You look forward to getting out of town to relax on your summer vacation, but it’s important not to neglect your lawn’s health while you’re away. With a little planning and preparation, you can ensure your Arizona and California lawn stays vibrant and healthy even during your absence.

1. Mowing and Trimming: Before leaving for your vacation, make sure to mow your lawn to an appropriate height. Cutting it slightly shorter than usual will help maintain its appearance for a longer period. Trim the edges to give your lawn a neat and well-maintained look.
2. Watering: Proper watering is crucial for the health of your lawn. If you’re going away for a short trip (up to a week), deep watering just before leaving should be sufficient. However, for longer vacations, consider these options:

a. Automatic Sprinkler System: Install an automatic sprinkler system or set up timers to ensure your lawn receives adequate water. Adjust the settings based on your lawn’s needs and local watering regulations.

b. Seek Help from a Neighbor or Friend: Request a trusted neighbor or friend to water your lawn while you’re away. Provide them with clear instructions on when and how much to water and show them how to operate your irrigation system if necessary.

c. Slow-Release Watering Methods: Consider using slow-release watering methods, such as drip irrigation or soaker hoses, which gradually provide water to your lawn over an extended period. These methods can minimize water wastage and keep your lawn hydrated.

3. Weed Control: Weeds can quickly invade your lawn and compete with grass for nutrients and sunlight. Prior to your vacation, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weed growth. Alternatively, hire a professional lawn care service to manage weed control in your absence.
4. Fertilization: Proper fertilization promotes healthy grass growth and resilience. Apply a slow-release fertilizer a few days before your departure to ensure your lawn receives essential nutrients throughout your vacation. This will help maintain its health and vigor.
5. Arrange for Lawn Care Services: Consider hiring professional lawn care services to take care of your lawn while you’re away. They can handle tasks such as mowing, watering, fertilizing, and weed control. Discuss your requirements and schedule with the service provider to ensure your lawn receives the necessary attention.
6. Mulch Beds and Landscaping: If you have mulch beds or other landscaping features, ensure they are well-maintained before leaving. Mulching helps retain moisture and suppress weed growth, so replenish mulch layers if necessary. Trim any overhanging branches that could potentially shade or damage your lawn.
7. Secure Outdoor Items: Before leaving, secure any outdoor furniture, toys, or equipment that may obstruct or damage your lawn during strong winds or storms. Store them safely or anchor them down to prevent them from causing damage.

By following these tips and making suitable arrangements, you can maintain a healthy lawn even while you’re on vacation. Planning ahead and enlisting the help of professionals or trusted neighbors will ensure that your lawn stays vibrant, weed-free, and well-hydrated during your time away. Return from your vacation to a lush, beautiful lawn that enhances the overall appeal of your home.

After more than three decades of supplying natural grass to sports facilities, landscapers, golf courses, cities, parks, and homeowners, West Coast Turf has become the Official Sod Supplier of the Rose Bowl Stadium.

“Our first job at the Rose Bowl was providing some sod for Super Bowl XVII over 30 years ago,” said West Coast Turf’s marketing director, Danielle Scardino. “After establishing a relationship and trust with the outcome of that job, we haven’t looked back. Our company has been involved in every Rose Bowl Game® and has provided almost every field at the stadium since. We’ve worked closely with the Turf Superintendent to ensure they are getting exactly what they want and expect on the field—they are very ‘hands on.’ The result has been pretty much perfection.”

The Rose Bowl Stadium is sodded with grass grown in the Coachella Valley near West Coast Turf’s Palm Desert, CA, headquarters.

“The Rose Bowl field is an iconic American sports field, and one of the greatest sports venues in the world. We are honored to become official partners,” said Scardino.

About West Coast Turf

West Coast Turf is a full-service sod company providing natural grass, field resurfacing, stolonization and hydroseeding services. Their main office is in Palm Desert, CA, and have additional offices in Scottsdale, AZ; Livingston, CA; Patterson, CA; Winchester, CA; and San Marcos, CA. West Coast Turf grows more than 30 varieties of grass and is the West’s largest grower of drought tolerant warm season turfgrasses.

Other clients include:

• Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland A’s, and San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball.
• San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League.
• The National Football League for nine Super Bowls.
• The San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy, Austin FC, LAFC and Phoenix Rising FC soccer clubs.
• The Los Angeles Coliseum, Stanford Stadium and Sun Devil Stadium college football fields.

For more information about West Coast Turf, visit www.westcoastturf.com.

To join social media conversation, visit West Coast Turf on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @WestCoastTurf.

