Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
- mitten
- Posts: 266
- Joined: October 9th, 2016, 10:53 am
- Location: West Michigan - Zone 6
- Grass Type: Midnight, Diva, Everglade KBG, plus Fiesta4 PR and Zodiac Fescue
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Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
I am a 2016 Renovation Alum. Overall I'm very happy with the renovation, except for one thing. I have thick stems throughout my lawn, especially in the sunnier areas (this started about 4 weeks ago). The mower cuts them off roughly and they almost leave a white sheen across the top of my yard.
Is this something I planted? I used Seed Superstore Sunny Mix. I am extremely bad at identifying grasses so this is something I'm trying to work on. Can anyone help me identify this ugly grass in my reno? Thanks!
Is this something I planted? I used Seed Superstore Sunny Mix. I am extremely bad at identifying grasses so this is something I'm trying to work on. Can anyone help me identify this ugly grass in my reno? Thanks!
- PSU4ME
- Posts: 1149
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
What kind was the mix? Any rye grass in it?
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
Your grass flowered and went to seed. Such is life.
You're holding the obvious evidence in the hand in the second pic.
You're holding the obvious evidence in the hand in the second pic.
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- Posts: 2244
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
Compare seedheads here.
- mitten
- Posts: 266
- Joined: October 9th, 2016, 10:53 am
- Location: West Michigan - Zone 6
- Grass Type: Midnight, Diva, Everglade KBG, plus Fiesta4 PR and Zodiac Fescue
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
Okay thanks, I was figuring it might be rye grass since my mix was 20%. It feels (and looks) pretty undesirable to us. Is this just something that happens in the spring or will it be here to stay?
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- Posts: 501
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
how tall is that? 8in?
Make sure your blades are sharp.
Make sure your blades are sharp.
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- Posts: 6838
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
What height were you mowing at last month, and what height now?
- andy10917
- Posts: 29741
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
Where on Earth did this "Rye Grass" has thick stems come from? If you're talking about a cultivar of Perennial Rye, that just ain't happening. If you're talking about Annual Ryegrass, please be more specific and don't confuse other members.What kind was the mix? Any rye grass in it?
- mitten
- Posts: 266
- Joined: October 9th, 2016, 10:53 am
- Location: West Michigan - Zone 6
- Grass Type: Midnight, Diva, Everglade KBG, plus Fiesta4 PR and Zodiac Fescue
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
Wait, now I'm confused. Were you talking to me, Andy?andy10917 wrote: ↑June 16th, 2017, 5:54 pmWhere on Earth did this "Rye Grass" has thick stems come from? If you're talking about a cultivar of Perennial Rye, that just ain't happening. If you're talking about Annual Ryegrass, please be more specific and don't confuse other members.What kind was the mix? Any rye grass in it?
This is the Seed I used...
"SS5000 Certified Sunny Mixture produces a beautiful lawn wherever bluegrass is adapted and where the site receives more than 4 hours of direct sun daily. Contains 20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass."
I've been mowing high, about 3.5 inches, or second to the highest setting on my Toro Super Recycler.
- andy10917
- Posts: 29741
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
The quote isn't your's, so the comment/question is not for you.
- PSU4ME
- Posts: 1149
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
I am talking about annual ryegrass. I threw some on an unkept area and it looks just like that. It was junk seed I bought from Tractor Supply.
Didn't mean to confuse anyone, and I'm not sure how I did but my apologies.
Didn't mean to confuse anyone, and I'm not sure how I did but my apologies.
- andy10917
- Posts: 29741
- Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
While Perennial Ryegrass is a high-quality grass, Annual Ryegrass isn't considered a quality grass and is very, very different. I've never seen a modern Perennial Ryegrass lawn that exhibited stemmy or coarse behavior.
- PSU4ME
- Posts: 1149
- Joined: November 29th, 2016, 9:29 am
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
The third picture looks a lot Iike what my annual ryegrass did. I have all three of the kbg cultivars in my backyard reno and they didn't look like that when they seeded out so maybe it's one of the other two types of grass.
Either way it'll fade away soon.
Either way it'll fade away soon.
-
- Posts: 6838
- Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
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- Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
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- Level: Experienced
Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
Andy...I know you're a PR expert...you've never seen a modern PR get stemmy??
I've had years when there was excessive seeding behavior of all grass types in my lawn, and in combination with mowing high and infrequently, the TTPR and TTTF both got very stemmy at seeding time. Now, probably not quite as stemmy-looking as in the OP's photos...but nearly. This happened when I was mowing high (3.75 in) before seeding time started, I believe.
I've had years when there was excessive seeding behavior of all grass types in my lawn, and in combination with mowing high and infrequently, the TTPR and TTTF both got very stemmy at seeding time. Now, probably not quite as stemmy-looking as in the OP's photos...but nearly. This happened when I was mowing high (3.75 in) before seeding time started, I believe.
- andy10917
- Posts: 29741
- Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
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- Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
Stemmy enough that a person that isn't a grass fanatic would notice? No. All the way back to Omega III PRG (hell, that has to be the 1980's), I don't remember a stemmy seeding period ever.
- fusebox7
- Posts: 410
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
It's stalky because it's a bigger plant. It needs to be mowed lower. That looks very long (6"+). As you probably know, as grasses are allowed to grow longer, everything also gets wider (blades, seedheads/stalks). http://purdueturftips.blogspot.com/2013 ... w-and.html
- mitten
- Posts: 266
- Joined: October 9th, 2016, 10:53 am
- Location: West Michigan - Zone 6
- Grass Type: Midnight, Diva, Everglade KBG, plus Fiesta4 PR and Zodiac Fescue
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
So I have been mowing about every 3 days (3.5 tall roughly). The thick stemmed grass pops up way faster than the rest.
Is the verdict that this is PRG? If so, will it be like this all summer? Or just at seedhead time? It's been like this for 4 weeks.
Is the verdict that this is PRG? If so, will it be like this all summer? Or just at seedhead time? It's been like this for 4 weeks.
- andy10917
- Posts: 29741
- Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
- Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
- Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
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- Level: Advanced
Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
It doesn't look like any Perennial Ryegrass I ever grew, and I've grown many.
- PSU4ME
- Posts: 1149
- Joined: November 29th, 2016, 9:29 am
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- Grass Type: Front: Bewitched/Midnight/Everglade Back: Midnight/Diva/Everest
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems
So what do we think it is out of the kbg cultivars, fescue or the prg? Something else?
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