Haslam Field turf replaced to stay green

[508mikey]

Official CANADA GREEN Perfect Grass Site maybe this is what they used - its pretty expensive

 

[UTProf]

I think it depends on what their definition of green is. If they're changing from a southern turf that assuredly turns completely brown in the winter then they could pick just about any other type.

You can keep Kentucky Bluegrass/Tall Fescue green all winter with fertilizer especially given Knoxville's past mild winters.

I never knew that about bluegrass/fescue! Although after last winter I'm starting to think our mild winters are over. Brrr just thinking about it.

 

[Coug]

The problem with Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue in Tennessee is the summer. Late June through early September are tough times for those grasses. Unless you put insane amounts of water on it, it can turn a bit brown, much like bermuda does in the winter. Best results would probably be found using Bermuda with a fall overseed with ryegrass as someone else suggested. I'm not a pro turf guy, but I know what worked and didn't work for my yard when I was in Martin, TN versus what works in my yard in Tupelo, MS.

Had some work done on the house in winter and the backyard got torn up from equipment so the guys threw down ryegrass seed. Sure enough it was growing when temps were in the 30's and 40's. I'd known of it but hadn't actually seen it for myself. Dies off as soon as temps get into 90's.

I never knew that about bluegrass/fescue! Although after last winter I'm starting to think our mild winters are over. Brrr just thinking about it.

It's true. I put down winterizer in the end of October and it stayed green and kept growing but slowly. One day in January it gets up to 60 and it was long by then. I had to bust out the mower and there I am, the only guy in the neighborhood, maybe even the city mowing his lawn in January.

 

[UTProf]

It's true. I put down winterizer in the end of October and it stayed green and kept growing but slowly. One day in January it gets up to 60 and it was long by then. I had to bust out the mower and there I am, the only guy in the neighborhood, maybe even the city mowing his lawn in January.

That's pretty amazing. I know nothing about grass/yards etc. I do however have a relative who needs grass sewn here in East TN in a very wooded and wild area where everything in the world seems to grow and transfer easily. Any suggestions on the best grass for that environment?

 

[govols/cc]

Grass is better when it's green?

The grass will always be greener at Tennessee!....... At least on the practice field.

 

[VolsNSkinsFan]

That's pretty amazing. I know nothing about grass/yards etc. I do however have a relative who needs grass sewn here in East TN in a very wooded and wild area where everything in the world seems to grow and transfer easily. Any suggestions on the best grass for that environment?

It depends on how much shade you have. This article should have gone more into detail but since there is no shade at the practice field, they probably plant Kentucky Blue in the latefall/winter and tear it up after spring practice and plant Zoysia. They probably bring it in by one ton rolls (like a giant roll of toilet paper) and roll it out on the dirt

Kentucky Blue does best in cool, wet temp (like right now) and Zoysia does best in lots of sun, heat, muggy temps. By June/July Zoysia will be looking awesome and the Kentucky Blue would be getting scorched.

So If I were you, if you have a full sun yard and $$ to burn, I would go with the Zoysia because its the best (IMO), but if you have lots of shade go with Kentucky Blue.

Zoysia also "crawls" so it will fill in empty spots and crowd out weeds

 

[UTProf]

It depends on how much shade you have. This article should have gone more into detail but since there is no shade at the practice field, they probably plant Kentucky Blue in the latefall/winter and tear it up after spring practice and plant Zoysia. They probably bring it in by one ton rolls (like a giant roll of toilet paper) and roll it out on the dirt

Kentucky Blue does best in cool, wet temp (like right now) and Zoysia does best in lots of sun, heat, muggy temps. By June/July Zoysia will be looking awesome and the Kentucky Blue would be getting scorched.

So If I were you, if you have a full sun yard and $$ to burn, I would go with the Zoysia because its the best (IMO), but if you have lots of shade go with Kentucky Blue.

