With drought becoming a common topic in the news, water restrictions becoming more commonplace, and cash for grass programs paying property owners to pull up their lawns, it's important to be prepared when customers ask you to remove their turf.

If your company specializes in maintenance services, make no mistake that turf removal is a huge threat to your company's longevity. While the short-term money from turf removal jobs will pay your bills now, what will happen to your business a few years from now when there are fewer lawns to mow and fertilize? How will you stay in business when the customers that needed you on-site once a week only have you come out once a month or once a quarter?

As an EPA WaterSense Distribution Partner, Horizon Distributors is devoted to keeping you at the forefront of the water conservation movement. We recognize that water is a scarce resource and there is no doubt that water and fertility requirements will drive significant change in the way you're able to maintain your customers' landscapes in years to come. But these changes can be viewed as either an obstacle or an opportunity.

Within the next 5 years, it's estimated that basic chemical manufacturers will spend nearly $3 billion acquiring companies that focus on smart water and soil health solutions. New technologies are making it possible to maintain landscapes with less water and fewer fertilizer inputs – The big question is whether you are prepared to adapt to these changing industry conditions.

Horizon has developed a number of resources to help you take advantage of smart water and smart soil technologies. In this article, we're going to focus on how to talk to your customer about their concerns and the environmental benefits of having turf.

What Does Your Customer Really Want?

The first step in properly addressing your customer's concern is to find the real reason why they want the turf pulled. It's one thing if they aren't enjoying or actively using their lawn and want to do something else with their yard. But more often than not, when a customer asks you about turf removal, they are doing so because of environmental concerns.

Maybe they saw a story on the news or had a chat with a misinformed neighbor and now they are concerned that their lawn is "bad for the environment." When you take the time to dig a bit deeper, you'll probably find that they really just want to do their part in reducing water consumption, but they may also be concerned about other environmental issues like fertilizer runoff.

Whatever their true concern is, you can either fight it or work with it. For example, if your customer genuinely wants to reduce their environmental impact and avoid runoff and you've been using synthetic fertilizer on the property for years, it's a good time to switch them over to a program that actively builds healthy soil. The true cost of a program that takes advantage of slow release fertilizer is usually less expensive when you consider the cost of labor, gas, and additional maintenance.

And while it is your responsibility to help your customers comply with local water restrictions, it's important to note that turf removal alone won't make a dent in water consumption when you look at usage from a broader perspective. According to the USDA, agriculture accounts for approximately 80% of our nation's consumptive water use and over 90% in many western states. To compare, landscape irrigation is only about half (roughly 3.5%) of Domestic & Commercial use, which accounts for about 7% of consumptive water use.

Naturally, it's our responsibility as water managers to do our part in conserving water. The EPA reports that as much as 50% of landscape water use goes to waste due to evaporation, wind, and overwatering. Waste associated with irrigation systems can in most cases be attributed to poor design, inadequate maintenance, or improper use. With proper education and successfully integrating water saving technologies, we can help the customer keep their lawn and save a significant amount of water.

6 Environmental Benefits of Turf

There is a growing perception that turf is bad for the environment, but in reality the benefits of turf far outweigh the negatives. As green industry professionals, it's our responsibility to share the benefits of turf with our customers and to build programs that deliver those benefits.

#1 Turf Helps Reduce the Greenhouse Effect

Like all plants, turfgrasses capture atmospheric carbon dioxide and use it to create energy via photosynthesis. According to the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University, an average sized healthy lawn can capture as much as 300 lbs of carbon per year and a golf course fairway can capture 1,500 lbs of carbon per year.

Critics of turf often point out that emissions from mowers and other maintenance equipment minimize this benefit, but it has been shown that properly managed turf areas can capture anywhere from 4 to 7 times the carbon emitted from equipment.

#2 Turf Creates Oxygen

Even elementary school children know that plants release oxygen during photosynthesis, but the question is how much?  A 50' x 50' turf area can be expected to produce enough oxygen to meet the annual needs of a family of 4 and an acre of grass can produce enough oxygen for 64 people.

