1. August 2008 Selecting Lawn Grasses By: Matthew Flanders Dr. Keith Karnok Dr. Frank Flanders

2. August 2008 Importance of a Lawn The lawn and other landscape components should complement the house and provide a pleasant area for family activities.

3. August 2008 Importance of a Lawn Sound establishment and maintenance practices will improve the appearance of your lawn.

4. August 2008 Importance of a Lawn Unkept Lawns reflect the people who live there and are unappealing to the neighborhood.

5. August 2008 Selecting Turfgrasses The first and most important step is to choose the proper grass species.

6. August 2008 Building a Good Lawn The characteristics of your site should be considered when selecting a turfgrass. Grasses will not grow in incorrect conditions without any regard to your effort.

7. August 2008 Selecting Turfgrasses Do not make the assumption that all grasses are alike. There are several grasses to choose from and they require various conditions and treatment for good growth. They also differ in appearance. Color variation is easily seen here.

8. August 2008 Selecting Turfgrasses A homeowner should become familiar with the turfgrasses adapted to his/her area and then select a species based his/her personal preference and the environmental requirements of the species.

9. August 2008 Warm Season vs. Cool Season Turfgrasses for Georgia can be divided into two categories, warm season and cool season. If you live south of Atlanta and Athens you should not consider a cool season grass because of stress from summer heat and drought. The warm season grasses generally can be grown all over the state, but with the exception of the North Georgia mountain areas.

10. August 2008 Types of Grasses Warm Season Grasses Common Bermuda Hybrid Bermuda Centipede St. Augustine Zoysia Bahia Seashore Paspalum Cool Season Grasses Tall Fescue Fine Fescue Rye Grass Kentucky Bluegrass

11. August 2008 Cool Season Grass Characteristics Cool season grasses as the name implies, grows best during the cool part of the year; fall, winter and early spring. They are recommended only north of Atlanta and Athens area. If properly managed the grasses will remain green all year. The major problem of cool season grasses is the lack of heat tolerance.

12. August 2008 Types of Cool Season Grasses Tall Fescue Fine Fescue Rye Grass Kentucky Bluegrass

13. August 2008 Tall Fescue Most heat tolerant cool season grass Easily established from seed Very economical

14. August 2008 Tall Fescue The biggest problem of fescue is that it doesn’t spread and becomes clumpy and spotty. It lacks rhizomes and stolons to fill in bare ground in the landscape.

15. August 2008 Tall Fescue Reseeding is recommended each fall to reduces the gaps between clumps.

16. August 2008 Tall Fescue Should be mowed to about 3 inches. Shorter mowing will stress the grass especially during summer.

17. August 2008 Tall Fescue Very Coarse Texture Wide Leaf Blade Unappealing to some

18. August 2008 Tall Fescue Poorly managed fescue lawns quickly become unattractive.

19. August 2008 Fine Fescue Not widely used in Georgia Less heat tolerance than tall fescue

20. August 2008 Fine FescueTall Fescue

21. August 2008 Fescue Varieties of fine fescue are being researched and there is promise of heat and drought tolerant varieties for the south.

22. August 2008 Kentucky Bluegrass Most popular lawngrass in the Northern United States Limited to only the northern part of Georgia due to poor hear tolerance

23. August 2008 Medium Textured Grass Found commonly in mixed stands with fescue Kentucky Bluegrass

24. August 2008 Kentucky Bluegrass The boat shaped leaf tips readily distinguish Kentucky Bluegrass.

25. August 2008 Ryegrass Two types: Annual and Perennial Not usually grown in Georgia as a single grass lawns. Used mostly to overseed dormant warm season grasses for winter color.

26. August 2008 Cool Season Grass Mixes Sold commonly in Georgia. Suitable for Georgia in or north of Athens or Atlanta or if your lawn has a variety of conditions such as sun and shade or dry and wet Usually more expensive than single grass seed There may not be any advantages over a single grass lawn.

27. August 2008 Warm Season Grass Characteristics A major disadvantage is that they become dormant and turn brown in the winter. They can be overseeded with ryegrass to provide green color in the winter. Grow during late spring, summer and fall.

