Rain late last week combined with rising soil temperatures has initiated green-up of some cool-season grasses in central New Jersey.

Soil temperatures have been slowing increasing over the last few weeks. Currently, the 24-hour and 5-day rolling averages for soil temperature are 47 degrees F at Hort Farm 2 in North Brunswick, New Jersey.

Keep in mind that exposure will influence green-up. Turf grown in shaded locations will remain cooler and hence be much slower to green-up than turf grown in full sun locations. Growth of cool-season grasses will become more vigorous once soil temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees F.

Now is a good time to remove winter debris like branches, twigs, and leaves to avoid smothering damage during green-up of turfed landscapes.

The decision to fertilize a turf/lawn depends on its function and whether vigor or growth needs to be encouraged. For example, a lawn with a full turf cover that is rapidly greening-up should not be fertilized until later this spring; whereas, a lawn that hasn’t fully recovered from last year’s stress damage will likely benefit from a well-timed fertilization with nitrogen. See Rutgers Cooperative Extension bulletin E327, Best Management Practices for Nutrient Management of Turf in New Jersey for more information on fertilization of turf.

Be aware that green-up will vary with the species of grass. Among the cool-season turfgrasses, perennial ryegrass will be the earliest to green-up. Tall fescue will be slower than perennial ryegrass. Green-up of Kentucky bluegrass will depend on the cultivar (variety) being grown; older, common types of Kentucky bluegrass can green-up relatively early in the spring. Whereas, many of the newer, darker green, and lowing-growing types of Kentucky bluegrass can be very slow to green-up. Green-up of a fine-leaf fescue turf will depend on the species; strong creeping red fesuce and Chewings fescue will be faster to green-up than hard fescue.

Zoysiagrass, which is a warm-season grass, will be the slowest to green-up and is not likely to exhibit substantial signs of growth (green-up) until late-May. See Rutgers Cooperative Extension fact sheet FS521, Zoysiagrass Lawns in New Jersey for more information on advantages and disadvantages of growing zoysiagrass.

Property owners with lawns needing repair this spring should select seed blends or mixtures based on site conditions, intended use, expected level of maintenance, and the potential turf quality that can be achieved. See Rutgers Cooperative Extension fact sheet FS684, Turfgrass Seed Selection for Home Lawns for more information.

Typically, turf management isn’t on top of the to-do list in mid-February. But winter in New Jersey isn’t typical typical this year. The statewide average temperature in January 2023 was 41.0°, which was 9.3° above the 1991–2020 normal and ties with 1932 as the mildest January since records commenced in 1895. For more details on a winter weather recap see the Rutger NJ Weather Network at https://www.njweather.org/

Some may be asking, what does this mean for the overseeding I did last fall to renovate my turf? The answer depends, in part, on what seed mix or blend was used and when was it seeded. The minimum temperatures for seed germination are poorly defined because of the extreme slowness of germination at low temperatures. But observations of late-fall seedings clearly indicate that tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass seed does not effectively develop a seedling turf once soil temperatures drop to 50° F. Late-fall seedings with fine fescue will also be slow but greater seedling development may be seen with the red fescues (strong creeping red and Chewings). Among the cool season grasses used for turf, perennial ryegrass has the greatest chance for development of turf cover from a late-fall seeding since the species has been observed to germinate at temperatures below 40° F but above freezing.

Because of the mild winter weather, it would be useful to scout any areas of turf that were overseeded last fall to identify and document the extent of seedling emergence and development. This will serve as a benchmark for future assessments and indicators of progress for turf renovation during the approaching spring.

Mild weather may be encouraging some to consider dormant seeding, which is the process of applying seed with the knowledge that it will not germinate (remains dormant) until environmental conditions are favorable for germination later in the spring. For cool-season grasses, that generally means seed will not germinate until soil temperatures are consistently above 50° F. And it is important to understand that air temperature will probably need to be 60° F or above before soil temperatures will be consistently above 50° F. Soil temperature at the 2-inch depth is currently averaging above 40° F at the turfgrass research farm in North Brunswick, NJ.

Dormant seedings have greater risks associated with higher seedling mortality and loss from wash-outs, bird feeding, etc. Mortality can occur if the seed germinates and then a hard frost occurs and kills the seedlings. Losses due to wash-out and bird feeding are greater because proper soil preparation during the winter is limited by excessive soil moisture or frozen conditions dictating that dormant seeding are reliant on frost-action to incorporate seed into the soil. As a result, seed rates for dormant seeding are often increased by 30 to 50 percent as an attempt to offset these possible losses.

When attempting dormant seeding, consider using walk-behind spreaders and other equipment that won’t cause soil damage and compaction. If the soil is dry and firm enough, heavier equipment may be used but dry, firm conditions are often not the case, especially when the soil has frost heaved or rains have saturated the soil. Also, do not add a fertilizer product during winter dormant seeding operations in accordance with sound environmental stewardship. Fertilizers should never be applied to snow-covered or frozen soils as there is a high risk of fertilizer runoff.

If rapid ground cover is a primary goal for dormant seeding, perennial ryegrass will provide the fastest rate of establishment. Also, covering a dormant seeding with a growth blanket will be a great aid to germination and establishment. Growth blankets protect the seed from wash-outs, wind blowing, and bird feeding and retain moisture and heat, thereby accelerating the establishment rate and extending the growing season. Growth blankets also discourage people from trafficking and disturbing the area.

