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Contact Information: Emerald Turf Farm |
Turf Tips ATG (According to Gene) There are no absolutes, circumstances can change the outcomes. There is no substitute for common sense, decide for yourself if something I say makes sense to you. "Experts don't Exist" Just like assembly instructions are really just the manufacturer's opinions, these comments are my opinions based on years of observation and dealing with turf in the Ohio River Valley. Pick and choose if anything makes sense to you. ( READ ON....) INSTALLATION Ideally soil samples should be taken if time permits. The county soil conservation service or a farm fertilizer outlet can help you with this. Soil should be fertilized before final raking if soil samples are not taken. Apply an equivalency of 800 lbs./ acre or roughly 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. of 10-10-10. Ag grade fertilizer is fine for this. In the absence of soil sample recommendations for liming, as a preventative measure apply one ton of Ag lime per acre or roughly 50 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. Granulated lime is available in farm fertilizer outlets and garden centers. The ground should look like its ready to seed. It sould be worked up fine, firmed up, and free of obstacles that would prevent intimate contact between the soil on the sod and the ground. These obstacles could include large dirt clods, sticks, limbs, tree roots, and large stones (loose gravel is not a problem). When laying the sod don't pull it into position by pulling from one end. This can stretch the sod which will eventually shrink back to original length, leaving undesirable gaps. Instead move the sod laterally by grabbing the turf by the "Hair" with both hands shoulder width apart and sliding it into place. Make tight seams. Butt up edges but don't overlap. Gaps allow edges to dry out excessively and brown out. Generally speaking, lay sod across a slope horizontally starting at the bottom and work toward the top. Stagger the seams like laying brick. If you would feel safe riding a lawn mower across the slope, then pinning the sod down is not necessary. A roll of sod is 18" wide and 6 FT. long. IF you pin the sod down, usually place one pin at each end, one foot back. One of the most important things that needs to happen in a sod installation is that the soil on the sod needs to bond with the soil on the ground. Making the sod so wet that it's gooey is the key to success. It must be so wet that it melts into the ground. When you pick a piece of sod up, the ground should be soaked under it. Shortcuts and omissions in this step are probably the biggest and most common mistakes made. If the weather is hot and dry, water an area in as soon as the installers get off it. In especially hot and dry weather, it is a good idea to dampen the ground before installing the sod. Most people underestimate the amount of water needed and overestimate the amount of water applied. 5.6 gallons of water is required to equal an inch of rain on a square yard of sod. With good pressure and using a large diameter hose you can water 6 to 7 gallons per minute (GPM) running straight out of the hose. An oscillating type sprinkler will apply about 5 GPM. Most impact type homeowner sprinklers will only apply about 2 to 3 GPM, so buy oscillating types. The point is, in order to apply a 1" rain to 1000 YDS. of newly laid sod; you need to consider how to apply 5600 gallons of water on the sod quickly. One oscillating sprinkler will take 18.5 hours to apply 1" of water. Too long in hot weather! Two sprinklers will take 9.25 hours, also too long. Two sprinklers can cover the sod with 1/2" rain in 4.5 hours, and then go over it again. Sounds like a workable plan. Installing sod in the cool months of early spring and late fall greatly reduces the urgency of getting water to new sod, but it's still important. Turf in full sun can use up to .4 IN of water per day in warm dry conditions. Obviously, automatic irrigation properly operated can be a godsend with new sod and all turf in general.
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