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INSTALLATION & CARE Installation
Have the ground completely prepared before you order your sod. People who are not accustomed to physical labour should pace themselves accordingly and if necessary get help from friends. Stack the sod in the shade, or cover with moist burlap, if not laid in 8 hours. Locate a straight line, such as a curb or driveway, or run a taut string up the middle of the area to be sodded. Work along this line to establish the first row. With a rake, smooth the area immediately ahead of sodding. Lay in Brick-Work fashion as pictured. Make sure all joints are butted tightly together without overlapping. Staking is advisable on extreme slopes. To fit non-rectangular edges, and small areas, cut the sod with a knife or hatchet. Go over the area with a one-third filled roller to press the roots to the soil. Saturate the area with water immediately. One litre of water in the first hour does more than six litres three hours later.Your newly sodded lawn generally needs mowing after 6 – 7 days. Now that you have established your lawn of freshly cut sod, grown by a qualified nursery sod grower you must decide how good a lawn you want. If it is to be a top maintenance lawn you should follow the entire lawn, attention to the first three points is sufficient. New Lawns:
The turf and subsoil should be kept moist at all times for uniform
establishment. Frequency of watering is more important than quantity.
Water lightly several times a day during dry weather. Use a spray of small
size to avoid puddling. [ Top of Page ] For best results a simple rule of thumb should be followed. Never remove more than 50% of the total plant height at any one mowing. The optimum mowing height for home lawns in 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches. If a lawn is mowed regularly at 1 1/2 inches it should be cut again by the time the foliage reaches 3 inches. With a regular cutting height of 2 inches the lawn can be allowed to reach 4 inches before the next cutting is needed. Bluegrasses and fine leaved fescues can be mowed either with a reel or rotary mower. Keep the mower sharp and well adjusted. If the lawn is mowed every 2nd or 3rd day, raking is not usually required. [ Top of Page ] Lawn not receiving proper care – in particular fertilization, complements a beautiful home poorly. Fertilization is as basic to good lawn maintenance as is mowing and watering. Most turf fertilizers contain abundant nitrogen because nitrogen is the element most important for growth. There are many points of view as to the types of fertilizer to use for turf grasses, as well as times for fertilization. When planting Tuff Turf, fertilization may not be required the first year because of the fertilization practices employed by that company. On established turf three applications a year of 23-23-0 may be used at intervals of May 1; June 15 and August 15 at no more than 5 lbs. Per 100 sq. yds. With proper watering practices this normally provides a healthy looking lawn and gives a steady growth during the entire growing season. However, if this should not give the desired results, soil testing should be done to determine which nutrients are lacking. This information is provided as a guide only. Individual problems can occur and should be dealt with on an individual basis. Controlling
weeds Caution: Follow the directions on the container. Crabgrass is easily controlled by using pre-emergent chemicals on the soil surface where seeds may be waiting to sprout in the spring. You must apply your pre-emergent material early in the spring before the seeds germinate. Killing the weeds is only half the operation – you must remember to replace them with grass. Controlling
disease
[ Top of Page ] Tuff Turf Growers’ Ltd. guarantees our Kentucky Blue Grass sod to be growing for one year when planted immediately upon delivery and cared for in accordance with the instructions provided on the installation and care guide. If sod fails to grow within one year of planting, Tuff Turf agrees to supply that portion of sod lost through growth failure. The labour and transportation costs of replacing sod shall be paid by the customer in no event shall Tuff Turf’s liability be greater that the total cash price for the sod purchase. The guarantee shall be of no effect if the total cash price is not paid to Tuff Turf at time of delivery, or prior arrangements have been made. [ Top of Page ] Soil compaction is a problem which develops naturally under many conditions. Heavy soils and heavy traffic zones are particularly subject to compaction. If soil is trampled, especially when it is wet, compaction will very likely occur. To relieve compaction without excessive injury to grass plants has been a formidable chore until recent years when power driven aerators were developed. Today, aerators of many types and sizes are available. They usually have prongs or knives which pierce the sod to a depth of 5 cm to 7 cm, or they have hollow tines that extract plugs of soil. In either case, the effect is to open up or "aerate" the soil, allowing water, air and nutrients to reach the turf roots. If you are an average homeowner, you may not want to invest in aeration equipment. You will be wise, however to give your lawn the benefits of aeration. Call your landscaper or garden centre for information on lawn companies that have appropriate units. The gratifying results achieved from aeration - plus the savings realized in water and fertilizer, will easily justify the cost. [ Top of Page ] Renovating worn turf Turf renovation through use of vertical mowers and aerators was once largely limited to golf courses and athletic fields. Now, it has become a common practice for other turf areas, including home lawns. Fall renovation is in order where it is practical to renew or rejuvenate turf that has been abused but it is still in reasonably good shape. Since roots grow best in the Fall and early spring, loosened soil and fertilizer are most needed at these times to encourage turf growth. The best practice, of course, calls for a continuous management programme to prevent deterioration to the extent that it requires renovation. Such a programme would include: elimination of compaction; application of fertilizer and moisture as grass needs it; and good weed control practices. [ Top of Page ] Establishment of turf can vary considerably, anywhere from 4 – 5 days to three weeks, depending on soil conditions and watering practices. Some wilting and yellowing can occur after planting during hot weather and may take two - three weeks to recover. This is a condition not to be overly concerned about. Tuff Turf is blended and designed to take advantage of strong early development, which helps to protect the planting against soil erosion quickly. Blue grasses are generally the preferred permanent lawn grasses. In time, and with proper management they will become the mainstay of the lawn even if used in blends with the faster growing types.
[ Top of Page ] The many benefits of Tuff Turf Flats and Instan-Turf Rolls
Within just a few hours, turfgrass sod transforms a yard from bare soil to a living carpet of grass with mature density and a solid root system. And, it performs like an investment. Landscaping with turfgrass sod instantly increases the market value of the property from 5% to 10%.
In an instant, turfgrass sod creates a soft, clean and safe playing surface for babies and ballgames alike. It reduces heat, glare, noise and odors. But most importantly, it cleans the air and helps recharge our groundwater supplies. Turfgrass sod is one of nature’s finest, least expensive filters, working to improve the environment. [ Top of Page ] "Service and Quality Guaranteed" Location Regina/Area “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” |