About the Rose Bowl Stadium

The Rose Bowl Stadium is a National Historic Landmark built in 1922 and known around the world. The Rose Bowl has earned its world-class reputation by hosting five NFL Super Bowl games, the 1984 Olympic Soccer matches, the 1994 Men’s World Cup, the 1999 Women’s World Cup, four BCS National College Football Championship Games and the College Football Playoff Semifinal Game.

The Rose Bowl is the proud home of the annual Rose Bowl Game®, UCLA Bruins Football, world-class concerts, International and Premier League soccer matches, music festivals, community events, AmericaFest 4th of July Celebration, and the World’s Largest Flea Market.

WEST COAST TURF LAUNCHES “READY PLAY GRASS®”

West Coast Turf’s Sod Grown on Plastic is Available for Instant Use

Palm Desert, CA……West Coast Turf is introducing their new line of Ready Play Grass® natural grass sod grown on plastic for instant use.

“We have been growing sod on plastic for several years,” said West Coast Turf’s Arizona operations general manager, Jay Danek.  “We are confident in the product we’ve developed over that time and wanted to bring Ready Play Grass to a bigger market.  There is a need for a grass surface that can be used right away.”    

“The reason its grown on plastic is for the strength of the plant itself,” Danek explains. “Similar to when you buy a plant at a nursery where the roots are bound in a ball since they can’t go through the plastic. It makes the strength of the sod three to four times of what a normal sod field is by becoming root-bound. The intertwining roots develop a tight mat of rhizomes to firm up the surface, giving it a sturdy base of strength. It weighs about 18 pounds per square foot and can be grown up to 2 inches thick.  After the sod is put down, it is not going anywhere.  You can play on it instantly. Because we don’t cut the roots, there is no shock factor to the grass and it is able to start rooting immediately—although it doesn’t have to be rooted for use.”

“We start off with a sod product that has been through its growing cycle of anywhere from 8 to 12 months, and then another 6 to 15 months growing on the plastic. We grow it with sod strength and weight in mind so there is no movement. Our proprietary harvest technique allows for sharp and tight seams so the rolls mesh together perfectly,” Danek said.

Ready Play Grass is ideal for sports fields, golf course tees and driving ranges, and on top of artificial turf fields when a temporary natural grass field is required. 

About West Coast Turf

West Coast Turf is a full-service sod company providing natural grass, field resurfacing, stolonization and hydroseeding services. Their main office is in Palm Desert, CA, and have additional offices in Scottsdale, AZ; Livingston, CA; Patterson, CA; Winchester, CA; and San Marcos, CA. West Coast Turf grows more than 30 varieties of grass, and is the West’s largest grower of drought tolerant warm season turfgrasses. 

Clients include: 

• Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland A’s, and San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball.
• San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. 
• The National Football League for nine Super Bowls.
• The San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy, LAFC and Phoenix Rising FC soccer clubs.
• The Los Angeles Coliseum, Stanford Stadium and Sun Devil Stadium college football fields.
• The Riviera, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Torrey Pines, Valley Club of Montecito, Quarry at La Quinta, Vintage Club, Lahontan, The Estancia Club, TPC Scottsdale, and The Summit Club golf clubs.

For more information about West Coast Turf, visit www.westcoastturf.com. 

To join social media conversation, visit West Coast Turf on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @WestCoastTurf. 

With summer just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about getting your grass ready for the hot, dry desert weather. Bermudagrass and paspalum are popular choices for homeowners in these desert regions because of their ability to tolerate the extreme heat and drought conditions. Due to those extreme conditions, your grass needs proper care and attention to thrive during the summer season (which lasts a lot longer here than most places!).

Here are some tips to help you get you summer-ready:

1. Watering: As the temperatures rise, your sod will require more water to stay healthy. However, it’s important to avoid over-watering, which can lead to root rot and other issues. A good rule of thumb is to water deeply once or twice a week, depending on the weather conditions.

2. Fertilizing: Fertilizing your desert grass during the summer months can help it stay healthy and green. However, it’s important to use a fertilizer that is specifically formulated for desert grasses. This type of fertilizer is designed to provide the nutrients your grass needs to thrive in the hot and dry conditions of the desert.

3. Mowing: During the summer months, you should raise the blade on your lawnmower to a higher setting to help your desert grass retain moisture. It’s also important to avoid cutting your grass too short, as this can stress the plant and make it more susceptible to disease and pests.

4. Weeding: Weeds can compete with your desert grass for water and nutrients, so it’s important to keep your lawn weed-free. You can use a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weeds from germinating, or you can manually pull them out as soon as you spot them.

