1104 W = Actual percent of weed seeds P = Purity Factor = Minimum Specified Purity Actual Purity G = Germination Factor = Minimum Specified Germination Actual Germination If such seeds are selected for use, the amount to be used shall be increased in accordance with the following formula except the amount used shall not be less than that specified. Amount to be used = Amount specified x P x G PERCENTAGES OF WEED SEED CONTENT Variety % (not more than) Alkaligrass Puccinellia distans 0.5 Alsike Clover Trifolium hybridum 0.5 Chewings Fescue Festuca rubra (var. fallax) 0.5 Creeping Red Fescue Festuca rubra spp. rubra 0.5 Illinois Bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis 0.5 Kentucky Bluegrass Poa pratensis 0.5 Ladino Clover Trifolium repens (var. latum) 0.5 Lemons Alkali Grass Puccinelli a airoides (Lemons) 0.5 Orchard Grass Dactylis glomerata 0.5 Perennial Rye Grass Lolium perenne 0.5 Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea 0.5 Red Fescue Festuca rubra 0.5 Red top Agrostis gigantea 0.75 Rye, Agricultural Secale cereale 0.5 Rye, Annual Lolium multiforum 0.5 Smooth Brome Grass Bromus inermis 0.95 Tall Fescue Festuca arundinacea 0.5 White Dutch Clover Trifolium repens 0.75 914.04 1105 PERCENTAGES OF PURITY Variety % (not less than) Alkaligrass Puccinellia distans 90 Alsike Clover Trifolium hybridum 97 Chewings Fescue Festuca rubra (var. fallax) 97 Creeping Red Fescue Festuca rubra spp. rubra 95 Illinois Bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis 98 Kentucky Bluegrass Poa pratensis 85 Ladino Clover Trifolium repens (var. latum) 98 Lemons Alkali Grass Puccinelli a airoides (Lemons) 85 Orchard Grass Dactylis glomerata 85 Perennial Rye Grass Lolium perenne 95 Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea 99 Red Fescue Festuca rubra 95 Red top Agrostis gigantea 90 Rye, Agricultural Secale cereale 99 Rye, Annual Lolium multiforum 95 Smooth Brome Grass Bromus inermis 85 Tall Fescue Festuca arundinacea 98 White Dutch Clover Trifolium repens 97 PERCENTAGES ACTUAL GERMINATION Variety % (not less than) Alkaligrass Puccinellia distans 80 Alsike Clover Trifolium hybridum 85* Chewings Fescue Festuca rubra (var. fallax) 75 Creeping Red Fescue Festuca rubra spp. rubra 80 Illinois Bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis 85 Kentucky Bluegrass Poa pratensis 80 Ladino Clover Trifolium repens (var. latum) 85* Lemons Alkali Grass Puccinelli a airoides (Lemons) 80 Orchard Grass Dactylis glomerata 80 Perennial Rye Grass Lolium perenne 90 Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea 75 Red Fescue Festuca rubra 85 Red top Agrostis gigantea 80 Rye, Agricultural Secale cereale 80 Rye, Annual Lolium multiforum 90 Smooth Brome Grass Bromus inermis 80 Tall Fescue Festuca arundinacea 85 White Dutch Clover Trifolium repens 90* * includin g not more than 25% hard seeds. 914.04 For all other seed indicated to be used but not shown in the charts above, that seed shall be placed at the indicated ra te and be 100% pure live seed.
914.05 Mulch
a.Mulch for Seeding Mulch for seeding may consist of straw, excelsior mulch, wood cellulose fiber 110 mulch, excelsior blanket, paper mat, or straw mat. All mulch shall be reasonably free from primary noxious weeds in accordance with 914.04.
1.Excelsior Mulch Excelsior mulch shall consist of wood fibers cut from sound green timber. The average length of the fibers shall be 4 in. to 6 in. The cut shall be made to provide maximum strength of fiber, but at a slight angle to the natural grain of the wood to cause splintering of the fibers when weathering to provide adherence to each other and to the soil.
