Lawn Care and Turf Production  Obj

Turfgrass Industry Scope and Types A.Turf Industry Types 1. 4 main types of turf a. Lawns b. Golf courses c. Sports turf d. Utility turf 2. Two types of turf production a. Sod production b. Turfgrass seed production

Turfgrass Industry Scope and Types B. Turf Industry Scope 1. Turf industry has an estimated value in the U.S. of $45 to 60 billion. 2. Turf area covered in the U.S. is over 50,000 square miles. 3. There are more than 16,300 golf courses in U.S.

Turfgrass Industry Scope and Types 4. There are more than 20,000 sports fields in U.S. 5. There are between 500,000 and 650,000 professionals working in the turf industry. 6. About 100 universities and colleges in the U.S. provide formal training in turfgrass science and management.

Lawn Care Jobs and Support Industries A.Lawn care job opportunities 1. Lawn care service owner – a trained individual who runs a lawn care business and service. 2. Lawn care technician – a trained individual who provides mowing, fertilization, and pest control treatments to lawns and follow-up customer service to territory route of several dozens to hundreds of homeowners.

Lawn Care Jobs and Support Industries 3. Landscape architect – a person who provides landscape designs including residential lawns. B. Lawn care support industries 1. Irrigation industry – The lawns in certain regions of the country have to be installed with irrigation systems, sprinklers or even equipped with a water supply by using a garden hose.

Lawn Care Jobs and Support Industries 2. Fertilizer industry – In order to have a healthy lawn, proper fertilization is needed. Specialized lawn fertilizers can be purchased at many local stores. 3. Equipment industry – such as lawn mowers, aerators, spreaders, etc. 4. Pesticide industry – such as herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides to maintain lawns.

Warm and Cool Season Turfgrass and their zones A.Warm season turfgrass varieties 1. Centipede grass – has a medium-coarse texture with light green color and slow growth habit, tolerates shade but not traffic or wear. 2. St. Augustine grass – a coarse-textured, shade tolerant, fast growing grass. This is a salt tolerant grass that does well on the coast but is very rarely available by seed. 3. Bermuda grass – a warm-season, most popular turfgrass that includes many species and hybrids and are used for all levels of turf.

Warm and Cool Season Turfgrass and their zones 4. Zoysiagrass – a dense, hardy turf that endures high temperatures and humidity. Tolerates low maintenance, although it is slow growing with a long winter dormancy. Very winter hardy. 5. Bermuda and zoysiagrass are the two most popular warm-season grasses for the transitional zone.

Warm and Cool Season Turfgrass and their zones B. Cool-season turfgrass varieties 1. Kentucky bluegrass – a rhizomatous, medium leaf texture grass most commonly used as a lawn turfgrass in cold or cool zones 2. Tall fescue – a course textured, bunch type turfgrass commonly used in cold, cool, or transition zones, and has a greater resistance to summer stress. 3. Perennial ryegrass – a medium textured, bunch type turfgrass commonly used in cold and cool zones. 4. Tall fescue is the most popular cool-season lawn turfgrass for the transition zone.

Warm and Cool Season Turfgrass and their zones C. Southern Zone 1. Warm-season turfgrasses grow best in southern regions. 2. Include such states as Florida and Texas. D. Northern Zone 1. Cool-season turfgrasses grown best in northern regions. 2. Include such states as Maine and Vermont.

Warm and Cool Season Turfgrass and their zones E. Transition zone 1. Three most common transition zone lawn turfgrasses are bermuda grass, zoysiagrass, and tall fescue. 2. The main management practices for cool-season, transition zone turfgrass is to decrease nitrogen fertilization during the hot summer months.

Lawn establishment and renovation A.Facts concerning lawn establishment and renovation. 1. A new turfgrass plant can propagate either from a seed or a vegetative part of the parent plant. 2. The proper selection of turfgrass for a new lawn is critical. 3. Seeding is a common method for cool- season turfgrass lawns. 4. Sodding is the fastest way to establish a new lawn but expensive.

Lawn establishment and renovation 5. Watering is critical during the time of germination. 6. Cool-season turfgrass lawns should be established or renovated in the fall. 7. Warm-season turfgrass lawns should be established in the spring or summer.

Lawn establishment and renovation B. 16 steps to renovate a lawn 1. Selecting proper turfgrass and seeding or planting procedure. 2. Evaluating the soil (a soil test). 3. Controlling the weeds or pests. 4. Measuring the sites, which need over seeding, planting, or sodding. 5. Calculating the needed seed, vegetative parts, or sod based on the recommended rate. 6. Calculating the needed fertilizers based on the recommended rate.

