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' I1 K m ck
By Leonard Sfalz and Hayden Watkins • Circular 6I8
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY I COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
I AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

 CONTENTS
Page I
MAKING A NE\V Lz\\VN ....... . ...................................... 3
Time to Sow Lawn Grasses .................................... 3
Kentucky Lnwn Grasses .................................4........ 3 _
Seeding Rates ...............,............................................ 7
Soil 17l'(‘1)11l`1l[i()ll ........................................................ 8 .
Seeding the Luwn .................................................... 12
\\';ite1·ing the New Lawn ................................,....... 12
Sndding ...................................................................... 14
Il()\lIC l,.·\\VN Mi·\INTEN.·\N(IE ................................ 15
;\(‘1`i[iL‘1li1()ll ..............A................................................. 15
Tlieiteli liernovzd ........................................................ 15
1,illl(‘ ............................................................................ 16
1"(‘l`(i1iZ(‘l` ............A.....,................................................. 16
Feitilizer Burn ......,................................................... 17 _
()\'('l`-Sl‘(‘(1iIl}.[ ....................................,....................... 19
Blowing ...................................................................... 19
\\’;1te1‘ing ....................................,............................... 19
Diseases .....,..............................,.................A............... 23 ,
Insects ............,........................................................... 2-1
Moies ....................,..........................,.......................... 26

 A good lawn is an important feature of your home grounds
and provides the proper setting for all other landscape plantings.
It helps to keep dust and dirt out of your home and prevents ero-
sion of the soil while serving as an outdoor carpet for your land-
scape. Crass is the most widely used ground cover in the United
~ States and bluegrass is the natural ground cover in Kentucky.
- Good lawns do not just happen. They require planning, work,
and the right materials. A properly established, well-managed
lawn is not difficult to have and is not expensive to keep if you
practice good management from the start. In addition, mowing
I will be easier if a mulch is used from the foundation wall out to
the drip line in front of shrub areas. \Vhere conditions make grass
" growing difficult, use other ground cover plants or mulehes; or for
particularly difficult areas, paving may be the best solution.
MAKING A NEW LAWN
Time to Sow Lawn Grasses
The best time for seeding new lawns is between August 15
and September 15, but seeding can be done until the end of Sep-
tember. In the extreme southern and western areas of the state,
these planting times can be extended by two weeks. Lawns can
_ also be seeded at other times of the year but the fall gives by far
the best results. january 15 to March 30, depending upon the
_ particular year, would be the second choice for seeding time.
z Seeding later in the spring increases competition from annual
weeds. If spring seeding is to be attempted, start as early as pos-
" — sible.
Kentucky Lawn Grasses
Kentucky bluegrass
Common Kentucky bluegrass grown in Kentucky is recom-
mended for lawns in most of the state. \Vhen properly eared for,
3

 lt lTllll(CS tlllj ]TlOSt S2ltlSf2`lCtO1`y ltI\Vll l;OI` gGllC1`k1l USC. BlLl€gl'&.`tSS
forms an excellent sod and vegetatively propagates itself in the
lawn by underground stems called rhizomes (see Figure 1B).
Several varieties of Kentucky bluegrass are available; each has
one or more traits which make it a desirable turfgrass. Bluegrass
varieties which perform well in one area of the United States
Illlly l)C il C()lllPlCt(} flllllll'C lll Otll(;‘1` HIGHS. TllC K(‘lll)lll(‘ \'1l1`l(;‘ty, _ ’
which is described in Kentucky Leaflet 308, is considered the best
adapted for all of Kentucky. Some other varieties of bluegrass are
Nlerion, Park, Newport, \Vindsor, and Delta.
/ "\l
V *~
// \{
/l/\i t “
-1 IA!
/’ .
‘@@ R
. 'N
nip
JI  
l-A i—B
V
\} 7/ I ~
x \ V
M   ll I wt " M
r / ’ r ,
/ I I / y
A _ J? .   iq   ’$
I \
/
l C 1-D \ —--/
Fig. 1, —- Diagrammatic illustrations of growth and spreading habits of
lawn grasses. 1-A, bunchgrass type: fescues and ryegrass; 1-B, rhizo-
matons: Kentucky bluegrass; 1-C, stoloniferous: bentgrass and zoysia;
and 1-D, combination: bermudagrass.
4

