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Essential Lawn Care Guide for Beautiful Green Spaces

Learn about lawn care methods, soil testing, seed establishment, watering techniques, and maintenance steps for a lush and healthy lawn. Discover valuable tips and recommendations for maintaining your lawn in top condition.

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Essential Lawn Care Guide for Beautiful Green Spaces

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  1. Lawn Care Present by Dr. Teri Hamlin Georgia Department of Education Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office June, 2002

  2. Turf Facts • There are an estimated 800,000 acres of home lawns in Georgia • The average homeowner spends $400.00 / acre annually to maintain lawn • $312 million total turf maintenance expenditures

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

  4. Methods for Establishment • Seeding • Plugging • Sprigging • Sodding

  5. Soil Test

  6. Soil pH • pH governs the availability of nutrients & activity level of microorganisms

  7. pH • Most lawns grow best in a soil pH 5.5 - 6.5 • Low pH < than 5.0 (acidic soil) • Dolomite or Limestone • Avoid over liming - weak growth will result • High pH > 7.0 (alkaline soil) • Ammonium sulfate , Aluminum sulfate, Sulfuric acid

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

  9. Seed Label Information What are you buying???? • 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

  10. 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

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

  12. 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

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

  14. Installing Sod Cost More Instant Lawn

  15. Sodding • Cost: $.12 - .35 / sqft • 12” wide x 2’ long to 18” wide x 6’ long • Pallet = 450 sq ft • Thickness 1” - 1 1/2” • 1/2” should be soil & roots

  16. 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)

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

  18. Water • Sod & Plugs • Heavily soaked so that soil underneath is completely wet

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

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

  21. Maintenance of Established Lawns • Fertility • Major Nutrient • Nitrogen • Phosphorous • Potassium • Minor Nutrient • Sulfur • Magnesium • Iron

  22. Maintenance of Established Lawns • Fertilizer Application • Type of grass • Soil Analysis • Fertilizer Burn • Salt Toxicity • Check spreader calibration

  23. 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

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

  25. 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

  26. Best Results: Apply header strip along edge

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

  28. 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.

  29. Maintenance of Established Lawns • Lime • Amount Based on Soil Test • Slow Release Lime • Apply : Fall

  30. Irrigation General Rule 1” water per week

  31. How to measure ?

  32. Water when dew is on the ground

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

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

  35. 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

  36. Mowingrecommended heights remove no more than 1/3 total leaf area

  37. Blade Sharpness

  38. Mowing Equipment • Rotary Mower vs Reel Mower • Chemical Mowing • Growth Regulators reducing leaf growth

  39. Reel Mower

  40. Aerification • Clay Soil • Benefits • Decrease compaction • Improves water movement • Increases irrigation efficiency • Increase oxygen exchange • Increase nutrient availability

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

  42. Aerification

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

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

  45. Problem Solving • ID Problem • Select Treatment Specific to Problem

  46. WeedsBroadleaf & Grass-Type

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

  48. Disease Control • Brown Patch Dollar Spot • Banner, Tersan, Maneb, Topsin

  49. Disease • Pythium Blight / Root Rot /Fairy Ring • Alliette, Captan, Sudbue, Banol

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

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