In summary, dormant seedings are much riskier than seeding at more ideal times. This doesn’t mean dormant seeding aren’t or shouldn’t be done, but it does mean expectations need to be tempered based on the associated risks. And it would be wise to have alternate plan ready should the dormant seeding not achieve the expected outcome.

Conditions for good annual bluegrass growth have returned. Whether you adore or despise Poa annua, consider completing a survey which will allow us to collect valuable insights regarding the turf industry and opinions about managing this pesky grass. The results of this survey will inform a national project team of turfgrass weed scientists working to develop improved solutions for annual bluegrass control.

This survey is being conducted to investigate attitudes and actions related to the management of weeds, in U.S. turfgrass operations, including

golf courses,
sports and recreation turfgrass (athletic fields, schools, parks),
sod production, and
turfgrass seed production.

Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary and responses will be anonymous. Please click the link below to begin. The survey may be difficult to navigate on a smartphone device and is best completed on a PC or tablet. Thank you for your time and insight.


https://confidential-survey.com/datafile/Turfmanager12.htm

 

The summer of 2018 isn’t going away quietly for many in New Jersey. August 2018 will be remembered for a steady dose of torrential rain that has made turfgrass management extremely difficult, especially in the northern half of the state. In the last 30 days, over 12 inches of rain have fallen across several counties in Northern NJ. This is almost triple the 30-year average of approximately 4 inches of rain for this period in a normal year.

These rains have produced saturated soils during an already difficult time of year for cool-season turfgrass (examined by Dr. Murphy in a previous post). High humidity and extended periods of leaf wetness have provided ideal conditions for diseases as well. Desirable turfgrass is thinning out and giving the competitive advantage to certain weeds. If you have weed problems right now you are not alone!

Nutsedge, false-green kyllinga, and creeping bentgrass (where it is a weed in poorly drained areas) are very competitive perennial weeds in wet soils and I’ve noticed they have become more prevalent in recent weeks. Even roughstalk bluegrass has awoken from summer dormancy in some spots.

Amongst annual weeds, crabgrass and goosegrass seem to be especially prevalent this year. Plants that escaped pre-emergence applications matured very rapidly through warm and wet conditions in late July through mid August and made post-emergence control difficult. Crabgrass and goosegrass are much more difficult to control as they mature beyond the 5-7 tiller stage of growth. With heavy rainfall and warm temperatures in late July it was difficult if not impossible to make post-emergence applications in time for optimal weed control.

In a perfect world, post-emergence herbicide applications are not necessary due to an effective pre-emergence herbicide program. But grass, soils, and weather are not perfect and pre-emergence breakthrough in problem areas is expected. Pre-emergence herbicide programs were pushed to, or past the limit after heavy rainfall this spring. Late May was especially wet in the Central NJ where some areas received almost 10 inches of rain which fell during 11 days of a 17-day period (see CoCoRaHS for statewide maps). These conditions may have increased dissipation of pre-emergence herbicides, especially in sandy soils. Crabgrass breakthrough may be especially evident on slopes, high traffic areas, compacted soils, or where only a single pre-emergence application was made. Research consistently demonstrates that split application pre-emergence programs provide better crabgrass control than a single application and we are seeing history repeat itself in our 2018 crabgrass trials. Split application programs are providing excellent crabgrass control, and two most common pre-emergence herbicides (dithiopyr and prodiamine) are providing the same amount of crabgrass control at both locations. Keep in mind that in our research trials we subject herbicides to intense weed pressure, but the herbicides are applied uniformly under ideal conditions (immediate post-application irrigation, clipping return, non-compact soils) so we can make comparisons amongst treatments. Real world conditions may not be so ideal.

 

Moving forward

Apply post-emergence herbicides if possible. Weed suppression that limits seed production is especially worthwhile on and around high-value sites (e.g., putting greens, athletic fields). Pylex (topramezone) is an excellent option for goosegrass control and crabgrass suppression in cool-season turfgrass. In my experience, applications at 1.0 to 1.5 fl oz/A will control multi-tiller plants (only 0.25 oz/A is permitted in creeping bentgrass). Tank-mixtures of Pylex and SpeedZone also provided excellent goosegrass control in our 2018 research. This tank-mixture will be evaluated more in 2019 as an option in Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue. Quinclorac products (Drive XLR8, Solitare, generics) that can be applied at up to 0.75 lbs quinclorac/A are more effective than Pylex on crabgrass in cool-season turfgrass (lower rates can be used in creeping bentgrass) but will not control goosegrass. Tank-mixtures of Drive XLR8 and Pylex are safe to Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass in my experience. Acclaim Extra (fenoxaprop) is another good option that will provide multi-tiller crabgrass and goosegrass control at higher rates. See product labels for more information on turfgrass tolerance, tank-mixtures, and weed control efficacy. Be sure to read the label carefully for information on adjuvants. Not including an adjuvant, or using the wrong one will severely reduce the efficacy of many post-emergence herbicides. For even more information, an excellent guide for weed ID and herbicide selection can be found here at the Purdue University Bookstore. I highly recommend this comprehensive guide.

More importantly, use fertilization and cultural practices to encourage recovery of the cool-season turfgrass once temperatures are more favorable and cool-season grasses regain the competitive advantage (hopefully around labor day). A strong stand of turfgrass will be more competitive against winter annual weeds and crabgrass in 2019. Even in cases of severe crabgrass or goosegrass infestation, a total kill of the existing turfgrass stand is usually not necessary if there is a good base of desirable turfgrass lurking beneath the crabgrass. Use selective herbicides, seed, cultural practices, fertilizer, and September weather to your advantage.