 Red fescue
If shade is a problem new er will be later, fescue may be added
to bluegrass seed and sewn as a mixture. The red fescues are
better adapted te shade, drought, and lew fertility areas ef the
lawn than is Kentucky bluegrass. These fescues have a fine needle-
» like leaf blade which blends well in celer with Kentucky blue-
grass. The red fescues, however, sheuld not be confused with the
tall fescues which are discussed later.
Beth the fine and tall fescues are bunch grasses and do net
vegetatively propagate themselves in the lawn; their typical growth
` habit is shown in Figure 1A. Varieties of red fescues are Creeping
Red, fllahee, Pennlawn, Chewings, and Trinity. \Vhen used as a
mixture with Kentucky bluegrass, the red feseue should compose
approximately 80% te 50‘}{, of the mixture.
Tull fescue
The tall fescues are coarse-leaved grasses which are commonly
used fer pastures. They are also used for lawn or play areas which
will receive rough usage. The tall fescues make a satisfactory lawn
for certain difficult areas, but because of their coarseness. they
cannot be kept as nicely manicured as a bluegrass lawn. The tall
fescues should never be used in mixtures, and when used, they
should always be sewn alone at relatively heavy rates. They should
I be mowed at least 3 inches high using a sharp mower. Tall feseue
varieties are Ky Sl. Kenwell. and Fawn.
T€IT\pO|'G|'y QTGSSES
V The twe most commenly used groups of temporary grasses are
redtop and the ryegrasses. There are seldom sufficiently valid rea- '
sons for including either of these groups of grasses in a lawn mix-
ture. They are often added to lawn seed mixtures because they are
cheap and because ef their rapid germination, which gives the
buyer a false sense of having successfully established his lawn.
Because these grasses germinate rapidly, the homeowner often
drastically reduces watering too soon, and the germinated tempor-
ary er “nurse" grass. as it is sometimes called. seriously competes
for water, nutrients and space with any permanent grass that at-
tempts to germinate later.
5

 The only ti1ne temporary grasses may be used satisfactorily is
for the sowing of a spring lawn which would be tilled under in
the fall and reseeded to a permanent lawn. Such lawns can often
be used to advantage, both to keep down mud and dust around
newly finished homes and to serve as a green manure crop for the
permanent lawn.
Although they are referred to as temporary grasses, they can
and do persist for many years when sown into the permanent
lawn. The redtop tends to form clumps and is quite distinctively
dillerent in both color and texture from Kentucky bluegrass. The _
ryegrasses generally blend quite well with bluegrass in the early _
seedling stages. However, as the ryegrasses mature, they become
considerably coarser, tougher, and weedier. _
Bentgruss
Creeping bentgrass is commonly used on golf courses i11 Ken-
tucky. lientgrass requires intensive care with respect to watering,
feeding, mowing, and pest control. The problems involved in grow-
ing bentgrass are numerous and make it unsuitable for home lawns
in this area. Bentgrass requires quite different management prac-
tices than does bluegrass and, therefore, these two should not
be sown as a mixture.
Zoysiugruss
Zoysiagrass can be used in Kentucky; it is better adapted to the `
warmer portions of the state than to the cooler. It forms a tough,
dense sod of relatively slow growth. All named varieties must be
started by planting vegetative runners. Zoysia turns brown in tl1e
fall with the first hard freeze and does I1Ut green up again until ·
midspring. Some garden stores now stock dyes which can be ,
sprayed o11 these grasses to give a green color all during the winter.
Two named varieties which can be used in Kentucky are Meyer
Z-52 a11d Emerald. Emerald is considerably finer textured than
Meyer. Zoysia spreads by creeping stems which root at the nodes;
this is shown ill Figure 1C.
Bermudugruss
There are several selected strains of bermudagrass for lawn use.
Like zoysia, seed is not available and they must be propogated
vegetatively by planting small plugs or pieces of stem across 1he
6