#3 Turf Combats the "Heat Island" Effect

Because of the materials used in the construction of roads and buildings, urban areas usually have notably higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas, which is known as the "heat island" effect. The EPA notes that "heat islands can affect communities by increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heat-related illness and mortality, and water quality."

Turf can help minimize the heat island because it is much cooler than other common surfaces. A study from BYU found turf temperatures to be 20 degrees cooler than bare soils and 40 degrees cooler than synthetic turf.

#4 Turf Traps Dust

Hundreds of millions of tons of dust circles the earth annually and dust particles have been associated with premature mortality and negative health effects. It's estimated that lawns in the U.S. alone are able to trap an estimated 12 million tons, which keeps our air cleaner and fresher.

#5 Turf Minimizes Soil Erosion

Turf can play an important role in soil erosion, a pressing environmental problem that costs between $6 and $16 billion a year. Nearly 6 billion tons of soil is washed or blown away each year. Because of its dense root system, turf is an ideal and cost-effective way to absorb water and stabilize soil.

#6 Turf Protects the Local Water Supply

Critics of turf are often justifiably concerned about pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers entering the local water supply, but leaching can be minimized through effective management practices that build healthy turf and soil.

In fact, healthy turf can actually protect the local water supply because it's able to purify water as it moves through the root zone, which is a reason why turf is often installed next to roads and parking lots. Soil microbes in the root zone can help break down chemicals coming off hardscapes into harmless materials.

Want green, healthy turf in the spring? Then you must fertilize correctly in the fall!

Fall fertilization of turfgrass is extremely important, especially for cool season turfgrasses like Tall Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass, and Perennial Rye. If you've been neglecting some of your lawns this summer, now is the time to get them back in shape!

This cheat sheet covers the role of fall fertilizer in programs for both warm season grasses and cool season grasses and when overseeding for winter. We'll also look at recommended fertilizer formulations separated by region.

Fertilizing Warm Season Grasses

Common species: Bermuda grass, Zoysia grass, and St. Augustine grass.

Where they grow: Southern U.S., e.g. Florida, Arizona, southern Texas, and southern California.

Seasonal growth pattern: These grasses grow actively starting in spring and through the summer. In most cases, they go completely dormant in winter unless they're overseeded with a cool season grass.

Fertilizing in fall: With warm season turf, it’s important to stick with fertilizing in the spring and summer, tapering off in fall.

These grasses often go dormant in the winter. So when warm season grasses are fertilized with applications of quick release nitrogen too late into the fall, their tissues are likely to become tender rather than harden off in preparation for the colder temperatures. This can result in damage to the turf and a poor spring recovery out of dormancy.

However a properly timed application of slow release nitrogen plus high potassium can aid in carbohydrate storage for the winter and increase turf density, meaning better spring recovery and defense against weed infestation.

Fertilizing Cool Season Grasses

Common species: Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass, Bent Grass, Tall Fescue.

Where they grow: In true seasonal climates and coastal, temperate regions.

Seasonal growth pattern: These grasses grow most actively in the spring and in the fall. In true seasonal climates, particularly those that receive snow, these grasses go dormant during the winter. In a lot of coastal, more temperate regions, they will still grow through the winter, but typically a lot slower than in the spring and in the fall.

Fertilizing in fall: For cool season grasses, the fall fertilization is the most critical. If you only have one time you COULD fertilize each year, THIS should be it. A proper “Winterizer” containing slow release nitrogen aids in carbohydrate storage, resulting in a strong root system that is less susceptible to winter damage.

If the turf is still actively growing when winter comes, it’s ok to continue fertilizing, but it’s not really that important to overall turf health. It’s more about keeping the turf green and your customer happy.

Fertilization Timing When Overseeding

When overseeding warm season grasses like Bermuda with a different cool season turf (usually Perennial Ryegrass) to maintain color during the winter, it can be a challenge to time the fertilization both in fall and the following spring.

You need to get the Ryegrass down in early fall and the last thing you want is the Bermuda to continue growing as you're establishing the Ryegrass. At the same time, any new seed that you put down to keep your turf green through the winter months is going to need starter fertilizer to promote root growth and establishment. To successfully transition from one growing season to the other, the taper down period of the Bermuda is a period you’ll want to avoid fertilizing. Let that really die down so that your Ryegrass can come in with success.