28. August 2008 Types of Warm Season Grass Common Bermuda Hybrid Bermuda Centipede St. Augustine Zoysia Bahia

29. August 2008 Warm Season Grasses- Vegetative Reproduction Most of the finest grasses are hybrids and must be reproduced vegetatively. This can be slow if sprigged or plugged and expensive if completely sodded.

30. August 2008 Bermudagrasses Most popular warm season grass Most adapted grass to Georgia Can be mowed at short desirable lengths

31. August 2008 Bermudagrass Selecting and breeding of bermudagrass has been present since 1950. The University of Georgia Coastal Experiment Station in Tifton has been a leading producer of successful cultivars.

32. August 2008 Bermudagrass Seed Heads Seeds are most abundant on common bermuda. A very unattractive characteristic. Hybrid breeds have been selected for their lower number of seed heads.

33. August 2008 Four Groups of Bermudagrass Common (Arizona Common) Improved Common or Seeded- have better color, density, or traffic tolerance than common bermuda, depending on the type. Hybrid- produces sterile seed and can only be propagated vegetatively. Has a finer leaf blade than common. Ultradwarf- relatively new, they are selected for their low mowing height. Used mostly for golf greens.

34. August 2008 Common Bermudagrass Distinguished by its coarse texture and open habit of growth. Most widely used lawngrass in Georgia Grows very easily Can be reproduced by seeds

35. August 2008 Bermudagrass The difference in texture of the finer hybrid bermuda and the more course common Bermuda can be seen here.

36. August 2008 Bermudagrass Hybrids Hybrid bermuda grasses can be very beautiful if given the extra care that is required.

37. August 2008 Bermudagrass Hybrids

38. August 2008 Bermudagrass Hybrids Tifgreen 328 is best used on golf greens, but can be used on lawns.

39. August 2008 Bermudagrasses for Lawns Tifway 419 is the most popular hybrid bermuda used for lawns. It is also well suited for golf fairways and football fields.

40. August 2008 Bermudagrass- Ultradwarf Used only for golf greens Selected for their close mowing ability Have a high maintenance requirement

41. August 2008 Bermudagrass Characteristics Bermuda is commonly confused with Zoysia The leave angles are different for the two species. Bermuda leaves are at 45º angles, while Zoysia leaves are at 80 º angles. Zoysia is also much stiffer and spindly to the touch than Bermuda.

42. August 2008 Zoysiagrass Provides a neat and clean appearance. A slow grower Cannot be grown from seed Zoysia sod is expensive and the sprigs grow slow.

43. August 2008 Zoysiagrass Zoysia can spread by stolons and rhizomes, shown here, as does bermuda.

44. August 2008 Zoysiagrassvs. Bermudagrass Zoysia and bermuda are difficult to tell apart. Bermuda leaves, on the right, stand at 45º angles to its stems. Zoysia, on the left, has leaves that stand at about 80º to its stems.

45. August 2008 ZoysiagrassHybrid Bermuda

46. August 2008 Zoysiagrass Zoysia makes a beautiful lawn but grow slowly and requires a lot of extra care. It can be grown in light shade, unlike bermuda.

47. August 2008 Zoysiagrass These plots were planted at the same time, ten months ago. The zoysia has not spread as well as the bermuda.

48. August 2008 Meyer Zoysia The most widely used cultivar. Is known for its improved growing rate.

49. August 2008 El Toro Zoysia The El Toro variety is a high quality hybrid. This fine textured grass has a low growth habit, attractive color and high density. However, its cold tolerance is less than other varieties of Zoysia.

50. August 2008 Emerald Zoysia Very fine leaf texture Poor cold tolerance

51. August 2008 Centipedegrass Low Maintenance Required Easily and economically established from seeds. Less mowing and fertilizer needed than other grasses

52. August 2008 Centipedegrass Ability to grow in the sun or shade Poor cold tolerance Yellow-green color is unattractive to some homeowners

53. August 2008 Centipedegrass Coarse Texture Opposite leaf arrangeme nt Single stem seed head

54. August 2008 Centipedegrass- Tifblair Tifblair is a more cold tolerant variety of centipede, making it more suitable for North Georgia.