 lawn. Bermuda also turns brown early in the fall and remains this
way until late spring. In addition to these disadvantages, bermuda
has deep underground stems which will readily spread into the
neighbors’ lawns (Figure 1D). The underground stems are dif-
ficult to kill if you should decide to try some other lawn grass.
Zoysia, which does not have such underground stems, can be readily
killed with the proper herbicide if you decide to change to another
type of lawngrass.
Clover
i Clover is not recommended for home lawn areas for several
reasons. The main reason is that clover {lowers attract bees, and
A children going barefoot on the lawn are likely to be stung. Too, the
white clover flowers in the lawn are distractive, interrupting the
· smooth expanse of green. Clover does not blend well with grasses
because of its darker color and its different leaf texture; it is soft
and slippery underfoot and is a common cause of “grass stain” on
clothing.
Seeding Rates
It is false economy to buy cheap seed. It is more economical to
use only high-quality grass seed which is free of any noxious weed
seeds or other undesirable material. The cost of seed in comparison
· with the other costs involved in putting in a new lawn, is a very
minimal amount. Kentucky bluegrass seed, when sown alone, should
- be used at the rate of 1% to 2 pounds per 1,000 sq ft of lawn area.
Beneath trees where shade may become a problem a mixture of
_ 30‘,'{, to 5()‘j~g red fescuc and 50% to 75% Kentucky bluegrass should
be sown at the rate of 1% to 2 pounds per 1,00() sq ft. Tall fescue V
‘ should be sown at the rate of 5-6 pounds per 1,000 sq ft. If a tem-
porary lawn of ryegrass is to be sown, this should be seeded at the
rate of 5-6 pounds per 1,0()0 sq ft, but both tall fescue and ryegrass
may be sown as heavily as 10 lb per 1,000 sq ft.
Table 1 lists the number of seed per pound and the recom-
mended sowing rate for several kinds of lawn seed. The third col-
umn gives the average number of seed which will be distributed
over 1 square inch of lawn area when the seed is sown at the
recommended rate. These values indicate that there is a rather
large safety factor in the seeding rate to assure the homemaker a
good stand of grass. This is done because many of the seeds sown
7

