SMART Lawn Series: Program 3 SMART Lawn Series: Program 3 Henrico County Extension Office Starting a New Lawn, Renovating An Old One

2011 Lawn Care Seminars 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. SandstonTuesdaysTuckahoeWednesdays Twin Hickory Thursdays Spring Weed Control March 8 March 9 Glen Allen March 10 Building a Healthy Lawn April 12 April 13 April 14 Starting a New Lawn or Renovating One August 9 August 10 August 11 Winterizing the Lawn Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8

Fall Lawn Care Field Day Saturday, August 13, :30 a.m. to 12:00 noon Henrico County Extension Office 8600 Dixon Powers Drive Lawn Care Advice Lawn Care Products

SMART Lawns – Basic Steps  Know your Soil  Measure to save time and money  Aerate those roots  Be Right about Fertilizer  Practice Trouble-free maintenance

Enroll in SMART Lawns!  A Master Gardener Volunteer will: –Collect a soil sample (Soil Test) –Measure your lawn areas (Measure)  You will receive: –SMART Lawns Guide –Customized lime and fertilizer plan  You provide the ART! –Aerate –Right Fertilizer –Trouble-free Maintenance

To Enroll in SMART Lawns  Complete the SMART Lawns Enrollment Form and Pre-Survey  Attach a check for $20  Provide a plat (survey) sheet of your property  Mail to the Henrico Extension Office

Healthy Lawns Protect Water Quality A dense turf protects against soil erosion and nutrient runoff

Nutrients are carried away with eroding soil Soil Sediment is Pollution

When to Establish / Renovate  Cool-season Turf –Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass –fall (mid-Sept to mid-Oct) –late winter/early spring (mid-Feb to mid-Mar)  Warm-season Turf –Zoysiagrass, bermudagrass –May and June

Overseed or Start Over? How Many Weeds? How Much Time?

Common Lespedeza Spotted Spurge Some Weeds Can Be Selectively Controlled

Common Bermudagrass Difficult to Selectively Control

Weed Control Products  Most broadleaf weed problems –2,4-D + MCPP (MCPA) –2,4-D + MCPP + dicamba  Harder to control broadleaf weeds –Triclopyr, carfentrazone  Lots of weeds or perennial grasses –glyphosate (non-selective)  Read label for wait time before seeding

Broadleaf Weed Control triclopyr Read the Label MCPA + triclopyr + dicamba MCPA + triclopyr + dicamba MCPA + triclopyr + dicamba

Broadleaf Weed Control carfentrazone+ 2,4-D + MCPP + dicamba 2,4-D + MCPP + dicamba MCPA + MCPP + dicamba + carfentrazone Read the Label

Lawn Establishment Steps  Soil test  Kill existing vegetation  Apply lime and fertilizer  Add organic amendments  Rototill 4-6 inches deep and grade  Apply appropriate seed for area  Rake or drag to cover seed lightly  Roll lightly  Mulch  Water

Overseeding / Renovating Steps  Soil test  Selectively kill existing weeds  Dethatch or aerate  Apply lime and fertilizer at lower rates  Apply appropriate seed  If bare patches, cover seed lightly  Water

Soil Test Box and Form Test every 2 to 3 years

Accurate Soil Testing   Requires a representative sample   Sample from 10+ areas   Sample to 4-6” depth   Mix soil together   Place 1 cup of mix in soil sample box   Send to Soil Testing Lab

Soil pH  A measure of soil alkalinity or acidity  Many nutrients become unavailable if pH is not correct  May need 100 pounds of lime per 1000 square feet to raise pH 1 point Proper pH for Lawns 6.2 to 6.5

Information on a Fertilizer Label Total Nitrogen………..…………..…..… 16 % 5.6% WIN (Water Insoluble Nitrogen) Available Phosphoric acid (P 2 O 5 )…… 4 % Sulfate of Potash (K 2 O)...…………….. 8 %

Maintenance Fertilizer Ratio No deficiencies

4-1-2 For More K than P Other Maintenance Examples  Starters for low P  Winterizers for low K

How Much Fertilizer To Apply?  If tilling in fertilizer, use 2.5 pound nitrogen rate  If over-seeding, use 1 pound nitrogen rate

Use this formula and the first number on the bag: Desired lbs. of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. % nitrogen in fertilizer x 100 = lbs. of fertilizer to apply per 1,000 sq. ft.

