ESTABLISHMENT OF LAWN AND AFTER CARE​

·       Establishment Phase Is Critical And Require A Number Of Practices To Ensure Uniform Dense Growth Of The Turf. Mulching In Combination With Irrigation Is The Key Factor In Successful Establishment Of Lawn. Proper Monitoring For Shading Of Grass Seedlings Is Required For Shading In Case Straw Mulching Is Done.. If New Seedling Shows Sign Of Yellowing, The Mulch Should Be Raked Away Lightly.

1.  Selection Of Suitable Lawn Grass For Particular Condition: All Grass Species And Cultivar Are Not Equally Suitable For All Conditions. Therefore, For Successfull Establishment Of A Lawn This Is Considered As One Of The Most Important Factor.

2.  Preparation Of Land: This Is Is The Key Aspect In Establishing A Lawn Successfully. It Includes Soil Testing For Ph Reaction And Nutrient Availability, Cleaning And Grading, Tillage For Establishment Of Subsurface If Needed And Topsoil And Finally Fertilizer Application And Liming Followed By Final Grading.

3.  Planting: Grasses Are Generally Propagated Vegetative, Though There Are Grass Species Which Can Be Propagated Through Seeds As Well. The Methods Generally Used Are Seeding, Sodding, Plugging, Dibbing, Turning, Plastering Etc. The Factors Affecting Establishment Of Lawn Through Seeding Are – Planting Procedures, Mulching And Post Germination Care. The Seeding Methods Used, Range From Planting By Hand To Using Mechanical Equipment. Time Of Sowing, Seed Rate Seed Depth And Other Issues Related To Seeding Mainly Depends On Grass Species Its Growth Habit And Seed Size. For Example Grass Species With Lateral Growth Through Rhizome, Stolons Or Both Are Planted At Lower Seed Rate. Also Smaller The Seed Lower Will Be The Seed Rate As The Number Of Seed Per Gram Will Be More. Vegetative Planting Is Simply The Transplanting Of Large Or Small Pieces Of Grass. Solid Sodding Covers The Entire Seedbed With Vegetation. Spot Sodding, Plugging, Sprigging Or Stolonizing Refer To The Planting Of Pieces Of Sod Or Individual Stems Or Underground Runners Called Stolon Or Rhizomes. Most Warm-Season Turf Grasses Are Established By Planting Vegetative Plant Parts. Exceptions To This Include Centipede Grass, Carpet Grass, Common Bermudagrass And Japanese Lawn Grass (Zoysia Japonica), Which Can Be Established From Seed.

4.  Sodding: Sodding Is An Expensive Method Of Vegetative Propagation. However, It Can Enable Establish An Instant Lawn. This Method Is Recommended Where Quick Cover Is Desired For Some Specific Purpose Viz., Checking Soil Erosion Or Aesthetic Reasons. Establishment Procedures For Sod Include Soil Preparation, Obtaining Sod Of High Quality, Transplanting And Postlanding Care. Soil Preparation For Sodding Is Identical To That For Seeding. The Primary Objective In Sod Transplanting Is To Achieve As Quick Rooting Into The Underlying Soil As Possible. Factors That Influence Quick Rooting Include: Proper Soil Preparation, Adequate Soil Moisture In The Underlying Soil And Transplanting Techniques That Will Minimize Sod Drying.

5.  Sprigging: Sprigging Is Another Method Of Vegetative Propagation Where Stolons Or Rhizomes Are Planted In Furrows Or Small Holes. A Sprig Is An Individual Stem Or Piece Of Stem Of Grass Without Any Adhering Soil. A Suitable Sprig Should Have Two To Four Nodes From Which Roots Can Develop. Soil Preparation For Sprigging Should Be The Same As For The Other Methods Of Planting. Sprigs Are Planted At A Depth Of 1-2 Inches, 4-6 Inches Apart In The Furrows. However, Shallow Planting Can Also Be Practiced Provided Adequate Moisture Is Available. Another Method Of Sprigging Is To Place The Sprigs On The Soil Surface At The Desired Interval End-To-End, About 6 Inches Apart, And Then Press One End Of The Sprig Into The Soil With A Notched Stick Or Blunt Piece Of Metal Like A Dull Shovel. A Portion Of The Sprig Should Be Left Above Ground Exposed To Light. Regardless Of The Planting Method, Each Sprig Should Be Tamped Or Rolled Firmly Into The Soil Sprigs Planted This Way Require Frequent Light Watering Once Or Twice A Week Until Roots Become Well Established And May Be Required For Sever Weeks.

