|
KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS TURF SPECIFICATIONS
CHARACTERISTICS:
Cool-season grass - dark green color and dense, beautiful appearance, medium
leaf texture with excellent leaf uniformity. Forms a strong sod via rhizomes.
RECOMMENDED USAGE:
Widely adapted basic lawn grass of the cool, humid, semi-arid and temperate
regions - recommended for residential and commercial lawns. Also, widely used on
sports fields and play areas, parks, cemeteries, commercial lawns and roadsides.
TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE:
Thrives in cool weather and will tolerate very cold winters - undergoes stress
during extremely hot weather, but will maintain good color and appearance if
properly watered and cared for.
DROUGHT RESISTANCE:
Medium - can go into summer dormancy when irrigation is withheld; upon return of
moisture supply, will green up again. Some varieties have better tolerance to
heat and drought.
SHADE ADAPTATION:
Fair to poor - thrives in sunny areas - a few varieties are moderately adapted
to partial shade.
WEAR RESISTANCE:
Medium - recovers quickly from occasional abuse - will withstand moderate foot
traffic usage - rhizomes enhance quick recovery, especially in spring and fall.
Consult your local Turfgrass Producers International Grower if more
information is needed on this or other turfgrass species.
KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS MAINTENANCE
Taking good care of your lawn often requires no more work overall than taking
poor care of it. A lawn that is properly mowed, fertilized and watered has far
fewer problems with weeds, diseases and insects. A well kept lawn also remains
dense and attractive, providing you much more enjoyment and environmental
benefits.
WATER NEEDS:
Moderate - apply 0.5 to 1 inch of water as a deep soaking every 5 to 7 days to
encourage a deep healthy root system during dry or hot periods. Avoid frequent,
shallow watering that results in shallow roots, permitting weed germination and
growth.
MOWING & THATCHING:
Optimum mowing height 1 1/2 - 2 inches for a high quality lawn. Mow regularly
with a sharp rotary or reel mower, allowing clippings from frequent mowing to
remain on the lawn. Never remove more than 1/3 of the shoot growth at one
mowing. Kentucky bluegrass may develop some thatch at higher nitrogen levels.
Prime time to dethatch is in early fall.
SOIL & FERTILIZATION NEEDS:
Performs best in fertile, non-acid reacting soil with good drainage. Fertilize
twice a year, spring and fall, with a complete fertilizer containing nitrogen,
phosphate and potassium. Apply 2.5 to 4 lbs. actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft.
per year for higher requiring nitrogen varieties also apply fertilizer at 0.5 to
I lb. nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. every 4-6 weeks. During summer, fertilizer
rates should be reduced by 50%. Water thoroughly after fertilization.
DISEASE, WEED & INSECT CONTROL:
New varieties have improved resistance to diseases such as leafspot, stripe
smut, powdery mildew, dollar spot, Typhula blight, summer patch and rusts. If
broadleaf weeds need to be controlled with herbicide, the turf should be well
established and in vigorous condition. Practically all insects that damage lawns
can be controlled biologically or with insecticides.
All information is provided by Turfgrass
Producers International
| 