 Table 1.—Pure Stands 0f Seed
Approximate Sewing rate
  firé seed/11) 111/1000 sq tt Seed/sq i11.
Kentucky bluegrass .......,........ 2,200,000 1%-2 23-30
lied lescue .........,..... . .............. 545,000 3-4 11-15
Tall liescue ...................,.......... 225,000 6-10 10-16
1{yegrass .................................. 225,000 6-10 10-16
Iledtop .......,..4......................... 4,990,000 1 34.6
(Irt2%l@rass ................ 7,800,000 1 54.1
will ll()[ pr0d11ee plants; S()ll1(‘ will 11e killed because 01 i1uetuati0ns i _
i11 111()1Sl111'(‘ (see "\’Vtl1(.'l`1l1Q tl1e New Lawn." page 12), s0111e will be
raked i11 100 deeply, w11i1e ()t11(‘1`S will l1()t be planted deep f.‘11OUgl1.
llirds will eat S()Il1(% 01: l§11(’ seeds; ()1”l1(‘l'S will 11e attacked by disease
01* insects al10ut t11(‘ time t1l(‘}’ gerininate; a11d s0111e seeds will be
100 weak t0 gerininate 2l1I(l gr0w. It is 1`0r t11(?S(‘ L1l`l(1 0t11er 1'(}t`tS()I1S
tliat ll1(‘ large salety 1`act0r is llS(’(1. Ideally. al10ut 0110 living p1a11t
per square 1IIL'll 01 s0il area is desired. Excessive SL‘L*(l11lg rates cause
er0wding. \\'ll1Cll c0nlril1utes t0 weak gr0wtl1 lllld disease. rl`l1CI'(‘i:()1`C
tl1e l`L*(‘U1I1IIIl‘ll(l(‘(l rates Sll()U1(1 110t be exceeded. Under g00d c011-
dili011s tl1e rates may l1e reduced.
Zoysia and l)('l'Illl1(lil grass are sprigged 0r plugged i11 spring
0r early Sl1I1llI1(‘l'. Six square 1'cet 01 z0ysia sod 0r 10 sq tt 01 l>er-
Illlltlil s0d is 11s11a1ly (‘Il()IlQ_l1 10 sprig 1,000 sq 11 01 lawn area. ;\l)()1lt
30 sq it 01 eitlier will 11e required t0 s0d 2 i11cl1 x 2 1l'IC11 plugs 6 *
inelies apart l)1l 1,000 sq it 011 law11 area.
Soil Preparation
Grading r
Suecesslul l21\\’11 lll0.1lLlQL‘1Ilt‘Il1 l)(‘Q1IlS \\`1l,l1 grading. 11e1`0re e0n- .
strueti0n is l1t`Ql111 011 a 1l(‘\\“ ll()Ill(‘. tl1e lawn Sl)()lll(1 lie c0nsidered.
l*`0ur l0 0 inelies 01 t0p s0il Sll()1Il(l 11e 1>u11d0zed i.l'()ll1 tl1e lniilding
area illlll piled 011 ()l1(‘ 011 tl1e (‘l)I`llL*l`S 01 tl1e 10t. 5011 l'(’I11()\'L`Ll 1il'()111
tl1e l)LlSt`lIlt‘ll1 01 tl1e 1lL‘\\' 1101110 can 1111*ll 11e used as lill t0 estal11is11
tl1e desired grades. .\1ter tl1e l1()I1\t‘ is C()1l11)1t‘lt‘(1. tl1e t0p s0il \\`1liL‘l1
was saved is linally ieplaeed 0ver tl1e su11-s0il.
,l`l1(‘ linal grade 01 a 1Ll\\`l1 area S11l)ll1(l carry excess water away
l`1‘(1Il1 tl1e i`Ul11lt1;1ll()II walls illltl toward Sl<)1'II1 sewers. drainways. 01*
streets. ililie lAl\\'11 Sll(\lll(l drnp 1 10 SS leet per 100 11Ill‘ilI` 1`eet; s10pes
steeper 1111111 1 1001 liall i11 10 l1ll(‘.lI` leet are l‘()l§ 1`(`L‘()1111I1t`1ll\l|lI`t‘ 1lll(l l(`llll)l`lAilllll'l` Rll4l` 5llpI)il(`(l.     ])LlI`tlClll1ll`l}`
iinportaiit to keep the lawn area moist lor ll) to 20 days after seed-
ing. \\ater should be applied with sprinklers which break it into
ll]

