NEWS FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST & SOIL UPDATE

by Todd Pretz, Vice President of Jonathan Green

A wet and cold winter was followed by a wet and cold spring. Record rainfall and consistent cool, cloudy weather in the Willamette Valley, along with heavy snowpack in the mountains, set back grass seed production fields by weeks.

If you’ve kept an eye on the weather in the West you’ve probably heard that the extended drought in California has ended, and historic amounts of rain and snowfall took its place. The snowpack in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain ranges is the largest recorded since 1969 (250% above average snow fall amounts). In fact, the snow is so deep that some ski resorts may stay open right through the summer.

These record amounts of moisture have also affected the grass seed fields. Nearly 40% of tall fescue and ryegrass fields are in poor shape. According to one field man, “We are at least three weeks behind where we should be at this time of year in many grass seed fields.”

Jonathan Green continues its efforts to breed and produce the very best tall fescues. The demand for high quality grass seed to sell to sod growers, lawn care operators and independent retailers continues to grow. We’re establishing relationships with the best grass seed growers now to ensure our future supply of the best quality grass seed varieties.

1. Soft-Blade Tall Fescue cut from a test plot on the research farm

2. This new Black Beauty Tall Fescue spreads uniformly from the crown

3. This next generation of Black Beauty Tall Fescue can grow an extensive root system (up to 4 ft. deep)

4. Soft-Blade’s uniform growth habit looks so much like Kentucky Bluegrass that even some experts have a hard time telling the difference

Tall Fescue of sod quality is already in limited supply. The next crop is estimated to be only about 75% of last year’s harvest because the acres devoted to tall fescue production are reduced. It is expected that the price for sod quality tall fescue seed will be steady or higher going into July’s harvest and through all of 2024. It is expected that the price for sod quality tall fescue seed is already as low as it is going to be through 2024.

Kentucky Bluegrass - Dryland production regions are in better shape due to more rainfall this winter. The supply of sod quality from the irrigated production of Kentucky Bluegrass is adequate at this time so selling prices should remain stable.

Perennial Ryegrass is available now and the prices are stable but there are also fewer acres in production so expect perennial ryegrass prices to strengthen as the supply of high quality seed tightens after the July 2023 harvest.

Fine Fescues - The creeping red fescue crop in Canada has not recovered and the acres devoted to produce it are much lower than in years past. There is little downward price pressure on the high-quality creeping, chewings and hard fescues grown in the Silverton Hills of Oregon. Many grass seed companies have been reducing the fine fescues in their seed mixtures by using more tall fescues, which are also very shade tolerant. This trend is putting pressure on the availability and price of tall fescue.

Given the vital importance of soil to growing a lawn, it’s surprising that most people don’t venture beyond the thought that good soil supports grass plant life and poor soil does not.

Soil is all the loose, unconsolidated, mineral and organic matter in the upper layer of the earth’s crust. Minerals and humus make up the solid portion of soil; how- ever lawns and plants require oxygen and water. The voids between individual mineral and organic particles are filled with air and water. Few of us appreciate how crucial bacteria are to the life of green grass plants. Healthy soil is actually a living, breathing, dynamic substance. It is literally crawling with earthworms, moles, grubs, centipedes, millipedes, snails, slugs, beetles, ants, fungi, insect larvae, bacteria and many other organisms. Surrounded by countless life forms, earthworms play a unique role in the soil. They range in number from a few hundred to more than a million per acre. They digest organic matter, recycle nutrients and make the superficial layer of the earth soil richer and porous. They are nature’s aerators.

There is a direct relation between the amount of organic matter present in the soil and the number of microorganisms. Since a relatively large proportion of the organic matter is present in the upper six inches of the soil, one should find a correspondingly high proportion of microorganisms in the surface area of the soil.

There is gradual increase in the number of microorganisms from early spring to summer and a decrease from late summer to midwinter due to temperature.

The organic matter in the soil is constantly being devoured by the microbial life of the soil, which depends on it for food. This organic matter, humus, being largely of plant origin, is made up of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, organic acids and other compounds found in plants. Ultimately, organic residues in the soil are reduced to carbon dioxide, water and minerals.

Soil pH is considered a master variable in soils as it affects many chemical processes. pH specifically affects grass plant nutrient availability by controlling the chemical forms of the different nutrients and influencing the chemical reactions they undergo. pH is a measure of the acidity (“sourness”) or alkalinity (“sweetness”) of soil. The scale ranges from 1 to 14, but few soils are more acidic than 5 or more alkaline than 9. A pH of 7 is neutral, however lawn grass plants grow best when pH is slightly acidic, about 6.8. If you don’t have the proper soil pH, say, “Good-bye” to a great-looking lawn! In fact, you can be wasting between 20% and 70% of your lawn fertilizer if your pH is not adjusted in the correct range.

By pushing a screwdriver into the soil, you can test how compacted your lawn soil may be. If this proves difficult, this would indicate compacted soil. You may also want to remove a square foot of lawn grass. Dig into the soil beneath the turf with a spade, if this proves to be difficult the soil is compacted. The darker soil indicates humus content. The deeper the layer of darker soil, the better for lawn grass growth.

Todd is the Vice President of Jonathan Green, a leading supplier of lawn and garden products in the northeast. Jonathan Green Inc. is a leading supplier of grass seed, soil enhancers, fertilizer, and organic lawn and garden products. For more information visit www.jonathangreen.com.