COMMON TURFGRASS WEEDS AND INSECTS Self-Guided Educational Module - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

COMMON TURFGRASS WEEDS AND INSECTS Self-Guided Educational Module Lesson 3 of 4

Learning Objectives 2 Identify plant species suited for site-specific 1. environmental qualities, pest pressure and use Identify and describe how to manage common 2. turfgrass weeds Identify and describe how to manage common 3. turfgrass insect pests Identify and describe how to manage common 4. turfgrass vertebrate pests

IPM for Lawn and Turfgrass 3 q IPM for lawns and turf is a long-term approach to maintaining healthy and reduced risk outdoor areas - This approach includes: Ø Site assessment Ø Monitoring Ø Prevention Ø Management Ø Evaluation of practices

Components of an IPM Program on School Grounds 4 Promoting turfgrass health: q Select grass species that will thrive on the site and support the site use q Prepare the site properly q Provide cultural care q It is critical to consider the use of the turf when selecting turfgrass species and cultivars

Selecting Turfgrass 5 Select a turfgrass seed mix that will thrive in the 1. area Grasses with disease resistance are generally only 2. resistant to one disease and may be susceptible to other turfgrass diseases Certain grasses containing endophytes can prevent 3. outbreaks of above-ground insect pests Select grass types that can tolerate the level of play 4. or traffic on the area

University of Georgia College of Turfgrass Identification Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 6 Seedhead Blade Roots comprise Ligule Sheath almost half of Auricles Node the entire grass Midrib plant Collar Stolon Tiller Bud Leaf Crown Rhizome

Turfgrass Selection Kentucky Perennial Bluegrass Ryegrasses Tall Fescue Fine Fescue 9 Growth habit Rhizomatous Bunch Bunch Bunch, some rhizomes Leaf texture Medium-Fine Medium Course Very Fine (blade width) Establishment Slow Fast Medium-Fast Medium from seed Seeding rate 1 to 2 lb./1,000 5 to 9 lb./1,000 5 to 9 lb./1,000 3 to 5 lb./1,000 ft. 2 ft. 2 ft. 2 ft. 2 Annual nitrogen 3 to 4 lb./1,000 2 to 4 lb./1,000 2 to 4 lb./1,000 1 to 2 lb./1,000 fertilizer ft. 2 ft. 2 ft. 2 ft. 2 Drought Poor Poor Some Some tolerance Shade tolerance Poor Poor Good Excellent (min. 4 hours direct sun) Wear tolerance Good Good Good Poor (traffic)

Census Regions and Division of the United States - Inkscape 8

Examples of Turfgrass Species – North Central Turfgrass Characteristics 9 Grass species Growth habit Leaf texture /color Preferred environment Tolerance attributes Kentucky Rhizomes Fine to medium Well drained, sunny areas Cold - high bluegrass Dark green High nutrient and water Wear - high requirements Drought - low Shade - low Cold - high Supina Stolons Fine to medium Sun to dense shade Heat - low bluegrass Light green High nutrient and water Drought - low requirements Wear - very high Perennial Bunch Fine to medium Well drained soils Cold - low ryegrass Moderate fertility and water Heat - low requirement Drought - moderate Shade - low Wear - high Tall fescue Bunch Medium to coarse Well drained soils Cold - low Open sunny areas. Low Heat - high fertility requirement Drought -high Shade - moderate Wear - moderate Cold - high Fine fescue Bunch, some rhizomesMedium to fine Cool, dry, well drained, Heat/salt - low shade tolerant, well drained Drought - moderate Wear - moderate Shade - moderate

Examples of Turfgrass Species – Northeastern Turfgrass Characteristics 10 Grass species Growth habit Leaf texture Preferred environment Tolerance attributes Cold - high Kentucky Rhizomes Medium to fine Sunny, well Heat - moderate bluegrass drained Drought - moderate Wear – moderate Shade - low Cold - high Fine fescue Bunch, some rhizomesMedium to fine Cool, dry, well drained, shade Heat/salt - low tolerant, well drained Drought - moderate Wear - moderate Shade - high Cold - low/moderate Perennial Bunch Medium to fine Well drained, Heat /moderate/high ryegrass moderate fertility Wear - high Drought - low Shade - low Cold - low/moderate Tall fescue Bunch Medium to coarse Sun and shade Heat - high Drought - moderate Wear - high Shade - moderate Salinity - moderate

