Lawn and turfgrass

Latest resources

241 - Rip out your lawn (and replace it with subalpine meadow)

Do you have an eco-lawn in the Pacific Northwest? Dr. Allen's Ecolawn Solicitation or contact him at: [email protected] Our Guest: Dr. Allen is Professor of Landscape Management at Brigham Young University (current enrollment ...

Jul 2023 | Podcast episode

Ground bee identification?

I have bees in my lawn. There’s a little mounds/holes that they come out of. Is it okay to get rid of them? How do I do that? Thank you.

Heather Stoven | May 2023 | Featured question

How long should my lawn be?

My husband has decided to let the lawn grow tall because dog play is tearing up the lawn. He thinks that is best to keep the grass stronger. I read from multiple sources we should keep lawn 2 to 3 inches and ...

Brian McDonald | Apr 2023 | Featured question

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Pocket Guide to Grass Seed Pests and Beneficials: Identification, Monitoring, Management

By Amy J. Dreves Navneet Kaur Joseph DeFrancesco Leanna Van Slambrook Glenn Fisher Silvia I. Rondon and Nicole P. Anderson

Learn to identify common pests and beneficial insects found in grass seed production fields across Oregon. This handy pocket guide covers where pests are found, symptoms of pest damage, pest lookalikes and prevention tactics.

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Photo Credit: MarFot - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)

Lawn and turfgrass video library

bright green electric lawn mower on lawn with fallen leaves

Mulch grass clippings and fallen leaves back into the lawn

Credit: Brooke Edmunds

Expert tips on common turfgrass management techniques and pests. Useful for lawns and other managed turfgrass (like athletic fields and parks).

Mowing

Fertilization

Irrigation

Cultivation

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Managing Moss in Lawns

PNW Turf Insect Pests: Past, Present and Future

Irrigation Rates and Frequencies for Western and Eastern Oregon Turfgrass

By Alyssa Cain Alec Kowalewski Brian McDonald and Clint Mattox

When trying to minimize irrigation inputs, the best turfgrass species for the Oregon climate include perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) in Western Oregon, Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) in Central/Eastern Oregon and tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus) in Western, Central or Eastern Oregon.

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Photo Credit: bozhdb - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)

Athletic field management

Best Management Practices for Maintaining Sand-based, Natural Grass Athletic Fields

This publication recommends specific ways to manage of sand-based fields, which will require more frequent fertilization, irrigation, and cultivation for proper maintenance than native soil fields. This publication ...

Alec Kowalewski, Gwen K. Stahnke, Tom Cook, Roy Goss | Sep 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Best Management Practices for Construction of Sand-based Athletic Fields for Football and Soccer

Sand-based, natural turfgrass and synthetic surfaces are the best options for athletic fields in the rainy Pacific Northwest. Sand-based, natural turfgrass fields, when compared to synthetic surfaces, are initially less ...

Alec Kowalewski, Gwen K. Stahnke, Tom Cook, Roy Goss | Sep 2015 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Pest management resources

Managing Microdochium Patch in Pacific Northwest Turfgrass

Those round, brown rings that appear on your lawn in spring may just be a passing problem. But if you manage a golf course, you may want to take steps to control Michrodochium nivale, the fungus that ...

Clint Mattox, Brian McDonald, Alec Kowalewski | Jun 2021 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Managing Moss in Lawns in Western Oregon

The mild, wet winters in western Oregon encourage the growth of lawn mosses. This publication describes the factors that contribute to this growth and provides tips for reducing problems. It is a companion to OSU Extension video EM 9176.

Brooke Edmunds, Alec Kowalewski | Dec 2017 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Need help with your lawn?

Typical lawn problems such as moss, disease, weeds and pests are addressed in Solve Pest Problems, a partnership between OSU and Oregon stakeholders to provide safe and user-friendly information for homeowners in the PNW.

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Integrated pest management

Weeds

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Alec Kowalewski

Associate Professor

Brooke Edmunds

Community Horticulture, Master Gardeners

Contact me about the Master Gardener Program or gardening questions from Marion or Polk counties

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Ground bee identification?

Q: I have bees in my lawn. There’s a little mounds/holes that they come out of. Is it okay to get rid of them? How do I do that? Thank you.

A: View answer | View all featured questions

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