I’d like to make one in zone 6b near DC

johncinmd – posted 26 August 2006 15:42

I’d also like to make a backyard putting green in zone 6b near DC. It would be a natural turf one measuring 4 ft x 8 ft. 1/2 would get full sun 3/4 of the day and the other half would get full sun about 1/2 -to- 2/3 of the day.

The grass doesn’t have to be perfect so I would like to choose between the best-looking grass and a lower maintenance one if possible. What type of grass should be used and where can I get it or order it? I have an aerator but what type of reel mower is needed? Thanks.

tommy – posted 04 September 2006 00:51

If your green is to used for serious pratice and you need it to be the same speed as a golf course, consider going synthetic. If your satisfied with sort of a chipping green type set up, you can use ‘Yukon’ bermuda and over seed it in the winter with poa trivialis. A front throw 7 blade mower,(such as ‘Mclane’) will do ok, or you can purchase used pro greensmower’s on E bay.

johncinmd – posted 02 October 2006 21:50

Thanks. I went with creeping bluegrass (Poa annua var. reptans) and it starting coming up in about 5 days. The only place it didn’t is where were hard top soil chunks/pellets because I still don’t know where to get a soil strainer. The sod starter mulch also had chunks in it that prevented some seed areas from coming up. 1/4″ mesh could have made a good strainer for that but if I widen my green I’ll use peat moss instead.

I’m still looking into Poa trivialis. I’m not sure how close to the first forst I can plant it. Maybe I’ll have to wait till next season.

cohiba – posted 03 October 2006 17:55

I would stay with one turf. The poa annua will give you a really nice putting surface. Be warned that the roots will be shorter and the green may require more water in the heat of the summer. The poa trivialis would be a huge mistake in my opinion. Topdressing lightly with sand will help smooth out the green for putting. Do you have a mower yet? Can you use fungicides? Poa can go bad quickly in June, July and August.

Good Luck……………

johncinmd – posted 26 January 2007 18:17

The area is only 27″ x 27″. There are also a few extra inches around the perimeter where I put (True Putt creeping bluegrass) seed on the existing turf. I have’t used fungicide yet.

Since the green is small I use a rechargeable Black & Decker 3.6 Volt Grass Shear to mow it. I use it with and without the ‘wheels’ attachment and ‘upright extention handle’. I’ve gotten the hang of trimming it and the green looks good.

I also have a weed that started in the fall. Can someone identify it? Pics of the weed and the shears are at the bottom of this page: http://www.wap.atfreeweb.com/golf/

(the page might not be up for too long so my apologies if someone goes to it and it is already gone)

cohiba – posted 27 January 2007 06:38

John,

I will look up the weed you have and get back to you. It sort of looks like mint? Or ground ivy?

The concern I have is the location. Tucked behind the raised bed on the north side, plus the deck? You will have little to no air movement. Fungicides will be needed as well an ventilation on really sweltering days. Keeping the leaf tissue dry will help with dollar spot and pythium.

To see what I mean, the next warm, breezy day, put your face down there on the green. I doubt you will feel much of the breeze. Disease thrives in that environment.

Good Luck………………….

cohiba – posted 27 January 2007 07:44

John,

I looked at msuturfweeds.net and it looks like Ground Ivy to me. Ground Ivy and Mint are in the same family.

I would pull it out rather than use a herbicide. Any herbicide use could damage the new turf.

Take it easy….

johncinmd – posted 28 January 2007 12:21

Thanks for the weed info! Due to the odor it could only be ground ivy. I also looked up the look-alikes.

There are dozens of them on my green that started after the leaves fell off the trees and they are too small to pull without tweezers and magnifying glass. I’ll have to wait till they’re bigger to pull them. They usu die when the spring rains stop.

I don’t have other ready choices for a green area due to my yard size and my current ‘sunny space budgeting’. My only other option would be to shorten my deck and move some of the cactus bed to here. Then I could expland my green into the cactus bed area. I want to do that sometime since I don’t need all the deck space.

A 10″ swath of green next to the deck stays moister than the rest on the surface and has some fine algae & mildew(?) in the bare spots when watered often. I’ll need to get fungicide at some point.