alarming for both farmers as well as turfgrass managers because they; look like a common corn pest (European Corn Borer) act like a common turfgrass pest […]
Summer Stress
With a warm and wet summer, we are experiencing decline in some of our turf around the state due to temperatures, disease, insects, and weeds. In response, we are publishing a four part series on this topic to help turfgrass managers respond. Look forward to the following topics over the next two weeks. Part I: […]
Summer Stress
Summer Stress With a warm and wet summer, we are experiencing decline in some of our turf around the state due to temperatures, disease, insects, and weeds. In response, we are publishing a four part series on this topic to help turfgrass managers respond. Look forward to the following topics over the next two weeks. […]
August Is Grub Target Month
This is the time of year to target for grub control. Whether your grub control products were applied a month ago, last week or are to be applied next week, the time when they actually do their work is early August. This is because grub eggs usually hatch by the end of July in the […]
Summer Stress
Part I: Too hot: Why some turfgrass species look poor in summer. There are multiple causes for turf decline in the summer. Cool-season turf areas can decline in the summer because of high temperatures, drought, pest damage (insects, diseases, weeds, others), and due to mismanagement. The general symptoms for many of these causes are usually […]
Gray Leaf Spot 2010
Gray leaf spot has been identified on perennial ryegrass fairways in northern Kentucky. It is likely that outbreaks will occur in southern Indiana with the next rainstorm (or it may already be established). If the turf that you manage has a history of the disease, this would be a good time to consider apply a […]
Contact Information for Dr. Aaron Patton
Dr. Aaron Patton has joined the Turf Program as the Turf Extension Specialist. If you need to contact him, his contact infomation is Phone 765-494-9737 Fax 765-496-6335 email ajpatton@purdue.edu Department of Agronomy 915 W. State Street West Lafayette, IN 47907
Wet and Flooded Turf
Wet Lawns Although July has been relatively dry thus far, June brought a great deal of rain and left many lawn soils saturated and wet. Here are a few tips concerning caring for your lawn during wet periods. Flooded Turf Due to the incredible amount of rain Indiana has seen this summer, many homeowners are […]
Rain gardens and turf
There has recently been increased interest in the use of rain gardens to reduce water runoff in Indiana and nationally. A rain garden is a specially constructed area with a berm, planted with various plants, and designed to capture rain water from the roof of a house or building. Rain gardens fill with water after […]
Call Before Sending Samples to PPDL!
Our Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab (PPDL) will be a little light on help over the next two weeks (June 19 – July 5). Remember that the lab processes samples from all plants and crops—and even though we try to give turf a high priority—there may be delays in how the samples are addressed. I […]