Examples of Turfgrass Species – Western Turfgrass Characteristics 11 Grass species Growth habit Leaf texture Preferred environment Tolerance attributes Kentucky Rhizomes Medium to fine Sunny, well Cold - high bluegrass drained Heat - moderate High elevation Drought - moderate Wear - moderate Supina Stolons Fine to medium Sun to dense shade Cold - high bluegrass Light green High nutrient requirements Heat - low Drought - low Wear - very high Cold - moderate Bermudagrass Rhizomes & Fine, medium Sunny, tolerates Heat/salt - high (southwestern) stolons to coarse most soil conditions Drought - high High fertility requirement Wear - high Low – medium elevation Perennial Bunch Medium to fine Well drained, Cold - low/moderate ryegrass moderate fertility Heat /moderate/high Drought - low Wear - high Shade – low Tall fescue Bunch Medium to coarse Sun and shade Cold - low/moderate Heat - high Drought -moderate Wear - moderate Shade - moderate Salinity - moderate

Examples of Turfgrass Species – Pacific Northwest Turfgrass Characteristics 12 Grass species Growth habit Leaf texture Preferred environment Tolerance attributes Kentucky Rhizomes Medium to fine Sunny, well Cold - high bluegrass Drained Heat - moderate Recovery – slow in late Drought - moderate fall Wear - moderate Cold - high Fine fescue Bunch, some Medium to fine Cool, dry, well Heat/salt - low rhizomes drained, shade Drought - moderate tolerant, well drained Wear - moderate Shade - high Cold - low/moderate Perennial Bunch Medium to fine Well drained, Heat /moderate/high ryegrass moderate fertility, Wear - high sunny Drought - low Shade - low Cold - low/moderate Tall fescue Bunch Medium to coarse Sun and shade Heat - high Drought - moderate Wear - moderate Shade - moderate Salinity - moderate

Examples of Turfgrass Species – Southern Turfgrass Characteristics 13 Tolerance attributes Grass species Growth habit Leaf texture Preferred environment Bermudagrass Rhizomes & Fine, medium Sunny, tolerates Cold - moderate stolons to coarse most soil conditions Heat/salt - high Drought - high Wear - high Zoysiagrass Rhizomes & Fine, medium Sun to moderate Cold - good stolons to coarse Shade. Recovery is slow Heat/salt - high Drought - high Wear - high Centipede Rhizomes & Medium Sunny, tolerates low pH Cold - fair stolons to coarse conditions Heat - good Salinity - poor Wear - poor/moderate Tall fescue Bunch Medium to coarse Sun and shade Cold - low/moderate Heat - high Drought - moderate Wear - high Shade - moderate Salinity - moderate Cold - high Fine fescue Bunch, some Medium to fine Cool, dry, well drained, shade Heat/salt - low rhizomes tolerant, well drained Drought - moderate Wear - moderate Shade - high

Managing Turf Weeds 14 ¨ Keep turfgrass healthy to out-compete weeds ¨ Use certified seed for overseeding, the seed has fewer weed seeds than low-quality seed mixes ¨ Soil pH can be a huge factor in weed invasion and turf decline ¨ Avoid fertilizer applications when common annual weed seeds may be germinating ¨ Establish weed population thresholds by management zone ¨ Low visibility, low maintenance zones can tolerate more weeds

Weed Monitoring: The Transect Method 15 □ Randomly choose a series of representative transects for sampling □ Walk each transect, stop at 20 or more evenly spaced sampling units (steps or measures) and record the presence/absence of weeds in a 3x3 foot area in front □ Estimate the percentage of area covered by weeds in each 3x3' sample and calculate the average over all 20 samples Samples Covered by weeds 10 40% (10x40%) = 400% 400% + 100% = 500% 10 10% (10x10%) = 100% 500%/20 sites = 25% □ Monitor regularly, recognize trends and develop thresholds for action based on management zones

Common Turfgrass Weeds: Northeast 16 Weeds ¨ Velvetleaf ¨ Common ragweed ¨ Common lambsquarters ¨ Hairy galinsoga ¨ Eastern black nightshade ¨ Common chickweed ¨ Giant foxtail Common Chickweed - John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, ¨ Yellow foxtail bugwood.org ¨ Large crabgrass ¨ Yellow nutsedge

Common Turfgrass Weeds: Midwest 17 Weeds ¨ Bull thistle ¨ Canada thistle ¨ Carolina geranium Bull thistle - ¨ Chicory Eric Coombs, Oregon ¨ Common purslane Department of ¨ Curly dock Agriculture, bugwood.org ¨ Large crabgrass ¨ Mouseear chickweed ¨ Common mallow ¨ Perennial sowthistle

Common Turfgrass Weeds: Pacific Northwest 18 Weeds ¨ Annual bluegrass ¨ Buttercup ¨ Chickweed ¨ Clover ¨ Crabgrass ¨ White clover ¨ Moss ¨ Plantain ¨ Thistles ¨ Red sorrel White clover - Tim Miller , Washington State University

Common Turfgrass Weeds: South 19 Weeds ¨ Dallisgrass ¨ Bahiagrass ¨ Annual bluegrass ¨ Spurge ¨ Chickweed ¨ Crabgrass Common chickweed - ¨ Dandelion Ohio State Weed Lab Archive, The Ohio State University