Preparation
1.
Remove all debris from the area.
2. Grade and shape area to desired contour.
3. Peat Moss is organic matter that
improves the composition of the soil. Use 2 to 4 bales of 6 cubic feet size
per 1,000 square feet is desired.
4. Top Soil or organic matter should
be available to a depth of 4 inches. If this amount of top soil is not available,
it must be added.
5. Prepare the soil by rototilling top
soil and sub soil to a depth of 6 inches, rototilling first one way and
then the other way.
6. Add fertilizer at the rate of 20
pounds per 1,000 square feet, and rototill or rake to a depth of 2 inches.
Recommended fertilizer 5-20-20 or similar ratio.
7. Rake the area to a smooth, even surface
and roll lightly to show any depressions, then smooth out these areas.
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Installation
1.
Have the ground completely prepared before you order your sod.
2. People who are not accustomed to
physical labor should pace themselves accordingly and if necessary get help
from friends.
3. Sod must be laid or spread out immediately
upon delivery or sod will heat and spoil.
4. Locate a straight line, such as a
curb or driveway, or run a taut string up the middle of the area to be sodded.
Work along this line to establish the first row.
5. With a rake, smooth the area immediately
ahead of sodding.
6. Lay in Brick-Work fashion as pictured.
7. Staking is advisable on extreme slopes.
8. To fit non rectangular edges, and
small areas, cut the sod with a knife or hatchet.
9. Go over the area with a one-third
filled roller to press the roots to the soil.
10. Saturate the area with water immediately.
One gallon of water in the first hour does more than six gallons three hours
later.
Now that you have established
your lawn of freshly cut sod, grown by Beck Sod Farm, Inc., you must decide
how luxurious a lawn you desire. If it is to be an award winning lawn you
should follow the entire program outlined below. If you want a minimum maintenance
lawn, attention to the first three points is sufficient.
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Feeding
Your Lawn
The amount
of fertilizer for any particular lawn depends on the fertility of the natural
soil, the degree of growth you want, and the type of grass that you are
growing. Bluegrass
requires from 4 to 6 pounds of actual nitrogen; 2 to 3 pounds of actual
phosphorous, and the same of potassium per 1,000 square feet per year. Fertilizer
applications are determined by the amount of nitrogen they contain, because
nitrogen is the most difficult of the three materials to handle. We recommend
a balanced fertilizer in the ratio 2-1-1 with a controlled release nitrogen.
This will provide you with a well balanced feeding for your lawn and the
fertilizer will release slowly. You should apply about half the annual amount
in the spring and the remaining half in the early summer or fall. Be sure
to follow the instructions on the bag. Always water the fertilizer in to
prevent leaf burning.
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Mowing
Your Lawn
Mowing is one of the most
important operations in the maintenance of a fine lawn. Proper mowing will
make a good lawn look better, improper mowing can ruin a good lawn in just
a few weeks. The most important point to remember is to keep the mower blades
sharp. Nothing defaces grass more quickly than a dull mower. Remove all
objects from the lawn before you mow to prevent injury to others, and to
prevent damage to the mower.
Don't let your lawn grow
so tall that it falls over. It will be difficult to mow and will smother
out. Never remove more than one inch of the leaf height at any one time.
We recommend mowing Bluegrass at a height of 1 1/2 inches. You can determine
the height of your mower blade by placing it on a driveway or sidewalk and
measuring the distance between the blade and the sidewalk.
You should remove clippings
that clump on the lawn, so that they don't smother the grass.
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Watering
Your Lawn
In the summertime,
lawns generally require about an inch of water every week. Bluegrass, however,
does go dormant during dry seasons- the grass may turn brown, but it will
green up again when it is watered.
A good rule
to follow: If you water, do it regularly. Apply an inch every week ( including
rain ) at one setting of the sprinkler. Water evenly and slowly enough so
that it penetrates without run off.
Too Much
water can be as harmful as too little. Soil that is continually soaked does
not allow air to reach the root zone where it is required.
Avoid frequent
light waterings. This results in shallow rooting.
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Controlling
Weeds
The best
weed control is a good, healthy turf. When your lawn is thick and vigorous,
weeds simply have no place to get started...and you have no problem. In
renovating lawns, however, or even in established lawns that have had lapses
in maintenance, weeds do have a way of intruding.
