Chapter 12 Turfgrass Installation and Management 317 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Calculating the Rate for Planting Plugs You are to cover a lawn that measures 105′ × 76′ in bermudagrass plugs. You plan to space the plugs 18″ OC (off center). If plugs come in trays of 36, how many trays will you need? Calculate the area of the lawn: 105′ × 76′ = Calculate the area that the plugs occupy: 18798018ft″2 ″ × = 324 in2 You must convert one of your area measurements to either square inches or square feet. There are 144 in2 in 1 ft2 324 in2 ÷ 144 in2 = 2.25 ft2 per plant 7980 ÷ 2.25 = 3546.67 plugs needed Plugs come in trays of 36 3547 ÷ 36 = 98.5 99 trays are required to complete the job Establishing a New Lawn The site for a new lawn must be evaluated before the installation begins. Environmental factors that will affect site preparation include how much of the area is in full sun, partial shade, and complete shade the quality of the soil the topography and trees that will be left or removed. A strategy for eliminating or minimizing low, wet areas would also be needed. A complete evaluation of the site will provide enough information for the contractor to determine how much preparation work the site and how much this part of the job will cost. Once the site is evaluated, the intended use of the lawn must be deter- mined. If there is a complete landscape design, the designated use of each area may be evident. The client should be asked to explain their expectations. Ask-help ing the following questions, as well as any others relative to the job, will determine which turf will be used and how the job will proceed. • Is the lawn purely an aesthetic complement to the home?pro • Is the turfgrass being installed to prevent erosion?n? STEM Connection Measurement Conversions The design, installation, and management of landscapes requires many calculations. Measurements often must be converted in order to perform calculations. One useful calculation is the ability to convert between in2 and ft2. These calculations will enable you to easily calculate the number of plants required for a planting bed. This calculation is also helpful in determining the number of plugs or sprigs needed for a lawn. This area is 1 ft 2 This area is 144 in2 1′ 1′ 12 ″ 1′ = 12″ 1 ft2 = 1442 12″ Goodheart-Willcox Publisher 312 Landscape Design, Installation, and Management Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Seed is applied in two directions to ensure complete coverage. Half of the seed is applied in one direction across the whole planting area. The other half of the seed is applied in a direction that is 90° to the fi rst direction. See Figure 12-4. Some types of turfgrass seeds must be lightly covered with soil after seeding. This can be done by lightly raking or dragging the newly seeded area. Erosion netting may be used when seeding on steep slopes to prevent the soil and seeds from washing down the slope. Erosion netting is woven fabric made of biodegradable fi bers, Figure 12-5. Mulching Seeded Areas. Mulch should be applied over newly seeded areas to prevent the seeds from washing away, help the soil retain moisture, and possibly reduce the amount eaten by birds. Straw mulch is recommended. A general rule is one bale of straw is needed per 1000 ft2. Areas with steep slopes where straw will wash away should be covered in netting to help hold the soil in place. The straw will break down and add organic material to the soil as the seed germinates. The mulch should be scattered loosely or it may reduce the germination rate. The mulched area should be rolled and watered thoroughly. Using a roller helps ensure the seed remains in contact with the ground, Figure 12-6. Sodding Sod is the most expensive method of lawn installation. Sod is turfgrass cut with a thin layer of soil from a production fi eld. It is cut in squares or strips that vary in size by lawn production operations. Sodding is expensive because of production, shipping, and labor costs as well as the convenience of an almost instant lawn, Figure 12-7. The harvesting equipment used by the sod farm as well as the species of turfgrass determine the size of a piece of sod. To alleviate confusion, sod is commonly sold by the square foot. Homeowners purchasing sod in individual pieces rather than full pallets commonly purchase 16″ × 24″ sections. Pro Tip Overseeding is the process of planting grass seed to fill in areas that are thinning and improve the density of a lawn. It may also enhance the color of the turfgrass. Rotate 90° and seed in the opposite direction The distance between passes depends on the width of the spreader Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 12-4. Use the proper pattern with lines as straight as possible when establishing turf with seed. Do not overseed areas that have been covered. Illustrations have been designed to clearly and simply communicate specific topics. STEM Connection features integrate all four components of STEM education as well as the social sciences and language arts. Chapter Review questions allow students to demonstrate knowledge, identification, and comprehension of lesson material. Questions are provided in multiple-choice format, allowing for ease of grading or in-class review. g mation for the contracto much preparation work the site nneeds eeds and how much this cost. the l esigna n thei lative will he hom f e in el w h n 109 Summary • Proper PPE should be worn when using or operating landscaping tools and equipment. • Records should be kept to maintain a proper inventory of tools and their maintenance schedules. • A checklist is helpful when evaluating the condition of a tool or piece of equipment before using it and at the end of a workday. • Basic maintenance of hand tools will extend their usability and keep them safe for use. • A wide variety of hand and power tools is available for use in various landscaping tasks. Always use the appropriate tool for the job. • Maintaining sharp edges on cutting tools results in cleaner cuts and safer use of the tools. • All safety guards and components must be kept in place when equipment is in operation. • Before operating equipment or using tools, refer to the owner’s manual for operation and safety guidelines. • The power supply should always be disconnected and/or the spark plug should be disconnected before performing maintenance on power equipment. • The employee operating large equipment should be properly trained to do so. • Troubleshooting charts provided by manufacturers should be referenced before attempting to repair the equipment. • Vehicles used to transport equipment and employees must meet safety guidelines that apply to all vehicles. • All material being transported must be secured properly. 