Wednesday, November 7, 2007
268-10

Full Year, Low Input, Monthly Establishment of Dominant Transition Zone Turf Grasses.

Kenneth Diesburg, Southern Illinois University, Plant & Soil Science 4415, Carbondale, IL 62901-4415

The principles of Low Input Sustainable Turf (LIST) can be extended to establishment.  This work was done to determine the best months and degree of success in establishing tall fescue, Kentucky blue, Bermuda, and zoysia in the east continental transition zone on a tilled, prepared seed bed without irrigation or cover.  Two locations were used addressing the northern and southern halves of the transition zone.  The four species were planted every month of the year starting in September.  Starter fertilizer and siduron were applied the same day as seeding.  Days to germination and percent cover of living turfgrass have been recorded monthly throughout the study.  Tall fescue (80%) and Bermuda (73%) provided the best percent cover over all planting dates.  Kentucky blue provided 65% and zoysia 24%.  The cool-season grasses performed best in the July-to-March plantings; tall fescue 88% and Kentucky blue 72%.  Bermuda (94%) established best in the January-to-April plantings, while Zoysia (32%) established best in the November-to-March plantings.  Germination of all species was inhibited in the May and June plantings by limiting moisture.  The warm-season grasses in the August, September, and October plantings were further limited by exposure of immature turf to low temperatures.  Establishment of all species was better at the northern transition zone site (70 vs 50%) due to less weed competition and more timely rains.  The warm-season grasses were more sensitive to weed competition than the cool-season grasses; bermuda and zoysia stands decreased 36% and 79%, respectively, versus tall fescue and Kentucky blue reduced by 18% and 7%, respectively.  These results quantify the risk in spring-seeding as well as the value in dormant-seeding both warm- and cool-season turfgrasses for nonirrigated establishment in the east continental transition zone.

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