Using Paint and Covers to Enhance Spring Greenup and Winter Survival of Warm-Season Putting Green Species.

Low temperature injury, winterkill, and slow spring green-up are common problems facing managers of warm-season putting greens in the transition zone.  Putting greens are often covered with polyethylene blankets during cold periods to protect against low temperature injury.  Painting greens with a green latex paint adds color during the dormancy period and may hasten turf green-up in the spring.  The objective of this study was to determine the impact of polyethylene covers and painting on low temperature injury and pace of spring green-up of four warm-season putting green turfs in the transition zone.  ‘Champion’ and ‘TifEagle” bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon ´ traansvalensis Burtt-Davy), ‘SeaDwarf” seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) , and ‘Diamond’ zoysiagrass (Zoysia matrella) were established in July 2008 on a modified California rootzone at the East Tennessee Research and Education Center in Knoxville, TN.  Treatments consisted of covers alone, painting alone, the combination of painting and covering, and an untreated control.  Plots were covered when temperatures were forecasted to be -3° C or below and were painted on 28 January, 2009.  Covering plots caused turf to emerge from dormancy sooner than painting plots for all varieties except ‘Diamond’ zoysiagrass, in which no difference in green-up time existed.  Covered plots also maintained higher soil and surface temperatures than uncovered plots.  Painted and uncovered plots had higher surface temperatures than untreated plots only on sunny days.  Covered bermudagrass plots emerged from dormancy a full three weeks sooner than uncovered plots.  ‘SeaDwarf” seashore paspalum emerged from dormancy quicker when painted than covered, yet took eight weeks longer to emerge from dormancy when uncovered than covered.  ‘Diamond’ zoysiagrass was the first to emerge from dormancy and was not affected by painting or covering.  Using polyethylene turf blankets can improve winter survival and hasten spring green-up for ultradwarf bermudagrass and seashore paspalum in the transition zone.