Mowing Height and Nitrogen Rate Affect Turf Quality and Vegetative Growth of Common Carpetgrass

Abstract

Common carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis Chase), mowed at 3.8 or 7.6 cm and fertilized with at least 98 kg·ha–1 N, maintained acceptable lawngrass quality during the 1993 and 1994 growing seasons. Cumulative vegetative growth (CVG) quality and coverage were increased in mowed plots fertilized with 98, 147, or 196 kg·ha–1 N. Unsightly seedheads were a problem in nonmowed plots 3 weeks after the start of the experiment, but did not appear in the mowed plots. Our results indicate that mowing common carpetgrass at 3.8 or 7.6 cm and fertilizing with 98, 147, or 196 kg·ha–1 N will provide acceptable turfgrass quality.