Zoysia also "crawls" so it will fill in empty spots and crowd out weeds

Hmmm... I like the idea of zoysia crawling and choking out weeds but I don't know what kind of money she wants to spend. Her yard (she's elderly) is about half and half with some of it hardly ever seeing direct sun because the shade but other areas get plenty of sun but nothing like Knoxville (her area is noticeably cooler than Knoxville despite being nearby).

Thanks for the info. I at least know where to begin now! :hi:

 

[Coug]

That's pretty amazing. I know nothing about grass/yards etc. I do however have a relative who needs grass sewn here in East TN in a very wooded and wild area where everything in the world seems to grow and transfer easily. Any suggestions on the best grass for that environment?

The Best Grass Seed for East Tennessee Lawns | eHow.com
The transfer has more to do with maintenance rather than the the actual seed type. Weed control and fertilizing will help them maintain a nice lawn.

 

[mrredskin]

The Best Grass Seed for East Tennessee Lawns | eHow.com
The transfer has more to do with maintenance rather than the the actual seed type. Weed control and fertilizing will help them maintain a nice lawn.

ehow isn't exactly a good knowledgebase. and, they obviously have never tried growing fescue.

the past three summers have made it impossible to keep fescue without constant irrigation. and, when it dies, it gets replaced by weed.

with as mild as the Valley has been recently (years), fescue is on its way out. i've spent hundreds of dollars and many man-hours aerating, dethatching, overseeding, fertilizing, spraying herbicide, and repeat. the only result has been small areas where fescue stayed and 90% of the yard saying "f you" and hosting whatever whore weed wants to move in.

i said screw it last week and sowed 25# of bermuda before all the rain from last week, immediately after aerating it. I'd rather have a nice looking yard for half the year than a complete debacle every day.

 

[Coug]

ehow isn't exactly a good knowledgebase. and, they obviously have never tried growing fescue.

the past three summers have made it impossible to keep fescue without constant irrigation. and, when it dies, it gets replaced by weed.

with as mild as the Valley has been recently (years), fescue is on its way out. i've spent hundreds of dollars and many man-hours aerating, dethatching, overseeding, fertilizing, spraying herbicide, and repeat. the only result has been small areas where fescue stayed and 90% of the yard saying "f you" and hosting whatever whore weed wants to move in.

i said screw it last week and sowed 25# of bermuda before all the rain from last week, immediately after aerating it. I'd rather have a nice looking yard for half the year than a complete debacle every day.

Sounds like the weed control wasn't up to par. Slow release is your friend.

 

[VolBraniac]

Slow release is your friend.

You've been talking @ my ho'? :ermm:

 

[rocky top buzz]

Had some work done on the house in winter and the backyard got torn up from equipment so the guys threw down ryegrass seed. Sure enough it was growing when temps were in the 30's and 40's. I'd known of it but hadn't actually seen it for myself. Dies off as soon as temps get into 90's.



It's true. I put down winterizer in the end of October and it stayed green and kept growing but slowly. One day in January it gets up to 60 and it was long by then. I had to bust out the mower and there I am, the only guy in the neighborhood, maybe even the city mowing his lawn in January.

I post on two forums - volnation and aroundtheyard.com. I am no grass expert but it's a passion of mine. I can tell you if you have a wooded area, no grass is going to grow there. Sure you may throw down seed and it may germinate, but you'll have to repeat that process twice a year forever. You need 4 hours of direct sunlight for any grass to grow.

But think about it, most of the SEC is still cool when spring practice starts. Bermuda doesn't fully green up until lows are consistently in the 60's. So maybe LSU/Florida/AU/aTm can have one year round grass, but even Tuscaloosa, Columbia, and Athens have cold winters.

 

[Bluetic]

You've been talking @ my ho'? :ermm:

 

[tim]

Interesting thread. Im kind of a novice yard man myself. Without irrigation (in TN) Bermuda is the way to go, cant convince the wife so in late June our yard begins going down hill and by August the only green stuff is, to quote an earlier poster, some whore weed.