6.  Stolonizing: Stolonizing Is The Broadcasting Of Stolons On The Soil Surface And Covering By Topdressing Or Pressing Into The Soil. Stolonizing Requires More Planting Material But Produces A Quicker Cover Than Sprigs.

7.  Plugging: The Planting Of 2- To 4-Inch Diameter Square, Circular Or Block-Shaped Pieces Of Sod At Regular Intervals Is Called Plugging. Three To Ten Times As Much Planting Material Is Necessary For Plugging As Compare To Sprigging. The Most Common Turf Grasses That Are Started By The Use Of Plugs Are St. Augustine Grass, Zoysia Grass And Centipede Grass. These Plugs Are Planted Into Prepared Soil On 6- To 12-Inch Centers. The Closer The Plugs Are Planted Together, The Faster The Sod Will Cover. However, The Closer The Plugs Are Planted Together, The More Sod It Will Take To Provide Plugs To Cover The Lawn Area.

8.  Over Seeding: Over Seeding Into Thin Turf Or Small Patches Of Bare Soil Can Be Done In Late Winter, Spring Or Early Fall. Spring And Early Fall Over Seedings Can Be Made Following Aeration (Six To Eight Passes Over The Lawn), Dethatching, Or By Using A Disk-Type Seeder That Drops Seed Into Slits In The Soil. When Over Seeding, It Is Especially Important That The Seed Is In Contact With The Soil And Has Enough Space To Germinate And Develop.

9.  Fertilization: Fertilization Does More To Improve Poor Quality Turf Or Maintain Good Quality Turf Than Any Other Single Management Practice. Grass Plants Normally Need Nitrogen, Phosphorus (Phosphate), And Potassium (Potash) In Greater Amounts Than Can Be Supplied Naturally From Soil. The Only Way To Determine How Much Phosphate (P2O5) And Potash (K2O) Is Required By Turf Is From A Soil Test. In Most Cases, Turf Grasses Require Nutrients In The Ratio Of Approximately Two Parts Nitrogen To One Part Phosphate And One Part Potash. These Needs Can Be Met For Most Lawns By Application Of A 10-6-4 Fertilizer Having 35 Percent Or More Of The Total Nitrogen As Water Insoluble Nitrogen (WIN) Or Controlled Release Nitrogen (CRN) In Late Summer/Early Fall. Other Fertilizers Having Approximated 2-1-1 Ratios And Containing One-Third Or More Of The Total Nitrogen As Water Insoluble Nitrogen Or Controlled Release Nitrogen May Be Used At Rates To Supply Equivalent Amounts Of Nutrients. If Only One Fertilizer Application Is Made Annually, Apply It In Late Summer To Early Fall.

10. Liming: Most Turf Grasses Prefer A Soil Ph Ranging From 6.0 To 7.0. If The Soil Is Too Acidic For Proper Turf Grass Growth, Lime May Be Applied. Lime Should Be Applied In Accordance With A Soil Test Recommendation. The Lime Requirement Should Be Met By Applying Ground Agricultural Limestone. Fall Applications Are Preferred As Rain, Snow, And Freezing/Thawing Of The Soil During The Winter Aid In Working The Limestone Into The Soil. Late Winter Is Also A Good Time To Apply Lime.

11. Mowing: Most Lawns Should Be Cut At Two Inches Or Above And Mowed On A Regular Basis As Long As The Grass Is Growing. Frequency Of Cut Should Be Based On The Growth Rate Of The Grass. No More Than One Third Of The Total Leaf Surface Should Be Removed At A Given Mowing. Thus, If The Turf Is Cut At Two Inches, It Should Be Mowed When It Reaches A Height No Greater Than Three Inches. Clippings Do Not Need To Be Removed Provided The Frequency Of Mowing Is Adequate. All Mowing Equipment Must Be Kept Sharp And In Proper Adjustment.