Two types
of chemical weed controls are available- one type kills the weed (post-emergent)
and the other type prevents seed germination (pre-emergent).
To eradicate
broad-leaf weeds, hormone type post-emergent chemicals are used. They are
available under many trade names and can be purchased in combination with
fertilizer. You simply mix them with water and apply as directed or apply
with the fertilizer. They are most effective when weeds are growing vigorously
in the early part of the season and temperatures are in the 70 degree range.
Caution:
Follow the manufacturers' directions on the container.
Crabgrass
is easily controlled by using pre-emergent chemicals on the soil surface
where seeds may be waiting to sprout in the spring. You must apply your
pre-emergent material before the forsythia bushes stop blooming.
Killing
the weeds is only half of the operation- you must remember to replace them
with grass.
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Controlling
Disease
Healthy
turf will withstand infestation and recover faster than neglected turf.
Here are some guides for healthy turf:
1.
Use enough fertilizer to keep grass growing vigorously - but avoid the extreme
of over stimulation.
2. Mow before the grass gets too tall.
3. Cut no more than 1 inch of the leaf
surface at any one time.
4. Keep your mower sharp.
5. Don't allow clippings to accumulate
to the extent that they form a mat.
6. Remove thatch as required.
7. Avoid frequent waterings which tend
to keep the grass wet.
8. Most important of all- use weed and
disease preventatives as recommended by your local landscaper or garden
center.
READ
THE LABEL, FOLLOW DIRECTIONS, AND TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS
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Relieving
Compacted Turf
Soil compaction
is a problem which develops naturally under many conditions. Heavy soils
and heavy traffic zones are particularly subject to compaction. If soil
is trampled, especially when it is wet, compaction will very likely occur.
To relieve
compaction without excessive injury to grass plants has been a formidable
chore until recent years when power driven aerators were developed. Today,
aerators of many types and sizes are available. They usually have prongs
or knives which pierce the sod to a depth of two to three inches, or they
have hollow tines that extract plugs of soil. In either case, the effect
is to open up or "aerate" the soil, allowing water, air and nutrients to
reach the turf roots.
If you are
an average homeowner, you may not want to invest in aeration equipment.
You will be wise, however, to give your lawn the benefits of aeration. Call
your landscaper or garden center for information on lawn services or rental
companies that have appropriate units. The gratifying results achieved from
aeration- plus the savings realized in water and fertilizer, will easily
justify the cost.
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Renovating
Worn Turf
Turf renovation
through use of vertical mowers and aerators was once largely limited to
golf courses and athletic fields. Now, it has become a common practice for
other turf areas, including home lawns.
Fall renovation
is in order where it is practical to renew and rejuvenate turf that has
been abused but is still in reasonably good shape. Since roots grow best
in Fall and early Spring, loosened soil and fertilizer are most needed at
these times to encourage turf growth. Overseed the thinnest areas for best
results.
The best
practice, of course, calls for a continuous management program to prevent
deterioration, thus reducing the need for renovation. Such a program would
include: elimination of compaction; application of fertilizer and moisture
as the grass plants require it; and good weed control practices.
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Thatch
and Thatch Control
Thatch in
turf is the accumulation of old leaves, clippings, stems, roots and other
organic material which has failed to decay. Thatch sheds water rather than
letting it percolate into the grass root zone. It may harbor fungus and
other diseases, as well as insect pests, and may make fertilizer applications
ineffective.
One of the
answers to the thatch problem is a vigorous raking. This is difficult to
do by hand. A much easier way is to use a powered vertical mower which is
self-propelled and equipped with hardened steel blades. It cuts out the
thatch and thins matted growth. If desired, you can set the blades low enough
to touch the soil; the scarifying action is an ideal pre-seeding treatment
for bare or thin areas that need over-seeding.
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Controlling
Insects
Unlike diseases,
which must be prevented, insects are usually controlled after they appear.
It is important that you recognize them quickly before they do too much
damage.
A common
insect that you should watch for is the white grub. Grubs live in the soil
under the grass. If you suspect their presence in your lawn, remove a block
of sod and count the grubs. If you have as many as five per square foot,
treat your lawn with a good soil insecticide.
The sod
web worm is a lively brown worm about 3/4 of an inch long that feeds on
grass and causes grass to turn brown. This pest may be controlled by using
the same soil insecticide. If in doubt, consult your local landscaper or
garden center.
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