Making the
case for a re-think on the suitability of perennial rye grass, (Lolium
perenne) as a lawn grass in the greater Auckland region
What is the most suitable grass to be planted as
a lawn grass in the greater Auckland region?
I am confronted with this question daily.
When faced with this question the best thing to do is to look
around and see for yourself which grasses are present and which of the
desireable lawn grass species are dominant, this will tell you which
grasses nature has selected. Those that are dominant are without a
shadow of doubt the
most suitable for that particular locality.
As little in nature passes my eagle eye I feel compelled to share
my own personal observations made here in Auckland. In addition
I would like to share some of my experience of warm season grasses
gained in Southern Africa as well as cool season grasses gained in
Germany and the low countries. Over a period of time I have made very
close observation of the grasses found growing in private lawns, public
parks, sports stadiums, as well as in public open spaces, pastures,
waste lands and construction sites in and around Auckland.
In particular I have taken note of the frequency of occurrence and
total numbers of plants of the different grass species occuring, in
particular the internationally recognised and grown desirable turf
grass species.
I have taken note of the fact that the most frequently recommended and
planted lawn grass specie in this region is perennial rye grass (Lolium
perenne) a native grass specie of the British Isles and Western Europe.
Perennial rye grass (Lolium perenne) is a specie from and best suited
to cool, wet, temperate regions.
My observations made here in Auckland are as
follows:
- Auckland experiences long, hot, dry, humid
summers
- Many areas in the greater Auckland region have
heavy, compacted, clay soils of very low fertility
- In most established lawns I have found a large
number of grass species both desirable and undesirable as well as
a large number of broad leafed weed species, with the exception of well
maintained Kikuyu lawns (Pennisetum clandestinum) which aer mostly
momocultures free of weeds and other grasses.
- The most frequently found internationally
recognised and grown desirable lawn species found have been Kikuyu
(Pennisetum clandestinum) followed by various species of bent (Agrostis
species)
most probably mostly common and creeping bent, in particular in shaded
central Auckland gardens. In many lawns I have also found traces of
fine
leafed Fescues no doubt subspecies and varieties of (Festuca rubra)
- In most established lawns I have found little
or no trace of perennial rye grass (Lolium perenne)
- Newly planted rye grass (Lolium perenne) lawns
are prone to diseases such as red thread and rye grass rust in the
hot humid summer months
- Newly established rye grass (Lolium perenne)
lawns have a very high nutrient requirement and if they are not
fertilised frequently they turn yellow then orange. Slowly
patches of the weakened lawn die out which are soon invaded by other
grasses and broad-leafed weeds.
- Newly established rye grass lawns (Lolium
perenne) need to be irrigated frequently and sufficiently during the
hot dry summer months, if not, sections soon die off which are soon
colonised by other grasses mostly undesirable species such as Paspalum
and broad
leafed weeds such as Plantago lanceolata (plantain) and Bellis
perennis
(daisy).
- In well established paddocks and wasteland I
have found very little trace of perennial rye grass.
- On disturbed ground I have found two of
the most successful colonisers to be the desirable lawn grass species,
Cynodon dactylon and Pennisetum clandestinum (Kikuyu) both grasses are
grown extensively around the world in warm to hot climates as lawn
grasses.
- In the greater Auckland region the dominant
warm season grass is without a shadow of doubt Kikuyu (Pennisetum
clandestinum)
Summer survival under
adverse conditions
Trials undertaken by the NZ Sports Turf Institute
in April 1998 came up with the following results.
There was a severe disease outbreak on perennial ryegrass plots
in January 2000, identified principally as Leptosphaerulina, but other
humidity-related diseases were also present. All 24 perennial ryegrass
cultivars suffered severely from disease outbreak and it was only the
Windsor Green (Cynodon dactylon) and Torpedo tall fescue plots that
were
significantly less disease-susceptible compared with the industry
standard.
During the period from January to April 2000, unworn ryegrass plots
became so severely damaged by disease and other stress-related factors
(eg. dry conditions, high humidity, pest damage) that it was impossible
to continue with the conventional scoring protocol. In contrast, the
Windsor Green (Cynodon dactylon) and Torpedo tall fescue entries
showed superb summer survival characteristics.
The disease incidence in the summer of 1999/2000 was particularly
damaging across all ryegrass cultivars, a result that highlights
the hostility of the Auckland mid-summer environment for this cool
season
species.
Factors to consider are the higher water use requirement and
potentially higher disease incidence of perennial ryegrass relative to
Cynodon dactylon during the summer period
Desirable and undesirable characteristics of
three lawn grasses being investigated
Below I have listed a number of the most desirable characteristics as
well as undesirable characteristics of perennial rye (Lolium perenne),
Cynodon dactylon and Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum)
Perennial rye (Lolium perenne)
Desirable characteristics
- A fast and easy to establish lawn grass
when sown on fertile well prepared soils and supplied with adequate
water.
- Establishes well during most of the year if
provided with sufficient water in particular during Autumn and
spring
- Produces a high quality lush green turf
Perennial rye (Lolium perenne)
Undesirable characteristics
- Does not do well in the hot summer months
- Can be devastated by summer diseases
- Has a high vertical growth rate requiring
frequent mowing
- Requires specialist treatment for best results
under the climatic conditions experienced in Auckland
- Has a high nutrient requirement
- Has a high water requirement
- Needs annual overseeding to maintain a good lawn
- Is susceptible to attack by a number of
fungi
- Requires a high degree of maintenance to keep
it in good condition
- Is easily invaded by weeds in particular weed
grasses.
