2008 Joint Annual Meeting (5-9 Oct. 2008): Creeping Bentgrass Establishment Using Subsurface Drip Irrigation.

Establishing seeded creeping bentgrass [Agrostis stolonifera (L.) 'Dominant Plus'] in sand-based rootzones using subsurface drip irrigation was investigated.  Experiments were conducted in a greenhouse to evaluate rootzone amendments used in high sand content putting greens.  The products evaluated were peat moss and lassenite.  Subsurface drip irrigation tubing was buried to a depth of 15 cm in 19 liter containers.  Rootzone amendments were added at three rates, 10, 20, and 30% by volume.  A control sprinkler treatment mixed at 20% peat moss by volume was also included.  Each experiment lasted for six weeks.  Percentage coverage and rootzone moisture were evaluated.  Root depth and biomass accumulations were measured at conclusion of the experiment.  The peat moss treatments failed to produce sufficient vegetative coverage during the establishment period.  Higher rates of amendments generally had greater coverage.  The control had 65% coverage by the end of the experiment.  Lassenite at 30% by volume had approximately 41% coverage.  The control had the highest level of biomass at 0.6 g compared to lassenite at 30% by volume which had 0.3 g of biomass accumulation.  Creeping bentgrass establishment is possible using subsurface drip irrigation, but the results from these studies show a lack of uniformity.