Not all lawn seed is the same.

Type: Kentucky Bluegrass

• Cool weather grass with perhaps the best color of all.
• Cooperative Extension (NY) says it's the best type for NYS.
• Excellent, new varieties improve its temperature, drought, and disease tolerance problems (i.e. leaf spot, summer patch).
• A rhizomonous, sod-forming grass which will fill in bare or thin areas.
• Recommend using at least 3 varieties in a blend to increase disease resistance.

Type: Perennial Ryegrass

• Vigorous, fast-establishing grass, excellent to include in new lawns.
• Compatible to use with Kentucky Bluegrass (mix less than 20% by volume).
• Prone to winter injury in our area and north.
• New cultivars are attractive, more cold hardy, and disease resistant.

Type: Fine Fescues

• Low maintenance grass type with good shade tolerance.
• Low moisture and fertility needs.
• Susceptible to red thread and dollar spot. Use resistant varieties such as Spartan, Waldiana, Bighorn, Reliant, Jamestown II, etc.

Type: Tall Turf-Type Fescues

• Very adaptable and versatile grass: Will grow in a wide range of soil types and soil pHs, and light conditions.
• Very good drought tolerance. Low fertility requirements. Few disease problems.
• Excellent heat tolerance. Performs well in heavy traffic and use situations.
• While Extension advises not to use this grass north of Westchester County, we have found it reliably cold hardy. Extension also advises that tall turf-type fescues are not compatible with other grass types (i.e. plant as a monoculture), we advocate combining it with a small amount (10%-20%) of Kentucky bluegrass.

The IES Mixes:
Lesco Team Mates Plus Mix:
70% turf-type fescues (Titan II, Stetson, Lancer)
20% perennial ryegrass (Wizard)
10% Kentucky bluegrass (Merit, Baron, Shamrock, Wildwood)

Read the Label!

• Is the mix inoculated with endophytes?
• What is the date of the mix? (germination success drops dramatically after 1 year)
• What is the percentage of inert ingredients in the mix? (less than 3-4% is acceptable)

Fertilization:
Periodic soil testing is critical to successful turf management. I recommend using Cornell lab testing (through Cooperative Extension; $17 fee) every 2-3 years. We monitor soil acidity (pH) yearly with a simple pH meter. Optimum soil pH for most turf grasses is 6.5. Use dolomitic limestone to raise the pH:

Nutritional Needs:
Nitrogen and potassium levels are key to proper fertilization. For Kentucky bluegrass it is recommended to apply a total of 2-3 lbs. of N./1000sf/year and 1-3 lbs. of K. in 2 or 3 timed applications. Fine fescues, perennial ryegrasses, and tall fescues require about 1-2 lbs. of N. and 1-3 lbs. of K. Calculating the proper amount of fertilizer for your lawn is easy: Example: Given: you want to fertilize your lawn with a recommended organic fertilizer, Sustane 5-2-4. You measure the square footage at about 15,000 sf. You want to apply at a rate of 1 lb. N./1000sf.
   1(amt. of N. desired) divided by 1000 (the standard: lbs./1000sf)=.001
   .001 times 15,000 (area of your lawn)=15 (lbs. of N. needed to apply at the selected rate)
   5-2-4 (in a 50 lb. bag)= .05 (5% N. by volume)x50 (weight of bag)=2.5 lbs.
   N. per bag 15 (total amount of N. needed) divided by 2.5 (lbs.N./bag)=6 bags needed
It is very important to calibrate your spreader and keep yearly records.

Not all fertilizers are the same!
We recommend an organic fertilizer as they are mainly water insoluble (i.e. naturally slow release), will stimulate the soil microbial activity thus facilitating nutrient uptake, reducing thatch, suppressing disease, enhancing the structure of the soil itself (i.e. tilth, water holding capacity, etc.). Not all organic fertilizers are quality products! Use the "18 Rule" (if the combination of the N.P.K. adds up to more than 18, its not totally organic). We recommend North Country Organic's Pro-Gro 5-3-4 or Nature's Turf 8-1-9 (local distributor is South Farms Nursery in Goshen, CT: 860-491-0065); or Plant Health Care's Healthy Turf 8-1-9 (local distributor is Crop Production Services in Amenia 845-373-9913). Healthy Turf contains both biostimulants and beneficial bacteria (nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-solubilizing).