Lawn establishment and renovation 7. Calculating the needed soil amendments based on the recommended rate. 8. Aerating the entire lawn. 9. Redoing edging (optional) 10. Adding soil amendments based on the calculation. 11. Applying starting fertilizers based on the calculation. 12. Rolling the sites to have an even and uniform surface.

Lawn establishment and renovation 13. Watering (optional) based on the soil moisture (avoiding a too dry or too wet condition before seeding, planting, or sodding) 14. Seeding, planting, or sodding based on the calculation rate. 15. Adding a layer of mulch material on the renovating sites (optional) 16. Watering

Lawn Care and Turf Production A.Three benefits of mowing 1. provides uniform appearance for aesthetic value 2. reduces potential of weeds 3. reduces potential of turfgrasses to produce seed heads

Lawn Care and Turf Production B. Facts concerning fertilizer 1. Turfgrasses need fertilizers because of insufficient nutrients in the soil. 2. Nitrogen is the number one nutrient needed in quantity by plants. 3. Only apply fertilizer to lawns when they need it.

Lawn Care and Turf Production C. Facts concerning watering 1. Plant covered areas lose water through evapotranspiration (ET). It is the combination of evaporation and transpiration. 2. During a hot summer day, 90% of water taken up by plants is lost back to the atmosphere due to transpiration of plants to cool down their body.

Lawn Care and Turf Production 3. Tall fescue is the most drought tolerant cool-season turfgrass and buffalo grass is the most drought tolerant warm-season turfgrass. 4. Early morning irrigation is highly recommended as well as deep and infrequent watering.

Lawn Care and Turf Production D. Soil compaction and thatch build-up 1. Causes a. intensive traffic on lawns b. soils with less organic matter and heavy clay content tend to be more compacted. -- The ideal soil composition by volume is 50% solid material including 1-5% organic matter, 25% water, and 25% air.

Lawn Care and Turf Production 2. Results of soil compaction. a. Extensive nitrogen and water application b. Soils will have a poor supply of oxygen which is critical for root growth.

Lawn Care and Turf Production E. Thatch 1. Causes a. excessive nitrogen and water application b. turfgrass species with stolons and rhizomes. c. lower soil pH d. poor soil microbial activity e. higher mowing height

Lawn Care and Turf Production 2. Benefits of moderate that layers a. ½ “ or less thatch layer can act as a cushion to reduce injuries when a lawn is used for games. b. Functions as a filter to reduce pollutants from moving into groundwater.

Lawn Care and Turf Production 3. Thatch control a. reduce excessive nitrogen fertilization and water b. increase soil pH by liming when the soil pH is low c. reduce mowing height d. using mechanical methods such as soil cultivation or lawn aeration. e. topdressing – applying a layer of materials on the turf surface to speed up decomposition through microbial activity.

Lawn Care and Turf Production A.Weeds – a plant growing in the wrong place 1. classified by life cycles a. annual weeds – finish a life cycle within a year such as crabgrass and common chickweed b. biennial weeds – finish a life cycle with two years such as ball thistle and wild carrot c. perennial weeds – live multiple years

Lawn Care and Turf Production B. Types of weeds 1. broadleaf – dicotyledonous such as plantains and clovers 2. grass-like – not grasses but look like grasses such as wild garlic and nutsedge. They are monocots but not grasses. 3. grassy – unwanted grassy plants such as crabgrass or even a turfgrass species in an unwanted area

Lawn Care and Turf Production C. Control of lawn weeds 1. cultural – such as mowing, watering, fertilizing 2. chemicals/herbicides – a type of pesticides used to kill weeds a. non-selective – kills all weeds and plants b. selective – controls targeted weed without killing the desired plant c. pre-emergence – applied prior to seed germination of targeted weed d. post-emergence – applied to emerged weeds

Lawn Care and Turf Production A.Lawn Diseases 1. dollar spot – fungus disease of all turfgrasses which causes small foliar patches 2. brownpatch – fungus disease which causes patches and affects turfgrasses when it is hot and humid 3. fairy rings – fungus disease in which all turfgrasses are susceptible and causes circular abnormal appearance in lawn

Lawn Care and Turf Production 4. gray snow mold – a fungus, patch disease affecting turfgrasses when it is cold with snow cover 5. powdery mildew – fungus disease that thrives in wet and shade conditions and causes white powdery cover on leaves and shoots

Lawn Care and Turf Production 6. Pythium blight – fungus disease, fast spreading patches, occurs in cool-season turfgrasses and bermuda grass in hot and humid summer months 7. take-all patch – a fungus, patch disease of turfgrasses when soil pH is high