5. Aeration: Aeration can help improve the health of your desert grass by allowing air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the soil. You can use a garden fork or a lawn aerator to create small holes in the soil, which will help improve drainage and promote root growth.

6. Pest control: During the summer months, your desert grass may be susceptible to pests such as aphids, mites, and grasshoppers. You can use natural pest control methods such as neem oil or insecticidal soap to keep these pests at bay.

Getting your desert grass summer ready requires proper care and attention. By following these tips, you can help your grass stay healthy and green during the hot and dry summer months. With a little bit of effort, you can enjoy a beautiful and lush lawn all season long! For more information visit our website: https://www.westcoastturf.com/

The excitement surrounding the Super Bowl each year centers around the two teams playing each other. We know where the game is being played, but not always what exactly they’re playing on. West Coast Turf is honored to provide the turf for our 9^th time, this year at Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The turf the teams play on is just as important to the game as whether the kicker gets the ball between the uprights and over the crossbar or biffs it and it goes wide right. Why? Let us tell you the part turf plays. 

Imagine Travis Kelce sliding past the defense into touchdown range. But his foot doesn’t get a good enough grip, there’s loose dirt and not healthy, lush grass. He loses his balance, doesn’t get the touchdown. Or worse, he twists his ankle and is out for the rest of the game. This is when you realize how crucial a roll the right turf plays in the Big Game. 

When the Super Bowl is played on natural grass, the NFL replaces the field. The practice started after Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl (Cowboys 52, Bills 17 — the Leon Lett game). Pasadena had been soaked with 16 inches of rain that January — nearly four times the average — and even with tarping, the NFL had to patch ruined pieces of the field. After that, the NFL started replacing the turf with sod grown especially for the game. That leaves just four or five weeks to tear out the old turf and install the new turf. There’s no grow-in time and it has to be ready to go. West Coast Turf holds the distinction of being unrivaled when it comes to growing Super Bowl quality grass. 

A football field takes up about an acre and a third of grass, or about 58,000 square feet. Including extra turf for sideline areas, and a little set aside for patches on game day, West Coast Turf harvested 75,000 square feet for the Super Bowl V field at Levi’s Stadium. On moving day, workers cut it into 40-by-3 1/2-foot strips. They rolled up each strip and ended up with 536 rolls, each one weighing 2,500 pounds. They loaded those onto 24 trucks and took them to Levi’s. The turf was off the ground for about four hours before being installed at the stadium. Special machines cut it and roll it up and lay it back down, meshing the pieces together.

So when you’re watching the big game on Sunday, if you don’t notice the turf that means we’ve done our job and all is working as it’s supposed to. Whether you’re rooting for the Eagles or the Chiefs, let’s all root for the turf. Visit our website for more information: https://www.westcoastturf.com/ 

Friday, October 28, 2022 was the Official 100^th Birthday of the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. At West Coast Turf, we are proud to provide them with their sod and we join them in celebrating one hundred years of being one of the most famous and beloved venues in sporting history. 

Some fast facts: The Rose Bowl has a seating capacity of 92,542, making it the 16^th largest stadium in the world, and the 11^th largest in the United States. Best known as a football stadium, it’s been home to the UCLA Bruins football team since 1982 and has hosted 5 Super Bowl games (3^rd most of any stadium). It’s also a notable soccer venue, as well as a concert venue for many of the most iconic and famous musicians – Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, U2, and Journey all played there, as well as Lilith Fair festival. 

The Rose Bowl was designated a National Historic Landmark and a California Historic Civil Engineering landmark in 1922. Since 1993, West Coast Turf has been the proud providers of their turf that so many sports and teams have played on. We know that the grass you play on is one important aspect of what makes a stadium so popular, and we are honored to provide their Bermuda sod for them year after year.

To see our full client list, click on the About Us section. 

As we move into November it’s a safe assumption that if you were going to overseed you have done it by now or plan to in the next week or two. There is still time to get a winter lawn in if you would like, but its also beneficial to let your lawn go dormant for the winter. With so many new paint and dye options it makes the decision a little easier for homeowners to let their lawn go dormant and still have a green winter lawn. Today I want to talk about the next step in the overseeding process and also what to do if you decided to forgo overseeding this year. 

Overseeded Turf

Fertilizer

Overseeded turf really benefits from front loading fertilizer during the grow in stage. You should have applied a starter fertilizer with your seed and if the lawn is 3-4 weeks along now you can give it another boost before the cooler temperatures arrive. Once you have mowed your ryegrass for the first time and feel like you have a good stand of grass, I recommend making that second application of fertilizer. While there are hundreds of choices on the market for fertilizers to use, I’m choosing to keep things simple so you’re not running all over trying to find different products. 