Then once the spring comes around, it’s very hard for the Bermuda to start its upswing if the Ryegrass is still actively growing. You'll want to avoid fertilizing in that late spring window so the Ryegrass can slow down.

In the end, properly timing fertilization when overseeding isn’t just about the right times to fertilize, but also knowing the right times to avoid fertilizing.

Recommended Fall Fertilizer Formulations by Region

Arizona & Nevada

TurfGro 6-20-20 ProStarter

• Contains high phosphorus, which is essential for root growth and strong development of the plant, and low nitrogen to prevent burning new seedlings.
• Phosphorus naturally existing in the soil is immobile and unreachable by small roots, so a high-phosphorus fertilizer should always be applied at or shortly after planting.

TurfGro 21-0-7 Cool Season

• Maintain turf vigor throughout the cold months with this high nitrogen fertilizer, of which 10% is nitrate nitrogen for quick green-up.
• Compare to Turf Royale – same Nitrogen content but also with non-staining Iron for dark green color!

California

TurfGro 21-2-15 Winterizer

• 50% slow release nitrogen (from XCU and XRT) provides turf with sustained feeding from fall into winter.
• High potassium strengthens plant structure and builds winter stress resistance.
• Wolf Trax Iron provides immediate and residual feeding, with little to no stain potential.

TurfGro 6-20-10 ProStarter

• Contains high phosphorus, which is essential for root growth and strong development of the plant, and low nitrogen to prevent burning new seedlings.
• Phosphorus naturally existing in the soil is immobile and unreachable by small roots, so a high-phosphorus fertilizer should always be applied at or shortly after planting.

 Colorado

TurfGro 21-2-15 Winterizer

• 50% slow release nitrogen (from XCU and Nutralene) provides turf with sustained feeding from fall into winter.
• High potassium strengthens plant structure and builds winter stress resistance.
• Non-staining iron provides deep green color.

TurfGro 15-15-15 Plant Pro

• A balanced fertilizer appropriate for seeding applications.
• Phosphorus naturally existing in the soil is immobile and unreachable by small roots, so a high-phosphorus fertilizer should always be applied at or shortly after planting.

Florida

TurfGro 16-0-8 Florida Turf

• The university recommended analysis for Florida lawns
• 50% slowly available Nitrogen from XCU polymer-coated-sulfur-coated urea provides uniform growth and sustained feeding
• Phosphorus-free formulation poses a lower risk of nutrient runoff to water sources and does not encourage weed germination
• High iron for additional quick color without flush growth

TurfGro 24-0-11 Florida Premium Turf

• 50% slow release Nitrogen from XCU polymer-coated-sulfur-coated urea provides uniform growth and sustained feeding
• Controlled release Nitrogen reduces the number of applications required, lowering labor and product costs
• Phosphorus-free formulation poses a lower risk of nutrient runoff to water sources and does not encourage weed germination

TurfGro 8-2-12 Premium Palm

• Specialty fertilizer formulated with a complete minors package to meet the needs of palms and other tropical plants
• Contains Kieserite – A controlled-release Magnesium source, which is university recommended to treat Magnesium deficiencies common in palms
• Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium sources are polymer-coated, ensuring sustained feeding and low burn potential

 Idaho & Eastern Washington

TurfGro 21-0-15 Winterizer

• 50% slow release nitrogen (from XCU and XRT)vprovides turf with sustained feeding from fall into winter.
• High potassium strengthens plant structure and builds winter stress resistance.
• Wolf Trax Iron provides immediate and residual feeding, with little to no stain potential.
• Phosphorus-free formulation meets WA regulation and does not encourage winter weed establishment.

TurfGro 12-8-6 Starter

• 50% organic-based starter fertilizer, with 2.5% of the nitrogen from organic sources.
• Ideal formula to promote proper development of new lawns and seedlings in overseed applications

Texas

TurfGro 22-8-15 Winterizer

• 63% slow release Nitrogen from XCU polymer-sulfur-coated urea provides sustained feeding from fall through winter, with emphasis on root—not shoot—development
• High potassium strengthens plant structure and builds winter stress resistance

TurfGro 5-5-20 Winterizer

• A low Nitrogen, high Potassium fertilizer best suited for fall application to St. Augustine lawns.

