ABS 360 Southwest Home Gardening
In this topic, you will be studying turf grasses and lawns. Some people think that growing
lawns in the Southwest is not sustainable, but there are certain beneficial aspects of growing
a turf grass lawn that cannot easily be replaced. To learn more about this debate, read the
supplemental article posted in the folder.
Like herbaceous plants used for landscape color, the climate of Arizona definitely influences
what types of turf grasses are grown and when we can grow them. In Phoenix, you can grow
warm-season grasses that survive our hot summer but go dormant in the winter. You can
also grow cool-season grasses that grow well in the winter and spring but cannot easily
survive our hot summer. Before viewing the videos read the following sections of the textbook
and answer the following questions.
Define the following terms:
Cool-season grasses- biologically active w/in a temp range of 40 deg to 80 deg F
Warm-season grasses- biologicialy active win temp range of 65 deg to 110 deg
Hybrid grasses-offspring from crosses of grass species or strains that have superior
genetically determined traits
Sod- rectangular sections of grass-covered soil 91 inch-2inch thick) held together by
matted grass roots, sod is sold in bulk by turf growers for first installation of a finished
lawn
Sprigs- 3inch to 6 in pieces of grass stems or runners w/o soil tht are planted in rows or
broadcast spread and lightly covered with surface mulch to start a lawn
Plugs- 2 in to 4 in wide chunks of sod either round or quare that are spced evenly over
a surface to start or repair a lawn
Overseeding- laying of grass seed on top of existing grasses to promote new growth or
to replace the existing grass with a new strain for a season
Scalping- removal of an excessive quantitity of grass leaf tissue at any one mowing,
resulting in stubbly brown appearance due to exposed stems, dead leaves and even
bare soil
You are now ready to watch the videos for this section entitled Southwest Turf grass and
Arizona Cardinals Football Playing Field. Click on the Video link in the Folder on the course
website. At the end of the videos, you should be able to answer the following questions
based on information in the videos Adobe Presenter presentation and your textbook.
1. What benefits are derived in the landscape from growing a lawn? What are some of the
expenses involved when growing a lawn?
Cool air, welcome respite for urban wildlife
Regular mowing, high amounts of water and feritlizing
2. What examples of cool-season grasses were presented in the video as grasses that can
be used for lawns in the Phoenix area? What are examples of warm-season grasses?
Why can’t people living in central Arizona grow a single type of grass year-round?
Study Guide-Southwest Turf grass and Lawns
ABS 360 Southwest Home Gardening
Warm- hybrid Bermuda grass- wear resistant, sterile, densely matted habit, fine texture,
medium to dark green (midiron, tifway 419, santa ana, tifsport- pollen free, withstand
stressful climate)
Cool- annual (long and weak intolerant of foot traffic) perennial (short and stiff toleratnt of
foot trafiic) rye grass, bright green, fine textured and frost tolerant
3. What advantages/disadvantages were discussed in the video for each of the different
types of cool season-grasses? For example: What cool-season grass can be planted in
the fall and will stay greener longer throughout the winter into spring and early summer?
Is it better to grow annual or perennial ryegrass? Which type of ryegrass is more
expensive to plant and which is more difficult to maintain? Which type of ryegrass is
better if a person has children and pets?
4. The video mentioned two general types of Bermuda grass - what are they? And how are
they different? What are some of the advantages to planting hybrid Bermuda grass?
Midiron, tifway 419
5. How do some of the examples of hybrid Bermuda grass that were demonstrated in the
video differ (Santa Ana, Tifway and Midiron)?
Midiron- tolerance to mowing
Tifway- active sports and recreation
6. What types of turf grasses grow best in the Phoenix region in lawn areas under trees and
in shade? What types are not tolerant of shade? What is the best turf grass to use for a
sunny residential Phoenix landscape location in the summer? In the winter?
Bermuda cannot thrive in shade or cold
7. When designing and planting a lawn area, what key points should one remember to
include and do? What is the difference between using seed, sod and sprigs to plant a
lawn? How is common Bermuda grass typically planted? How is hybrid Bermuda grass
typically planted?
8. When does Bermuda grass turn brown and dormant? When types of lawns in Phoenix are
overseeded, and what type of grass is used in the overseeding process? What is the
seeding rate per 1,000 square feet of lawn used for overseeding cool-season grasses?
After overseeding, how often and for how long should one sprinkler irrigate to establish?
Early October, perennial rye grass, night temperatures lower to 60-70, mow to 1/8 in
height (scalping), sow seed 3-5lb of seed per 1000 ft squared of lawn, cover the
overseeded lawn with mulch, water 10-20 min several times per day
9. Once established, about how often should a lawn be sprinkler watered?
Bermuda- water 2-3 times per week in smmer, rye grass needs 5 days er week in winter
10.What type of fertilizer is used to fertilize lawns? How much fertilizer is generally needed
ABS 360 Southwest Home Gardening
to keep a lawn healthy?
Every 6 weeks esp during summer, grass clippings are 3% nitrogen, leave the clippings on
the lawn to decompose, natural organic fertilizers realease nutrients into the soil
11.Why is it important to regularly mow lawns? How do mowing heights differ between the
different types of grasses commonly grown in the Phoenix area?
Never remove more than 1/3 of height, healthy and vigorous turf grass will inhibit weeds
If you want more information about lawns, check out the websites in the External Links/Turf
grass folder on the course website. The Arizona Master Gardeners Manual on Lawns is
especially informative. Plants mentioned in this video are listed below.
Cynodon (Common and hybrid Bermuda grass; locally used cultivars include Santa Ana,
Tifway 419 & Midiron)
Lolium (Annual and perennial ryegrass)
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