- Weed grasses can not be eradicated by the
application of an agrochemical
- High cost of maintenance, needs to be
constantly overseeded, needs irrigation in summer, needs regular
applications of agrochemicals during the summer months
- Does not like to be cut short
Cynodon dactylon
Desirable characteristics
- Is a very vigorous grower and is a hard
wearing grass
- Establishes well in the warm humid summer
months on most soils
- Establishes well in sandy and saline soils
- Has a relatively low nutrient requirement
- Has a high drought tolerance
- Has a relative low water requirement, during
much of the summer it would require little or no supplemental watering
to remain in good condition
- Repairs its self readily via runners and
underground stolons
- Requires less frequent mowing due to its
horizontal growth habit
- Produces a fine high quality lawn
- Is resistant to fungus damage
- Is resistant to and repairs well after pest
damage
- Is not easily invaded by weeds
- Weed grasses can be eradicated by the
application of agrochemicals
- Needs no specialised care to maintain a
trouble free lawn
Cynodon dactylon
Undesirable characteristics
- Is dormant in the winter months, this may or
may not be a negative factor as the lawn would not need to be cut
during the cold wet winter months.
- Can only be established during the warm
humid summer months
- Runners will invade into flowerbeds if not kept
in check.
Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum)
Desirable characteristics
- Establishes well from seed during the warm
summer months on most soils
- Produces a vigorous very hard wearing turf
- Has a relatively low nutrient requirement
- Is winter active when supplied with sufficient
moisture
- Is not easily invaded by weeds when given
moderate care
- Has a reasonably low summer moisture
requirement, during much of the summer it would require little or no
supplemental watering to remain in good condition
- Has an excellence rate of recovery after damage
via stolons
- Is extremely drought resistant
- Needs no specialised treatment to maintain a
trouble free lawn
Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum)
Undesirable characteristics
- Can be very invasive readily invading flower
beds
- Has a vigorous growth habit requiring frequent
mowing
My conclusions
If one looks very carefully at the facts as they present themselves
then one must come to the conclusion that we need an urgent re-think
on whether perennial rye grass (Lolium perenne) is at all suitable
as a lawn grass to be planted by the ordinary home owner in Auckland
who wants
a good looking, trouble free, weed free lawn.
It is very clear that Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) is the
best option by far, it makes as in many other parts of the world a very
acceptable very hard wearing, disease free, drought resistant, trouble
free lawn. Kikuyu is without a doubt the best adapted lawn grass for
the greater Auckland region as it dominates where ever it is present,
therefore it should be seriously considered as the best option for most
sports turf and lawn grass applications.
There are however other lawn grass options open, one is Cynodon
dactylon. Cynodon dactylon is most probably the
most widely planted lawn grass in warm to hot climates. Recently some
of
the top sports facilities and golf courses in Auckland have been
planted
to this fine lawn specie.
The native grass specie
Microleana stipoides var stipoides
makes a great lawn, it is found in
many old established gardens in central Auckland, it is reasonably
drought resistant and does especially well in areas of partial shade.
Tall Fescue has also shown
favourable results and is worth investigating further
References
Auckland Cultivar Trial Results Dr Richard Gibbs and Alex Glasgow
NZ Sports Turf Institute, Palmerston North and Auckland First published
in the New Zealand Turf Management Journal, Nov 2000.
http://www.nzsti.org.nz/Cultivar.htm
Selecting the right grass for sand carpet sportsfileds in New Zealand,
by Blair Christiansen, NZ Sports Turf Institute Auckland, New
Zealand Turf management Journal Feb 2006, vol 21, No. 1
Michael Hickman
07.07.2006
Ecoman
Sports Turf and Lawn Expert
I have considerable experience with establishing and managing
both warm
season as well as cool season grasses which has been gained in Durban,
South Africa,
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
and Auckland, New Zealand.
Sports Turf Construction Experience
My sports turf construction experience includes the
construction of many
sports fields for football, rugby hockey and cricket, golf course
greens,
bowling greens, turf wickets in Durban, South
Africa
over a period of more than 25 years mostly while working for the Durban
Parks
Department, which were all planted to warm season grasses in particular
Cynodon
dactylon varieties. I also constructed and renovated a number of
football
fields and rugby fields in New Zealand.
Amenity Turf Construction
Experience
Most of my amenity turf construction experience comes from
over 28 years
constructing and maintaining parks and gardens for the Durban Parks
Department,
I also gained valuable experience as a private contractor constructing
parks
and establishing cool season grasses mostly for the North Shore City
Council in
Auckland New Zealand.
Sports Turf and Amenity
Turf
Maintenance Experience
Most of my sports turf and amenity turf maintenance
experience comes from
the maintenance of a large number of parks, sports fields, road verges
etc that
were under my direct care as a
horticulturist then later as a horticultural manager during the 28
years that I
was employed by the Durban Parks Department
Domestic lawn
Establishment and
Maintenance Experience
My domestic lawn establishment and maintenance experience has
been
gained on warm season grasses in Durban
and on
cool season grasses in Wilhelmshaven, Germany and Auckland, New
Zealand.
My first experience with domestic lawn care was gained as a young child
helping
my father do his annual spring treatment of our own domestic lawn up
until
today where I still do all my own lawn care including the cutting of my
own
lawn. I have also cared for lawn for commercial clients in South Africa, Germany
and New Zealand
over a period of over 40 years.
For a number of years I over seeded portions
of my own domestic lawn in Durban
in winter with
cool season grasses to maintain a lush green lawn in areas that Cynodon
dactylon had been planted.
Academic Achievements
Certificate
in Turf Grass Management (Cum
Laude)
Best
Student Turf Grass Management Association
1984
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