Calcium Nitrate (15.5-0-0 on the bag) – Calcium nitrate is a great way to give your new ryegrass a kick start and help the tillering process. This can be applied up to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 SF. Remember the first number on the bag is the percentage of nitrogen in the bag. Therefore, this bag is 15.5% nitrogen. To apply one pound of nitrogen you need to divide .155/1 = 6.45 pounds of product equals one pound of nitrogen. 

Ferrous Sulfate – Ferrous sulfate can help get your grass a deep green color and keep it that way when the temperatures cool off in late November. This is a water-soluble product that can be mixed in a hand sprayer with a ½ pound of product and 3-4 gallons of water. Spray this mixture over 1000 SF but keep it off walkways, concrete, paver, and anything you don’t want to get an iron stain on. I recommend having someone help you apply the product. You can have one person apply the product and another use a small piece of plywood of cardboard to block pavers, etc. I would wait until he ryegrass has been in at least four weeks before applying it. This can be applied every 14 days throughout the winter for strong color.

Balanced fertilizer – A couple other products that are readily available and will help your early season ryegrass are 15-15-15 or 21-7-14. I have seen both products at nurseries and the box stores. 

The key is to get your ryegrass in good shape and strong before we get our first frost. This is typically around Thanksgiving but areas outside of town will get it sooner. Once we get a couple hard freezes the granular fertilizers provide less benefit to the grass and foliar fertilizers should be utilized. This is normally the case from December to February. 

Watering 

Once the ryegrass is established you can really cut back the water. Keep an eye on the soil moisture and the general look of the ryegrass. You will find you can go several days without water during the winter and the ryegrass won’t be affected. When you do water make sure its deep and you can easily push a screwdriver in the ground 6” after application. The easiest way to tell if your lawn needs a drink is the blueish grey tint on the plant or if you walk on it and the grass doesn’t bounce back up quickly. Never set your water to run daily, it does nothing for the grass except injure the root system and wastes water. Keep an eye on the forecast and shut off the system if rain is expected. We all need to do our parts to save water and getting a smart irrigation clock or monitoring for moisture will make a tremendous difference.

Non overseeded Turf

This is a great option for those that want to save water and maintenance time during the winter. Not only will your lawn be happy it got a rest, you wallet will also be happy. I recommend forgoing overseed every few years to give your lawn a break and have a full growing season. 

If you still want to have a green winter lawn look at turf paints or dyes that are readily available online and through some distributors. Each product will have a different rate for application so read the label carefully and cover up any areas you don’t want to get paint on. Most of the paints are organic and safe for kids, pets, and to play on. If you have concern about a particular product, I recommend reading through their literature to find the right one for your family.

Since your lawn is not actively growing it does gives weeds a chance to come in and cause some issues. Its best to apply a pre-emergent such as Prodiamine on the entire lawn and this will give you 90+ days of control. This cannot be applied if you are still planning on overseeding this year. It MUST be done 6-8 weeks before seeding or you will not get the seed to emerge well. 

Watering 

There isn’t a particular watering schedule that must be maintained during the winter except to keep some moisture in the ground every 2-3 weeks. I leave my irrigation clock off all winter and hope there is some timely rain every few weeks. If we don’t get any rain, I will give my lawn a good drink and start the process over again. This can be done until March when the gras sis starting to green up again and the temperatures is rising. 

Fertilizer 

You don’t need to apply any fertilizer during the winter, let the lawn rest and bring it back in March. Its okay to apply some nitrogen into November to maintain some color and a little growth but the plant will shut down once it gets too cold and the fertilizer will not benefit the plant.

If you have any questions let me know. 

-Jay

Temperatures are still warm in Southern California and Arizona, but fall is fast approaching. It’s time to start planning for how to prepare your lawn for the new season. Once temperatures do cool down, it’s the perfect time for grass to recover and prepare itself for winter. Here are our tips for overseeding your grass for fall:

First things first, when to start overseeding. According to our experts, the ideal time for overseeding is when nighttime temperatures get down lower, like in the 60s. Typically, this happens in October. 

Next, knowing how low you should scalp your grass prior to overseeding. The height of your grass isn’t the important issue as much as opening the turf canopy. If you mow the grass shorter, the turf canopy will be tighter, which will result in the need to verticut more aggressively. The standard recommendation is to not cut the grass lower than half an inch. If you scalp the sod too low, you will cause long-term problems to the grass.

