TURFGRASS

ESTABLISHMENT
PMG614
 • To identify site preparation for turf
LECTURE establishment
OBJECTIVES • To identify seeding and vegetative
process in turf establishment
• To identify hydroseeding process in
turf establishment
• Turf can be established from seed or vegetative
plants which consists of sodding, plugging,
stolonizing and sprigging.
• Proper establishment is the first and most critical
step in a successful turfgrass management program
• In Malaysia, turf establishment by vegetative are
more popular compare to seed due to difficulty to
get high quality of seed.

TURF
ESTABLISHMENT
SITE PREPARATION

• Proper site preparation for turf establishment very important.

• Improper manner in site preparation can cause several turfgrass
problem such as density, irrigation problem and etc.
• There have seven (7) steps in site preparation
1. Clean up the whole are from gravel, stone, wood,
cement and other things that not suitable for turf
establishment
SITE PREPARATION

2. Plowing soil to get soft surface by using plow machine

3. Irrigation system can be develop if site area have irrigation
problem. Irrigation system very important in order to avoid
flooding or blockage water area.
4. Leveling the soil to fix the slope. Suitable slope is 1 – 2%.
Slope will help in water run off on the land surface in to
drainage system
SITE PREPARATION

5. Plowing the soil into small gravel. Using dragnet in spacious

area.
6. Apply and spray the herbicide chemical in order to prepare
the site before plantation
7. After one week, apply the fertilizer and lime in order to
neutralize soil composition
SITE PREPARATION
SEEDING
SEEDING

A. 1ST step in seeding

process is spreading
seed. There have 4
method to spreading
the seed:
1. Drop through
seeder (Gravity)
2. Centrifugal seeder
3. Power Seeder
4. Cultipacker
METHODS 1:
DROP THROUGH SEEDER (GRAVITY)

• Advantages:
Uniform application,
even with different
seed sizes.

• Disadvantages:
Overlapping or
missing a strip; slow
METHODS 2:
CENTRIFUGAL SEEDER
• (Rotary; Cyclone) – Revolving plate
scatters seeds.
• Disadvantages: Affected by wind;
different size seeds not distributed
uniformly
METHODS 3:
POWER SEEDER
• Also, known Slit Seeder – cuts groove
and drops in seed
• Can be walked behind or tractor pulled
• Advantage: Seed/soil contact; Can
seed directly into established turf
METHODS 4 :
CULTIPACKER
• Used commercially
• Crushes lumps and prepares seedbed
• Buries seed to proper depth
 B. WATERING
• Watering should be done after
finishing spreading seed work.
SEEDING C. MULCHING
• Mulching is one of the most
important practices in
ensuring uniform, rapid
turfgrass germination and
establishment.
D. REMOVING MULCHING
 1. Controlling erosion
2. Providing a favourable
microenvironment for seed
germination and seedling growth.
MULCHING 3. Preventing displacement of seeds and
FUNCTIONS fertilizers
4. Increasing soil water infiltration and
reducing surface runoff.
5. Provide organic matter.
Mulching
Mulching
SEED • Failure may be due to:
GERMINATION • Drought just after germination
• Planting too deep
• Crusted soil
• Diseases and insects
• Excessive salts/fertilizer
• There are four basic methods of vegetative
establishment:
• Sodding
• Plugging
• Stolonizing
• Sprigging

TURF ESTABLISHMENT :
VEGETATIVE
A. SODDING

• Sodding is the term used to describe the planting or

covering of an entire area with pieces of sod.
• It is a method of vegetative establishment where a mature,
high quality turf in the shortest possible time is planted.
• Problems with weed competition are minimized compared
to establishment from seed, stolons, sprigs or plugs.
 ➢Complete and uniform coverage
(39%)
➢Can be walked on in 2-3 weeks
(32%)
WHY ➢Installed year-round (30%)
SOD? ➢Instantly beautiful and mature-
looking (29%)
➢Erosion and runoff not a problem
(29%)
➢Better value (27%)
➢Lower water requirements (24%)
➢Weeds not a problem (22%)
➢Highest quality seed (9%)
 Qualities of a Good Sod:
• Uniformly green, true to type
• Weed free
SODDING • Disease free
• Good strength (rhizomes/stolons);
dense
• Cut thin (1/2” soil); uniformly thick
• Fresh cut (not yellow or dry)
• Moist
• Minimum thatch
SODDING

• Establishment from sod involves:

• soil preparation

• obtaining sod of satisfactory quality

• transplanting

• post-transplant care
A. SOIL PREPARATION

• The primary objectives of soil preparation are a firm, granular

soil for rapid establishment.

