FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions:

1. Is Kentucky Bluegrass a large water user?
2. What are the environmental advantages of Turf Grass?
3. What are the best turf varieties to plant for the Colorado Front Range?
4. Why use sod versus seed?
5. What time of the year is best to install sod?
6. Why do I need to add organics to the soil before I plant sod?
7. What kind of compost/organics do I need?
8. Where do I purchase compost/organics?
9. Does sod that is installed at the end of the growing season and does not have enough time for complete root establishment need to be watered during the winter?

Answers:

1. Particularly during recent drought conditions, Kentucky Bluegrass has received significant attention as a high-water use plant. However, field studies have shown that bluegrass, with a base of properly prepared soil and proper irrigation performs well at half of the recommended rate (evapotranspiration or ET) for supplemental irrigation. Therefore, the water use for bluegrass is not so much the grass itself, but how it is cultivated. For more information, click here.
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2. Please see http://www.turfgrasssod.org/trc/environment.html
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3. Well, that depends on a number of factors. The three most common varieties to consider are Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue and Buffalo grass. What is your desire level of aesthetic appeal? How much traffic will the lawn receive? Will there be prolonged periods of time that I cannot water during the growing season? Kentucky Bluegrass is more often than not the most eye appealing choice when properly cared for.
        Buffalo grass could be considered to look satisfactory during the growing season, and requires the least amount of water to maintain its satisfactory appearance, but has a very short green period of approximately 100 days out of a year.
        Turf type Tall Fescue is generally a courser textured appearance, although some of the newest varieties are comparable in texture to Kentucky Bluegrass. As far as drought tolerance, Tall Fescue because of its deep more expansive roots system can tolerate longer intervals between waterings, but cannot survive prolonged periods without water without desiccation where as Kentucky Bluegrass can survive without desiccation. Kentucky Bluegrass has the best capability with proper care to recover from injury.
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4. Although turf can be established from seed or sod, sod provides the additional benefits of lower initial water use, quick establishment and the ability to handle heavy rains with less susceptibility to erosion. (Click here for more detailed sod installation guidance.)
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5. Although sod maybe planted any time of the year with success, the best time to establish would be spring or fall due to reduced amounts of water lost from evaporation and ideal temperatures for root establishment.
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6.   •  Evaluate soil and improve it, if necessary, to promote efficient water usage and healthy plant.
     •  Add proper organic matter to the soil, as indicated by soil analysis, to increase the waterholding capacity and plant productivity. If a soil is too sandy or too high in clay, the solution to both extremes is basically adding organic matter.
     •  Proper soil and ground preparation is critical to the success of a lawn or garden. A rule of thumb is to work 3 to 5 yards of organic matter into the soil to a depth of at least 4 to 6 inches for every 1,000 square feet of area to be seeded, planted or sodded. (Note: Many experts recommend cultivating the soil to a depth of 12 inches; however, in many situations, this cannot be achieved practically.) Click here for more detailed soil preparation guidance.
     •  Some composts and manures are high in salts and have a high pH. Avoid horse manure, which contains seeds for weeds and undesirable grasses unless it is well composted. Also avoid cattle manure because it is high in salt and fine textured. These precautions are particularly important for soils already high in salts, or when growing salt-sensitive species. Sphagnum peat and compost from purely plant sources are low in salts and good choices for such locations.
     •  Wood products (e.g., sawdust, bark) used as soil amendments can result in nitrogen deficiency in plants.
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7. Some composts and manures are high in salts and have a high pH. Avoid horse manure, which contains seeds for weeds and undesirable grasses unless it is well composted. Also avoid cattle manure because it is high in salt and fine textured. These precautions are particularly important for soils already high in salts, or when growing salt-sensitive species. Sphagnum peat and compost from purely plant sources are low in salts and good choices for such locations.
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8. Most Landscape Supply Stores, many garden centers or retail stores with garden center departments sell organics / compost.
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9. Yes, one should water throughout the winter during periods of prolonged dry weather to avoid new sod dehydration and causing possible death or severe shrinking of sod that will open up the seams between individual pieces of sod. Winter months will require on average .25 inches of water per week either from natural precipitation or irrigation. Winter time watering should be done by water hose or be sure to drain your sprinkler system immediately afterwards to prevent freezing from damaging your system.
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Answers are referenced from GreenCo and TPI.