Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

[mitten]

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!

[PSU4ME]

What kind was the mix? Any rye grass in it?

[TimmyG]

Your grass flowered and went to seed. Such is life.

You're holding the obvious evidence in the hand in the second pic.

[TimmyG]

Compare seedheads here.

[mitten]

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?

[g-man]

how tall is that? 8in?

Make sure your blades are sharp.

[Green]

What height were you mowing at last month, and what height now?

[andy10917]

What kind was the mix? Any rye grass in it?

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.

[mitten]

What kind was the mix? Any rye grass in it?

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.

Wait, now I'm confused. Were you talking to me, Andy?

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]

The quote isn't your's, so the comment/question is not for you.

[PSU4ME]

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.

[andy10917]

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]

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.

[Green]

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.

[andy10917]

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]

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

[TimmyG]

Also follow viewtopic.php?f=4&t=22770

[mitten]

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.

[andy10917]

It doesn't look like any Perennial Ryegrass I ever grew, and I've grown many.

[PSU4ME]

So what do we think it is out of the kbg cultivars, fescue or the prg? Something else?