2.Wood Cellulose Fiber Wood cellulose fiber mulch shall be made from wood chip particles manufactured particularly for discharging uniformly on the ground surface when disbursed by a hydraulic water sprayer. It shall remain in uniform suspension in water under agitation and blend with grass seed, and fertilizer when allowed, to form a homogeneous slurry. The mulch fibers shall intertwine physically to form a strong moisture holding mat on the ground surface. The mulch shall be heat processed to prevent germination or growth inhibiting factors. It shall be non-toxic and colored green. The percent of moisture content shall be de termined in accordan ce with 621.14(c), except material containing more than 15% wi ll be rejected. The ash content shall not exceed 1.5%. 130 One hundred grams of oven dried material saturated in water, drained, and weighed shall hold a minimum of 1,000 grams of water. 3. Excelsior Blanket Excelsior blanket shall consist of a m achine produced mat of wood excelsior with 80% of the fibers to be 6 in. or longer. The wood from which the excelsior is cut shall be properly cured to achieve curled and barbed fibers. The blanket shall have a consistent thickness, with the fibers evenly distributed over the entire area of the blanket. 140 The excelsior blanket shall be covered on the top side with a 3 by 1 in. leno weave, twisted kraft paper yarn netting having a high wet strength, or a biodegradable extruded plastic mesh netting having an approximate minimum opening of 5/8 by 5/8 in. to an approximate maximum opening of 2 in. by 1 in. The netting shall be entwined with the excelsior mat for maximum strengt h and ease of handling. The minimum roll width shall be 4 ft. The mass of the material shall be not less than 0.7 lb/sq yd, constant mass, air dry. The rolls shall be packaged with suitable protection for outdoor storage on the project site in a manner which protects them from biodegradation prior to use. 914.05 1107 4. Paper Mat 150 Paper mat shall consist of a knitted construction of photodegradable, polypropylene yarn with uniform openings interwoven with strips of biodegradable paper. The rolls shall be packaged with suitable protection for outdoor storage at a construction site in a manner which protects them from biodegradation prior to use. The mass of the paper shall be a minimum of 0.125 lb/sq yd. Roll sizes shall have a minimum width of 5 ft.
5.Straw Mat Straw mat shall consist of a machine produced mat consisting of at least 90% of the total dry mass being clean straw from ag ricultural crops, with the exception that 160 up to 30% of the total dry mass may be coconut fibers in lieu of an equal percentage of straw. Paper or paper related products shall not be allowed as component in the straw mat. The straw shall be evenly distributed throughout the mat to form a thickness of 1/2 in. ±1/8 in. The top side of the mat shall be covered with a photo- degradable/biodegradable plastic mesh which shall be substantially adhered to the straw by a knitting process using photodegrad able/biodegradable thread. The rolls shall be packaged with suitable protection for outdoor storage at a construction site in a manner which protects them from biodegradation prior to use. The average dry mass of the straw shall not be less than 0.7 lb/sq yd. The minimum roll width shall be 6 ft.
6.Compost Mulch Compost mulch shall consist of well-composted vegetable matter, leaves, yard trimmings, food scraps, composted manures, paper fiber, wood bark, class A bio-solids as defined in Title 40 of the Code of Fede ral Regulations at 40 CFR Part 503, or any combination thereof. Compost shall be produced using an aerobic composting process in accordance with 40 CFR Part 503 regulations, including time and temperature data indicating effective weed seed pathogen, and insect larvae kill. Compost shall be well decomposed, stable, and weed free. Compost sh all be refuse free by less than 1% by weight. Compost shall be free of any contaminants and materials toxic to plant growth. Inert materials shall not exceed 1% by dry weight, pH of 5.5 to 8.0. Carbon-nitrogen 180 ratio shall not exceed 100. Moisture cont ent shall not exceed 45% by dry weight. Variable particle size of the compost shall be a maximum dimension of 3 in. in length, 1/2 in. in width, and 1/2 in. in depth. Compost mulch shall not be used in storm water runoff channels or where concentrated flow is anticipated. (b) Mulch for Plants Mulch for plants shall consist of broken corncobs, wood chips, chopped bark, size No. 5 gravel, or crushed stone in accordance with 904.02(e), except 0% to 5% may pass the No. 200 (75 μm) sieve, or other approved mate rials. The particles of wood chips, chopped bark, and corncobs shall contain no more than 10% passing the 1/2 in. 190 screen and 100% shall pass the 3 in. screen. Wood chips shall be from green, hardened, deciduous trees. Broken corncobs shall be no longer than 4 in.