• A soil root zone possessing adequate infiltration, aeration and

drainage to maintain a high quality turf with minimal difficulty.
 Soil preparation

Placement of sod
 SOIL
PREPARATION
Fertilizer On The Soil Surface
SODDING
The Steps In Soil Preparation

• Control of persistent weeds - Systemic herbicide (e.g., glyphosate) –

Used to control perennial weeds.
• Removal of rocks and debris
• Rough grading
• Surface and subsurface drainage
• Partial or complete soil modification
• Application of fertilizer and lime, if needed
• Final soil preparation
• The soil should be granular (1 to 5 mm)
• Rolling, tilling and light raking should provide good soil conditions
for planting.
Sod Harvesting

• Sod is ready for harvest when the rhizomes, stolons, and roots have knitted
together to the extent that the sod can be harvested and handled without
tearing.
• Characteristics desired in a high quality sod include uniformity
• high shoot density:
• Adequate strength for harvesting and handling
• Freedom from serious weeds, weed seeds, insects, diseases and nematodes.
• Acceptable colour
• Sufficient maturity in terms of carbohydrate reserves to permit effective rooting
• A minimum thatch layer
 • Sod cutting is usually accomplished with
powered mechanical sod cutters with specific
thickness and width of 12, 18 or 24 in.
• Warm season turfgrass species are usually cut
in 1 by 2 ft pieces having a 2 sq ft area.
Sod Cutting • The thickness at which sod is cut varies with
the turfgrass species, uniformity of the soil
surface, soil type and sod strength.
• The poorer the sod strength and shoot
density, the thicker the sod must be cut to
permit handling.
• Sod cut thin roots faster that sod cut thick and
it is also lighter in weight for ease in handling.
• Sod cut excessively thin is very prone to injury
from atmospheric drought.
SOD CUTTER MACHINE
SOD CUTTER

Diletakkan pasir
 SODDING

Lapisan sod digulungkan Lapisan sod yang telah siap digulung

dinaikkan ke atas lori
SODDING
Laying sod on a slope

Sod Harvester
Brouwer
Walk-behind
Sod
Installer
SODDING
Sod Transplanting

• The primary objective of sod transplanting is to ensure rapid rooting

or “knitting’ of the sod into the underlying soil.
• The transplanting procedure should involve staggering the sod
pieces in a checkerboard pattern.
• The ends of individual sod pieces should be joined in good contact
but with no overlapping.
• It is also important not to stretch the sod during transplanting since
it shrinks upon drying, to form objectional void spaces between the
sod pieces
• If necessary, peg sod pieces placed on slopes to prevent slippage.
• After the sod is properly placed, the area should be tampered or
rolled to ensure good contact between the sod and underlying soil.
Laying The Sod
 1. Prepare soil as when seeding
• Avoid excess N; adequate P and K
• Moisten soil (not wet)
LAYING 2. Laying on dry ground can delay
initial rooting
SOD 3. Start against a solid surface and
work away from it
• Stand on newly laid sod
• Start slopes at the bottom, peg if
>10%
• Stagger joints (like bricks)
• No cracks, overlaps, or stretching
LAYING 4) Roll perpendicular to the way it
was laid
SOD - Squeezes out air spaces
CONT… - Contact with soil
5) Water to 6 to 8” depth
6) Keep from drying out
- Drying out causes shrinkage
Rumpai (Sedge grass)
Herbicide
Relative Cutting Turfgrass species
cutting depth depth, in
Medium 0.5 – 0.8 Cynodon dactylon -
Bermudagrass
Zoysia spp. - Zoysiagrass
Very thick 0.8 – 1.3 Stenotaphrum secundatum -
St. Augustine
Eremochloa ophiuroides -
Centipedegrass

The Relative Cutting Depths for

Sod Cutting
ROLLER
 ROLLER
Rolling should be perpendicular to the direction in which the sod length were layed.

Air pockets remain between the sod and soil if tamping or rolling is not practiced.

The results in drying of sod roots and rhizomes and causes a delay in sod rooting.

The presence of a cleavage plane at the interface of the sod piece with the
underlying soil is of concern, particularly on sports turfs where play involves the
twisting and turning action of shoes.

Thus, the sod used on sports field, green and tees should be grown on the soil
having a texture comparable to the underlying soil on the site where the sod is to be
transplanted.
 Post Transplant Care

Deep irrigation to a 6 to 8 in. soil depth should be accomplished immediately after the sodding is completed.

Apply the water at a relatively low rate over an extended period of time.

Irrigated lightly everyday at noon to maintain an adequate moisture leveling the sod.

Fertilization of newly sodded areas is generally not required because the sod should have been grown under optimum
fertility.

Fertilizer has usually been incorporated into the soil prior to transplanting.

No weed control practices is necessary provided quality sod has been purchased.

Traffic control may be required.

 B. PLUGGING

The vegetative propagation

of turfgrasses by means of
plugs or small sod pieces is
called plugging.
PLUGGING
 PLUGGING
This procedure can be utilized for repairing damaged areas or for the initial
establishment of a turf by vegetative propagation.

