Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by Green » June 17th, 2017, 10:24 pm

I *think* I see some KBG and some PR in there.

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by Owlnsr » June 18th, 2017, 6:56 am

I planted gulf annual rye. Looks identical.

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by bernstem » June 18th, 2017, 10:15 am

What was there before the renovation, and how did you kill it? Had you overseeded that area in the past before the renovation. If so, when did you overseed and what did you seed with? I'm not any kind of expert on PR, but that doesn't look like KBG seeding. I'm leaning toward some undesirable that survived the renovation or seeds that were lying dormant. I'll leave it at that as grass ID over the internet is notoriously difficult.

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by smast16 » June 18th, 2017, 12:01 pm

My money's on annual ryegrass as well. Auricles give it away.

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by mitten » June 18th, 2017, 11:39 pm

bernstem wrote:
June 18th, 2017, 10:15 am
What was there before the renovation, and how did you kill it? Had you overseeded that area in the past before the renovation. If so, when did you overseed and what did you seed with? I'm not any kind of expert on PR, but that doesn't look like KBG seeding. I'm leaning toward some undesirable that survived the renovation or seeds that were lying dormant. I'll leave it at that as grass ID over the internet is notoriously difficult.
Before the renovation I had an 86 year old lawn, with nothing elite or desirable. It was my first summer as the home owner and the previous owners had seeded for quite some time. I did the typical Round-Up kill.

So now it sounds like the consensus might be annual ryegrass? Is that right? If so, how do I get it not to come back next year? And when will it die off this year?


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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by Owlnsr » June 20th, 2017, 11:58 am

It'll die in the summer heat.

How do you prevent it from coming back? Annual ryegrass doesn't come back; it's an annual. They usually produce seeds and then die in the summer heat. The thick, stiff stems are a good indicator that it wants to produce seeds. Don't let them produce seeds by mowing frequently.

Unless you have a bank of seeds already in your soil, new plants shouldn't germinate in the fall... unless you add grass seed. If you do, inspect the bag label to verify that it doesn't include annual ryegrass OR "other crop".

If you aren't going to overseed in the fall, simply apply some pre-emergent. The new plants will germinate, sprout and then die once their roots reach the pre-em layer. (You probably won't even notice that happening).

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by mitten » June 21st, 2017, 6:39 pm

So applying a pre-emergent in the spring will prevent the annual rye grass seeds that have already dropped to germinate I assume? I am noticing the rye grass dying off slightly. Still wondering where it came from but if it doesn't show up again I'll be happy.

I haven't applied a pre-emergent on my Fall 16 reno yet because I did some touch up seeding this spring. Should I apply some now? If so, any recommendations? I don't think I will need to seed this fall.

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by andy10917 » June 21st, 2017, 8:40 pm

Read the label on the product that you anticipate using. Does it say it controls Annual Ryegrass? If so, good. If not, you're rolling the dice.

If you apply the Pre-M now, what are you controlling that germinates in July?

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by mitten » June 22nd, 2017, 10:10 pm

Okay, so skip the pre-emergent until about September?

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by andy10917 » June 22nd, 2017, 10:23 pm

Or very late August. When the soil dips under 70 degrees, the possibility of Poa Annua germinating rises.

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by mitten » June 22nd, 2017, 10:27 pm

Sounds good Andy. I will watch temps. Any specific pre-emergent you prefer for August?

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by andy10917 » June 22nd, 2017, 10:48 pm

The Quali Pro Prodiamine 65 WDG is a great product at a reasonable price, although I have no way to know that because homeowners can't get it in New York.

Yeah, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by Jackpine » June 23rd, 2017, 5:32 am

Green wrote:
June 16th, 2017, 8:43 pm
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.
This is one of those summers up here in my location (2 hours north of the OP) Fescues and PR seeding prolifically in high mown lawns. Just my observation.

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mitten
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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by mitten » June 23rd, 2017, 10:59 am

andy10917 wrote:
June 22nd, 2017, 10:48 pm
The Quali Pro Prodiamine 65 WDG is a great product at a reasonable price, although I have no way to know that because homeowners can't get it in New York.

Yeah, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Visions of Andy sneaking pre-emergence across the border...

So maybe I should have been cutting my grass shorter this spring?

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by Green » June 23rd, 2017, 1:09 pm

If you start cutting at about 2.75 inches (even lower if your grade can handle it without scalping spots) in the early Spring, and then gradually raise it to Summer height over a few months, it seems to do well, versus just mowing at the highest setting all the time through Spring.

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Re: Wife's Complaining - Thick Stems

Post by Leakytires » July 5th, 2017, 9:58 am

I was reminded of this thread when I came across this information from Rutgers the other day. Rutgers quantifies the “stemminess” of perennial ryegrass varieties as part its perennial ryegrass seed trials.

From Rutgers:” Stemminess continues to be a problem in perennial ryegrass”

Here are the results for 2015 - https://turf.rutgers.edu/research/reports/2015/125.pdf

Here are the results for 2009 - https://turf.rutgers.edu/research/reports/2009/133.pdf

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