109 10 109 109 109 9 10 09 1 09 109 09 0 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 167 Thinking Critically 1. Where is xeriscaping the most likely to be used? Where is it least likely to be used? Explain your reasoning. 2. Could xeriscaping be used for soil erosion control? Explain your answer. 3. How could asymmetrical and symmetrical balance work together in a landscape design? 4. Where are the areas for improvement in sustainable landscape designs? 5. What is the importance of incorporating sustainability when applying the principles and elements of design? Suggested Activities 1. Form teams and select different color schemes for each group. Create a landscape design for an annual fl owerbed (8′ × 10′) using the color scheme. (The fl owerbed is raised and can be seen from all four sides.) Price the components and determine the cost of materials for the project. Submit your designs and vote on the best design. Consider if each design incorporates the principles and elements discussed in the chapter. 2. Working in small groups, select landscaped areas on your school campus or in the local community and analyze the area in relation to principles and elements of design. What principles and elements are followed? Which can be improved? 3. Identify local nurseries and browse their current inventories online or in person. Create a list of plants that would be most suitable as foundation plants. 4. Work with a partner to design a pair of mixed containers that incorporate the current season’s colors and plant materials. Implement all elements and principles of design while constructing your project. 5. Working in pairs or small groups, identify and photograph examples of the principles and elements of design you fi nd in your home, school, or a business landscape. What examples of design focal points did you fi nd? If time allows, create a slide presentation for the class. You may include poor designs and explain why the design does not work and how you would fi x it. 6. Explain in your own words how you would change a local landscape so that it would include all of the elements and principles of design. You may also use images from the Internet. 7. Identify the types of plant growing containers that are used for nursery plants or other plants that are grown for landscape installations. Determine the advantages and disadvantages of each type of container, including cost, availability, and durability. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 241 Chapter Review Know and Understand Match the terms to the appropriate descriptions in 1–14. A. angiosperm B. class C. classifi cation D. cultivar E. dicot F. family G. genus H. gymnosperm I. hybrid J. monocot K. order L. species M. specifi c epithet N. taxonomy O. variety 1. A cross between plants in different genera or species. 2. The rank that identifi es plants within a class. 3. A group of similar plants that are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. 4. The second part of a binomial name. 5. A naturally occurring mutation or offspring that differs slightly but distinctively from the parent. 6. The science of naming and classifying organisms. 7. A nonfl owering, seed-producing plant whose seeds are not protected by the plant’s fruit. 8. The rank that separates or identifi es plants in an order. 9. A subset of organisms within a family that share similar characteristics. 10. The system of grouping like organisms. 11. A type of plant variety created by humans. 12. Flowering plant whose seeds are enclosed in a fruit. 13. Have only one cotyledon in the seed and fl oral structures in multiples of three. 14. Plant with two cotyledons in its seeds. Answer questions 15–41 using the information provided in this chapter. 15. The two-word naming system that describes plant species in a consistent manner is referred to as _____. A. common nomenclature B. binomial nomenclature C. botanical nomenclature D. scientifi c nomenclature 16. The botanical name is also referred to as the _____. A. Linnaeus name B. common name C. Latin or scientifi c name D. All of the above. 17. The specifi c epithet may refer to _____. A. country of origin B. stems or fl owers C. colors of foliage D. All of the above. 18. True or False? A plant can be identifi ed internationally by its common name. A. True. B. False. 19. True or False? The hierarchical order of plant classifi cation ranges from most inclusive in domain to least inclusive in species. A. True. B. False. 20. True or False? Families are always lowercase and end in aceae. A. True. B. False. 21. True or False? The genus is always capitalized and written in italics or underlined. A. True. B. False. ▲ Jasmine_K/Shutterstock.com Summary features provide an additional review tool for the student. Thinking Critically questions develop higher-order thinking, problem solving, personal, and workplace skills. Suggested Activities include plausible individual and group activities in which students can apply their knowledge and use methods covered throughout the textbook.