The repair of damaged areas is sometimes referred to as spot sodding.

Plugs are usually obtained from a nursery area and carefully plugged into the
dead spots on the green.

When repairing greens by spot plugging, it is important to obtain the plugs from
a nursery having the same cultivar, intensity of culture, and underlying soil
texture.

Plugging is also utilized in establishing new turfgrass areas.

 PLUGGING
Plugging is safer than sprigging in terms of surviving drought stress.

2 – 4 in diameter circular plugs or squares

The area should then be rolled to firm the soil around the plug and
provide favourable moisture relations.

Applying a growth inhibitor such as maleic hydrazide to the existing

vegetation prior to plugging enhances turfgrass establishment from
plugs.
A fertilizer application made 3 to 4 weeks after plugging enhances the
establishment rate
PLUGGING
 Advantages

• Success percentage very high

• Easy and fast to growth and cover
up the land surface
• Low maintenance needed

PLUGGING Disadvantages

• Need a lots of turf material

• In the early stage turf field will seen
not interesting
• Need top dress the land surface
with small particle after it growth
well.
 Stolonizing and sprigging are two means of vegetative
establishment in which the soil is not transported and
planted with the stolons and rhizomes.

Stolonizing is the vegetative planting of stolons by

broadcasting over a prepared soil and covering by
STOLONIZIN topdressing or press rolling.

G AND Sprigging involves the vegetative planting of stolons

or rhizomes in furrows or small holes.

SPRIGGING Sprigging is similar to stolonizing, except that the

pieces are laid in a furrow or holes.

The stolons or rhizomes have little or no adhering soil

and are called sprigs.
 stolon
STOLONIZING

• The establishment rate for

stolonizing is greater than
sprigging but the mortality is
also greater.
• Following uniform distribution of
the stolons on the soil surface,
the area should be rolled or a
steel mat placed over the area to
press the stolons into the sod.
• Fully automatic machines are
available that broadcast the
stolons, press them into the soil,
and firm the soil around the
stolons.
• Stolons can also be applied with
a water carrier by means of
hydroplanting.
 Less material is required for sprigging than for stolonizing
and the mortality is also less.

The establishment is more rapid than plugging.

A furrow is made and the sprigs are inserted at a depth

of 1 to 2 in.

A shallower planting depth is preferred provided

adequate moisture is available.
SPRIGGING The soil is then pushed over the sprig and then firmed.

The rows are normally spaced 10 to 18 in. apart with the

sprigs placed approximately 4 to 6 in. apart in the rows.

After covering and firming into place, 75% of the sprigs

should extend above the soil surface.

Irrigated deeply.
SPRIGGING
 Advantages
• Easy to get, especially
from the piece of turf
mate
SPRIGGING • Material cost are more
cheaper

Disadvantage
• Need a lot of worker to do
turf establishment
HYDROSEEDING
• Involves the use of a
water carrier for the
application of seed
under pressure.

• Specialized
equipment is required
including a pump,
hose, nozzle and a
500 to 1500-gal tank
with both paddle and
liquid-type agitators.
 • After mixing the seed
with the water, the
seed-water suspension
is applied by pumping
through a hose-nozzle
arrangement onto the
site under a pressure
of 90-190 psi (per
square in).
• Fertilizer pulp fiber
mulches can also be
placed in the
hydroseeder tank for
application in
combination with the
seed.
• Widely used on
roadsides.
HYDROSEEDING
 Advantages:
Can seed rough or steeply sloped areas
Easy & fast to apply
Use less labour
Fast stabilize the soil by using mixture material
Can reduce soil eorion
HYDROSEEDING
Disadvantages:
Involves hauling large quantities of water;
Applies seed to surface only
Uneven distribution
Need special equipment to apply
Seed can easily run off due to heavy rain
 Ingredients for Hydroseeding

Bil. Ingredients Kg/ha

1. Seeds 120
2. Mulch 280
3. Copolymer 600
4. Soil conditioner 350
5. Fertilizer (NPK) 500
6. Water
 HYDRO-SPRIGGING/HYDRO-
STOLONIZING

Fiber mulch
=

Sprig/stolon
GREEN CONSTRUCTION

Step 1. Removal existing sand, chipping stone and

sub soil pipe.
Step 2. Install new sub soil drainage pipe.
Step 3. Chipping stone layering (5 inches) and white sand (6 inches) .
Step 4. Mixed sand with peat
Step 5 :Leveling sand
Step 7:Green completed shaping and ready for planting.
Step 8: Day 1 planting.
Step 9:1 week after planting
Step 10: 2 weeks after planting
Step 11:3 weeks after planting
Step 12: 4 weeks after planting
Step 13 :6 weeks after planting
Step 14 : 2 months after planting
Step 15: 2.5 months after planting
Step 16: 3 months after planting
Step 17. 4 months after planting
End of Process &
Topic
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