Section 625 — Turf Establishment

Description

625.01This work consists of soil preparation, watering, fertilizing, seeding, and mulching.

Material

625.02Conform to the following Subsections: Agricultural limestone 713.02 Fertilizer 713.03 Mulch 713.05 Seed 713.04 Tackifiers 713.11 Water for vegetation 725.01(b)

Construction Requirements

625.03General. Within 14 days after completion and approval of finished slopes and ditches, apply turf establishment to those portions of the site. Do not seed during windy weather or when the ground is excessively wet, frozen, snow covered, extremely dry, cloddy, hard pan, or not friable.

625.04Preparing Seedbed. Remove weeds, sticks, stones 2 inches in diameter and larger, and other debris detrimental to application, growth, or maintenance of the turf. Cultivate the seeding area to a minimum depth of 4 inches and prepare a firm, but friable seedbed before seeding. Do not cultivate aggregate -topsoil courses that were previously dry seeded according to Section 313. Minimize soil compaction of seedbed.

625.05Watering. Moisten seeding areas before seeding and maintain the moisture until turf is established or until final acceptance.

625.06Fertilizing. Apply fertilizer by the following methods:

(a)Dry method. Incorporate the fertilizer into the uppe r portion of the seedbed before seeding.

(b)Hydraulic method. Add fertilizer to the slurry and mix before adding seed. Apply the seed and fertilizer in one application.

625.07Seeding. Apply seed by the following methods:

(a)Dry method. Apply the seed with appr oved power -driven seeders, drills, or other mechanical equipment. Hand- operated seeding methods are satisfactory on areas inaccessible to mechanical equipment. (b) Hydraulic method. Use hydraulic -type equipment that can provide a uniform application using water as the carrying agent. Add a tracer material consisting of either wood or grass cellulose fiber mulch to the water. Apply the tracer material at a rate of 400 pounds per acre to provide visible evidence of uniform application. Add the seed to the water slurry no more than 30 minutes before application. Seed by hand areas inaccessible to seeding equipment.

625.08Mulching. If wood chips are used, do not import without approval. Apply mulch within 48 hours after seeding by the following methods:

(a)Dry method. Spread mulch material, except wood and grass cellulose fibers, by a mulch spreader utilizing forced air to blow the mulch material onto the seeded area. Apply straw mulch at a rate of 4000 pounds per acre. Anchor the mulch material with an approved tackifier or approved mechanical method. Do not mark or deface structures, pavements, utilities, or plant growth with tackifier.

(b)Hydraulic method. Apply mulch in a separate application from the seed using hydraulic -type equipment according to Subsection 625.07(b) . Apply wood fiber or grass straw cellulose fiber mulch at a rate of 2000 pounds per acre. Apply bonded fiber matrix hydraulic mulch at a minimum rate of 3000 pounds per acre or a s specified by the manufacturer. Apply so no hole in the matrix is greater than 0.04 inch. Apply so that no gaps exist between the matrix and the soil. Mulch by hand areas inaccessible to mulching equipment.

625.09Protecting and Caring for Seeded Areas. Protect and care for seeded areas including watering when needed. Repair or apply supplemental applications of seed, mulch, fertilizer, and water as many times as needed until vegetation is established. Vegetation is considered established when one of the following is attaine d:

(a)A uniform perennial vegetative cover with a density of 70 percent of the native background vegetative cover (percent vegetative cover before ground disturbance); or

(b)A uniform perennial vegetative cover with the density required by permits.

625.10Acceptance. Material for turf establishment will be evaluated under Subsections 106.02 and 106.03. Placing of turf establishment will be evaluated under Subsections 106.02 and 106.04.

Measurement

625.11Measure the Section 625 pay items listed in the bid schedule according to Subsection 109.02 and the following as applicable: When measuring turf establishment and supplemental applications by the acre, measure on the ground surface. When measuring water by volume or mass, measure in the hauling veh icle or by metering.

Payment

625.12The accepted quantities will be paid at the contract price per unit of measurement for the Section 625 pay items listed in the bid schedule. Payment will be full compensation for the work prescribed in this Section. See Subsection 109.05 . Progress payments will be paid as follows:

(a)75 percent of the pay item amount will be p aid after initial seeding and mulching.

(b)The remaining 25 percent of the pay item amount price will be paid after the final acceptance.