8/29/2012 - By Dr. Raymond Snyder

The following is an excerpt from an article by Peter Landschoot, Professor of Turfgrass Science at Penn State. Click here for the full article at psu.edu.

Introduction

The quality of a new lawn is directly related to the success of establishment. Turf establishment begins with careful planning, knowledge of soil conditions, and an understanding of the environmental and cultural requirements of turfgrasses. This publication provides a stepwise approach to turf establishment and renovation and includes information on preparing the site for establishment, seeding, sodding, renovation, and care of newly-established turf.

Preparing the site

Planing the new lawn

Planning is an often overlooked, but important part of establishing turfgrasses. It begins by visiting the site and determining how much area is to be prepared and planted, locating obstacles that may interfere with soil preparation, assessing the condition of the soil, and noting site conditions that may influence the type of grass you will use. Visiting the site will also give you some idea of the materials and equipment needed to complete the job. Perhaps the most important phase of planning involves scheduling a time to prepare the soil and begin planting.

The size of the site you intend to establish will dictate the type of equipment you will use, how much labor is needed, as well as how much organic matter, fertilizer, lime, and seed or sod is required. Tools used to measure the area of a site usually include a tape measure or measuring wheel (Fig. 1). Most sites are rectangular, thus, the total area can be determined by multiplying the length of the site by the width. Refer to Fig. 2 to calculate areas of irregular shapes. In many cases, a house, driveway, and other structures will occupy area on the site. Since no turf will be established in these areas, be sure to calculate the total area that is occupied by these structures and subtract this number from the total area of the site. Fig. 3 shows a sample property and how to calculate the area of the lawn.

Click here to continue reading this article at Penn State’s Center for Turfgrass Science web site.