 .. A T W. ,   / ,..v   ` _\     
·   ·‘   0.   * ° , ¢¢ -      c . ‘    »  
i        d    .    , .        
K · ‘ ‘ .· ;— -     — ‘‘   g.     .·:i ,     .: ,_  
M`: l 4,ar.t;—,;/».     s;·,`:T ', je- V. _ ‘,,   * 2
A a, i A     .· `··-` i . `é‘’   `’‘` *
Fig. 4.-- When properly cared for, Kentucky bluegrass makes the most
satisfactory lawn for general use in Kentucky.
W fine droplets and which supply the water at a slow, even rate. If
possible, set enough sprinklers out on the area to water all of it
_ without having to walk out on the lawn to move them. With proper
planning one need only couple and uneouple hoses from walks,
‘ driveways, or the house faucet to change sprinklers.
During dry, windy weather, the sprinklers may need to be turned '
on from 5 to l0 times per day, but only for short periods of time
since once the soil is thoroughly wetted only enough water need
be applied to keep the surface area moist. There are no grass roots
in the soil at this time to pick up the water from the lower level and
excess water applied here does little good. Those areas which dry
rapidly or are not as heavily watered by the sprinklers should be
touched up by hand watering.
lf yOU (lO llOt llO.VC llll 2I(lC(1ll2l.tC \\`LltCl` Sllpply ()1` Cll()llgll Spl'llll(·
lers to keep the entire seedbed watered, sow at one time only an
lIl`C?.I lllllt CHI] l)C kept £].(lC(1ll2l.liCly \VZl.tCI`C(l.
Maintaining a moist, but not wet, soil surface for 10 to 20 days
ilftCl` SCC(llllg   OHC of lllC lT\OSt llllP()I`t2Ult Sl(’PS lll SllCCCSSl_Ul CStlll)·
llSlllllCIlt of 8. llC\\' l2`l\\’Il. \VllCll \\`2ltCI`   llppllC(l t() ll. ]l()\Vly SCC(lC(l
13

 area, the grass seeds will begin t0 germinate. First a small root
tip is pushed out of the an of the seed. This is the most critical
period in the life of a grass plant. If the soil surrounding the
emerging root tip dries off, so probably will the root and the seed
will be killed. \Vhen water is again applied to this area of the
lawn, other seed in this region will begin to germinate. If the ·
wetting and drying procedure continues too often, there will not
be enough grass seed left in the soil to provide a satisfactorily .
dense lawn. The extra time and effort spent in keeping the lawn
area moist during this critical period will be amply rewarded in a i
good seedling stand.
Your new lawn should begin to show green 7 to 14 days after
seeding, depending upon temperature and moisture. Avoid walk-
ing on the lawn area as much as possible. \Vhen the grass is 1 to
2 inches tall, the frequency of watering should be reduced to once
every 7 to 14 days, depending upon weather conditions. A new
Kentucky bluegrass lawn should be mowed for the first time
when the grass is 3 to 4 inches high. For the first mowing set the
mower to cut 3 inches high, and continue to mow the new lawn
area as often as necessary until winter approaches. Usually a new
lawn will require fertilization again in October. An application of
either a complete or a nitrogen fertilizer should be made according A
to the directions given in Figure 3.
Sodding
ln some parts of Kentucky you can obtain Kentucky bluegrass A
sod for your new lawn. Sodding is frequently used for establishing ·
a lawn quiekly and is often a part of the building contract for new
homes. Sodding may be the only satisfactory answer for steep
slopes or for spots where trallic ruins a new seeding.
\luch of the sod used in Kentucky is from pastures. This sod is
usually treated to kill broad-leaved weeds. but not grassy weeds.
Such sod is practically worthless. lf you purchase sod it should bc
pureliased only from a reputable sod nursery. Nursery sod should
be relatiyely pure and free of both broad-leaved and grassy weeds.
lleject sod with mixtures of coarse and fine grasses. Bluegrass sod
should not contain tall fescue. bentgrass. beruuidagrass. or weeds
such as nimblewill. orchardgrass. or quaekgrass. lie just as careful
in buying sod tor your new lawn as you would be in buying good
seed.
14

 tw ;. ,1 ·   V
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Fig. 5 .-- Tall fescues are coarse leaved and hardy; they withstand very
hard use . When sown alone at relatively high rates, and mown high, as
on this lawn, they make a satisfactory lawn turf.
Once the home lawn is established, there are several mainten-
ance practices which must be carried out to keep the lawn in good
condition.
Aerificution
Aerifiers are sometimes used to punch small holes in the soil.
. This permits better ]]l0VCIllC1lt of air and water into the soil. This
nractice is most desirable if the soil has a hi rh cla content and ·
A l
tends to become compacted with a hard crust. Aerilication is most
valuable on paths and other areas where there is heavy foot traffic.
.~\e1·ators that remove a plug of soil are the most satisfactory. The
plugs removed by an aerator 1nay be raked up and removed or
they may be crushed by rolling and the soil raked into the turf.
Crushing and raking them into the soil is particularly helpful
where thatch has begun to accumulate.
Thutch Removal
On dense lawns where clippings are left. the clippings may
accumulate to the point where there is a heavy build-up of thalch.
Heavy thatch favors disease and insect invasion and prevents good
water penetration; this results in deterioration of the turf. lf heavy
thatch accumulates, it is advisable to remove it.
15