Examples For Fertilizer To apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet: 1 / 16 x 100 = 6.25 lbs. To apply 2.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet: 2.5 / 16 x 100 = lbs.

Drop vs. Rotary Spreaders Both must be calibrated!

Follow Bag Instructions (Maintenance Rates)

Trial and Error Calibration

Zoysiagrass   Fine to medium texture   Well-suited to lawns   Full sun, but more tolerant of shade than bermudagrass   Not recommended for high traffic areas   Establish from sod, plugs or sprigs   Slow to establish from plugs or sprigs

Bermudagrass   Fine bladed   Not common for lawns other than SE Virginia – –lack of winter hardiness – –long dormancy period   Athletic fields, golf course fairways & tees   Establish by sod, plugs or sprigs

Kentucky Bluegrass  West of Blue Ridge & north of Richmond  Lush, blue-green, fine-bladed lawns  Well-drained soil, partial to full sun  Moderate to high levels of maintenance  Establish from seed or sod  Seeding rate: 1 ½ to 2 ½ lbs. / 1000 square feet

Fine Fescues  Creeping Red, Hard, and Chewing  Tolerant to shade, drought, low-nitrogen and acidic soils  Susceptible to disease; not heat tolerant  Best use is for shady lawns in mixtures with Kentucky bluegrass  Seeding rate: 3-5 lbs. / 1000 square feet

Perennial Ryegrass  Medium textured, but blends well with Kentucky bluegrass  Quick germination & establishment, bears traffic well (erosion control)  Early spring green-up  Susceptible to disease, poor heat tolerance  Generally not a “stand-alone” grass

Tall Fescue  Moderately coarse textured  Wide range of soil and climatic conditions  Low to moderate management  Establish from seed or sod  No rhizomes = no thatch, but overseeding needed for recovery  Seeding rate: 4 to 6 lbs. / 1000 square feet

Recommended Tall Fescue Varieties Biltmore, Bingo, Chochise III, Constitution, Coyote II, Crossfire II, Endeavor, Fidelity, Firecracker LS, Grande, Greenkeeper WAF, Houndog 5, Inferno, Justice, Magellan, Masterpiece, Matador GT, Padre, Penn 1901, Raptor, Raptor II, Rebel Exeda, Rendition, Spyder LS, Tarheel II, Tombstone

Purchase Quality Seed  Compare labels, not price –Pure Live Seed = Germination % X Pure Seed %  Certified Seed –Blue label guarantees kind and variety of seed named on label

1 2 3

4 OR

4 Rototill Incorporate lime, fertilizer, organic matter

5 6 Seed in 2 directions Rake smooth

7 8 Roll for good seed to soil contact followed by straw mulch Drag chain link fence to cover seed lightly

Hollow tines Core Aeration

Seeding, Mulching, Irrigating  Good seed to soil contact  Seed lightly covered with soil  Straw mulch to cover 50% to 75% of soil surface (1 ½ to 2 bales / 1000 sq.ft.)  Light, frequent watering to keep seed and soil surface moist  Maintain for at least 30 days after seeding

COOL-SEASON TURF FERTILIZATION “ SON” Program lbs. Nitrogen per lbs. Nitrogen per Time1000 sq. ft.  September 1 to 151  October 1 to 15 1  November 15 to December 151  May 15 to June 15 0 to ½ TOTAL : 3 to 3 ½

A Simple Weed Management Plan  October and November, 2011 –Broadleaf weed killer for winter weeds  Mid-March, 2012 –Apply a crabgrass preventer –Repeat for season-long control  April and May, 2012 –Broadleaf weed killer for summer weeds

Pre-emergent Chemicals for Crabgrass Control Siduron (Tupersan) –only product that can be used when seeding new turfgrass