Turf Grass

We were at Unger Farm tonight for our lesson on Turf grass.

Steve pointed out that the conifers at the edge of the farm were Austrian pine and Scotch pine. The Scotch pine can be identified by the orange bark and the orange tips on the "candles" as well as the slightly twisted needles. If you need to prune a conifer, wait until the candles appear and then twist them off. If you cut the branches it will stop growing.

Turf grass - Steve pointed out that the Kentucky bluegrass had the best color, and the best condition, thoroughly crowded out weeds, and was expensive and time-consuming to maintain. The best grass for a family that uses their lawn might be a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue - it is the easiest to maintain and has nice quality. Perennial ryegrass is quick to grow but doesn't keep the weeds out, and is subject to diseases such as rust mold and snow mold. It will out-compete other seeds in mixtures such as a commercial mix which is usually sold because it will grow in most conditions, sun or shade.

Cultural practices are VERY IMPORTANT for turf grasses - never mow more than 1/3 the blade. Mowing too short allows weed seeds to germinate and reduces the ability of the desired grass to photosynthesize. The most important fertilization is in the fall. Weed control is important. Corn gluten meal is expensive and only provides moderate control. 2,4-D is inexpensive and if you use it properly you only have to spot-treat in the fall. Nicer lawns use less pesticides.

We also reviewed the "how-to" for renovating a lawn, and Steve demonstrated the use of a soil probe for gathering a soil sample.

Note the change in schedule for June 3 to June 2 (Monday) and that there is a test on Saturday on Fertilizers.