UMN Turf Research
Mixing Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass for MN Golf Course Roughs By: Andy Hollman University of Minnesota
The most common turfgrass in Minnesota for home lawns, athletic fields and golf course roughs is Kentucky bluegrass. Its dark green color, good mowability and soft leaf texture lead many consumers to favor its tactile and visual appeal. Its rhizomatous growth habit also allows for recovery from damage and the ability to create sod which can transform a bare dirt site to a lush green one in a short time period. However, to keep this species looking its best often requires adding inputs of fertilizer and water. When Kentucky bluegrass doesn’t receive enough rainfall and encounters drought, it avoids the 58
stress by going dormant. Often a first sign is the grass appearing to have a purplish color, followed by the leaves rolling up to conserve water and then drying up and turning brown. Kentucky bluegrass stays dormant until adequate moisture is available to return to normal growth. Over the past three summers Minnesota has experienced extended periods of drought, and dormant Kentucky bluegrass can be seen in most unirrigated sites. In some cases, even irrigated Kentucky bluegrass was going dormant as turfgrass managers looked at the long term forecast and water usage