Many people ask if it’s ok to use annual ryegrass, rather than perennial ryegrass. Annual ryegrass has a much lower cost than perennial ryegrass but it’s not ideal for a winter overseed. If you use annual ryegrass, you will get a thinner grass blade and a slightly chlorotic look compared to perennial ryegrass. It also grows much taller (and faster) than perennial ryegrass which results in more frequent mowing. This isn’t where to cut costs! Stick to perennial ryegrass for optimal winter overseeding.

Choosing the right seed is important. It’s tempting to go with the cheapest option, but it’s a bad idea. Seed can contain a variety of weed seeds, off types, and poor germination rates, so you need to be careful. We recommend a perennial ryegrass with zero percent weed seed, 90% or more germination, and very little inert matter.  

Sprinkler systems vary, so some generic advice is that the important thing is to keep the seed wet. This usually consists of 3-4 cycles for around 5-10 minutes per cycle. The water doesn’t need to puddle or saturate the ground, simply keep the seed wet. Watch your sprinklers and run the first couple cycles to check coverage and to keep it from puddling.

In Arizona, you can buy the same seed we use on the farm. We sell the same seed we overseed our fields with at our farm in Scottsdale and you can call our office at (888) 893-8873 to order.Currently in Arizona, overseeded sod will be available on October 12th and California overseeded sod will be ready October 26th.

If you have any questions about anything sod related, click the “Ask Jay” button at the top right.

Happy overseeding!

-Jay

Photo credit: Ballparks of Baseball

When you’re watching the 2022 MLB All-Star game on Tuesday, July 19, you’ll also be watching West Coast Turf in action. How is that? Well, for the 4^th time, West Coast Turf will be the surface for the All-Star game (held this year at Dodger Stadium). 

Our Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass is currently at not only Dodger Stadium, but also Angel Stadium, and Dignity Health Sports Park, the home of the L.A. Galaxy and UC San Diego’s Triton Soccer Field. This particular turf is the grass of choice for sports fields. There are a lot of reasons for this, one being its low water use. It’s also resistant to winterkill, has characteristics of improved tolerance to wear, salt, and to short mowing heights. Importantly for Southern California, this grass is averse to drought. Its low vertical growth makes it the ideal choice for sports turf, golf courses, and landscape applications. It’s also the perfect choice for home lawns as well, since it’s the most drought-tolerant variety we’ve seen. You can have this exact same grass for your home field! 

Tahoma 31 bermudagrass is a variety of grass that was developed by leading turf scientists at Oklahoma State University. It derives its name from the Native American word, Tahoma, which means “frozen in water”. In addition to the above-mentioned, Tahoma 31 is also used as the turf for Pepperdine Soccer, El Caballero Country Club, Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, Pro Bowl Practice Field 2022, Churchill Downs “Matt Winn Turf Course.” Visit westcoastturf.com for more information.

Tahoma 31 Bermuda (westcoastturf.com)

We often talk about sod on a large scale, from athletic fields and golf courses to housing developments and private homes. But our sod has many more uses, as you’ll see.

Events

One place sod can be very useful is at events. You can lay down temporary sod for an outdoor area you’d like to soften up and give a more natural look. It looks great as decorative pieces, as well. We recently served a wedding where sod was used as a tabletop, as well as side accents.

Compost 

One popular and helpful way to use sod is by creating a sod composting pile. When you take out sod to create a hard path or walkway, you will have extra and wonder how to dispose of it. The answer is not to dispose of it at all, put it to use! While the sod is still fresh, find a corner of your yard and lay down a piece of sod grass. Stack face down pieces of sod on top of that, wetting each piece before adding another. Once your composting sod pile is as high as you’d like it to be (not to exceed 6 ft), cover the it  in thick black plastic. Weigh the edges down against the ground with stones or cinder blocks, making sure not to let any light to get in. Let your composting sod pile sit until the following spring and uncover it. Inside, you will find rich compost ready for use!

Gardening

Another great use for sod is creating the base for a garden or flower bed. Follow these steps to starting your new garden base! Pile the sod, grass down, in your new garden space until it reaches the desired height. Then cover it with 2–3 inches of topsoil. Finally, add 3–4 inches of mulch. This is a great way to use old sod to increase garden height for better drainage, or even build a tall, raised bed if desired. The sod slowly decomposes into rich soil which will eventually feed the plants in your garden.

Those are just a few small-scale uses of sod. Talk to us about your sod projects – large and small – and see what we can do for you! For more information, visit our website westcoastturf.com