Dr. Thomas Turner standing on some of the 23 varieties of fine fescues he ’s examination .
It ’s kinda frustrating here in the Mid - Atlantic “ Transition Zone ” for turfgrasses because neither warm- or cold - time of year grasses are best suited to our climate . The frustration was enunciate as I looked for examples of the more sustainable , no - mow - type o.k. fescues that are being touted from cold climes.(Here ’s a shout - outfrom grass researcher Tom Christopher in Connecticut . )
So when the University of Maryland asked me to speak to their staff , faculty and volunteers about “ no - mow lawn alternatives , ” I had lots of lovely photo to show them of lawnless yards and great recurrent ground cover but almost nothing to say about more sustainable turfgrasses try out to do well in Maryland . The best I could do was to cite findings by theMaryland Turf Councilon the subject , which meant I was referring them to their own enquiry . Also , it was a shade technical for this liberal art major .
Dr. Thomas Turner standing on some of the 23 varieties of fine fescues he’s testing.
But it turned out to be playfulness brainstorming with the small but alert audience of turfgrass geek , and best of all , I was offered the chance to survey whole field of okay fescues being test justly there on the College Park campus . Microclover , too . Oh boy .
The top turf expert in Maryland isDr . Thomas Turner , and he was willing to lease us through the pixilated security measures ( Secret Service , heed up ! ) to get to the research fields . Tight security system add up as a surprise to me but sure , if Kid can jump the fencing and do whatever they want there , the effect are unreliable . Got it .
Fine fescue
Microclover growing with tall fescue.
First Dr. Turner show up us the 23 cultivar of fine fescue he ’s been growing since 2008 . For these trials there had been no irrigation or weed control and just one pound of Nitrogen added per yr . And the results are – drumroll please – that operose fescue is the honorable performing , and it looks damn good . Interestingly , while backbreaking fescues being grow in the U.K. and other climates cooler than Maryland ’s can take quite a bit of dealings , even sports ( ! ) , here in the Transition Zone , not much foundation traffic is tolerated .
Turner says the Florida key to the winner of fine fescue grass , including the better - performing hard eccentric , is to mow in the spring , break off mop in early June , then start mowing again in mid - September . In some locations , particularly along highways , sustainment crews preserve up their common mowing routine throughout the summer and the turf was ruined . So , switching to an improper , slower - growing meadow fescue might require a culture change to take hold .
But grown right , punishing fescue becomes thick enough that there are almost no grass , and no disease . Poor soil is just fine , and tough fescue is more shade - broad than conventional tall fescue grass .
Results of mowing-height test.
Interestingly , the good results were happen upon using square varieties , not mixes of several mixture , though golf courses are have it off to mix in some chewing fescue with the knockout fescue , because it grows quicker .
Speaking of golf course , I asked why we ’re not assure these smoke trade commercially and was told that the golf courses are snatch up all the available seed ! But hey , that ’s dependable intelligence because if they ’re bribe the cum it ’s not because of some slick Scotts advertising but because the skill supports it and Dr. Turner has recommend it .
That ’s another exercise of the golf course industry being in the forefront of product and practices that require few resourcefulness , which makes sense because these changes avail their bottom line . ( In stern line to the makers of ejaculate , fertilizer and pesticide and the lawn maintenance diligence , all of which put up to lose if lawns become more sustainable . )
Microclover grow with marvelous fescue .
Microclover
I ’d been get wind the buzz about microclovers , the little eccentric being developed for the same self - fertilizing quality we love in steady Dutch White but a height more similar to fescue . So , is it the miracle plant life so many are hoping for ? Not when combined with fine fescues , it is n’t – it out - vie the fescue to end . With regular tall fescue it ’s fine , though , and it does reduce the need for supplemental Nitrogen . Microclover negatives include the fact that in high temperature wave it dies back all , leaving bare soil all winter , and it ’s also susceptible to Southern Blight .
Clover ’s inability to handle temperature in the 90s and higher accounts for the absence seizure of any arena of all - clover being trialed here . unfinished terra firma all winter is kind of a deal - breakers .
Mowing Heights
outcome of mow - superlative test .
Dr. Turner showed us one more test – what happens when grass is cut at dissimilar pinnacle – and the effect were clear as a bell . When mow to 1″ , turfgrass becomes 80 % crabgrass , and that percentage drops severely as the lawn mower height is raised . The ideal heights in this test were between 3.5 and 4 column inch , with pout heights above 4 inches resulting in increase disease ( because the blade of grass remain pissed too long ) .
No wonderment we ’re all suckers for simple - sounding 6 - Step programs advertised by you - know - who all season , especially during sports programs on TV . Lawn direction is n’t on the dot intuitive .
