Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management

481 Pages·2016·17.04 MB·English

by  Nick E. Christians

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Fundamentals of
Turfgrass Management
Fifth Edition
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Nick E. Christians
Aaron J. Patton
Quincy D. Law
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData:
Names:Christians,Nick,1949-,author.|Patton,AaronJ.,1978-,author.|Law,QuincyD.,1987-,author.
Title:Fundamentalsofturfgrassmanagement/NickE.Christians,AaronJ.Patton,QuincyD.Law.
Description:Fifthedition.|Hoboken,NewJersey:JohnWiley&Sons,Inc.,2016.|Includesbibliographical
referencesandindex.
Identifiers:LCCN2016026516(print)|LCCN2016030897(ebook)|ISBN9781119204633(cloth)|
ISBN9781119205661(pdf)|ISBN9781119205562(epub)
Subjects:LCSH:Turfmanagement.
Classification:LCCSB433.C552016(print)|LCCSB433(ebook)|DDC635.9/642—dc23
LCrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2016026516
Coverimage:Kentuckybluegrass(Poapratensis)leaftipwithguttationfluid.PhotobyAaronJ.Patton.
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Iwouldliketodedicatethisbooktomywife,Marla,whohelpedwith
editing and proofreading of the text during its preparation, and to
mysons,LanceandTim.Itisalsodedicatedtothemanyacademic
advisers,teachers,friends,andcoworkerswhotaughtmethethings
thatIknowabouttheturfgrassindustry.
—NickE.Christians
I would like to dedicate this book in memory of David Marron.
David was my high school librarian who gifted me my very first
turfgrassbookwhenIwasajuniorinhighschool.Hepassedaway
shortlythereafter,butIwillforeverappreciatehisfriendship,kind-
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ness,andsupportofmyacademicinterests.
—AaronJ.Patton
Formyparents,whoseboundlesslove,support,andguidancemade
this possible. My mother, Leslie, is a school teacher who demon-
strates that teaching and learning extend beyond the classroom.
My father, Randy, is an agronomist who cultivated my love for the
land.Allofmyaccomplishmentshavebeenattainedfromstanding
upontheirshoulders.
—QuincyD.Law
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C
ONTENTS
Preface vii
Acknowledgments ix
Chapter 1 BenefitsofTurfandItsManagement 1
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PARTI Grasses 7
Chapter 2 IntroductiontotheGrasses 9
Chapter 3 Cool-SeasonGrasses 41
Chapter 4 Warm-SeasonGrasses 75
Chapter 5 OrnamentalGrasses 97
PARTII TurfCulture 109
Chapter 6 Establishment 111
Chapter 7 SoilTestingandSoilAmendments 147
Chapter 8 TurfNutritionandFertilization 171
Chapter 9 Mowing,Rolling,andPlantGrowthRegulators 209
Chapter 10 Irrigation 225
Chapter 11 Thatch,Cultivation,andTopdressing 249
Chapter 12 LightRequirementsandShadeManagement 269
v
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vi CONTENTS
PARTIII TurfPestManagement 285
Chapter 13 TurfWeedManagement 287
Chapter 14 TurfInsectManagement 331
Chapter 15 TurfDiseaseManagement 353
PARTIV TheTurfIndustry 379
Chapter 16 CareersintheTurfgrassIndustry 381
Chapter 17 SportsTurfManagement 389
Chapter 18 SodProduction 407
Chapter 19 ProfessionalLawnCare 419
Chapter 20 GolfCourseMaintenance 431
AbouttheAuthors 455
Index 457
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P
REFACE
When I (Dr. Nick Christians) graduated from the Colorado State University School of
Forestry in 1972, I quickly found that employment opportunities were very limited in
mychosenfield.Fortunately,Ihadtakencoursesinagronomyandhorticulture,includ-
ingturfgrassmanagement.Ihadalsoworkedparttimeinthesodindustryfortwoyears
andhaddevelopedaninterestintheturfgrassprofession.Theturfindustrywasboom-
ingintheearly1970s,andIfoundajobasanassistantgolfcoursesuperintendentunder
certifiedsuperintendentTomRogersatFlatironsCountryClubinBoulder,Colorado.
I quickly found that the real world of broken irrigation heads, tight budgets, and
(cid:2) constantlychanginggreenscommitteeswasmuchdifferentfromtheacademicworldof (cid:2)
quick, easy answers. I also found how little four years of college had taught me that I
would need to know. The next year I became the superintendent of Pueblo West Golf
Course in Pueblo, Colorado. This further opened my eyes to the reality of personnel
managementandthepoliticalrealitiesofthebusinessworld.
