Turfgrass Installation and Maintenance by Sam Cheatham County Extension Agent

1. Turfgrass Installation and MaintenancebySam CheathamCounty Extension Agent

2. Lawn Installation • Soil Test • Clean and Rough Grade • Deep Tillage • Replace Topsoil • Fertilization and Liming • Final Grading

3. Lawn InstallationSoil Amendments • Composted Sludge • Composted yard trimmings • Composted farm manure • Sawdust • Sphagnum peat moss • Sand- sand amendment must be at least 75% to provide improved aeration

4. Lawn InstallationPlanting Methods • Seeding • Sprigging • Plugging • Stolonizing • Sodding

5. Lawn InstallationPost Planting Care • Watering- frequent irrigations will be necessary until grass is established • Mowing • warm season grasses- mow at the recommended height of cut • Cool season grasses- mow when grass is 2-3 inches tall, mow often

6. Lawn InstallationPost Planting Care • Fertilization • cool season grasses- a light application of a complete fertilizer will enhance growth • warm season grasses- frequent light applications(1/2 lb. N/1000 sq.ft.)

7. Adapted to shady places with adequate moisture fine textured Cool Season GrassesRed Fescue

8. Adapted to upper piedmont and Mountains pH 6.0 - 7.0 Full Sun May go dormant in dry weather irrigation needed in summer High maintenance Cool Season GrassesKentucky Bluegrass

9. Produces high quality turfgrasses very high level of management used mainly on golf course putting greens Cool Season GrassesBentgrasses

10. Used for overseeding does not handle environmental stresses well overseeding rate 5 - 10 lbs/1000 ft sq Cool Season GrassesAnnual Ryegrass

11. Used primarily for overseeding increased heat and disease resistance many cultivars are available Annual in SC Cool Season GrassesPerennial Ryegrasses

12. Perennial throughout the state Tolerates variety of growing conditions, soil types, and pH range Salt Tolerant High Traffic Tolerance Excellent drought tolerance Rapid Growth Rate not shade tolerant Ideal for athletic fields, parks, and golf courses Common vs hybrid Warm Season TurfgrassesBermudagrass

13. known as wiregrass medium to coarse texture quality lawn with proper management improved common bermudagrasses sun devil cheyenne numex sahara Planted from seed Warm Season TurfgrassesBermudagrass--Common

14. More disease resistance greater turf density better weed resistance finer texture better color high degree of maintenance Examples tifway (tifton 419) tifway II tifgreen (tifton 428) Warm Season TurfgrassesHybrid Bermudagrass

15. Used on poorly drained sites grows in sun or shade if soil is moist poor drought tolerance poor cold tolerance Warm Season TurfgrassesCarpetgrass

16. Adapted to coastal and midlands region low maintenance fair shade tolerance poor traffic tolerance medium drought resistance pH 5.5 - 5.8 Susceptibility to disease nematode intolerant Warm Season TurfgrassesCentipedegrass

17. intolerant to high pH intolerant to heavy shade Warm Season TurfgrassesCentipedegrass

18. Adapted to warm humid regions of SC Coarse textured Blue-green color Best in well drained fertile soil good salt tolerance good shade tolerance Chinch bug susceptibility susceptible to gray leaf spot and brown patch Warm Season TurfgrassesSt. Augustinegrass

19. Most cold tolerant of warm season grasses slow growing very dense adapted to full sun or part shade medium drought tolerance Will become thatchy moderate fertility requirement “Meyer” most widely grown cultivar Warm Season TurfgrassesZoysiagrass

20. good turfgrass management good sanitary practices Maintenance--Pest ControlWeed Control -- Prevention

21. Selective vs non-selective Contact vs Systemic preplant preemergent postemergent Maintenance--Pest ControlWeed Control -- Chemical/Herbicide

22. Read Label directions use specified label rate Best control when weeds are young Best control when weeds are actively growing Timing of application Good coverage apply in 0.5 - 1.0 gal/1000 ft sq do not apply when windy be patient Maintenance--Pest ControlWeed Control

23. do not apply when windy be patient Maintenance--Pest ControlWeed Control

24. Grubs Mole Crickets Billbugs Ground Pearl Maintenance--Pest ControlSoil Inhabiting Insects

25. Sod webworm Cutworm Armyworm Chinch bug Spittlebug Maintenance--Pest ControlThatch Inhabiting Insects

26. Scale Bermudagrass Mite Leafhoppers Maintenance--Pest ControlFoliar Insects

27. Red Imported Fire Ant Fleas Millepedes Centipedes Earwigs Maintenance--Pest ControlOther Insect Pests

28. Living Fungi Bacteria Viruses Nematodes Non-Living Nut. Disorders Chemical Temperature Drought Salinity Traffic Mechanical Maintenance--Pest ControlDiseases

29. Lawn MaintenanceIntegrated Pest Management • Identify the pest • Determine Threshold Levels • Read the Pesticide Label • Treat the pest when most susceptible and lawn most tolerant • Spot treat if possible, treat only the area needed

30. Lawn MaintenanceIntegrated Pest Management • Calibrate your sprayer • Follow label directions for proper rate and timing of pesticide applications

31. Lawn Maintenance-IrrigationWHEN • Color test-blue gray cast • foot printing- foot prints appear and do not spring back • Screwdriver test • water early in the AM • Water at night after dew fall

32. Lawn maintenance-IrrigationHow much • Apply one inch water per week • 2-3 waterings per week • apply to run off

33. Lawn Maintenance-Irrigation • When to water • How much water to apply • Why

34. Lawn MaintenanceFertilization • Soil test • Nitrogen- enhances color,density,shoot and root growth. • Promote slow steady growth • too much- reduces root growth, increases thatch , can promote disease

35. Lawn MaintenanceFertilization • Phosphorus • energy transformation • centipedegrass sensitive to high phosphorus

36. Lawn MaintenanceFertilization • Potassium • improves heat tolerance ,cold tolerance • improves disease tolerance • helps grass plants withstand environmental and mechanical stresses

37. Lawn MaintenanceMowing • Height of cut • Frequency of cut • Type of mower

38. Lawn MaintenanceMowing • Frequency of cut • Mow regularly • remove no more than 1/3 of grass height at any one time • tall grass- reduce height gradually

39. Lawn Maintenance-mowingtype of mowers • Rotary mowers • low cost • easy maneuverability • simple maintenance • cuts on impact • mulching mowers-cut grass into finer pieces

40. Lawn Maintenance-mowing • Reel mowers • used for highly maintained turf • expensive • best used on flat even surfaces

41. Lawn MaintenanceCultivation • Aerification • loosens compacted soils • stimulates root growth • enhances oxygen in the soil • reduces runoff • allow 4 weeks for grass to recover

42. Lawn MaintenanceCultivation • Thatch removal • dense,spongy collection of living/dead grass • mechanically remove with power rake or vertical mower • do not burn the lawn • topdress • do not scalp with the lawn mower

43. Sources : Home Lawncare, Cir 687 South Carolina Nurseryman’s Certification Manual Principles of Turfgrass Management , 1994 University of Georgia Programs of Clemson University Extension Service are open to all citizens regardless of ages, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.Clemson University Cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture and South Carolina Counties. Issued in Furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of May 8 an June 30, 1914.