Establishing and Establishing and Maintaining LawnsMaintaining LawnsCompetencies 37.00-39.00Competencies 37.00-39.00

North Carolina GrassesNorth Carolina Grasses

Most commonly grown grasses in NC includeMost commonly grown grasses in NC include Kentucky BluegrassKentucky Bluegrass BahiagrassBahiagrass CentipedeCentipede St. AugustineSt. Augustine BermudaBermuda ZoysiaZoysia FescueFescue RyegrassRyegrass

Grass IdentificationGrass Identification

Grasses are identified by Grasses are identified by Growth habits Growth habits Warm or cool seasonWarm or cool season Leaf texture (fine, medium, coarse)Leaf texture (fine, medium, coarse) Color (light to dark green)Color (light to dark green)

Growth HabitsGrowth Habits

Ways new shoots are producedWays new shoots are produced Three types:Three types:

RhizomeRhizome StolonStolon Bunch-typeBunch-type

Cool Season GrassesCool Season Grasses

Grow best in spring and fall and stay Grow best in spring and fall and stay green in wintergreen in winter Tall fescueTall fescue Kentucky BluegrassKentucky Bluegrass Fine fescueFine fescue Perennial RyegrassPerennial Ryegrass Annual RyegrassAnnual Ryegrass

Warm Season GrassesWarm Season Grasses

Grow best in summer and go dormant in Grow best in summer and go dormant in winterwinter BermudagrassBermudagrass St. AugustineSt. Augustine BahiagrassBahiagrass CentipedeCentipede

Kentucky BluegrassKentucky Bluegrass Growth habit-rhizomeGrowth habit-rhizome Cool seasonCool season Leaf texture-fineLeaf texture-fine Color-Medium to Color-Medium to

dark greendark green

BahiagrassBahiagrass Growth Habit-Growth Habit-

RhizomeRhizome Warm seasonWarm season Leaf texture-coarseLeaf texture-coarse Color-medium to Color-medium to

dark greendark green

CentipedeCentipede Growth Habit-stolonGrowth Habit-stolon Warm seasonWarm season Leaf texture-mediumLeaf texture-medium Color-Light greenColor-Light green

St. AugustineSt. Augustine Growth Habit-stolonGrowth Habit-stolon Warm seasonWarm season Leaf texture-coarseLeaf texture-coarse Color-medium to Color-medium to

dark greendark green

BermudaBermuda Growth Habit-both Growth Habit-both

stolon and rhizomestolon and rhizome Warm seasonWarm season Leaf texture-fineLeaf texture-fine Color-light to dark Color-light to dark

greengreen

ZoysiaZoysia Growth Habit-both Growth Habit-both

stolon and rhizomestolon and rhizome Warm seasonWarm season Leaf texture-fineLeaf texture-fine Color-medium to Color-medium to

dark greendark green

FescueFescue Growth Habit-bunch Growth Habit-bunch

typetype Cool seasonCool season Leaf texture-medium Leaf texture-medium

to coarseto coarse Color-medium greenColor-medium green Most common type in Most common type in

Cleveland CountyCleveland County

RyegrassRyegrass Can be annual or Can be annual or

perennialperennial Growth Habit-Bunch Growth Habit-Bunch

typetype Cool seasonCool season Leaf texture-Leaf texture-

Perennial-fine, Perennial-fine, annual-mediumannual-medium

Color-medium greenColor-medium green

ClimateClimate

U.S. Regions or ZonesU.S. Regions or Zones

The U.S. has six regions or zones based The U.S. has six regions or zones based on climateon climate TemperatureTemperature Available moistureAvailable moisture Length or growing seasonLength or growing season

Zones in NCZones in NC

Three of the U.S. regions are in NCThree of the U.S. regions are in NC Mountains and western piedmont are region Mountains and western piedmont are region

11 Central and eastern piedmont and coastal Central and eastern piedmont and coastal

plains are region 2plains are region 2 Extreme southeastern coast is region 3Extreme southeastern coast is region 3

Because of the wide range of climatic Because of the wide range of climatic conditions in NC, many lawn grass conditions in NC, many lawn grass varieties are grown in different areas of varieties are grown in different areas of the statethe state

Region 1 GrassesRegion 1 Grasses

Kentucky BluegrassKentucky Bluegrass Red FescueRed Fescue Colonial BentgrassColonial Bentgrass Tall FescueTall Fescue BermudagrassBermudagrass ZoysiaZoysia

Region 2 GrassesRegion 2 Grasses

BermudagrassBermudagrass ZoysiaZoysia CentipedeCentipede St. AugustineSt. Augustine CarpetgrassCarpetgrass Tall FescueTall Fescue Kentucky BluegrassKentucky Bluegrass

Region 3 GrassesRegion 3 Grasses

St. AugustineSt. Augustine BermudaBermuda CarpetgrassCarpetgrass ZoysiaZoysia BahiagrassBahiagrass

NC RegionsNC Regions Western-use cool season grassesWestern-use cool season grasses Piedmont-use either cool season or warm Piedmont-use either cool season or warm

season depending on locationseason depending on location Coastal Plain-use warm season grasses and Coastal Plain-use warm season grasses and

cool season Tall Fescuecool season Tall Fescue

Environmental Environmental RequirementsRequirements

Temperature/ClimateTemperature/Climate Cool seasonCool season Warm seasonWarm season

Type of soilType of soil

Use tolerance or wearUse tolerance or wear

Excellent-BermudagrassExcellent-Bermudagrass Very Good-Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Very Good-Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall

FescueFescue Good-Zoysiagrass, BahiagrassGood-Zoysiagrass, Bahiagrass Fair-some mixturesFair-some mixtures Poor-Centipede, St. AugustinePoor-Centipede, St. Augustine