914.06 Leguminous Inoculants
The inoculants for treating leguminous seeds shall be standard pure culture of 914.06 1108 nitrogen fixing bacteria. They shall be no more than one year old at the time of use and shall be subject to approval. Directions of the manufacturer on containers of inoculants shall be followed when inoculating seed.
914.07 Sod 200
Sod shall consist of fibrous, well rooted, bluegrass, fescue, or other approved grass cut to a height of 2 to 3 in. Edges of sod shall be cut cleanly, either by hand or machine, to a uniform minimum thickness of 3/4 in. or more. The roots shall be exposed in the sod strip to allow the sod to be handled without undue tearing or breaking. The sod strip shall be of a uniform width of no less than 16 in. and no less than 2 ft in length. Sod shall be free from all primary noxious weeds in accordance with 914.04. Acceptance in the field before cutting shall not preclude rejection when delivered to the work if such contamination is found. Nursery sod shall meet applicable requirements as set out above and shall be a 210 variety or blend of Kentucky bluegrass or fescue. It shall comply with nursery inspections and plant quarantine regulations of the states of origin and destination as well as with Federal regulations governing in terstate movement of nursery stock. A Type C certification in accordance with 916 shall be provided for the sod.
914.08 Plant Materials
If the plant material is shown on the Schedule of Pay Items as plant, the Contractor shall submit its source of supply for each plant material for approval prior to delivery to the project site. This plant list shall include the name of the source of supply and the location where the plants were grown. A certification that the plants are available 220 at this source, that the plants were grown at the prescribed location, and that there is a firm commitment for their purchase at the time of certification shall be provided. These procedures shall be followed for approval of alternate sources when the originally approved source is unable to furnish plants at the time when needed. Plants shall be in accordance with the requ irements set out herein. Unless otherwise specified, all plant material shall be acquired from zones 4, 5, or 6. However, plant material shall be acquired from zones no further than 1/2 zone south of the zone in which the project is located. Hardiness zones shall be determined from the Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Miscellaneous Publications No. 1475, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, published by the U. S. Government Printing Office, 230 Washington, D.C. The Contractor shall have a copy of this map. If the plant material is shown on the Schedule of Pay Items as seedlings, the Contractor shall choose a source which is shown on the QPL of Seeding Sources. The QPL will specify the sources that are currently on an immediate use basis. If the source is not on the QPL, then the same procedure shall be followed as stated above for plants to obtain approval.
a.Quality of Plant Material All plants shall be first class and represen tative of the normal species or varieties, 240 true to type, and standard form. Unless otherwise specified, all plants shall be nursery 914.07 1109 grown stock that had been transplanted or rootpruned two or more times according to the kind and size of plant. The root system shall be vigorous and well developed. The branch system shall be developed normally. All plants shall be free from disfiguring knots, sun-scald, injuries, abrasions of the bark, dead or dry wood, broken terminal growth, or other objectionable disfigurements. (b) Plant Names Plants shall be true to name, foll owing standard botanical and common nomenclature as adopted by the Amer ican Joint Committe e on Horticultural 250 Nomenclature given in the current edition of Standardized Plant Names. All trees delivered shall be tagged legibly with the names and sizes of the trees. All delivered shrubs shall be tagged legibly with the name and size of the shrub when “Tag Each” is indicated on the summa ry list. Otherwise, each bundle shall be tagged. If shrubs are separated individually when delivered, 20% of each species shall be tagged. A tag with the name and size of the shrub printed thereon shall be used for each species. A 1 in. band of non-toxic paint sh all be applied to the stem of seedlings or “whips”, prior to delivery, in lieu of tags. If tags are required, they shall remain attached to shrubs for the duration of the contract. 260
c.Substitutions Substitutions of plants in size and kind shall be made only after proper execution of a change order in accordance with 109.05 and then only when sufficient evidence has been shown that the specified stock could not be secured.
