The Truth About Bluegrass

Posted on January 31, 2012 at 5:14 pm by admin

A presentation by
by Tony Koski, Extension Turf Specialist, Colorado State University, January 24, 2008 ProGreen

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

High quality, Great recuperator, Sod-former, Stress-resistant, Thatch-former, Poor shade tolerance
Disease-and insect-prone?
Higher water and N requirements???
Kentucky bluegrass is drought resistant
Kentucky bluegrass cultivars vary in ability to remain green during extended drought

Drought Tolerance

Can tolerate dehydration
Often possess excellent dormancy mechanisms
Good ability to recover from dormancy

Factors Affecting Drought Survival

Condition/health of turf entering drought
Exposure to sun, wind
Soil type (better survival on fine textured soils)
Excess thatch will reduce survivability
Varietal differences
Traffic will reduce ability to survive prolonged drought

Turf Survival Without Water

BEST: buffalograss, blue grama, bromegrass, wheatgrasses, bermudagrass can survive without ANY supplemental irrigation

FAIR: Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, bentgrass and zoysiagrass can become dormant and survive for many (3-6) months without irrigation; some thinning will occur

POOR: perennial ryegrass and tall fescue may survive 2-4 months without ANYirrigation, but will be severely thinned

Landscape Irrigation

The IA also estimates that more than 20 million acres of residential and commercial landscape are irrigated today, consuming approximately 20 million acre-feet of water a year.

see the full presentation, The Truth About Bluegrass.pdf