Lime and FertilizerLime and Fertilizer Follow Soil Sample Follow Soil Sample

recommendationsrecommendations

WateringWatering As needed, As needed,

depending on depending on weather and water weather and water conservation lawsconservation laws

MowingMowing Recommended height Recommended height

varies from about 1” varies from about 1” for Bermuda, for Bermuda, Centipede, and Centipede, and Zoysia to 3” for Tall Zoysia to 3” for Tall FescueFescue

General rule of thumb General rule of thumb is that less than half is that less than half of the total leaf of the total leaf surface should be surface should be removedremoved

Pest ControlPest Control WeedsWeeds InsectsInsects DiseasesDiseases MolesMoles

Light RequirementsLight Requirements Different grasses are Different grasses are

adapted to the adapted to the amount of sun or amount of sun or shadeshade ShadeShade Partial ShadePartial Shade Full sunFull sun

Starting a LawnStarting a Lawn

Methods to Start a LawnMethods to Start a Lawn

There are four major methods used to There are four major methods used to start a lawnstart a lawn SeedingSeeding SoddingSodding PluggingPlugging Sprigging and stolonizingSprigging and stolonizing

SeedingSeeding

Most common and least expensiveMost common and least expensive Sown by hand or with a mechanical Sown by hand or with a mechanical

device such as hand spreaders or device such as hand spreaders or powered by machinery such aspowered by machinery such as Cultipacker seederCultipacker seeder Hydroseeder (a sprayer that applies seed, Hydroseeder (a sprayer that applies seed,

water, fertilizer and mulch at the same time)water, fertilizer and mulch at the same time)

HydroseederHydroseeder

SoddingSodding

Using established turf (grass and roots) Using established turf (grass and roots) that is cut into thin layers and removed that is cut into thin layers and removed from the growing area in stripsfrom the growing area in strips

Taken to a new lawn and rolled out and Taken to a new lawn and rolled out and fitted togetherfitted together

More expensive than other methodsMore expensive than other methods Provides an instant lawnProvides an instant lawn Works on slopes where seeds will wash Works on slopes where seeds will wash

awayaway

SoddingSodding

PluggingPlugging Using small plugs or Using small plugs or

blocks of sod to plant blocks of sod to plant in holes about one in holes about one foot apartfoot apart

Very time-consumingVery time-consuming Used for many warm Used for many warm

season grasses that season grasses that are poor seed are poor seed producersproducers

Sprigging and stolonizingSprigging and stolonizing

Uses plant runners, cuttings or stolons Uses plant runners, cuttings or stolons without soil attached to start new lawns.without soil attached to start new lawns.

Slow if done by handSlow if done by hand Can be done by broadcasting plant parts Can be done by broadcasting plant parts

and rolling or disking into the soiland rolling or disking into the soil Usually used on larger areas such as golf Usually used on larger areas such as golf

coursescourses

Preparing a Seed Preparing a Seed BedBed

Steps to Preparing Seed Steps to Preparing Seed BedBed

There are four steps to preparing a seed There are four steps to preparing a seed bed:bed: GradingGrading DrainageDrainage Conditioning the soilConditioning the soil Planting the lawnPlanting the lawn

GradingGrading Slope away from the Slope away from the

house to drain water house to drain water away from the house away from the house and basementand basement

Slope should not be Slope should not be over 15% for lawn over 15% for lawn grasses because of grasses because of mowing safetymowing safety

DrainageDrainage

Necessary for proper root growthNecessary for proper root growth Slope affects drainage. Drainage tile Slope affects drainage. Drainage tile

below the surface can be used.below the surface can be used.

DrainageDrainage

Conditioning the SoilConditioning the Soil

Six inches of topsoil should be spread Six inches of topsoil should be spread over subsoil or if six inches are over subsoil or if six inches are unavailable, well-rotted or decayed unavailable, well-rotted or decayed organic matter should be added and organic matter should be added and mixed into the soil.mixed into the soil.

Roots, stones, dirt clods and other trash Roots, stones, dirt clods and other trash such as metal, etc. should be removedsuch as metal, etc. should be removed

Soil should be tested for pH and nutrient Soil should be tested for pH and nutrient recommendationsrecommendations

Conditioning the SoilConditioning the Soil

Lime and fertilizer should be added to Lime and fertilizer should be added to make pH of 6.5 to 7.0 and to meet make pH of 6.5 to 7.0 and to meet fertilizer recommendations.fertilizer recommendations.

All soil additives such as lime, organic All soil additives such as lime, organic matter, fertilizer, pesticides, etc., should matter, fertilizer, pesticides, etc., should be worked into the soil. Soil should be be worked into the soil. Soil should be tilled to break the soil into small particles.tilled to break the soil into small particles.

Planting the LawnPlanting the Lawn

Plant at the proper time of year: warm Plant at the proper time of year: warm season in spring and cool season in early season in spring and cool season in early fall or very early springfall or very early spring

Choose the correct high quality seed for Choose the correct high quality seed for the climate and usethe climate and use

Sow one-half recommended rate of seed Sow one-half recommended rate of seed in one direction and sow the other half in one direction and sow the other half across the lawn at a 90 degree angle to across the lawn at a 90 degree angle to the first halfthe first half

Planting the LawnPlanting the Lawn

Cover seeds by lightly raking so that Cover seeds by lightly raking so that seeds will have contact with the soilseeds will have contact with the soil

Mulch with light cover of straw or use Mulch with light cover of straw or use commercial mulching material, especially commercial mulching material, especially on slopeson slopes

Water to keep seeds moist and new Water to keep seeds moist and new seedlings moist until they are well seedlings moist until they are well establishedestablished