Golf Courses

New Turf Website

BeaverTurf.com - the new turfgrass website from Oregon State University - is nearing completion.  We hope you like the new site and the information and resources that it provides. 

Please let us know about any bugs, errors, or other problems that you might encounter, as well as any other feedback you may have.  Thanks and happy surfing!

Turf Adaptation & Ecology Part 2: Turf communities in Western Oregon

Turf Adaptation & Ecology Part 2: Turf communities in Western Oregon

Turf adaptation implies that commonly planted grasses have specific climatic conditions in which they thrive. Therefore, if we know the climate we should be able to predict what grasses will have a reasonable chance to prosper. The converse is also true. If we plant grasses in climates where they are not adapted, we can expect to have problems growing a healthy lawn. One way to depict turf adaptation is through maps.

Fertility Management for Annual Bluegrass

Fertility Management for Annual Bluegrass

Putting greens in Oregon range from 80% to almost 100 % annual bluegrass.  The reality of golf course maintenance in the Pacfic North West is that annual bluegrass will eventually dominate turf on tees, greens, and fairways.

*The following is a slideshare presentation.  Click the left or right arrows to navigate through the presentation, or click "full" to view the presentation in full-screen.

Turf Culture in Shade

Turf Culture in Shade

 This series of slides shows the types of problems associated with shaded lawns and offers general advice on growing the best lawn possible in shade.

*The following is a slideshare presentation.  Click the left or right arrows to navigate through the presentation, or click "full" to view the presentation in full-screen.

Thatch Management

Thatch Management

Thatch is a layer of organic material between the green grass and the soil. Thatch is composed of living and dead stems and roots. Leaves make up only a very small percentage of thatch. Sometimes leaves will form a layer of pseudo thatch at the juncture of the thatch and the green grass. It disappears quickly.

*The following is a slideshare presentation.  Click the left or right arrows to navigate through the presentation, or click "full" to view the presentation in full-screen.

Vegetative Identification of Common Turfgrasses in the Pacific Northwest

Vegetative Identification of Common Turfgrasses in the Pacific Northwest

Identifying lawn grasses requires a basic knowledge of plant structure and the ability to distinguish between those structures to categorize specific grasses. To get really good at identifying turfgrasses you have to learn the characteristics of the common grasses.

*The following is a slideshare presentation.  Click the left or right arrows to navigate through the presentation, or click "full" to view the presentation in full-screen.

European Crane Fly

European Crane Fly

This is an unusual insect in that it causes most of its damage in late winter and early spring as larvae feeding on all parts of the plant. While we think of it as a turfgrass pest it is also active on many ornamental perennials. The historical pattern for this insect is to move quietly into an area where it may develop to very high populations within a year or two.

*The following is a slideshare presentation.  Click the left or right arrows to navigate through the presentation, or click "full" to view the presentation in full-screen.

Turfgrass Seeding Recommendations for the Pacific Northwest

Explains the basics of germination, purity, seed tags, seeds per pound, blends, mixtures, and overseeding. Provides seeding and overseeding recommendations for putting greens, tees, fairways, sports fields, home lawns, cemeteries, roadsides, and slope stabilization for Idaho, and western and eastern Oregon and Washington. Describes the characteristics and uses of new cultivars of turftype tall fescues and provides average number of seeds per pound for common turfgrasses. Intended for homeowners, seed companies, sales people, and turfgrass managers.