University of Virginia Library

Landscaper: 'Matter Of Circumstances'

Sun-Burned Lawn Explained

'A matter of circumstances' was
described by University landscaper
Don Nihaus as the cause of the
end-of-summer dehydrated and
patchy appearance of the Lawn.

The Department of Buildings
and Grounds, with which Mr.
Nichaus works, yesterday released a
memorandum setting forth reasons
for the Lawn's condition. The
release reads as follows:

The Lawn has turned brown
due to the death of the grass
plants. The cause is as follows:

(1) Extreme high
temperatures for a long
duration of time (six weeks).
Both day and night
temperatures above average.

(2) Excessive rainfall and
high humidity causing turf
fungus to develop on the
already weakened grasses.

(3) Because of a high
fertility program, nitrogen
release was excessive causing
burning to the grass roots and
eventually death. (High
temperatures plus very moist
soil conditions allowed for
rapid release of nitrogen).

(4) Grasses that are tender,
due to rapid growth, are highly
susceptible to heat burn,
fertilizer burn, fungus
infestations.

(5) Ordinarily a cool season
grass such as Bluegrass can be
easily managed in this region.
However, due to those reasons
above plus the Lawn being a
newly established grass,
management was extremely
difficult this past summer.

The protection of the shade
from the trees helped to keep the
temperature much cooler at the soil
surface reducing turf death. Also,
the areas under the trees received
several applications of fungicide
material reducing fungus
infestations.

Most of the other areas
throughout the Grounds do not
receive the same high maintenance
condition as were the grasses on the
Lawn. Also, the mixture of grasses
on the outside areas are different
(Bermuda Grass) and contain many
weed grasses which found this past
summer season ideal for growth.

Charlottesville, explained Mr.
Nichaus, is on a border between
"warm and cool weather zones,"
and the type of grass one plants
here is up to the individual's
discretion. The Lawn, he said, is
planted with blue grass, a cool
season variety which usually grows
"very successfully" in
Charlottesville and is favored over
Bermuda (warm season) grass for its
finer texture.

He affirmed that the unusually

warm and wet summer season was
the chief cause of blue grass dying
throughout Charlottesville. He
pointed out that other grassy areas
on the Grounds did not suffer as
the Lawn did because they are
made up of blue grass mixed with
Bermuda grass and weeds which
thrived in the unexpected amount
of heat and humidity.

Mr. Nichaus said the amount of
fertilizer, which reacted with the
high temperatures to help kill much
of the grass, applied to the Lawn
"did not differ from that of past
years."

The landscaper attributed the
Lawn's patchy appearance to the
contrast of green grass growing
under shade trees to the withered
grass lacking protection.

The grass growing beneath trees
was sprayed last spring with a
fungicide to protect them from
fungus which would grow in the
shady dampness. The unshaded
grass was not sprayed at that time
because it did not suffer from the
dangerous

In the months which followed,
Mr. Nichaus said, the unshaded
grass did accumulate dampness
from the unseasonable humidity,
but was not sprayed because by
then plans had been made to build
brick walkways across the Lawn
and, as a result, approximately
one-third of the green expanse must
be regarded.