 Machines that vertically cut and slice the turf are available t0
aid in removing thatch. This cuts the old thatch and brings up the
dead stems and leaves, which can then be swept up and removed.
lf thatch removal is attempted, go over the lawn in two directions
giving the turf a vigorous combing. This causes no permanent
damage to turf. Material brought to the top of the turf must be I
removed. Thatch removal is best done in September. lteseeding, r
liming, and fertilizing could also be done at this time. '
Lime
A soil test at least every three years should be the basis for
lime application. Most turfgrasscs grow best when the soil pH is
between 6.5 and 7.0. Fescue and Zoysia will tolerate a lower pH
than bluegrass. Finely ground or pulverized limestone is easily
applied and is an effective material for raising the pH of a soil.
()verliming can be as detrimental to good turf as no lime.
Fertilizer
The frequency of fertilizing the lawn can be varied. In general,
the more frequent the fertilization the nicer the lawn. All soils l
are low in nitrogen, and nitrogen (with water) is the main stimu-
lator of grass growth. At least two fertilizations should be given
each year—spring and fall. Table 2 suggests the times and amounts
of nitrogen fertilizer to apply for four levels of lawn care.
Table 2.—Suggested liertilization Schedule for Bluegrass Lawns in Pounds of ·
Nitrogen per 1,000 Square Feet
Fertilization Months
  March April May ]une ]uly August Sept. Oct. Nov.
Basic . ....... 1 1
Fair .......... 1 1 1
(Iood ..,..... 1 1 1 1
A basic application of a complete fertilizer in the spring and
fall is adequate for most bluegrass and fescue lawns. A basic ap-
lieation of fertilizer would be 1 pound each of nitrogen, phosphoric
acid (KO;). and potash (K;O) per 1000 sq ft. Six pounds of
nitrogen. 2 pounds of l’:();. and 4 pounds of K,O per 1000 sq ft per
16

 year would be an1ple for bluegrass lawns. In addition to the basic
spring and fall applications of complete fertilizer, many people
are l10\V applying additional nitrogen during the late spring, sum-
. mer, and early fall to maintain turf growth and color. This extra
nitrogen is very beneficial if the lawn is watered.
" Nitrogen may be manipulated to get color to the lawn. Exces-
sive nitrogen results in soft, succulent grass, favoring disease de-
’ velopment and requiring extra mowing. Turfgrasses can tolerate
high levels of phosphorus and potash under normal conditions but
excessive phosphorus and potash may cause turf deterioration.
The fertilization of Zoysia and Bermuda grass lawns is given
in Table 3.
Table 3—Suggested Fertilization Schedule for Zoysia and Bermudagrass Lawns
in Pounds of Nitrogen per 1,()()() Square Feet
Level April May ]une _luly August
Basie ........................ 1 1
Fair .......................... 1 1 1
coal l ....................... 1 1 1 1
Better ......,.......,....... 1 1 1 1 1
 
_ Bermuda and Zoysia should receive heavy fertilization during
hot weather, but not in the fall. Excessive fertilization late in the
fall may result in some winter kill; therefore, don`t fertilize these
grasses after the last of August. \Vinter kill can also occur on blue- ·
. grass—fescue lawns, a11d therefore applications made in October
should be made early in the month while fertilization in November
should not be done until the end of the month.
Fertilizer Burn
lrligh nitrogen fertilizers will burn grass if they are