d.Grading Standards Grading of plants shall be in accordance with the American Association of Nursery Horticultural Standards of the current ASNS, ANSI Z 60.1 as revised herein and on the plans. 270
e.Nursery Inspection and Plant Quarantine All plants shall be free from plant diseases and insect pests. Shipments of plants shall be in accordance with nu rsery inspection and plant quarantine regulations of the states of origin and destination as well as with Federal regulations governing interstate movement of nursery stock. A valid copy of the certification of inspection shall accompany each package, box, bale, or car load shipped or otherwise delivered.
f.Balled and Burlapped Plants Balled and burlapped plants shall be dug to retain as many fibrous roots as 280 possible and shall come from soil which forms a firm ball. The soil in the ball shall be the original and undisturbed soil in which the plant was grown and shall be free of noxious weeds and weed seeds. The plant shall be dug, wrapped, transported, and handled so the soil in the ball will not be loosened enough to cause stripping of the small and fine feeding roots or cause the soil to drop away from such roots. Any indication of manufactured earth balls or mishandling of the plant will be cause for 914.08 1110 rejection. The shape and size of the ball sha ll be as specified in the ASNS as revised herein and shown on the plans.
g.Container Grown Plants 290 Plants which are furnished in containers shall be well rooted and established in the container in which they were shipped. An established container grown plant shall be a plant transplanted into a container and grown in that container sufficiently long for the new fibrous roots to have developed so the root mass retains its shape and holds together when removed from the container.
h.Bare Rooted Plants The minimum root system of bare rooted trees or shrubs shall be in accordance with the standards stated in the ASNS. Bare rooted plants shall be dug only when the air temperature exceeds 35°F. Particular attention shall be given to the fibrous roots. 300 The maximum time lapse between loading for shipment and delivery to the work or approved storage site shall be four days unless other shipping arrangements are approved. (i) Collected Plants Collected plants, when speci fied in connection with any species or variety, shall not be nursery grown, but shall have been grown under natural conditions at the location from which they were procured. They may be balled and burlapped or bare roots as specified in the plant list on the pl ans. In either case, the collected material shall be in accordance with th e applicable requirements gi ven in the current issue of 310 ASNS for quality, size, ball, and grade.
j.Forms, Shapes, and Condition of Plants Vines and groundcover plants shall be in accordance with grades and specifications shown in the ASNS unless otherwise specified. Plants which have been cut back from larger grades to meet specifications will not be acceptable. Plants designated on the plan s as street trees, specimen, extra heavy, clump, or of other like import shall be in acco rdance with the standards as given in the ASNS for the special type specified. 320 Trees shall have straight trunks, be well branched, and have symmetrical tops. There shall be no cuts of limbs over 3/4 in. in diameter which have not completely healed over. Each tree shall have the top and root characteristics of its variety and growth that are typical of such trees in this region. Deciduous trees, unless otherwise specified, shall have branching between 1/4 and 1/2 of the distance of their height from the ground. Street trees, if so specified, shall be of uniform branching height. Bush form, when specified, shall be branching at the base of the plant or within 12 in. of the base. Clumps, when specified, shall have three or more main leaders or trunks starting at the ground. At least two of these shall be of the caliber specified. 330 914.08 1111 (k) Inspection Plant materials shall be subject to inspection at any time during the life of the contract. Such inspection shall not be construed as final acceptance of the plants involved. Any stock which is not in acco rdance with these specifications will be rejected and shall be removed from the project. Balled and burlapped plants may have the ball opened for inspection, at the option of the Department, to determine if the root system is sufficient to ensure plant growth. If after breaking open, the ball is found to be acceptable, payment for the destroyed 340 plant will be made at 50% of the c ontract price for th e plant involved. Nursery stock may be inspected at the nursery before digging or shipping and sealed with Department seals. If not insp ected and sealed at the nursery, it shall be done at a final collecting point at or adjacent to the project and prior to planting, unless otherwise specified in writing. Notification shall be made a minimum of three days in advance of delivery of unsealed plants. Large quantities of small plant material such as shrubs, seedlings, vines, and groundcovers shall be sealed in a satisfactory manner. Sealing of plants shall not be considered as final acceptance and shall not waive the responsibility to furnish, plant, and ma intain material that complies with the 350 specifications.
