# PART X -- TURFING

### **ITEM T‑901  SEEDING**

DESCRIPTION

**901‑1.1**   This item shall consist of soil preparation, seeding **\[
\]** the areas shown on the plans or as directed by the Engineer in
accordance with these specifications.

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> **The Engineer shall specify fertilizing or liming or both as needed
> for a specific project.**

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MATERIALS

**901-2.1 SEED**  The species and application rates of grass, legume,
and cover‑crop seed furnished shall be those stipulated herein.  Seed
shall conform to the requirements of Fed. Spec. A‑A‑2671.

Seed shall be furnished separately or in mixtures in standard containers
with the seed name, lot number, net weight, percentages of purity and of
germination and hard seed, and percentage of maximum weed seed content
clearly marked for each kind of seed.  The Contractor shall furnish the
Engineer duplicate signed copies of a statement by the vendor certifying
that each lot of seed has been tested by a recognized laboratory for
seed testing within 6 months of date of delivery.  This statement shall
include:  name and address of laboratory, date of test, lot number for
each kind of seed, and the results of tests as to name, percentages of
purity and of germination, and percentage of weed content for each kind
of seed furnished, and, in case of a mixture, the proportions of each
kind of seed.

Seeds shall be applied as follows:

Seed Minimum Seed Minimum Germination Rate of Application

Purity (Percent) (Percent) lb./acre (or lb./1,000 S.F.)

Seeding shall be performed during the period between **\[ \]** and **\[
\]** inclusive, unless otherwise approved by the Engineer.

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> **Seeding dates, species and seeding rates must be specified that are
> compatible with local climate and soil conditions.  Due consideration
> must be given to longevity of plants, resistance to traffic and
> erosion, and attraction of birds or large animals.  More than one
> seeding season may be specified, if appropriate.  Local offices of the
> USDA Soil Conservation Service and the State University Agricultural
> Extension Service (County Agent or equivalent) shall be consulted for
> assistance and recommendations.  These agencies shall also be
> consulted for liming and fertilizer recommendations.**

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**901-2.2 LIME.**  Lime shall be ground limestone containing not less
than 85% of total carbonates, and shall be ground to such fineness that
90% will pass through a No. 20 mesh sieve and 50% will pass through a
No. 100 mesh sieve.  Coarser material will be acceptable, providing the
rates of application are increased to provide not less than the minimum
quantities and depth specified in the special provisions on the basis of
the two sieve requirements above.  Dolomitic lime or a high magnesium
lime shall contain at least 10% of magnesium oxide.  Lime shall be
applied at the rate of **\[ \]**.  All liming materials shall conform to
the requirements of ASTM C 602.

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> **The Engineer shall specify the application rate in pounds per
> acre.**

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**901-2.3 FERTILIZER**.  Fertilizer shall be standard commercial
fertilizers supplied separately or in mixtures containing the
percentages of total nitrogen, available phosphoric acid, and
water‑soluble potash.  They shall be applied at the rate and to the
depth specified herein, and shall meet the requirements of Fed. Spec.
A‑A‑1909 and applicable state laws.  They shall be furnished in standard
containers with name, weight, and guaranteed analysis of contents
clearly marked thereon.  No cyanamide compounds or hydrated lime shall
be permitted in mixed fertilizers.

The fertilizers may be supplied in one of the following forms:

**a.**  A dry, free‑flowing fertilizer suitable for application by a
common fertilizer spreader;

**b.**  A finely‑ground fertilizer soluble in water, suitable for
application by power sprayers; or

**c.**  A granular or pellet form suitable for application by blower
equipment.

Fertilizers shall be **\[ \]** commercial fertilizer and shall be spread
at the rate of **\[ \]**.

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> **The Engineer shall specify the analysis and the application rate in
> pounds per acre.  Paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 shall be deleted if not
> applicable.**

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**901-2.4 SOIL FOR REPAIRS.**  The soil for fill and topsoiling of areas
to be repaired shall be at least of equal quality to that which exists
in areas adjacent to the area to be repaired.  The soil shall be
relatively free from large stones, roots, stumps, or other materials
that will interfere with subsequent sowing of seed, compacting, and
establishing turf, and shall be approved by the Engineer before being
placed.

CONSTRUCTION METHODS

**901‑3.1  ADVANCE PREPARATION AND CLEANUP.**  After grading of areas
has been completed and before applying fertilizer and ground limestone,
areas to be seeded shall be raked or otherwise cleared of stones larger
than 2 inches (50 mm) in any diameter, sticks, stumps, and other debris
that might interfere with sowing of seed, growth of grasses, or
subsequent maintenance of grass‑covered areas.  If any damage by erosion
or other causes has occurred after the completion of grading and before
beginning the application of fertilizer and ground limestone, the
Contractor shall repair such damage.  This may include filling gullies,
smoothing irregularities, and repairing other incidental damage.

An area to be seeded shall be considered a satisfactory seedbed without
additional treatment if it has recently been thoroughly loosened and
worked to a depth of not less than 5 inches (125 mm) as a result of
grading operations and, if immediately prior to seeding, the top 3
inches (75 mm) of soil is loose, friable, reasonably free from large
clods, rocks, large roots, or other undesirable matter, and if shaped to
the required grade.