TurfGro 15-15-15 Plant Pro

• A balanced fertilizer appropriate for seeding applications.
• Phosphorus naturally existing in the soil is immobile and unreachable by small roots, so a high-phosphorus fertilizer should always be applied at or shortly after planting.

With each plant being able to produce 100 seeds in as little as 8 weeks, poa annua can aggressively infest your turf before you know it.

Once a few plants become established in turf or ornamental areas, poa can spread rapidly and quickly lead to severe infestations. What's worse is that poa annua is often too much like the surrounding desired turf to remove without harming the rest of lawn.

This article focuses on how to identify poa annua, the lifecycle and environmental impact of the weed, best practices for managing it, and 18 recommended treatment options.

Identification:

Poa annua (annual ryegrass) is light green, with flattened stems and boat-shaped leaf tips. It's fairly weak, has a shallow root system, and grows well in moist areas with full sun. Poa also does well in semi-shaded conditions.

In moderate temperature areas where turf is frequently irrigated, poa annua can persist all year, but it usually dies out in the summer heat. It grows to a height of 6 to 8 inches if left un-mowed and has a flowering structure is 1 to 4 inches in length.

Life Cycle & Environmental Impact:

Poa annua starts germinating in late summer or early fall, as soil temperatures fall below 70° F.

A prolific seed producer, it will continue to germinate throughout winter with several flushes. Each plant can produce 100 seeds in as few as 8 weeks and poa can survive mowing heights of less than 1" and still reseed days after mowing.

In winter, poa annua is more competitive than many turfgrass species and severe infestations can develop as seeds are spread by mowing, foot traffic, birds, and cultivation. In the cool season, it grows faster than warm-season turf, which can give the lawn an andulating or irregular surface in as little as 2 days after mowing.

Best Practices for Managing Poa Annua

Applying a pre-emergent herbicide is the most effective way to control poa annua and many other annual weeds. Pre-emergent creates a barrier BELOW the surface so sprouting seeds cannot push their way up.

Pre-emergent must be applied over an ENTIRE AREA to prevent seeds from germinating and herbicide MUST be applied BEFORE poa annua germinates to be effective. In many regions, the rule of thumb is to apply pre-emergent by September 15th, but time your application just prior to fall rains and when soil temperatures drop below 70º F.

Remember, pre-emergent does NOT control existing weeds and hand-weeding of poa is futile. New flushes of seedlings will only germinate after older ones are removed.

Selective post-emergent control is difficult – poa annua is too much LIKE the surrounding desired turf to remove without harming the rest of the lawn. Besides, there are more seeds just waiting to germinate, so post-emergent control would be constant.

In addition to properly using pre-emergent, there are a number of cultural practices that can help you avoid infestations:

• Do not over-fertilize; Phosphorus encourages seedling development.
• Do not overwater, especially in shady areas.
• Maintain healthy plants & overseed open spots, as dense plantings make establishment of seedlings difficult.
• Clean equipment before moving from infested to weed-free areas.
• Reduce soil compaction.

18 Recommended Treatment Options

Sprayable Formulations

1. PRODIAMINE 65WDG

• Longest-lasting
• Lowest application rates means most cost effective – A 5 lb jug treats up to 10 acres
• Non-Staining
• Barricade Equivalent

2. SURFLAN

• Popular for beds
• Not safe for cool-season turf
• Great tank-mix with Roundup for pre+post
• Orange in color
• 2.5 gallon jug treats 2.5 – 5 acres

3. TIP: Tank Mix with ISOXABEN DF (Gallery)

• Does NOT control Poa, but mixed w/ Surflan or Prodiamine, it will also prevent a large list of broadleaf weeds
• 1 lb jar treats 0.75 – 1.5 acres

Granular Formulations

1. OXADIAZON 2G

• Popular granular formulation
• Ronstar 2G Equivalent
• 50 lb bag covers 11,000 – 22,000 sq ft

