Bentgrass , belonging to the genus Agrostis within the Poaceae folk , cover over 100 coinage of nerveless - season , perennial skunk . Key specie let in Agrostis stolonifera ( creep bentgrass ) , Agrostis capillaris ( colonial bentgrass ) , Agrostis canina ( velvet bentgrass ) , and Agrostis tenuis ( brown bentgrass ) . characterize by hunky-dory , narrow blades ( 1–3 mm wide ) and a dense , depressed - grow habit , bentgrasses spread via stolons ( stolonifera ) or rhizome , forming tight mat . Taxonomically , they ’re distinguished by flowering ( clear or compact panicles ) and chromosome counts ( for instance , 2n=28 for stolonifera ) . Their shallow root system and high silica content heighten lastingness but demand specific maintenance .

Originating in Europe , western Asia , and North Africa , bentgrass has been a natural component of temperate grasslands for millennia , with evidence of use in medieval European forage . Agrostis stolonifera , aboriginal to northerly Europe , adapted to moist , coastal regions , while Agrostis capillaris thrived in acidic , highland soil . Introduced to North America by other settlers — likely via hay or seed — bentgrass naturalise across the U.S. and Canada by the 17th 100 . New cultivars , spawn since the nineteenth century , halt from selections like ‘ Penncross ’ ( 1950s ) , refining traits for turf lineament . Today , it ’s cultivated globally in cool , humid climate ( zone 4–8 ) .

Bentgrass excels in gamy - quality sod applications , particularly golf William Green , where its fine texture and tolerance for low mowing ( 0.1–0.5 inches ) create smooth , fast surfaces — ball roll distances can exceed 12 feet on a Stimpmeter . creep bentgrass dominates putting leafy vegetable and fairways , flourish in full sun to idle shade on well - drained , fertile soils ( pH 5.5–6.5 ) , while colonial bentgrass suits lawns and decorative turfs with less intensive caution . velvety bentgrass , with its velvety sheen , is a opulence lawn option , and all type serve as forage in grass ( 8–12 % crude protein ) . gamey upkeep — frequent mowing , irrigation ( 1–1.5 inches / week ) , and 3–5 lbs nitrogen/1,000 sq ft yearly — circumscribe it to specialized uses , as disease ( e.g. , dollar bill spot ) and thatch challenge its upkeep .

How To Grow And Care For Bentgrass

Climate and Timing

Bentgrass fly high in coolheaded , humid climate ( USDA Zones 4–8 ) , with optimal growth between 60 ° F–75 ° F for shoot and 50 ° F–65 ° F for roots . plant life in former leaping ( March – April ) or tardy summertime to early drop ( August – September ) when soil temperature are 50 ° F–65 ° degree Fahrenheit , avoiding summer heat above 85 ° F , which strain it , or deep wintertime freezes below 0 ° F , which may cause winterkill .

Site Selection

prefer a web site with full sun ( 6–8 time of day daily ) or light wraith ( 4–6 hours ) , as bentgrass tolerates partial shade but weakens in dense cover . Ensure well air circulation to reduce humidity - related diseases like dollar mark spot or brown plot of land , mutual in still , moist area . Avoid low - lie spot prone to waterlogging .

Soil Preparation

Bentgrass prefers well - drain , fecund soils — sandy loams or loam — with a pH of 5.5–6.5 ; exam and amend with lime ( to raise pH ) or sulphur ( to lower it ) as needed . Remove rock and roll , smoke , and rubble , then till to 4–6 in deep , integrate 2–4 inch of organic matter ( compost or peat moss ) to supercharge drainage and nutritious retention .

Seeding

Use high - quality , certified seed ( e.g. , ‘ Penncross ’ or ‘ A-4 ’ ) at 0.5–1 lb per 1,000 sq ft for turf or 5–10 lbs / Accho for larger areas . Broadcast evenly with a spreader , lightly glance over into the top 1/8–1/4 in of soil , and roll with a promiscuous roller for semen - soil middleman . Avoid burying too deep , as bentgrass needs lighting to pullulate ( 7–14 days at 60 ° F–70 ° F ) .

