Sustainable Turf Construction

1
Sustainable Turf Construction
And Maintenance Techniques
Presentation to the Cityscapes Workshop
By Jack Wetmore, BBA, P. Ag. New Brunswick
Horticultural Trades Association
March 14 2006
2
Sustainability

• The ecological and technological planning,
  design, implementation, management and
  maintenance of a landscape project that reduces
  environmental impact both on the project and off
  the site.
• Dr. Philip Craul, Harvard Graduate
  School of Design, ret.

3
Elements of Sustainability

• Projects not sited on prime farmland
• No environmental impacts on other sites
• Products and materials are reclaimed, recycled or
  from renewable resources
• Production of these products have minimal
  environmental impacts
• The final product requires minimal inputs of
  energy-consuming or non-renewable materials

4
NBHTAs contribution to the sustainability arena
5
The key indicator for a sustainable turf A lawn
or turf area that stays green through the summer
without irrigation. Most prewar lawns stay
green. Most postwar lawns do not.
6
Lawns that turn brown grow more poorly, and have
more insect and weed problems. They require more
inputs to keep them looking good Water Fertiliz
er Pesticides
7
True sustainability, then, means constructing
lawn areas that stay green through the summer,
using the on-site soil materials, amending with
compost where necessary.
8
The second part of this picture maintaining
these lawns effectively to minimize inputs to the
lawn, and to minimize the impact from product
movement off-site.
9
It requires about 30,000 gallons 140,000 l.
of water to keep this lawn green through the
summer.
10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
The Key to a Green Lawn an effective moisture
storage reservoir.

• 2 feet or more of mud
• No capillary barrier

17
The soil can be pretty rough!
18
The new generation of rock rake for site cleanup.
19
The sustainable lawn requires a lot less
feeding. It has fewer bug problems. It resists
weed invasion.
20
Sustainable management techniques reduce
the Impact on the environment, including off-site
movement. These are addressed on the NBHTA
website Ten Commandments for Healthy Lawn
Care.
21
The sustainable lawn requires a lot less
feeding. Leaving the clippings replaces up to
50 of purchased fertilizer! Clover in the
turf will feed the lawn!
22
(No Transcript)
23
The sustainable lawn requires a lot less
feeding. Slow release fertilizers like
composts are much more stable, less prone to
leaching off-site.
24
The sustainable lawn requires a lot less
feeding. Application timing is
important. Feed while the grass is growing! Mid
September is the best application time. A second
feeding in mid June helps.
25
Weed Suppression
26
Sustainability in turf construction

• Conserve and reuse on-site soil
• Construct for minimal inputs
• Proper soil foundation for moisture storage is
  the key.
• Compost is a highly desirable soil amendment,
  where required
• Construction costs are lower than purchasing
  imported soil
• The results last a lifetime.