Losing color

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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Hammbone81
Posts: 201
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 10:18 am
Location: Eastern Iowa
Grass Type: KBG
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Experienced

Losing color

Post by Hammbone81 » June 10th, 2021, 7:59 am

This heat is brutal! As I've mentioned before, it's my first season with irrigation, and it's saving me right now.

I'm not super happy with my color right now, and this loss of color appears to be typical in the summer. My lawn normally comes in pretty dark and spring green-up, then tends to lose color during the spring flush. We're past all of that and now into these brutal 90°F days.

I'm watering my calceric sandy soil 3x per week at 1/2" per application. I'm syringing at the peak temp part of the day. Green is light, but I also see a peppering of BBDL after I mow. Thoughts on that?

Image

For reference, here's my 2021 soil post.
https://aroundtheyard.com/forums2/view ... 1&t=26546
I've followed Morph's plan to a T so far this year.
I do plan to put down Humic DG and cracked corn soon.

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Losing color

Post by andy10917 » June 10th, 2021, 8:16 am

Given your soil test results and calcareous soil scenario, the only thing I can see as being helpful for color would be foliar FAS treatments.

Hammbone81
Posts: 201
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 10:18 am
Location: Eastern Iowa
Grass Type: KBG
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Experienced

Re: Losing color

Post by Hammbone81 » June 10th, 2021, 8:28 am

andy10917 wrote:
June 10th, 2021, 8:16 am
Given your soil test results and calcareous soil scenario, the only thing I can see as being helpful for color would be foliar FAS treatments.
I figured as much, and I have all the stuff to do it. However, with temps in the high-80's / low-90°F for the last week and foreseeable coming week(s), I'm leery to do it. What if I apply in the evening, right before dust when the temps are down, and irrigate the following morning?

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Losing color

Post by andy10917 » June 10th, 2021, 8:39 am

Test your proposed regimen on a 100 sq ft area, and see if it works for you.

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MorpheusPA
Posts: 18129
Joined: March 5th, 2009, 7:32 pm
Location: Zone 6 (Eastern PA)
Grass Type: Elite KBG
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Level: Advanced

Re: Losing color

Post by MorpheusPA » June 10th, 2021, 1:27 pm

Keep in mind, some color loss is normal in summer. My lawn certainly lightens. Chlorophyll is actually destroyed by sunlight, which is stronger in summer, and colors lighten to protect plants from heat (darker colors will absorb more sunlight, heating the plant more). Lawns don't show their best colors from May through September, but they return as temperatures fall.

I tend to ignore the lighter green (and more yellow) colors of summer and don't play games with them--and you know what a stickler I am on color. It's simply what the grass can handle at that point in time, and it's certainly getting more than enough energy from the chlorophyll it has. Colors will deepen in fall again as temperatures drop, with November colors returning to thunder-green for winter.

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