Lawn Care and Turf Production B. Lawn-disease control 1. dollar spot – adequate nitrogen fertilization and fungicides 2. brown patch – adequate fungicides and reduce fertilization in the Spring 3. fairy rings – clean soil and light nitrogen applications 4. gray snow mold – adequate fungicides and reduce fertilization in the fall season

Lawn Care and Turf Production 5. Powdery mildew – use adequate turfgrass and fungicides 6. Pythium blight – use adequate preventive fungicides 7. take-all patch – use adequate fungicides and reduce fertilization in spring season

Lawn Care and Turf Production C. Lawn disease terms 1. fungus – a type of microorganism producing mycelium and spores without chlorophyll. Most turfgrass diseases are caused by fungi, which feed on them. 2. hyphae – threadlike filaments of a fungus body 3. mycelium – a mass of hyphae 4. pathogen – a disease-causing organism

Lawn Care and Turf Production D. Lawn insects 1. armyworms – caterpillars, complete metamorphosis, attack turfgrass shoots 2. billbugs – complete metamorphosis, beetles, attack turfgrass roots and shoots as adults and white grubs 3. black turfgrass ataenius – beetles, complete metamorphosis, attack turfgrass roots as white grubs

Lawn Care and Turf Production 4. chinchbugs – incomplete metamorphosis, attack turfgrass with a sucking mouth 5. cutworms – complete metamorphosis, attack turfgrass shoots and leaves 6. Japanese beetles – complete metamorphosis, attack turfgrass as white grubs and adults beetles

Lawn Care and Turf Production 7. white grubs – includes several kinds of beetles and their larvae, complete metamorphosis, attack turfgrasses by damaging roots

Lawn Care and Turf Production E. Lawn insect control 1. armyworms – use endophyte infected turfgrass and insecticides 2. billbugs – use endophyte infected turfgrasses, insecticides, and other methods 3. black turfgrass ataenius – use insecticides and other cultural and biological methods

Lawn Care and Turf Production 4. Chinchbugs – use endophyte infected turfgrass, insecticides, and other cultural and biological methods 5. Cutworms – use endophyte infected turfgrass, insecticides, and other cultural and biological methods 6. Japanese beetles – use insecticides and other cultural and biological methods 7. White grubs – use insecticides and other cultural and biological methods

Lawn Care and Turf Production F. Lawn insect mouth parts of turfgrass feeders are either: 1. Chewing 2. Sucking G. Lawn insect feelers are either: 1. Surface – easier to control such as chinch bugs, aphids, armyworms, and catworms 2. Subsurface – more difficult to control such as white grubs and mole crickets

Lawn Care and Turf Production H. Insect control terms 1. Endophyte – a type of fungi that lives with a host symbiotically and produces toxic chemicals to insect pests without affecting the host. Endophyte infected turfgrasses are resistant to surface feeders such as chinch bugs, aphids, armyworms, cutworms, and sod webworms 2. Biological control – using natural enemies and pathological microorganisms of the pest to control the pest

Lawn Care and Turf Production A.Steps of sod production 1.Identify sod market outlook. 2.Select the site and layout the field. 3.Soil test. 4.Select turfgrass. 5.Prepare the site, fertilize, and manage pest. 6.Establish the turfgrass by seed or vegetative parts. 7.Mow, fertilize, water, and control parts of growing turf. 8.Harvest.

Lawn Care and Turf Production What is sod production? It is a farming practice to produce turfgrass sod requiring specialized equipment and maintenance.

Lawn Care and Turf Production A. Seed production terms: 1. seed – a ripened ovule wit the potential to germinate a new plant 2. seed certification – a measure that insures the purity and quality 3. seed producers – people who produce turfgrass seed as a business 4. seed purity – the percentage of the desired seed as the label name indicates; in general, the turfgrass seed purity is 85% or above

Lawn Care and Turf Production B. Seed production facts: 1. warm-season turfgrass seeds are mainly produced in the southwest region. A hot and dry summer is required for high quality seed production. Arizona and New Mexico are the main states which produce warm-season turfgrass seeds

Lawn Care and Turf Production 2. Cool-season turfgrass seeds are mainly produced in the northwest regions. They require a mild winter and relatively dry and cool summer. Oregon, Washington, and Idaho are the main states which produce cool-season turfgrass seeds.

Lawn Care and Turf Production 3. Turfgrass seed size varies from species to species: creeping bentgrass has the smallest seed and tall fescue had a much bigger seed. 4. Seed certification is required for all turfgrass seeds. 5. The fastest growing international market for turfgrass seed is in Asian countries.