Later,Ihadthechancetogotograduateschoolandthentoestablishateachingand
researchprogramatIowaStateUniversity.Idecidedthatmyteachingwouldreflectthe
realitiesthatIhadexperiencedintheindustryandthatmystudentswouldgetasmuch
real-worldexposureastheycouldthroughmyteaching,throughinternships,andfrom
otherpracticalexperience.
This is the same philosophy infused into this text. While no academic course or
textbookwillevertaketheplaceofhands-onexperience,thereareperspectivesthatprac-
ticalexperience—andonlypracticalexperience—canbringtoabook.WhenIbeganmy
careeronthegolfcourse,IfoundmanythingsthatIwishedIhadbeentaughtandthat
Ilaterhadtolearnonmyown.Wherepossible,Ihavetriedtoincorporatethosethings
intomyteachingandwriting.
One of the most important of these was mathematics. Calculation of application
ratesoffertilizersandpesticides,irrigationcalculations,topdressingproblems,andother
mathematically related subjects are an important part of every turfgrass manager’s job.
Whilesomemathematicalsubjectsarecoveredinthisbook,thosewhowouldlikeamore
in-depth coverage of the subject are directed to The Mathematics of Turfgrass Mainte-
nance, 4th ed., by N. E. Christians and M. L. Agnew (John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken,
NJ,2008).
The primary objective of this book is to introduce the principles of turfgrass man-
agement. It begins at a level suitable for those just entering the field, but also contains
vii
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viii PREFACE
beneficial information for experienced turfgrass managers. The goal is to present the
information in a straightforward way that readers can easily understand. There is an
emphasis on explaining why certain management practices are needed. Hopefully, the
textwillhelpreaderswithafundamentalunderstandingofturfgrassmanagementsothat
theycanadaptandapplywhattheyhavelearnedtothevariedsituationsinthefield.
This fifth edition contains extensive updates and significant revision. Two new
authors(Dr.AaronJ.PattonandQuincyD.Law,M.S.)addtheirfieldandresearchexpe-
riencetoenhancethisnewedition.Theiradditionsandupdatestoeachchapterprovide
valuable insights. The text is updated throughout to reflect the latest research-based
informationandtrendsintheturfgrassindustry.
—NickE.Christians
Specificchangestothiseditionincludethefollowing:
• Two new chapters (Chapter 1: Benefits of Turf and Its Management and
Chapter12:LightRequirementsandShadeManagement)
• Multiplenewandrevisedfiguresthroughoutthebook
• Increaseddiscussionanddescriptionofcool-seasonandwarm-seasonturfgrasses
• Extrainformationonestablishmentmethodsandcosts
• Updatedinformationonsoiltestingandturfnutrition
(cid:2) • Expandedcontentoncultivationandsandtopdressing (cid:2)
• Enhancedweedmanagementinformation
• Addedinformationonprofessionallawncareprograms
• New information on fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and plant
growthregulators
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A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
There were a number of individuals who helped edit parts of the text and provided
adviceduringitspreparationandrevision.TheyincludeDr.MikeAgnew,Mr.B.J.Bilas,
Dr.PrasantaBohmick,Dr.DouglasBrede,Dr.LeahBrilman,Dr.JoeDiPoala,Dr.Mark
Gleason, Mr. Matt Heiss, Dr. Clinton Hodges, Mr. Daryle Johnson, Dr. Young Joo,
Dr. Kevin Kenworthy, Mr. Mark Kuiper, Dr. Donald Lewis, Mr. Mike Loan, Dr. David
Martin, Dr. Lee Miller, Dr. David Minner, Dr. Justin Moss, Dr. Mike Richardson,
Dr. Doug Richmond, Dr. Trey Rogers, Dr. Clark Throssell, Dr. Bryan Unruh, and
Dr.DonaldWhite.
(cid:2) Ialsothankmywife,MarlaChristians.Iwouldalsoliketogivespecialacknowledg- (cid:2)
menttoJenniferCraig,theartistwhodrewmanyofthegrasspicturesinChapters2,3,
and4andthesoilprofilepicturesinChapter20,andtoJaneM.Lenahan,whoproduced
manyoftheotherdrawingsinthetext.
—Dr.NickE.Christians
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then, he said “Let the earth
bring forth grass” (NKJV). I am grateful that my Lord filled me with a passion for the
turfgrassHecreated.Heblessedmewithawonderfulwife,Ella,andfourgreatchildren:
Elijah,Jacob,Samuel,andKathryn.Ithankthemfortheirencouragementandsupport
duringtherevisionofthistext.
—Dr.AaronJ.Patton
Writing a textbook with my two biggest mentors in turf has truly been an honor. I am
gratefultohaveworkedsocloselywithNickChristiansandAaronPattonandamabetter
turfgrassscientistfordoingso.Thankyoufortheopportunity.
—QuincyD.Law,M.S.