l.Shipment All precautions that are customary in good trade practice shall be taken to ensure the arrival of the plants in good condition. Plants shall be packed or covered in such a manner as to ensure adequate protection against damage while in transit. The roots of bare root plants shall be protected with wet straw or other suitable material to ensure the arrival at destination with the roots in a moist condition. When shipment is made in an enclosed vehicle, the vehicle shall be adequately ventilated to prevent over heating of the plants in transit. 360
m.Certification Certifications from all plant supply sources shall be furnished certifying that all plants furnished are in accordance with 914. 08. These certifications shall be submitted monthly and shall contain the information as indicated on the suggested form in ITM 804. 914.09 Miscellaneous Material
a.Water 370 Water used in the planting or care of vegetation shall be free from oil, acids, alkalis, salts, or any substance injurious to plant life. Water from streams, lakes, ponds, or similar sources shall not be used unless approved.
b.Stakes for Bracing and Anchoring Wood stakes for bracing or supporting trees shall be of rough cypress, cedar, locust, oak, or other approved wood free from knots, rot, cross grain, or other defects 914.09 1112 that would impair the strength of the stake for which it is to be used. Wood stakes shall be a minimum of 2 in. by 2 in. square in cross-section and of adequate length. The wood bracing stakes shall be painted or stained dark green. Delineator posts in 380 accordance with 910.15 may be used except they shall be painted dark green. An alternate staking and bracing method using a solid rubber support cord with metal hooks and stakes, and plastic stake disk system, may be used.
c.Tree Wound Dressing Dressing for treating tree wounds or cuts shall be either: 1. an approved black asphaltum base antiseptic paint;
2.an approved black paint consisting of Bordeaux Mixture, raw linseed oil, and lampblack; or
3.an approved black paint consisting of zinc oxide, raw linseed oil, and lampblack.
d.Porous Material Porous material for tree root protection may be gravel, crushed stone, slag, or other porous material varying in size from 1 to 3 in. and will be subject to approval prior to use. 400
e.Pipe Pipe for underdrains shall be in accordance with 907 or 908. The size and type shall be as specified. (f) Staples Wire staples shall be made from No. 11 gauge (3 mm) or heavier wire, 1 or 2 in. wide at the throat and 6 in. from top to bottom after bending. Biodegradable staples shall be in accordance with ASTM D6400 and be 4 in. or longer with a head suitable for securing the fabric in place. The staples shall be packaged in cartons. 410
g.Plastic Net Plastic net shall consist of photodegradable, longchain synthetic polymer plastic yarn, either extruded oriented or woven into a net with the yarns fixed at each intersection such that they retain their relative positions with respect to each other. The plastic net shall have a square mesh opening of approximately 3/4 in. by 3/4 in. The plastic net shall have a minimum tensile strength of 20 lb over a 3 in. width in the machine direction and 15 lb over a 3 in. width in the transverse direction. The plastic net shall have a nominal mass of 2.8 ±0.4 lb per 1,000 sq ft. The plastic net shall be furnished in rolls which can be easily handled. The rolls shall be packaged suitably for 420 outdoor storage and protection against degradation prior to use. Roll sizes shall have a minimum width of 6 ft. 914.09 1113 A Type C certification in accordance with 916 shall be provided for the plastic net.
h.Filter Sock Filter socks for sediment control applications shall use a continuous tubular knitted mesh netting with 3/8 in. openings and constructed of 500 denier polypropylene. They shall be set in place using hardwood stakes of 1 by 2 in. or stakes 430 of equivalent strength. Where using socks with compost soil bark mixture as a filler, the Contractor shall use a continuous knitted mesh netting with 3/8 in. openings and constructed of 5 mil thickness of photodegradable HDPE. Filler particle size shall not be greater th an 3 by 1/2 by 1/2 in. and shall be capable of staying within the sock.
Source: Indiana Standard Specifications, 2024 Edition. Pages 1109–1119 of 1,248.