Establishing Lawns Horticulture Mr. Fitzgerald

Turf Facts §Approx. 50 million acres of managed turf in US §As of 2004, the annual value of the U.S. turfgrass industry was $35 billion. §Nationally, homeowners spend $6.4 billion per year on lawn care.

Get to know your grass §Type: l Cool Season Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, Bentgrass l Warm Season Bermuda, Centipede, Zoysia, St. Augustine

§Name of seed producer §Seed Lot # §Seed Variety §% Purity §% Germination §% Weed or Crop Seed §% Non-Seed Material §Date when seed was last tested for Germination Seed Label Information What are you buying????

How much seed do you need? §Based on % pure live seed & # of plants required for area §GOAL §Establish 1000 plants per square foot for newly seeded lawn

Pure Seed or Mixture §Mixture l meets wide environmental & use requirements l select mixture based on desired characteristics l turfgrass vary in resistance to disease and insects §What can be mixed? l Any turf that spreads by rhizomes or tillers l (Fescue, Bluegrass, Ryegrass) l Do not use stolon grasses, tend to segregate Bermuda, Bentgrass, Zoysia, Centipede, St Augustine)

Methods for Establishment §Seeding §Plugging §Sprigging §Sodding

Soil Test

Soil pH §pH governs the availability of nutrients & activity level of microorganisms

pH §Most lawns grow best in a soil pH §Low pH < than 5.0 (acidic soil) l Dolomite or Limestone l Avoid over liming - weak growth will result §High pH > 7.0 (alkaline soil) l Ammonium sulfate, Aluminum sulfate, Sulfuric acid

Establishment Steps §Rake & Remove Debris §Weed Seed Germination §Add Nutrients & Lime l Soil Test Recommendation l Phosphorous (2-3 lb per 1000 sqft) §Application of Seed, Sprigs, Sod, Plugs §Rake & Roll ensure good soil contact

Water §Seedbed must stay moist for seeds to germinate 1st 3 weeks Seed & Sprigs Keep moist by frequent, light watering until new root system develops

Sodding §Any turfgrass that spreads by rhizomes or stolons §Best Time: when turfgrass is actively growing §Advantages: l Instant Lawn l Less Weed Competition l Decrease Erosion §Disadvantages l High cost

Installing Sod Cost More Instant Lawn

Sodding §Cost: $ / sqft §12” wide x 2’ long to 18” wide x 6’ long §Pallet = 450 sq ft §Thickness 1” - 1 1/2” l 1/2” should be soil & roots

Sprigs & Plugs §Most common: Bermuda & Bentgrass §Sold by Bushel §1 Bushel = 1 sqft of sod §Home Lawn: Sprig 4-5 Bushels per 1000 Sq ft §Trays of 1-2 Dozen (4”pots)

Sprigs & Plugs §Time of Year l Early Spring to Late Summer §Spacing 10-12” apart, checkerboard §Planting l set root systems completely under soil surface §Soil Contact l Roll area after planting

Water Sod & Plugs –Heavily soaked so that soil underneath is completely wet

Establishment §Mowing l as soon as grass gets high enough to cut at its optimum height §Weed Control l 1st year chemical weed control is discouraged

Converting Old Lawns §Grass selection: §Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede conversion §2 year for conversion §Steps: l 1. Cut Lawn Closely l 2. Dethatch / Aerification l 3. Correct pH / Nutrient Level l 4. Sprig / Plug / Seed l 5. Roll & Water Thoroughly

Maintenance of Established Lawns §Fertility l Major Nutrient –Nitrogen –Phosphorous –Potassium l Minor Nutrient –Sulfur –Magnesium –Iron

Maintenance of Established Lawns §Fertilizer Application l Type of grass l Soil Analysis l Fertilizer Burn Salt Toxicity Check spreader calibration

Spreader Selection & Application §Low quality spreader can leave streak or patches in the lawn §Causing unsatisfactory control of weeds, insects, as well as poor fertilizer performance

Drop vs Rotary Spreader §Drop Spreader l meter out fertilizer and drop it directly on lawn l Small lawn l Doing job as precisely as possible is important l don’t mind taking a bit longer

Drop vs Rotary Spreader §Rotary spreader meter out the fertilizer and throw granules in a swath §very large lawn §want to get the job done w/speed §don not have flowerbeds nearby

Best Results: Apply header strip along edge

When to Fertilize §Cool Season Grass l Fescue l Sept, Nov, Feb, April §Warm Season Grass l Bermuda: April, May, June l Centipede: June l Zoysia: April, June l St. Augustine: May, June, July, Aug

FESCUE ALERT! §Fertilize fescue with caution. §Too much will make it disease prone and drought sensitive. § If you haven't fertilized in six weeks, apply now at half the rate recommended on the bag.

Maintenance of Established Lawns §Lime §Amount Based on Soil Test §Slow Release Lime §Apply : Fall

Irrigation General Rule 1” water per week

How to measure ?

Water when dew is on the ground

Lack of Water Stress Signs §Grass turns a silvery blue in stress area §Footprints in lawn, does not spring back

Mowing §Avoid Scalping §Never cut more than 1/3 of leaf blade in one single mowing

Mowing too low §Decrease grass ability to develop food reserves for stress & dormant periods §Expose growing point to heat/cold §Larger % leaf cut the longer period root will not grow = shallow root system

Mowing recommended heights remove no more than 1/3 total leaf area

Blade Sharpness

Mowing Equipment §Rotary Mower vs Reel Mower §Chemical Mowing l Growth Regulators reducing leaf growth

Reel Mower

Aerification §Clay Soil §Benefits l Decrease compaction l Improves water movement l Increases irrigation efficiency l Increase oxygen exchange l Increase nutrient availability

Aerification §Equipment l Solid Tine l Hollow Tine (Core Aerifiers) l Slicing / Vibrating Aerifers l High Pressurized Water & Air (depths from 1/4” - 16”)

Aerification

Thatch Management §Organic material produced faster than it can be decomposed §Problems l Decrease water movement l Decrease soil aeration l Decrease root growth l Increase insect/disease problems l Creates barrier for fertilizer movement

Thatch Management §Look For l Spongy Turf l Cut section of turf & measure l No more than 1/2” thatch §Remove Thatch l Vertical mowers l Power rakes l Dethatching mowers

Problem Solving §ID Problem §Select Treatment Specific to Problem

Weeds Broadleaf & Grass-Type

Weed Control §Pre-emergence l Apply: Feb -March & Sept - Oct l Balan, Surflan, Dacthal, Ronstar §Post-emergence l Apply: Summer during Early Weed Growth l MSMA, Trimec, Acclain, Weedar, Banvel

Disease Control §Brown Patch Dollar Spot l Banner, Tersan, Maneb, Topsin

Disease §Pythium Blight / Root Rot /Fairy Ring §Alliette, Captan, Sudbue, Banol

Moss Problem §Shade §Compact Soil §Poor Drainage §Low Soil Fertility §Poor Air Circulation §High or Low pH Raking and Copper Sulfate Change Conditions

Insects §Feed on Roots §White Grubs / Mole Crickets §Orthene, Sevin, Diazion §Milky Spore “Doom” §BT Powder l Jap. Beetle Grubs

Insects §Feed on leaf §Army Worms/Chinch Bugs §Dursban, Diazion, Sevin §Damage results when chewed foliage dehydrates and turns brown