| Turfgrass Characteristics | Bermuda Maintenance | Tall Fescue/Rye Maintenance | Additional Turf Information |
| Perennial Ryegrass | Kentucky Bluegrass |
| Cool-season perennial | Cool-season perennial |
| Medium texture | Medium texture |
| Performs best in light to medium shade in most areas | Performs best in light to medium shade in most areas |
| Performs well in full sun in high elevation areas | Performs well in full sun in high elevation areas |
| Moderate to high maintenance | Moderate to high maintenance |
| Excellent cold tolerance | Excellent cold tolerance |
| Poor water use efficiency | Poor water use efficiency |
| Poor drought tolerance | Low to poor drought tolerance |
| Poor heat tolerance | Low heat tolerance |
| Fast establisher from seed | Slow establisher from seed |
| ----- |
| Tall Fescue | Annual Ryegrass |
| Cool-season perennial | Cool-season annual |
| Coarse texture | Medium to coarse texture |
| Full sun to moderate shade | Full sun only as a winter turf |
| Moderate to high maintenance | Moderate maintenance |
| Excellent cold tolerance | Poor cold tolerance |
| Poor water use efficiency | Poor water use efficiency |
| Moderate drought tolerance | Poor drought tolerance |
| Moderate heat tolerance | Poor heat tolerance |
| Moderate establisher rate from seed | Very fast establisher from seed |
| ----- |
| Bermudagrass | Zoysiagrass |
| Warm-season perennial | Warm-season perennial |
| Fine to medium texture (cultivar dependent) | Fine to medium texture (cultivar dependent) |
| Performs best in full sun in most areas | Performs best in full sun to light shade in most areas |
| Low to high maintenance (cultivar dependent) | Low to high maintenance (cultivar dependent) |
| Poor to excellent cold hardiness (cultivar dependent) | Poor to excellent cold hardiness (cultivar dependent) |
| Very good water use efficiency | Good water use efficiency |
| Very good drought tolerance | Good drought tolerance |
| Excellent heat tolerance | Excellent heat tolerance |
| Slowest of any warm-season to establish | |
| ----- |
NOTE: See also OCES Publication HLA-6418 Selecting a Lawn Grass for Oklahoma.
Tolerates little or no shade
| Renovation | Seed (2lbs/1000 sq. ft.) or sprig (3 to 10 bu./1000 sq. ft) or sod bermudagrass in the spring of each year in high traffic areas. |
| Mowing | Frequent and at proper height. Do not remove more than 1/3 grass height at one time. Heights: (1) Before green-up at 1 inch to remove dead grass. (2) Spring 1 1/2 to 2 inches. (3) Summer and Fall 2 1/2 inches. |
| Fertilization | Quick-release program: Apply 1 lb. actual nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. at each fertilization three to five times a year. Slow-release program: Apply 1 2/3 lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. two to three times a year. |
| Soil Analysis | Adjust pH, phosphorus and potassium according to soil test taken approximately every three years. |
| Watering | Apply enough water to wet the soil 6 inches deep. Water grass when footprint impressions remain after walking over lawn. |
| Dethatching | Vertical mow areas where thatch build up is greater than 1/2 in. |
| Aerification | Once during late spring. (May-preferably prior to seeding) |
| Weed Control | Post-emergence herbicides to slow broadleaf and grassy weeds in the fall, late winter, and late spring. Glyphosate can be used on dormant bermuda ONLY! Pre-emergence herbicide applied in spring for control of annual grassy weeds. Do not apply pre-emergence herbicide in areas that are going to be renovated. |
| PROMOTING GROWTH: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establish/Renovate | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX |
| Mowing height (inches) | 1.5-2 | 1.5-2 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | ||||
| Fertilization Quick Release |
F | F | F | F | F | |||||||
| Fertilization Slow Release |
F | F | F | |||||||||
| Watering/week (inches) | .5 | .5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .5 | .5 | |||
| Dethatching | X | XXXX | XXXX | |||||||||
| Aerification | X | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXX | |||||||
| WEED CONTROL*: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Pre-emerge | XX | X | XX | XX | XX | XX | ||||||
| Post-Emerge | Glyphosate < |
<XXGrassy Weed** & NutsedgeXX> Broadleaf Anytime |
> |
|||||||||
NOTE: See OCES Publications HLA-6408 Landscape Maintenance Schedule; HLA-6418 Selecting a Lawn Grass for Oklahoma; HLA-6419 Establishing a Lawn in Oklahoma; HLA-6420 Lawn Management in Oklahoma; HLA-6421 Controlling Weeds in Home Lawns; HLA-6423 Controlling Grassy Weeds in Home Lawns; HLA-6601 Broadleaf Weed Control for Lawns in Oklahoma; HLA-7306 Ornamental and Lawn Pest Control (For Homeowners); HLA-7658 Dollar Spot of Turfgrass.
Tolerates some shade
| Renovation | Seed at label directions, otherwise, 4 to 8 lbs/1000 sq. ft. on new lawns; overseed with 3-4 lbs/1000 sq. ft. to thicken up an old lawn. Fall is the best time, spring is second best. |
| Mowing | Frequent and at proper height. Do not remove more than 1/3 grass height at one time. Height: (1)Year around 2 1/2 inches. (2) Summer 2 1/2 to 3 inches. |
| Fertilization | Apply 1 lb. actual nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. at each fertilization in March, late September and late November. Avoid fertilizing in May, June, July, and August. Slow release fertilizers depend on heat and water to control release and are NOT recommended on cool season grasses. |
| Soil Analysis | Adjust pH, phosphorus and potassium according to soil test approximately every three years. |
| Watering | Keep soil moist during establishment. Water mature grass gradually to wet the soil 4-6 inches deep. Water mature grass when footprint impressions remain after walking over lawn. |
| Aerification | Required only every 2-3 years. (Preferably before seeding) |
| Weed Control | Fall and spring applications of pre-emergence herbicides. Skip pre-emergent application when seeeding, or overseeding. Fall application of post-emergence herbicide for broadleaf weeds gives best control. Use late spring application only if needed. Do not use grass or weed killers over the lawn at any time of the year. (i.e., Round-up, etc.). |
| PROMOTING GROWTH: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establish/Overseed | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX | XXXX |
| Mowing Height (inches) | 2 1/2 | 2 1/2 | 2 1/2 | 2 1/2 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 1/2 | 2 1/2 | 2 1/2 |
| Fertilization | F | F | F | |||||||||
| Watering/week (inches) | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 |
| WEED CONTROL:* | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Post-Emerge | < | Can be used anytime | > | |||||||||
| Pre-emerge | XXXX | X | XX | X | X | X | ||||||
NOTE: See OCES Publications HLA-6408 Landscape Maintenance Schedule; HLA-6418 Selecting a Lawn Grass for Oklahoma; HLA-6419 Establishing a Lawn in Oklahoma; HLA-6420 Lawn Management in Oklahoma; HLA-6421 Controlling Weeds in Home Lawns; HLA-6423 Controlling Grassy Weeds in Home Lawns; HLA-6601 Broadleaf Weed Control for Lawns in Oklahoma; HLA-7306 Ornamental and Lawn Pest Control (For Homeowners); HLA-7658 Dollar Spot of Turfgrass.
Tulsa Master Gardeners are Tulsa County residents and experienced gardeners who have received extensive training through the Cooperative Extension Service. Their desire is to share their knowledge, expertise and love of gardening with the Tulsa County gardening public. As volunteer representatives of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Tulsa Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of the Cooperative Extension Service.
| URI:/blackbox/trf_ok.htm | Date Modified: Monday, 15-Nov-2008 |