Turf establishment begins with careful planning, knowledge of soil conditions, and an understanding of the environmental and cultural requirements of turfgrasses.

1. Turf Establishment
LNT 132 – Spring 2016
Mark Valen

2. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
1. Control noxious weeds
2. Rototill to remove debris
3. Add amendments
4. Rake and Roll and Level
5. Fertilize
6. Seed the Area
7. Water the Seeds
8. Mowing
9. Weeds
10. Fertilizing and Watering

3. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
1. Control noxious weeds
• Weeds that have underground reproductive structures can
easily re-infest a lawn. (bermuda, kikuyu, morning glory,
nutsedge)
• Treat with herbicide until control is achieved.
• There is always a chance that these weeds will appear at a
later date.

4. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
2. Rototill to remove debris
• Many homes have garbage and debris that has been buried
under the topsoil.
• Remove rocks, large twigs or branches, building materials,
and large clods.
• After tilling, a very rough grade can be raked out.

5. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
3. Add amendments
• Check the soil’s pH, the soil’s texture, and N-P-K levels.
• If needed, sulfur or lime can be added to correct the pH.
• Organic matter additions will help to improve soil structure,
open up tight clays, and improve water-holding capabilities
of sands.
• Gypsum may also be added to tight soils to improve
structure
• Rototill these amendments to a depth of 6-7”.

6. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
4. Rake and Roll and Level
• Rake the area as level as possible with landscape rakes.
• Roll the area to detect high and low spots.
• Repeat the above process two more times.
• If time allows, soak the area to settle low spots.
• Rake and roll again a few days after soaking.
• In general, the lower the turf is to be mowed, the more
rakings and rollings must be done.

7. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation

8. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
5. Fertilize
• Even though you may have added amendments and
fertilizer earlier, it is very important to apply a fertilizer to
the surface before seeding.
• Use a balanced lawn food that has nitrogen, phosphorus,
and potassium.
• Lightly rake the fertilizer into the soil.

9. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
6. Seed the Area
• Apply seed at the recommend rate.
• Seed with one-half of the seed in a north-south direction
and the other one-half in an east-west direction.
• Use a drop spreader for best results.
• Avoid hand broadcasting of seed!
• Very lightly rake the seed in or lightly topdress with a fine
compost or ground bark product.

10. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation

11. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
7. Water the Seeds
• Water the seeds just long enough to dampen the
topdressing or raked-in seeds without puddling!
• Water 2-4 times per day depending on the heat, sun, and
wind conditions.
• Best results are achieved with good sprinkler systems and
automatic controllers.
• Continue with this procedure until the seeds have
germinated and grown for at least one week.

12. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
8. Mowing
• Try to mow when grass gets 50% higher than the height in
which you wish to maintain the grass.
• Turn off the water the day before to avoid mowing the grass
when it is wet.
• Make sure the ground is firm enough to support the mower
without damaging the grass.
• If necessary, use a walk-behind mower the first few times
before using heavy, riding mowers.

13. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
9. Weeds
• Weeds will appear in any new lawn so expect them!
• Most weeds will disappear with regular mowing and
fertilizing the turf.
• Some weeds may need chemical treatment but wait until
the lawn has been mowed 3 or 4 times before you apply the
chemical.
• Read the label to determine if the chemical will harm your
new lawn!

14. 10 Steps to Proper Lawn Installation
10. Fertilizing and Watering
• Since new lawns are watered frequent, most of the original
fertilizer is gone in 3-4 weeks.
• A light application of fertilizer at this point will darken the
grass and make it thicker choking out weeds and
strengthening the turf.
• Water should be reduced in frequency and increased in
duration.
• Try to achieve a water cycle of every other day with your
new turf area by watering for longer periods of time.

15. Other Lawn Planting Methods
Other methods include
• Sodding
• Stolonizing
• Sprigging
• Plugging
Remember you should prepare the soil in the same
manner as you did for seeding

16. Sodding
• Level area about ½ - ¾ ”
below sidewalk or other
paving to allow for the
thickness of the sod.
• Lay in an overlapping
brickwork pattern
• Water at least twice per
day until roots are
rooted into existing soil.

17. Stolonizing
• Stolons are harvested at
a sod farm by
verticutting through
existing turf such as
hybrid bermuda.
• Stolons are broadcasted,
pressed into the soil,
topdressed, and watered
frequently (like seed)

18. Sprigging
• Long stolons are taken
from existing turf and
then each is physically
planted in long rows.
• A slower but cheaper
way of planting
bermuda, St. Augustine,
or Zoysia
• Water same as for
stolonizing

19. Plugging
• In this case, a flat of
grass is purchased and
cut into plugs with soil
and roots attached.
• Each plant is planted 6-
12” apart in a triangular
spacing methods.
• Watering is important
but not as critical as it is
for stolonizing and
sprigging.