RECM 459 Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

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RECM 459Chapter 7Grounds Maintenance
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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• Turf essentials
• soil
• grass
• water
• air
• sunlight

• SOIL
• Topsoil
• Mineral particles
• Sand
• Silt
• Clay
• organic matter
• humus
• benefits
• buffer for toxic materials
• increases soil capacity for nutrients and water
• healthy growth environment for micro-organisms
• living plants and animals
• air
• Water
• Subsoil
• Bed rock

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• SOIL PH
• Ranges 0-14
• turf grasses require 6.0 8.0
• too acidic (below 5.5) inhibits growth
• negates nitrogen and phosphorous fixation
• raise ph with the addition of lime
• lower ph with the addition of sulphur
• less effective in highly organic soils

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• SOIL PREPARATION
• TEST SOIL
• GRADE TO DESIRED SLOPE
• REMOVE UNSUITABLE PLANT MATERIALS BY
  STERILIZATION
• METHYL BROMIDE A CHEMICAL STERILIZATION AGENT
• Cover in plastic for 24 hours
• Wait 3-4 weeks before planting desired grasses
• Apply when 50 degrees or warmer
• Add ½ lime as indicated by soil test
• no more than 50lbs per 1,000 sq. ft.
• add additional as needed after 6 months

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• SOIL PREPARATION
• Plow area to turn soil to a depth of 4-6 inches
• 12-18 in heavy topsoil
• Add second lime application, fertilizers etc.
• Roto-till to mix
• Rake
• Plant grass seed
• Roll to compact
• Mulch
• Water
• Lightly topdress when grass is 2 inches in height
• re-fertilize
• Mow no more than 1/3 of blade height

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• NUTRIENT ELEMENTS
• Nitrogen
• Promotes blade and root growth
• Phosphorous
• Root growth
• Potassium (potash)
• Aides in the manufacture of plant sugars,
  starches, proteins
• Provides disease resistance
• Trace Elements
• Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Iron
• Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Molybdenum, Boron

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• FERTILIZATION TIMING
• Cool season grasses
• Fall/spring
• Warm season grasses
• Fall/spring supplemental in late spring and
  summer with high nitrogen

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• GRASSES
• COOL
• Most active growth in spring and fall
• Dormant in July and August
• TYPES
• Fescue
• Tall (course in texture)
• Fine
• Drought and shade tolerant
• Kentucky 31 is most common

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• Bentgrass
• Fine texture
• Golf greens
• Low mowing, high watering
• Heavy fertilization
• Thinning/anti-thatch
• Needs heavy sunlight
• 3 year longevity
• traffic tolerant

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• Kentucky bluegrass
• Limed, well drained soils
• Has creeping underground stems (rhizomes)
• Not traffic tolerant

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• Ryegrass
• Fine textured
• Not drought or shade tolerant
• Does not do well in wet or acidic soils
• Quick germinator
• Used as an overseeder

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• WARM
• Most active growth in June, July, and August
• Heat tolerant
• TYPES
• Bermuda
• Very hardy
• Bears traffic well
• Fast growing
• Is not shade tolerant

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Chapter 7 Bermuda GrassFour Winds Beach Resort,
Longboat Key, Florida
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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• Zoysia
• Moderate shade
• Very hardy
• Spreads by rhizomes
• Slow spreader
• Often plugged or sprigged

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance
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Chapter 7 Grounds MaintenanceZoysia Grass
Spreading-8 weeks after planting seedlings
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Chapter 7 Grounds MaintenanceZoysia Applications
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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• Carpetgrass
• Course texture
• Moist sandy soils
• Moderate shade tolerant
• Less cold tolerant than Bermuda

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• St. Augustine
• Coastal, sandy soils
• Not disease resistant
• Centipede
• Top spreader, surface creeper
• Sandy soils
• Poor wear resistance

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• Bahiagrass was introduced from Brazil in 1914 and
  was originally used as a pasture grass on the
  poor sandy soils of the southeastern United
  States.
• Several varieties have become available for use
  as lawn grasses.
• The ability of bahiagrasses to persist on
  infertile, dry soils and their resistance to most
  pests have made them increasingly popular with
  Florida homeowners.
• http//www.allspc.com/lct_typeofturf.htm

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• ADVANTAGES
• Bahiagrass can be grown from seed which is
  abundant and relatively inexpensive.
• Once established, these grasses develop an
  extensive root system which makes them one of the
  most drought tolerant lawn grasses.
• Bahiagrass produces a very durable sod which is
  able to withstand moderate traffic.
• In addition, bahiagrasses have fewer pest
  problems than any other Florida lawn grass,
  although mole crickets can severely damage it.
• http//www.allspc.com/lct_typeofturf.htm

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• DISADVANTAGES
• Bahiagrasses have a relatively open growth habit
  and the tall unsightly seedheads that are
  produced continuously from May through November.
• The prolific seedheads, plus the very tough
  leaves and stems make bahias difficult to mow.
• The coarse texture of several bahia varieties
  reduce their visual quality.
• Bahiagrasses are not well adapted to soils having
  high pH (alkaline soils) and grow poorly in areas
  subject to salt spray.
• http//www.allspc.com/lct_typeofturf.htm

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• DISADVANTAGES
• They often appear yellow in spring and fall due
  to lack of iron
• They can be seriously damaged by mole crickets.
• Bahiagrass has low tolerance to most currently
  available postemergence grass herbicides.
• This makes weed control difficult in bahiagrass
  turf.
• http//www.allspc.com/lct_typeofturf.htm

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• Bahiagrass
• However, Bahia is successfully used on road
  shoulders as ground cover where aesthetics are
  not an issue.
• Does well on poor soils
• Shade tolerant

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• GRASSES PLANTING TECHNIQUES
• SEEDS
• SPRIGS
• Underground stems (rhizomes)
• Above ground stems (stolons)
• Spread chopped soils with stems over area

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• GRASSES PLANTING TECHNIQUES
• PLUGS
• Plant plugs of existing turf
• SOD
• Spread sod with in-place grasses

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• GRASSES MAINTENANCE TECHNIQUES
• AERIATION
• MOWING
• DE-THATCHING
• PEST MGMT.
• Biological controls
• Preying mantis
• Mechanical controls
• Trapping moles and voles
• Chemical
• Pesticides
• Cultural control
• Move them
• Introduce genetically altered pests which are
  sterile
• IRRIGATION

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• TREES and SHRUBS
• Benefits
• Replace oxygen
• Affect microclimate through shade
• Production and evapo-transpiration
• Reduce air pollution by filtration/absorption
• Reduce noise
• Control pedestrian traffic

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• TREES and SHRUBS
• Benefits (continued)
• Protect sensitive areas
• Provide aesthetics
• Provide wildlife habitat
• Disadvantages
• Leaf litter
• Increases mowing time
• May present hazards to visitors

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• MAINTENANCE TASKS
• Planting
• Maintenance
• Pruning
• Shaping
• Rejuvenation
• Removal of dead wood
• Mulching
• Weeding beds
• Fertilization
• Punch bar
• Drilled holes
• Surface application

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Chapter 7 Grounds Maintenance

• MAINTENANCE TASKS (continued)
• Liming
• Irrigation
• Disease and Insect control
• Removal
• Inventory
• Nurseries for replacements
• Volume of plants needed
• Commercial plant sources
• Land availability
• Capital financing
• Availability of qualified personnel

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