12.Dethatching: Thatch Is The Tightly Intermingled Layer Of Partially Decomposed Grass Stems And Roots Which Develops Beneath The Actively Growing Green Vegetation And Above The Soil Surface. Thatch Decreases The Vigor Of Turf Grasses By Restricting The Movement Of Air, Water, Plant Nutrients, And Pesticides Into The Soil. Also, Turf Grass Roots Grow Into The Thatch And Become Desiccated As The Thatch Dries. Thatch Should Be Mechanically Removed With Dethatching Equipment With Vertically Rotating Blades Or Aeration Equipment. This Operation Should Be Performed When Thatch Is Greater Than Or Equal To One Inch In Depth And Only During Periods Of Cool Weather And Adequate Moisture. Thatch Should Not Be Removed During Periods Of High Temperatures, Drought, Or During Late Fall When Winter Desiccation May Occur. Maintaining A Soil Ph Between 6.0 And 7.0 Will Favours Microbial Activity And Hence, Break Down Of Thatch. It Is Not Necessary To Dethatch Every Year, Rather, Only When Thatch Build-Up Becomes Excessive.

13. Aeration: Aeration Is The Process Of Removing Plugs Of Soil From The Turf Area, Thereby Creating An Artificial System Of Large Pores By Which Moisture Or Plant Nutrients Can Be Taken Into The Soil. Aeration Is Employed To Alleviate Soil Compaction And Can Significantly Reduce Thatch. Aerators Are Equipped With Hollow Tines (Usually 3–4 Inches In Length And ¼ To ¾ Inches In Width) Or Open Spoons To Remove Plugs From The Soil. Equipment Having Solid Tines Or Spikes Should Not Be Mistaken For Aerating Equipment. Aeration Should Be Done During Periods Of Cool Weather (Early To Mid-Spring Or Late Summer To Early Fall) To Facilitate Rapid Recovery Of The Grass. Sometimes Spring Dethatching Will Bring Large Numbers Of Weed Seeds To The Soil Surface And Create Voids For Weeds To Germinate And Grow. Adequate Moisture Is Necessary For Penetration Of The Aerator Tines And For Removal Of The Plugs. The Plugs Can Be Broken Apart Once They Have Dried.

14. Irrigation: It Is Important To Ensure That The Soil Is Always Moist While Germination Of Seeds Or When Seedlings Are Growing. The Soil Should Be Irrigated Frequently To Keep It Moist But Not Saturated Until The Plants Can Develop Sufficient Root Systems To Take Advantage Of Deeper And Less Frequent Watering. Irrigation Requirement Reduces If Mulching Is Done. Irrigation Frequency Reduces As Grass Seedlings Starts Maturing. Newly Transplanted Sod Is Irrigated To A Depth Of 4 Inches Immediately After Transplanting To Promote Deep Root Growth. Daily, If Possible Or Frequent Watering Is Recommended In The Absence Of Adequate Rainfall, During The First Week And In Sufficient Quantities To Maintain Moist Soil To A Depth Of At Least 4 Inches. The Sod Should Be Irrigated Lightly During Midday Hours Until Rooting Has Taken Place Into The Underlying Soil. As The Roots Begin To Penetrate The Soil, Deeper, Thorough Watering Is Recommended.

15. Weed Management: Once Seeds Have Germinated, Mode And Timing Of Weeding Becomes Critical. Most Herbicides Are Toxic To Newly Germinated Plants. Therefore Application Of Post Emergence Herbicide Should Be Delayed As Long As Possible. The First Step In Weed Control Is The Development Of A Dense, Properly Managed Turf. If This Approach Fails To Prevent Weed Infestation, Herbicides Are Available That Will Control Most Turf Grass Weeds. Annual Grass Weeds, Such As Crabgrass, Can Be Controlled With Pre-Emergence Herbicides. These Chemicals Should Be Applied Prior To Weed Seed Germination In Early To Mid-Spring Depending On The Location. Broadleaf Weeds, Such As Dandelions And Ground Ivy, Are Usually Controlled With Broadleaf Herbicides. It Is Especially Important To Identify The Weed(S) Present And Select The Herbicide That Will Provide The Best Control Of The Weed(S). Broadleaf Herbicide Applications Should Be Made When Weeds Are Actively Growing In Spring Or Early Fall.