Variety Specifics
This warm-season turfgrass spreads by both stolons and rhizomes. It thrives in heat, turns brown when it goes dormant in winter, and is widely used because of its high resilience.
Bermuda Grass
Removing no more than this fraction of the leaf blade at each mowing keeps turf healthy.
1/3
This part of the grass plant is where photosynthesis mainly occurs and is the part removed during mowing.
Leaf Blade
The small rubber pieces found in many artificial turf systems that help cushion the surface are called what?
Crumb rubber infill or just infill
I am a tool used on sports fields. I cut the grass, but if I go too low, I can damage the turf and turn it brown. What am I?
Mower
This cool-season turfgrass is known for its blue-green color and its ability to self-repair using underground rhizomes. It thrives in full sun and cool, humid climates, is popular on lawns and athletic fields, but has only moderate drought tolerance and may go dormant during hot summers.
Kentucky Bluegrass
Sports turf managers aerate fields mainly to reduce this soil problem.
Compaction
This enlarged area at the base of the leaf blade helps identify turf species and can be auricled, hairy, or membranous.
Ligule
Because artificial turf doesn’t grow, this type of maintenance is still required to keep the field cool.
Irrigation or watering.
Athletes leave patterns of wear on me, especially in goalmouths and between the hash marks. I get thin when overused and recover slowly if I’m not given rest. What am I?
High Traffic Area
The cool-season grass is prized for its fine texture and ability to tolerate low mowing heights. It forms a dense, uniform turf that is ideal for golf course putting greens, fairways, and tees, though it is very high-maintenance.
Creeping bentgrass
This turfgrass practice is used to maintain color and playability when warm-season grasses go dormant. It involves spreading cool-season seed over an existing stand to create a temporary playing surface through winter. What is this practice called?
Overseeding
This structure protects the young leaf as it grows upward through the plant’s center before it emerges.
Compared to real grass, artificial turf often becomes much hotter on sunny days because it lacks this natural cooling process.
Transpiration (natural cooling process of plants where they release water vapor through their stomata)
You can’t see me, but I control almost everything: water movement, nutrient availability, and root growth. If I’m too acidic or too alkaline, turf struggles. What measurement am I?
Soil pH
This cool-season turfgrass variety is highly valued for its shade tolerance. It stays green in low-light areas, performs well under tree canopies, and is commonly chosen for lawns where other grasses struggle.
Fine Fescue or Tall Fescue
This maintenance practice improves turf health by removing accumulated organic matter at the soil surface using hollow tines pulled from the ground. It increases air exchange, reduces compaction, and helps roots grow deeper. What is this practice?
Core aerating
These small, ear-like appendages can wrap around the stem and are a key feature for identifying species like annual ryegrass.
Auricles
Some NFL stadiums using artificial turf install an additional layer beneath the turf to improve player safety. What is this layer called?
Shock pad
I’m a turf problem that develops slowly. I sit between the grass blades and the soil surface. If I get too thick, roots grow in me instead of the soil, and the field becomes spongy. What am I?
Thatch
This turfgrass variety has a bunch-type growth habit (meaning it does not spread by stolons or rhizomes), giving it a dense, upright appearance. It stripes exceptionally well, making it a favorite for professional sports fields. What is this grass?
You measurements for Bentgrass is 2.0 inches, 2.5 inches, and 3.0 inches.
-What is the average height of the turf grass?
-What is the recommended mowing height of this grass?
2.0+2.5+3= 7.5 inches 7.5 inches divided by 3= 2.5 inches
NEXT- you must find the reccomended mowing height (multiply by 0.67) = 1.675 rounded to 1.7 inches. This means after mowing, the grass should be 1.7 inches tall based off of this rule.
This structure is where the leaf blade and sheath join, and its shape helps turf managers identify species.
Collar
Artificial turf fields drain water in three stages. For full points, list all three parts of the drainage pathway in the correct order.
Through the turf carpet and infill, Into the drainage layer (sand, gravel, or drainage panels), then into the underground drain system (pipes/French drains)
I’m invisible from the surface, but I determine how fast a field dries, how stable the turf feels under players’ feet, and whether roots can breathe. If I’m designed poorly, even the best grass will fail. What part of the field am I?
Root Zone or Soil Profile