Sodding or Plugging

For fast establishment , lay sod or plant spark plug ( 1–2 inches wide , 6–12 in aside ) of vegetative cultivar like ‘ L-93 ’ or ‘ T-1 ’ . constrict firmly into disposed ground , water directly , and keep moist until root word backbone ( 2–4 weeks ) . Sodding case golf greens , reduce weed competition and speeding reporting to 6–12 week .

lacrimation During Establishment

Keep soil systematically moist but not saturated—0.1–0.2 inch day by day via wakeful , frequent irrigation — for the first 2–3 week billet - seeding or sodding . Gradually reduce to 0.5–1 inch weekly once base ( 4–6 week ) , using a sprinkler for even coverage . Overwatering risks fungal growth ; under - watering delays germination .

Mowing

Begin cut down when pasturage hand 0.5–1 in ( 2–3 weeks post - seeding ) , using a sharp-worded reel mower for clean cut — rotary lawn mower tear o.k. sword . For golf game greens , maintain 0.1–0.25 inches ( daily mowing ) ; for lawns , 0.5–1.5 inches ( 2–3 times / calendar week ) . Never remove more than 1/3 of blade height per cut to ward off stress ; produce height in summer to 1–2 inch for heating plant tolerance .

Fertilization

utilise a starter fertilizer ( e.g. , 10 - 10 - 10 ) at implant ( 1 lb nitrogen/1,000 sq ft ) , then 3–5 lbs nitrogen/1,000 sq ft p.a. , split into 4–6 applications ( spring and come down leaden ) . utilise ho-hum - spill mealy forms ( for example , urea ) and water in to prevent burn . filth test every 2–3 year guide phosphorus ( 0.5–1 lb ) and atomic number 19 ( 1–2 lbs ) needs , as superfluous nitrogen promotes thatch .

Irrigation Maintenance

Once established , body of water deeply ( 1–1.5 inches / week ) in early daybreak , adjusting for rainfall — bentgrass ’s shallow roots ( 2–6 inches ) demand logical moisture . In summer , increase to 1.5–2 inches during 90 ° F+ heat , but avoid even watering to check disease . utilize wet meters to target 50–70 % field mental ability in the top 4 inches of soil .

Thatch Management

Bentgrass ’s stoloniferous growth make Blackbeard ( 0.5–1 inch thick ) rapidly ; dethatch annually in outpouring or lessen with a upright lawn mower or power rake when top 0.5 inches . nub aerate ( 0.25–0.5 column inch tines , 2–3 inch spacing ) 1–2 times / class to relieve compaction and improve water system infiltration , removing essence to abbreviate layer .

Weed Control

Pre - emerging herbicides ( e.g. , pendimethalin ) in early spring prevent crabgrass and one-year weed ; apply post - establishment to avoid seedling damage . Spot - kickshaw broadleaf green goddess ( e.g. , dandelions ) with 2,4 - vitamin D or dicamba in belated leap or twilight , avoiding hot days above 85 ° F to prevent turf stress . Dense stands naturally suppress weeds after 1–2 years .

Disease and Pest Control

supervise for dollar spot ( small , white while ) and browned patch ( larger , tan areas ) in humid summer ; use fungicide ( e.g. , azoxystrobin ) preventively in June – August . Pythium blight thrives in wet warmth — better drain and keep off overwatering . Chinch bug or grubs ( rare ) require imidacloprid if wrong ( yellowing ) look ; scout in July – August .

Overseeding and Renovation

supervise thin expanse in nightfall ( 0.25–0.5 lb/1,000 sq ft ) with matching cultivars , topdressing with 1/8 in sand or compost to raise seed impinging . For heavy vesture ( e.g. , golf greens ) , recreate every 5–10 years by disinvest , regrading , and resodding or reseeding , maintain genetic uniformity . Aerate post - overseeding to boost convalescence .

Pros & Cons of Growing Bentgrass

Pros of Growing Bentgrass

Cons of Growing Bentgrass