2. DIMENSION .25G

• Best known for spring applications, to also control already-emerged crabgrass
• 40 lb bag covers 9,000 – 17,000 sq ft

3. T/I 2.5G (TRIFLURALIN/ISOXABEN)

• Controls more Grassy AND Broadleaf weeds than any other pre-emergent herbicide
• Snapshot Equivalent
• 50 lb bag covers 10,000 – 21,000 sq ft

PLUS FERTILIZER

TurfGro 12-4-16 w/ Barricade

• Excellent Fall Fertilizer formula plus pre-emergent weed control in 1 Step
• 20% Slow Release
• 50 lb bag covers 8,000 – 12,000 sq ft

SMALL PACKAGING

• ProDeuce – Prodiamine + Glyphosate for Pre + Post Control in 1 Step.
• Weed Impede – Small package Surflan
• Vegetable & Ornamental Weeder – Small Package Treflan

OTHER PRODUCTS

• Oxadiazon 50 WSB
• Dithiopyr 40 WSB
• Pendulum (EC & Aquacap)
• OB 2G / XL 2G
• Treflan
• Casoron 4G
• Corn Gluten/Pre-Merge (Organic)
• TurfGro 15-3-5 w/ Dimension

Fall is the best time to overseed with cool season turf varieties. Overseeding can significantly improve a lawn's appearance and enhance its ability to fight insects and diseases, but it's important to recognize that the term “overseeding” actually describes 2 different cultural practices:

1. Overseeding thin lawns. Also referred to as “interseeding”. This is the process of adding more seed to existing turf to fill in bare or thin areas.

2. Winter overseeding of Bermudagrass or other warm-season lawns. This is the process of seeding with a different “winter” grass (usually Perennial Ryegrass), to provide temporary cover over dormant turf. It is more common in inland desert areas.

In this article, we'll look at the proper steps involved in both practices.

How to Overseed an Existing Thin Lawn

When the existing turf is thin or bare, applying new seed within the proper growing windows can make a big difference in the turf's appearance. You'll want to seed when several weeks of good growing conditions will follow. For cool-season lawns such as Tall Fescue, September through October is ideal, and early to mid-spring is also acceptable.

Follow These 7 Steps When Overseeding a Thin Lawn:

1. Aerate the turf before overseeding.

2. Mow the grass lower than usual, but DO NOT SCALP IT. You are only trying to open up the turf canopy.

3. Remove clippings to help the seed reach the soil.

4. Add new topsoil to low-lying bare spots or over visible tree roots.

5. Broadcast the seed or work it into the soil.

6. New seeds need Phosphorus (the middle number in NPK Formulations) to promote root growth and establishment. Apply a fertilizer high in Phosphorus like TurfGro 6-20-10 ProStarter Fertilizer.

7. Lightly cover seed with 1/8–1/4 inch of fine mulch or seed topper to maintain moisture and warmth, and protect the seed from birds.

Winter Overseeding

Overseeding a "winter" grass into a warm-season lawn like bermudagrass can be a challenge. The key is to effectively slow down your warm season turf so that it's not competing with the new winter grass (usually Perennial Ryegrass) that you're trying to establish. This is done by overseeding once nighttime temperatures are around 65 degrees or lower, and by cutting back on fertilization and watering prior to overseeding. 

Before Overseeding:

1. Perform your last aggressive dethatching of warm-season turf 6 weeks before the overseed date.

2. Stop all nitrogen fertilization 4 weeks before.

3. Stop mowing 10 days before.

4. Decrease water by 50% 1 week before.

5. Drop mowing height by 1/3 3 to 4 days before.

Day of Overseeding:

6. Drop mowing height by 1/3 again.

7. Remove clippings to open the turf canopy to the soil.

8. Broadcast the seed at the proper application rade. Overseeding of bermuda generally requires 10-14 lbs per 1000 sq ft.

9. New seeds need Phosphorus (the middle number in NPK Formulations) to promote root growth and establishment. Apply a fertilizer high in phosphorus like TurfGro 6-20-10 ProStarter Fertilizer.

10. Lightly cover the seed with 1/8-1/4 inch of fine mulch or seed topper.