What are the seed selection and seedling-raising methods for Kentucky bluegrass?

Kentucky bluegrass is a cool-season turfgrass with rapid rhizome reproduction, attractive leaf color, a long green period and good ornamental effect. It can generally be used for landscaping, sports field turf, golf tees and fairways, etc. Because of its good characteristics, Kentucky bluegrass has now become a commonly used turf establishment species worldwide; one establishment can be used for many years, and its application range is wide. So how do you select seeds for Kentucky bluegrass? What are the seedling-raising methods? Let's find out together.

How do you select seeds for Kentucky bluegrass?

Selecting good seed is the key to successfully planting Kentucky bluegrass.Seedwise, it is required that the seeds must not be in a dormant state, and the seed viability must also meet a relatively high requirement. When selecting, avoid those with irregular shapes or gaps. As for varieties, there are more than 200 varieties of Kentucky bluegrass, mainly divided into Kentucky bluegrass turf type and forage Kentucky bluegrass. Therefore, you can choose turf-type Kentucky bluegrass or forage Kentucky bluegrass according to actual planting needs.

What are the seedling-raising methods?

1. Site selection and land preparation

Choose soil with good drainage, loose texture and rich organic matter. It grows even more vigorously on soil containing lime. The most suitable pH is 6 to 7. Before sowing, the land should be carefully and meticulously prepared, and all debris on the turf bed should be cleared away. Level the ground and apply base fertilizer and decomposed organic fertilizer at 22.5 to 37.5 t/hm². One to two days before sowing, pre-irrigation should also be carried out.

2. Sowing and seedling raising

Kentucky bluegrass is generally sown by seed, either in drills or by broadcasting, and the sowing rate is preferably 15 to 20 grams per square meter. To sow evenly, divide the seeds according to the predetermined sowing rate into the number of divided plots, and sow plot by plot. After sowing, gently rake the seeds into the soil with a nail rake; the covering soil should be shallow without leaving the seeds exposed. Because the seeds are tiny, the covering depth should not exceed 0.5 cm.

3. Post-sowing management

After sowing, keep the soil moist frequently to facilitate seed germination, and also weed frequently. When the seedlings grow to 5 to 6 cm, chemical fertilizer (nitrogen fertilizer) can be applied as a top dressing at 5 g/m². If Kentucky bluegrass has been growing for a relatively long number of years, thatch is likely to appear, affecting the infiltration of water and fertilizer and the circulation of air, which leads to gradual degradation of the turf. At this point, a vertical mower can be used to slit at intervals of 2 to 3 cm to solve the problem.

4. Pruning during the seedling stage

After Kentucky bluegrass seedlings emerge, because each plant's growth and development conditions differ, they will naturally grow to different heights. For the sake of the lawn's appearance, daily pruning is needed. When pruning, try to make the lawn look uniform in height, prune from the top as much as possible, and control the speed of the scissors while pruning to avoid affecting pruning efficiency by going too fast or too slow.

The above is an introduction to the seed selection and seedling-raising techniques for Kentucky bluegrass. In different environmental regions, Kentucky bluegrass can also be mixed with other varieties. This can not only adapt to the local environment, but also improve the survival rate of Kentucky bluegrass in the lawn.

For wonderful pictures and text and popular comments about Kentucky bluegrass seed selection and seedling raising, you may be interested in the following recommendations from Nongxun Network. Welcome to read.

Agricultural products you may be interested in: National high-quality Kentucky bluegrass seed supply