T
urfgrass establishment is most commonly
accomplished with seed, although sod can also
be used. Sod offers the advantage of an "instant
lawn" whereas seed takes much longer to produce
a green turf. Establishment with seed is much less
expensive than with sod. Establishing with seed is not an easy
task that should be taken lightly. Following proper establish-
ment procedures can produce a healthy turf that one can be
proud of for many years to come.
LaTe summer seeding is opTimaL
The best time to seed a cool-season turfgrass (Kentucky
bluegrasses, perennial ryegrasses, tall fescues and fine-leaf
fescues) lawn is in the late summer to early fall. Adequate soil
moisture, warm soil, and limited weed pressure allow for excel-
lent seedling growth. Between August 15 and September 15 is
optimum seeding time in [cool-season] regions, and September
1 to September 30 is optimum in the transition zone. It is criti-
cal to seed as early as possible within these windows. Even when
Field Science | By Zac Reicher, Cale Bigelow, Aaron Patton, and Tom Voigt
Establishing turfgrass
areas from seed
12 SportsTurf | December 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com
Image
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