Supplemental "Feedings":
Use biostimulants to promote a strong, resilient root system to withstand environmental and/or cultural stresses. Biostimulants are non-fertilizer organic substances that activate and accelerate the growth processes of plants. Some of the key ingredients in biostimulants are humic acid (The end product of decomposed plant tissue that plays many roles in soil and plant nutrition. They improve the cation exchange capacity of soil, increase cell membrane permeability, increase phosphorus uptake, root and cell elongation and ion transport.); Ascophyllum nodosum (This species of cold water sea kelp is a commonly used organic supplement that helps increase plant growth and prevents plant stress. Its primary ingredient is cytokinins, a plant growth regulator, that helps heal wounds, delay senescence and chlorsis, and promote root development.); amino acids (Part of the natural biochemical processes of the plant, causing improved nutrient absorption and increased availability of micronutrients.); carbohydrates (Serve as carbon energy sources for soil microorganisms.); and vitamin B-complex and K (Important enzyme catalysts that enhance normal plant metabolism. B vitamins contribute to root development.). We recommend 2 to 3 seasonal supplemental feedings per year.

Core Aeration and Topdressing:
Core aeration periodically done on the entire lawn, especially the high traffic areas, will greatly benefit established lawns. We recommend fall aeration just prior to the fertilization. Disperse the soil plugs by "sweeping" or mowing. Topdressing lawns with quality organic compost will likewise invigorate your lawn. By mixing grass seed into the compost, your can renovate thin areas of your turf. We like McEnroe Organic Farm Association's compost as it is weed and disease-free. Another excellent product is "Sweet Peat", also available locally.

Watering:
Regular watering is crucial to the establishment of new and young lawns. Many grass types will go dormant during a drought, especially Kentucky bluegrass. If possible, you should deep water (at least an inch of water) at the first sign of stress (wilting), and water frequently and shallowly throughout the summer. Water in the early morning to suppress turf diseases. Tall turf-type fescues are the most drought tolerant of all the commercially available grass types.

Mowing:
Rule of thumb: never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade of any type of grass. Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues should be maintained at the 2"-3" height; tall fescues at 3". Keep mowing blades sharp!; dull blades wound the grass and leave convenient points of entry for diseases (i.e. leaf spot). Do not mow turf that is under stress! Avoid mowing in the mid-day sun. Do not bag clippings; rather use a mulching blade as the clippings can contain up to 35% N. and other essential nutrients.

Pests:
Weeds: Weed problems usually arise as a result of environmental and/or cultural stresses. Extreme temperatures, drought, improper mowing, insect or disease infestation, improper or lack of fertilization are the most common vectors for weed entry. If the problem is extensive or the weeds are particularly noxious, there is no alternative but to use an herbicide or remove them by hand. Avoid potent and persistent chemicals whenever possible. Try "new" organically based herbicides such as corn glutin (available through Gardens Alive! tel: 812-537-8650: WOW and WOW plus, or North Country Organics).
Diseases: The main disease problems in NYS are leaf spot, fusarium (necrotic ring spot, summer patch), red thread, rust, and snowmold. Best methods to minimize diseases are to start with disease resistant grass varieties and employ proper cultural practices. Leaf spot is the most serious disease of Kentucky bluegrass. Cool, wet springs fosters the disease, which manifests in summer with crown rot ("melting out"). Heavily fertilized lawns, especially those that received high applications of nitrogen in spring, are the most susceptible. Fusarium blight syndrome affects the roots of grasses. Summer patch is the more common of the two blights. Hot, dry summer conditions are conducive to summer patch. Buy resistant varieties of perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass. We like tall turf-type fescues as they are very deep rooted and therefore more drought tolerant. Rust is common in perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass in the fall. Low N. levels foster rust. Fall fertilization programs typically prevent this problem. Snowmold can be a serious problem in upstate NY. Proper fall fertilization with N. and K. help minimize the damage. Avoid fertilizing after 10/1 and before the last mowing. Fertilizing is best done after the last mowing, usually late October or early November.
Insects: There are two basic types of damaging turf insects: surface feeders (chinch bugs, sod webworms) and root feeders (white grubs of 5 species of beetles with Japanese beetles and European chafers being the most common). For the surface feeders use endophyte enhanced grass varieties. Botanical insecticides such as those derived from the neem tree are safe and effective for surface feeding insects. Avoid chemicals such as Dursban, Oftanol, Sevin, Orthene, and Turcam. Biological controls are best for root feeding turf insects. Chemical insecticides not only pose a health risk to the applicator and the resident, but also deleteriously impact the beneficial soil microorganisms. Parasitic nematodes are very effective for all white grubs species. Milky spore disease (Bacillus popilliae) is not effective on masked chafer, takes 3-5 years to populate a typical lawn, and is not effective in many areas of NYS. Armyworms have recently been a serious problem in areas of NYS and CT. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is effective for this pest.

Miscellaneous:
Whenever possible avoid using lawns during times of drought or when the turf is frozen and there is no snow cover. Do not drive on lawns under these conditions!

For tips on establishing a new lawn or renovating a thin or weedy lawn see "Gifford Garden Notes" on the IES website.
At the bottom of the page is an archive option, or you can go directly to the archives.
Establishing and renovating lawns can be found in the 9-3-01, 9-10-01, and 9-17-01 editions.