What element should you
use if you would like to
lower the pH in your soil?
Answer: Sulfur
 Max 2-4 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. per ap
 Max 10 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. in a year
 Approx 12 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. to lower 0.5
points (9 lbs in sandy soils)
 Apply right after aeration in cool weather and
higher cut turf
 Always defer to the lab
Which element should you use if you would like
to raise the pH in your soil?
Answer: Lime
 Max 50 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. per ap
 Max 100 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. per year
 Approx 50 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. to lower 0.5
points (25 lbs in sandy soils)
 Apply right after aeration in cool weather and
higher cut turf
 Always defer to the lab
For our area, what range of pH is
considered acceptable?
A) 4.5-6.0
B) 6.0-7.5
C) 7.5-9.0
Answer:
B) 6.0-7.5
Put these grasses in order of shade
tolerance:
 Kentucky Bluegrass
 Perennial Ryegrass
 Tall Fescue
 Fine Fescues
Answer:
 1) Fine Fescues
 2) Tall Fescues
 3) Perennial Ryegrass
 4) Kentucky Bluegrass
Name the 4 types of Fine Fescues
Answer:
 Red Fescue (Strong & Slender)
 Chewings Fescue
 Sheep Fescue
 Hard Fescue
Advantages of Fine Fescues
 Excellent Drought Tolerance
 Low Fertility Requirements
 Excellent Shade Tolerance
 Low Growing –4”-6”
Disadvantages of Fine Fescues
 Poor wear tolerance
 Certain types may go dormant in summer
when heat is highest (chewings & creeping
red fescue)
Which species of grass is this?
Answer: Tall Fescue
 Moderately wear tolerant
 Good shade tolerance
 Excellent drought tolerance
 Improved disease tolerance
 Resistance to certain insects if endophyte-
enhanced
Which species of grass is this?
Answer: Tall Fescue
Disadvantages
 Questionable cold tolerance
 Not as fine-bladed as other turf grasses
 More frequent mowing
 A bunch-type grass
 Does not mix so well with other grasses—
seed by itself or with 10-20% kentucky
bluegrass
I am a perennial, bunch-type grass that
exhibits good green color. My latin
name is lolium perenne. What am I?
Answer: Perennial Ryegrass
 Establishes quickly
 Good color
 Blends well with bluegrass and fine fescues
 Bunch-type growth
 Should be endophyte-enhanced
When is the best time to aerate a lawn?
 A) Late March
 B) End of May/early June
 C) Late September/early October
Answer:
B) End of May/early June
Ohio St. did a study on wear tolerance.
Which of these combinations
performed the best?
 A) Kentucky Bluegrass/Perennial Ryegrass
Mix
 B) 100% Kentucky Bluegrass (Improved)
 C) 100% Tall Fescue (rhizomatous) Kentucky
D) Bluegrass/Tall Fescue Mix
Answer:
 B) 100% Kentucky Bluegrass (Improved)
 A) Kentucky Bluegrass/Perennial Ryegrass
Mix
 D) Kentucky Bluegrass/Tall Fescue Mix
 C) 100% Tall Fescue (rhizomatous)
--A & D were roughly a tie
True or False:
 Coatings on grass seed have been shown to
consistently increase seed germination and
should be integrated into your overseeding
program?
Answer: False
 “I’d like to charge you more money for a
gimmick”.
 Fertilizer Coating = Not Enough
 Water absorbing polymer = Little Effect
 Exceptions: Apron or Maxim Coatings
As a general rule of thumb, after grass
seed germinates, how long should you
wait before it is safe to apply an
herbicide?
A) When the grass is at least one inch tall.
B) Once the grass has been mowed 2 times
C) 6 months from the time you seeded
Answer:
 B) Once the grass has been mowed 2 times
 Always defer to the label and manufacturer’s
recommendations
What is the proper planting depth for
turf seed?
 A) Sitting on top of the Soil
 B) 1/16” – 1/8”
 C) ¼” – ½”
 D) ¾”
Answer:
 B) 1/16” – 1/8” inch
Too shallow = nowhere for roots to go
Too deep = Tired Seed
True or False:
There is no such thing as putting down too
much seed?
Answer: False
 Too much seed = carpet effect
In a word, what is the #1 reason why
seed sometimes fails?
Answer: Watering!!
 Too much = dormancy/washing out
 Too little = wilting & death
Poa Supina is:
 A) A last resort species of grass for shady
areas
 B) An annual weed
 C) A term I made up
 D) Another name for Poa Trivialis
Answer:
 A) A last resort species of grass for shady
areas
 Slow to germinate, but very aggressive when
established
 Extremely wear tolerant
 Quick spring green-up
 Lighter green color
 Very expensive—5-10% is enough in mix
According to a New York trial, which
element, when applied annually at 2-4
lbs per 1,000 sq. ft., increased wateruse efficiency by 19-45%?
Answer: Potassium
 Makes turf tougher—increasing wear
tolerance
 Has been shown to diminish disease before
when applied before an outbreak
I spread via rhizomes and am well
equipped to handle our harsh winters.
I mix well with others (grasses) but I
am slow to germinate and can be
expensive (but I’m worth it). Which
grass am I?
Answer: Kentucky Bluegrass
 Very wear tolerant and excellent recuperative
ability
 Slow to germinate (14-28 days)
 New varieties = dark green color
 Likes to be fertilized—higher maintenance
 Relatively good drought tolerance
 Mixes well with other grasses
 New varieties exhibit good resistance
I am a parasite that helps protect some
types of grasses from certain insects.
What am I called?
Answer: An Endophyte
 Perennial Ryegrass/Tall Fescue and a limited
# of fine fesuces
 Makes plant tougher naturally
 Defends against sod webworm, billbug, fall
armyworms, stem weevils, and chinch bugs
 Non-toxic to dogs or other pets
A few last helpful tips:
 Irrigate in the early morning
 Mow in the morning
 Keep mowing heights high (2.5” or so)
 Irrigate before and after applying insecticide
 Try using Iron in place of an application
 Only use slow release fertilizers in all areas,
but particularly in shady areas.