Rescue Your Fescue Mark Blevins NC Cooperative Extension

Burning Questions

Picture the Perfect Lawn Thick and Green All Year Never Needs Mowing or Irrigation Weed Free Repels Grubs, Bugs, Diseases and Dogs You Need Astroturf

Thick and Green All Year

Never Needs Mowing or Irrigation

Weed Free

Repels Grubs, Bugs, Diseases and Dogs

You Need Astroturf

What’s so great about grass? Aesthetic Value Recreational Value Economic Value Health Benefits Environmental Benefits

Aesthetic Value

Recreational Value

Economic Value

Health Benefits

Environmental Benefits

Why go grassless? Less Maintenance More Wildlife Friendly Lower Fertilizer and Water Requirements Consistent Look Year Round Greater Color Variation

Less Maintenance

More Wildlife Friendly

Lower Fertilizer and Water Requirements

Consistent Look Year Round

Greater Color Variation

My assumptions: You already have a lawn and live in this area Your turf is suffering from the summer You would like to: Know which grass is best for your lawn Manage weeds, pests and diseases Rescue Your Fescue

You already have a lawn and live in this area

Your turf is suffering from the summer

You would like to:

Know which grass is best for your lawn

Manage weeds, pests and diseases

Rescue Your Fescue

Which Grass Is Best for Me? Cool Season Tall Fescue Kentucky Bluegrass Bentgrass Warm Season Bermudagrass Zoysiagrass Centipedegrass Bahiagrass St. Augustinegrass

Cool Season

Tall Fescue

Kentucky Bluegrass

Bentgrass

Warm Season

Bermudagrass

Zoysiagrass

Centipedegrass

Bahiagrass

St. Augustinegrass

Consider the Following: Environmental Conditions Intended Use Maintenance You Can Provide Pest and Disease Pressure

Environmental Conditions

Intended Use

Maintenance You Can Provide

Pest and Disease Pressure

Keeping Fescue Happy Healthy Grass is Happy Grass Sunshine helps Mow it tall Soil Test Fertilize fall & spring 1” of water weekly Compaction is the silent killer

Healthy Grass is Happy Grass

Sunshine helps

Mow it tall

Soil Test

Fertilize fall & spring

1” of water weekly

Compaction is the silent killer

Manage Weeds, Pests & Disease 1 st Step: Healthy Turf Weeds Broadleaf Grasses Annuals Perennials

1 st Step: Healthy Turf

Weeds

Broadleaf

Grasses

Annuals

Perennials

Weed Examples Crabgrass Preemergence herbicide between Forsythia and Dogwood bloom Henbit and Chickweed Preemergence herbicide in September Bermuda in Fescue Mix Acclaim Extra and Turflon Ester and apply monthly in summer for 2 years or more

Crabgrass

Preemergence herbicide between Forsythia and Dogwood bloom

Henbit and Chickweed

Preemergence herbicide in September

Bermuda in Fescue

Mix Acclaim Extra and Turflon Ester and apply monthly in summer for 2 years or more

Pests and Diseases Japanese Beetle Grubs Grub control measures 2 weeks after adult populations are at their peak Brown Patch Quit fertilizing after March Thatch Problems Prove it!

Japanese Beetle Grubs

Grub control measures 2 weeks after adult populations are at their peak

Brown Patch

Quit fertilizing after March

Thatch Problems

Prove it!

Rescue Your Fescue Figure out the problem(s) Prepare and amend the soil Select and sow seed Follow up with care

Figure out the problem(s)

Prepare and amend the soil

Select and sow seed

Follow up with care

Figuring Out Problems Dry and Sunny Shaded and Short Soil Problems Poor Timing Compaction Poor Selection

Dry and Sunny

Shaded and Short

Soil Problems

Poor Timing

Compaction

Poor Selection

Prepare and Amend the Soil Prepare Soil Use a core aerator Till or dig bare spots Amend soil Soil Test Compost Fertilizer ½ rate9 Lime

Prepare Soil

Use a core aerator

Till or dig bare spots

Amend soil

Soil Test

Compost

Fertilizer ½ rate9

Lime

Select and Sow Seed Selection Species Variety Etc. Mow & Sow Mow short 3-5#/M sqft 2 directions Not All Grass Seed is Created Equal!

Selection

Species

Variety

Etc.

Mow & Sow

Mow short

3-5#/M sqft

2 directions

Follow Up with Care Water Daily shallow Weekly deep Fertilizer Labor Day (split), Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day Mowing Tall! 3.5 – 4 inches

Water

Daily shallow

Weekly deep

Fertilizer

Labor Day (split), Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day

Mowing

Tall! 3.5 – 4 inches

Go Rescue Your Fescue! Mark Blevins NC Cooperative Extension [email_address]