Lesson 03: Watching Grass Grow: Vegetatively
Kentucky bluegrass turf can be so dense and uniform that it appears to form a green carpet over the landscape. Each shoot bears leaves that appear to emerge directly from the ground. Only by digging into the turf can one see the roots and stem-like structures connected to these shoots. This"carpet" can, however, repair itself whenever damage occurs. New shoots soon repopulate areas injured by pests and other adversities. Their spread is sometimes from adjacent clumps of grass; other times, new shoots arise so far from mature ones that their origin can't be determined without probing the soil from which they've emerged. Explorations into the turf using a knife or probe reveal much more than can be observed from the surface. Roots typically reside within the upper few inches of soil. A series of larger, stem-like structures may be seen as well. The number and length of these organs can vary from site to site. Major variations are also evident at different times during the growing season; deep roots develop in the cool weather of spring and fall, while shallow rooting is more typical of warm, mid-summer periods.
As you reflect on these observations, consider the following questions:
In this lesson you will review information on Shoot Growth and Root Growth. Throughout this lesson you will be prompted to do self-checks. If are able to answer all the questions in the self check correctly, you will have the option to skip over some of the material presented in this lesson, of course you can review everything if you want.
When you are finished going through the lesson, access the Lesson 03 Quiz. You can take the quiz up to 5 times. Practice! The questions are just like those you will find on the exams.