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C 1
HAPTER
B T I
ENEFITS OF URF AND TS
M
ANAGEMENT
It is not difficult to find beauty in the natural world, especially when considering that
muchofthesplendorarisesfromlivingorganisms.Thoughturfisusuallynotthefocal
point of a landscape, it can cover a large portion of the managed landscape. In fact,
managedturfaccountsforapproximately13,840mi2 (35,850km2)intheUnitedStates
(Milesietal.,2005).Turfanditsmanagementbenefittheenvironment,society,andecon-
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omyinadditiontothebeautyprovided.Thesebenefitsarewhyturfisplantedandutilized
insomanyplacesinthelandscape.
ENVIRONMENTALBENEFITS
As a low-growing groundcover with an extensive, fibrous root system, turf benefits the
environmentbyimprovingtheair(atmosphere),water,andsoil.Giventheinterconnec-
tivity of an ecosystem, many of these benefits are collective. Further, managed turf is
usuallylocatedinurbanandsuburbanenvironmentswherepollutionislikelytooccur.
Turfbenefitstheatmosphere. Byabsorbingatmosphericpollutants, turfisableto
improveairquality.Anexamplecurrentlyofgreatinterestissoilcarbonsequestration.
Soilcarbonsequestrationistheuseofgreenplantstocaptureatmosphericcarbondiox-
ide via photosynthesis, which is then stored in the soil as organic carbon. Societies are
searching for ways to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and carbon
sequestrationisonesuchmethod(Follettetal.,2011).Soilcarbonsequestrationisacol-
lectivebenefit,asitbothreducesatmosphericcarbondioxideandincreasessoilcarbon
(discussedbelow).Grassesarealsoabletoabsorbotheratmosphericpollutants,includ-
ingozone,sulfurdioxide,nitrogendioxide,ammonia,carbonmonoxide,volatileorganic
compounds,andlead(Stieretal.,2013).However,absorbingtoomuchofsomeofthese
pollutantscanbedetrimentaltoturfhealth.
Turf benefits water. Turfgrass plants increase the hydraulic resistance of moving
water, which reduces surface runoff (Ree, 1949; Gross et al., 1991). Reduced surface
runoff allows for greater water infiltration and subsequent groundwater recharge. As
waterinfiltratesandpassesthroughthegrass,thatch,andsoil,itisfilteredandcleansed
1
Fundamentals of turfgrass management, Nick E. Christians, Aaron J. Patton and Quincy D. Law
© Copyright © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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2 FUNDAMENTALSOFTURFGRASSMANAGEMENT
bymicroorganismsthatdigestanddegradeorganicchemicalsorpollutants(Beardand
Green, 1994). A buffer strip of Kentucky bluegrass has a similar groundwater recharge
rateasamixedforbandgrassprairieandresultsinareductionindrainagewatervolume
compared to the absence of a buffer area (Steinke et al., 2009). Turfgrasses also act as
vegetativefilterstripsthatreducetheamountofsedimenttransportedtosurfacestreams
andwaters(BeardandGreen,1994).
Turfbenefitssoil.Turfgrassescanbothconserveandimprovesoilbyreducingsedi-
mentlossesandaddingorganicmattertothesoil.Theextensivefibrousrootsystemhelps
toknitthesoiltogether.Thiskeepsthesoilinplaceandhelpstoreduceerosion,dust,and
mud.Turfoftenallowsotherwiseunsuitablelandtobeutilizedbycommunities,suchas
agrassedhillsideparkandamphitheater(Figure1.1).Additionally,theturnoverofplant
tissueaddsorganicmattertothesoilandthusincreasessoilcarbon,nitrogen,andgeneral
fertility.Soilorganicmatteralsoincreasesthewaterholdingandcationexchangecapaci-
tiesofthesoil.Infact,ahighpercentageoftheworld’smostfertilesoilsdevelopedunder
a native vegetation of grass (Gould, 1968). Soil carbon helps to increase soil aggregate
stability,decreaserunoffanderosion,andimprovewaterinfiltration(AngersandCarter,
1996)aswellasdecreasesoilbulkdensity(Blevinsetal.,1983).
SOCIETALBENEFITS
Societal benefits are also known as ecosystem services, which are the benefits people
obtain from ecosystems. In this case, it is the benefits people obtain from turfgrass
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ecosystems.Turfgrassecosystemsareuniqueinthattheyusuallybridgethegapbetween
disturbedandnaturalhabitats.
Turf provides aesthetic value. A dense, lush turfgrass surface can grow into a
nearly perfect, carpet-like groundcover that is visually pleasing. As a part of numerous
FIGURE1.1 TheturfonSlaterHillonthePurdueUniversitycampusallowsforasteep
slopingareatobeusedasaparkandnaturalamphitheater.
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