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 Caring For Your New Lawn:
WATERING
Give your new lawn at least2 to 3 cm. (1 in.) of water
within 1/2 hour of installation. Water daily,or more
often, keeping turf moist until it is firmly rooted
(about 2weeks). Then less frequent and deeper watering
should begin. Weather conditions will dictate the
amount and frequency of watering. Be certain that
your new lawn has enough moisture to survive hot,
dry, or windy periods. Water areas near building
more often where reflected heat dries the turf.
CAUTION
During the first three weeks, avoid heavy or concentrated
use of your new lawn. This gives the roots
an opportunity to firmly knit with the soil, and
insures that the turf will remain smooth and level.
MAINTENANCE
Your new sod lawn increases your property value
significantly. With proper care, it will remain a great
asset, providing beauty, a clean playing surface, and
an improved environment.
Mow often, generally removing no more than
1/3 of the grass height at a mowing. Keep your
mower blade sharp. Fertilizer and chemical applications
will depend on climate, sod type, soil,
insects, weed and disease conditions. Your new
Ultra 3-D lawn will require less inputs providing
a beautiful Denser, Darker and Dwarfer turf.
ONCE
ESTABLISHED
After approximately 90 days your new sod is
finally becoming acclimated to its new home.
Your cultural practices for established turf are
now different from the ones you used during the
Grow-In period:
• Reduce your watering times and reset your irrigation
system for a maintenance type of setting.
• Begin a regularly scheduled fertility program,
keep in mind your new Ultra-3D Lawn will
require less inputs i.e. fertilizer and water to
maintain its natural beauty.
• Begin a standardized mowing pattern, only
removing 1/3 of the leaf blade per mowing, again
your new Ultra 3D Lawn will require less mowing.
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Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratenis L.) is probably the leading elite turfgrass species in the United States, measured either by seed usage or total acreage. It will serve as the major example characterizing evolvement of improved lawn grass cultivars. The species was apparently not indigenous to North America, but rather introduced by the early colonist from Europe.
Kentucky Bluegrass, more than any other entity, has played a leading role in the maturation of the lawn seed industry and in bringing a rapidly expanding, sophisticated lawn technology to suburbanizing America.
The status of the lawn seed industry in the United States shortly after World War II revolved mostly around Kentucky Bluegrass species. The chief distinction between pasture bluegrass and lawn bluegrass seed was the greater care in harvesting, cleaning, handling and merchandising of the latter.
Since all seed was harvested from naturalizing stands in fields much of the year for grazing or meadowing, genetic differences were not isolated nor distinguishable.
Shortly before World War II Dr. John Monteith, Bureau of Plant Industry, USDA, established a turfgrass testing and selection facility in Arlington, Virginia. The research, supported by the United States Golf Association emphasized vegetative strains of creeping bentgrass for golf course greens, but a number of distinctive Kentucky Bluegrass selections had also been collected and evaluated at Arlington. One of these, B-7; what became Merion, came from Philadelphia, PA area Merion Golf Club.
Dr. Joe Duich was assigned to research Merion in 1952. Although agronomist could clearly see the wisdom of breeding turf grasses specifically for fine turf qualities including lower growth habit, resistance to disease, greater attractiveness, etc., the advantages were not so apparent to the lawn seed industry. Seedsman questioned whether Kentucky Bluegrass could be successfully grown solely for lawn seed (i.e. be unsubsidized by seasonal grazing) and whether it could compete with less expensive natural Kentucky Bluegrass seed flooding the market.
To prevent sexual crossing of Merion with common or natural Kentucky Bluegrass, Merion had to be grown in isolation even though it was reported to be highly apomictic. The basic question to be faced was whether the lawn seed consumer public, accustomed to natural Kentucky Bluegrass seed of good mechanical quality at less than $0.50 per pound could be induced to pay appreciably more for a genetically superior "Star performer" like Merion.
This was quickly proven to be true. By the mid- 1950’s limited Merion seed supplies could hardly meet demand, even at 10-fold the price of common Kentucky Bluegrass. With Merion having proved the potentiality, expansion of the industry into the breeding of new cultivars has been phenomenal.
A noteworthy example is Rutgers, The State University, New Jersey. The first full-time turfgrass breeding position, for which Dr. Reed Funk was hired, was created here. Dr. Funk and his students, utilizing new Kentucky Bluegrass bloodlines and breeding techniques, have provided many of today's most regarded lawn grass cultivars.
Almost all modern cultivars have been bred or selected for better disease tolerance and a lower growing habit. A low growth habit helps prevent damage from low mowing. Insect resistance, vigorous germination, compatibility in polystands, tolerance to herbicides and adaptation to low maintenance are also stirring interest in the turfgrass industry.
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