By Jim Murphy

There are numerous elite varieties of Kentucky bluegrass (Compact Types) that have excellent tolerance of leaf spot, summer patch, and stripe smut diseases. Many varieties produce a very attractive, dense, compact (low growing) turf with dark green color during the summer.

However, many of these Kentucky bluegrass varieties that are grown and sold as sod have the growth characteristic of long winter dormancy and slow spring green-up. The cool dry weather of this spring has certainly exacerbated this growth response. Full green-up of these varieties typically occurs by mid- to late-May.

Practices that hasten spring green-up of turf include fertilization with moderate amounts (0.4 to 0.7 pounds per 1,000 square feet) of water soluble nitrogen (WSN) and covering the turf with a growth blanket early in the spring (March and April).

Perennial ryegrass and tall fescue will often green-up several weeks earlier than these Compact Type Kentucky bluegrasses. Perennial ryegrass typically will have the earliest green-up.

Of the fine fescues used for turf, creeping red fescue will green-up earlier than Chewings fescue and hard fescue will have the slowest spring green-up. Green-up of creeping red fescue is relatively early and not too different from perennial ryegrass.

Source: Read More on the Rutgers Turf Blog

By Jim Murphy

Slow growth of grasses has been a common complaint this spring. There are many factors that can cause this but cool dry weather has been a major factor this year.

But this is changing as I type. The abundant rains of this week will stimulate a lot of shoot growth. Be on the watch for large surges of growth from turfs that have been fertilized with relatively large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer. Water, warmer weather, and nitrogen can stimulate plenty of shoot growth.

Moreover, rains could interrupt mowing schedules. Sharp blades and bedknives will be very helpful in cutting fast growing, dense turfs. Overgrown turf will present the greatest challenge to mulching mowers.  Raise the cutting height if rains significantly delays mowing and turf becomes severely overgrown. Double cutting may be another useful practice to reduce clipping debris.

Avoid mowing turf areas that are squishy wet. Operating equipment under these conditions can cause significant traffic damage to the turf and soil.

Source: Read More on the Rutgers Turf Blog