MONTEREY, Calif. - Organizers of the Monterey Jazz Festival has been giving away free grass since this Tuesday!!

For the first time, organizers installed 20,000 square-feet of grass sod in the arena area for this year's festival. Now that the 57th festival is over, that grass could be yours.

The sod is being offered up to the public for free. All grass must be removed by Thursday, Sept. 25.

Patrons or companies should enter the Monterey County Fairgrounds at Gate 6 and proceed to the area behind the arena for removal. The general public can remove as much of the sod as they want, but must bring their own removal tools, and transportation and people to load the sod.

No matter where you live in the beautiful USA, the pH and nutrient characteristics of our soils vary greatly. The ability of the soil to provide nutrition to a plant is critical to the overall health of a plant.  When a soil is unable to provide nutrients in the proper amounts, it can lead to reduced plant strength/health and increased susceptibility to damage from disease, insects, drought and other conditions. Not what your new sod wants to face after we deliver.

Routine soil testing is a great tool to help point out nutrient deficiencies and surpluses, soil pH, and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC).  Understanding the test results allows for the selection of the appropriate fertilizer or amendments to help correct deficiencies and other problems to optimize the uptake of fertilizer nutrients by the plant. 

Soil pH
Optimum soil pH is species dependent, but generally speaking, grass, shrub and flower nutrient uptake is maximized when soil pH is between 6.0 and 7.0.  Most soil nutrients are readily available when the soil pH is 6.5.  If pH drops below 6.0 and soils are more acidic, elements like manganese and aluminum become more soluble and their excessive uptake can reach toxic levels causing plant stress and failure. 

Conversely, high pH or highly alkaline soils usually suffer from reduced nutrient, and especially micronutrient lock-up (iron, magnesium and calcium).  They can have high concentrations of sodium resulting in poor soil structure.  Water and essential nutrients don't easily penetrate poorly structured soils, resulting in nutrient deficiencies and stunted plant growth. 

Changing Soil pH
Soil pH is typically lowered with sulfur and raised with lime.  Pelletized lime is generally the preferred method of lime application over granular for raising pH as it is much easier to apply, pellets break down with water, are less dusty and pelletized lime changes the pH quicker than granular lime.  Dolomitic or calcitic lime may be used depending on the soils need for magnesium or calcium.

In many Western states and certain pockets of the U.S., soil pH may be greater than 7.5 and may need to be lowered using sulfur.  The amount of sulfur to be used should be based on the soil test as soil type as well as soils that contain high amounts of free calcium carbonate aka "free lime" will require greater amounts of sulfur to lower pH. 

Proper Sampling of Your Soil
Soil test results are only as good as the samples collected and sent to the lab for analysis.  Improper sampling is the largest area for error in the soil testing process and can lead to test results that could recommend over- or under application of nutrients and amendments. 

Make sure to collect a representative sample of each area being tested.  1-2 cups of soil are needed for proper testing and should be free of plant tissue, thatch, mulch or other surface debris.  For areas up to 10,000 sq. ft., 10-12 individual cores should be randomly taken and combined to make one composite sample to be placed in a sample bag.  For areas over 10,000 sq. ft., randomly take one extra core for each additional 1,000 sq. ft.  

Separate samples should be collected from areas that differ in soil color, soil texture, and type of plants grown.  Avoid areas that have recently been fertilized or amended.  Turf should be sampled at a depth of 3" below the thatch layer, while trees, shrubs and ornamentals should be sampled to a depth of 6-12" with cores being taken from inside and just outside the drip line.

The Benefits from Testing Your Soil
Soil testing is an agronomic Best Management Practice (BMP) recommended by the fertilizer industry, university agronomists and independent consultants that provides many benefits to the turf/landscape manager including:

         • Monitors pH and nutrient levels in turf and landscape soils
         • Offers corrective action to optimize nutrient uptake (reduce lost fertilizer $$ from nutrient lock-up)
         • Aids in customization of fertility programs
         • Allows you to grow a healthy and flourishing landscape to put your stamp on!

SEVILLE St. Augustine Grass is a semidwarf, fine-leaved variety with a dark green color and low growth habit. It is susceptible to chinch bug and webworm damage. Seville performs well in both shade and full sun; however, it is cold sensitive. Being a a semidwarf variety, Seville’s maintenance is different than that of taller-growing varieties.

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30 Truck loads of sod will be delivered to Ann Arbor, oh yea, refrigerated truck loads of sod from New Jersey.

ANN ARBOR -- Michigan Stadium will have an old-school look this weekend.

Real Madrid takes on Manchester United in Ann Arbor today as part of this year's International Champions Cup tour, it will be on a natural grass playing surface. In case you didn't know, The University of Michigan football stadium hasn't had a natural playing surface since 2002.

Bush Turf, a company that specializes in sports field contracting, is installing a grass playing surface over the current artificial turf. The company handled the recent field renovations in June at the University of Michigan soccer field, and has worked on similar projects in the past. It handled the field installation for a pair of Premiere League games at Busch Stadium. Work on the project started early Monday morning with Bush's team laying down a protective cover over the artificial surface. "It's basically like a thick landscaping fabric," Bush said.

Bush's crew of 15 to 20 men had the field completely covered in the black fabric, along with the tunnel leading to the stadium, by 2 p.m. The next step is for the group to begin installing more than 30 truckloads of sod.

"The sod is coming from a specialized turf farm from New Jersey (Tuckahoe Turf), in refrigerated trucks," Bush said. "It's higher end sod that's grown on sand. We tried to source the sod closer, but couldn't find anything that met the qualifications." There is only one tunnel to shuttle the sod onto the field, and inclement weather already has created some complications. It rained in New Jersey before the sod was loaded onto the trucks.

"It makes the entire process a lot more challenging," Bush said. "We can work in rain, but the sod is heavier, and harder to install. It just slows everything down."

Bush Turf's work won't be done once the field is installed. It will have to mow the grass down to the proper length, put patterns on it, paint and water it.

"Since there is no irrigation system it will need to be constantly watered," Bush said. "We will install a series of sprinklers, and have to keep freshening to make sure there are no dry spots."

Bush, who spent the past six weeks coordinating the project, said his team is used to working on short timelines. His primary concern with every project is making sure the installed surface meets the high standards of the athletes playing on it.  

"Soccer players want a true ball roll on the field," Bush said. "We are installing the sod in sections four feet by 100 feet long. There are seams, and we have special equipment that pushes them together. We don't want any one of those seams to make a difference in how the ball rolls or hops."

After Saturday's game, Bush Turf is also responsible for removing the field. Some of the grass will be repurposed while the rest will be recycled.