55. August 2008 St. Augustinegrass Very popular in the Coastal Plains Region of Georgia but also grown successfully in the Athens- Atlanta area.

56. August 2008 St. Augustinegrass Has large flat stems and wide coarse leaves. Lacks seeds, so must be propagated vegetatively. A very aggressive grass that spreads rapidly.

57. August 2008 CentipedeSt. Augustine St. Augustine is sometimes confused with centipede. Centipede (right) which has a narrower leaf and whose leaves are opposite on the stem. St. Augustine's leaves (left) are alternate on the stem and are much taller.

58. August 2008 Bahiagrass Not usually recommended as a lawn grass, with the rapid production of unattractive seed heads being the most objectionable trait. Bahia is used mostly where quality is not important, such as roadsides and ditches.

59. August 2008 Seashore Paspalum Recently developed in Florida Tolerates poor soils High salt tolerance (Can even be irrigated with ocean salt water!) Highly suitable for coastal regions

60. August 2008 Seashore Paspalum Used mostly on golf courses near the coast Can be mowed to an 1/8 inch height but ½ to 1 ½ is recommended.

61. August 2008 Seashore Paspalum Seed heads grow quickly, however not enough viable seed is produced to be effective. Vegetative propagation is used with stolons, rhizomes, and sprigs

62. August 2008 Selecting a Grass Matching the proper grass to a site can be confusing. Remembering all the characteristics of each grass is difficult for a beginner. Find a grass that best suits your situation

63. August 2008 Shade Tolerance RatingGrass ExcellentSt Augustine Good Zoysia Tall Fescue FairCentipede Poor Kentucky Bluegrass Bermuda

64. August 2008 Shade Tolerance If the area is in deep shade, you should consider using a suitable ground cover or mulch.

65. August 2008 Wear Tolerance Wear tolerance refers to the traffic or use of the grass. Areas that receive a lot of hard use, such as playgrounds and lawns where children play need a high wear tolerant grass like bermuda. Hybrid Bermuda Common Bermuda Bahia Tall Fescue Kentucky Bluegrass St. Augustine Centipede Most Tolerant Least Tolerant GrassRating

66. August 2008 Drought Tolerance Drought can be a real problem during the summer in Georgia unless an irrigation system is installed. Assuming no irrigation bermuda and zoysia would be the best choice. Bahia Bermuda Zoysia Tall Fescue St. Augustine Centipede Excellent Least Tolerant GrassRating

67. August 2008 Low Temperature Hardiness A more critical factor in North Georgia. The colder winter temperatures can severely harm or even kill some warm season grasses. Kentucky Bluegrass Tall Fescue Zoysia Bermuda Centipede St. Augustine Bahia Excellent Very Poor GrassRating

68. August 2008 High Temperature Hardiness A bigger factor in Central and South Georgia. Cool season grasses will suffer greatly in the summer. Bermuda Bahia Zoysia Centipede St. Augustine Tall Fescue Kentucky Bluegrass Excellent Very Poor GrassRating

69. August 2008 Adaptation to Georgia GrassRegion(s) BahiaCentral and South BermudaAll CentipedeCentral and South Kentucky BluegrassNorth Seashore PaspalumCentral and South (Coastal) St. AugustineCentral and South Tall FescueNorth ZoysiaAll

70. August 2008 Maintenance Generally, the higher quality lawn grasses, require the most hours of maintenance. Low maintenance grasses, such as centipede, reduce time working on the lawn. Grasses are best cut with a reel mower as seen here, although they may be too expensive to be practical for homeowners.

71. August 2008 Choosing a Lawngrass With a little study of the characteristics and requirements of various turfgrasses and a decision about what you really want in a lawn, the puzzle of “Choosing a Lawngrass” can be solved quite easily.

72. August 2008 References Emmons, Robert. Turfgrass Science and Management. 3 rd Ed. Albany, NY: Delmar. 2000. University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences “Turfgrass." Georgia Commodities. 2001. http://www.griffin.peachnet.edu/caes/turf (11 Nov 2002).