Pampering Poa

When you mow a Poa Annua putting surface seven times per week (actually 10, if you include days we double mow) at a height of 1/10th of an inch, perhaps pampered isn't the correct term for how the greens are treated.  However, if you look at what's required to get them through the dog days of summer, Poa Annua is a bit more needy than Bentgrass.

There are several reasons why Poa has to be watched closely, and one of the key factors is the root system...or lack thereof.  When compared to Creeping Bentgrass, Poa has a fraction of the roots. 

Last week, we had days with evapotranspiration rates of .25-.30".  That's a lot of moisture being lost, and Poa's short root system limits the area from which the plant can draw water to replace what it's using. 

The Poa sample at the top has approximately 1/2 the root length of the Bentgrass sample beneath.