However, when the area to be seeded is sparsely sodded, weedy, barren
and unworked, or packed and hard, any grass and weeds shall first be cut
or otherwise satisfactorily disposed of, and the soil then scarified or
otherwise loosened to a depth not less than 5 inches (125 mm).  Clods
shall be broken and the top 3 inches (75 mm) of soil shall be worked
into a satisfactory seedbed by discing, or by use of cultipackers,
rollers, drags, harrows, or other appropriate means.

**901-3.2 DRY APPLICATION METHOD.**

**a.  Liming.**  Lime shall be applied separately and prior to the
application of any fertilizer or seed and only on seedbeds that have
previously been prepared as described above.  The lime shall then be
worked into the top 3 inches (75 mm) of soil after which the seedbed
shall again be properly graded and dressed to a smooth finish.

**b. Fertilizing.**  Following advance preparations and cleanup
fertilizer shall be uniformly spread at the rate that will provide not
less than the minimum quantity stated in paragraph 901‑2.3.

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> **Delete paragraphs a. and b. if not applicable.**

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**c. Seeding.**  Grass seed shall be sown at the rate specified in
paragraph 901‑2.1 immediately after fertilizing, and the fertilizer and
seed shall be raked within the depth range stated in the special
provisions.  Seeds of legumes, either alone or in mixtures, shall be
inoculated before mixing or sowing, in accordance with the instructions
of the manufacturer of the inoculant.  When seeding is required at other
than the seasons shown on the plans or in the special provisions, a
cover crop shall be sown by the same methods required for grass and
legume seeding.

**d. Rolling.**  After the seed has been properly covered, the seedbed
shall be immediately compacted by means of an approved lawnroller,
weighing 40 to 65 pounds per foot (60 to 97 kg per meter) of width for
clay soil (or any soil having a tendency to pack), and weighing 150 to
200 pounds per foot (223 to 298 kg per meter) of width for sandy or
light soils.

**901-3.3 WET APPLICATION METHOD.**

**a. General.**  The Contractor may elect to apply seed and fertilizer
(and lime, if required) by spraying them on the previously prepared
seedbed in the form of an aqueous mixture and by using the methods and
equipment described herein.  The rates of application shall be as
specified in the special provisions.

**b. Spraying Equipment.**  The spraying equipment shall have a
container or water tank equipped with a liquid level gauge calibrated to
read in increments not larger than 50 gallons (190 liters) over the
entire range of the tank capacity, mounted so as to be visible to the
nozzle operator.  The container or tank shall also be equipped with a
mechanical power‑driven agitator capable of keeping all the solids in
the mixture in complete suspension at all times until used.

The unit shall also be equipped with a pressure pump capable of
delivering 100 gallons (380 liters) per minute at a pressure of 100
pounds per square inch (690 kPa).  The pump shall be mounted in a line
that will recirculate the mixture through the tank whenever it is not
being sprayed from the nozzle.  All pump passages and pipe lines shall
be capable of providing clearance for 5/8 inch (15 mm) solids.  The
power unit for the pump and agitator shall have controls mounted so as
to be accessible to the nozzle operator.  There shall be an indicating
pressure gauge connected and mounted immediately at the back of the
nozzle.

The nozzle pipe shall be mounted on an elevated supporting stand in such
a manner that it can be rotated through 360 degrees horizontally and
inclined vertically from at least 20 degrees below to at least 60
degrees above the horizontal.  There shall be a quick‑acting, three‑way
control valve connecting the recirculating line to the nozzle pipe and
mounted so that the nozzle operator can control and regulate the amount
of flow of mixture delivered to the nozzle.  At least three different
types of nozzles shall be supplied so that mixtures may be properly
sprayed over distance varying from 20 to 100 feet (6 to 30 m).  One
shall be a close‑range ribbon nozzle, one a medium‑range ribbon nozzle,
and one a long‑range jet nozzle.  For case of removal and cleaning, all
nozzles shall be connected to the nozzle pipe by means of quick‑release
couplings.

In order to reach areas inaccessible to the regular equipment, an
extension hose at least 50 feet (15 m) in length shall be provided to
which the nozzles may be connected.

**c. Mixtures.**  Lime, if required, shall be applied separately, in the
quantity specified, prior to the fertilizing and seeding operations. 
Not more than 220 pounds (100 kg) of lime shall be added to and mixed
with each 100 gallons (380 liters) of water.  Seed and fertilizer shall
be mixed together in the relative proportions specified, but not more
than a total of 220 pounds (100 kg) of these combined solids shall be
added to and mixed with each 100 gallons (380 liters) of water.

All water used shall be obtained from fresh water sources and shall be
free from injurious chemicals and other toxic substances harmful to
plant life.  Brackish water shall not be used at any time.  The
Contractor shall identify to the Engineer all sources of water at least
2 weeks prior to use.  The Engineer may take samples of the water at the
source or from the tank at any time and have a laboratory test the
samples for chemical and saline content.  The Contractor shall not use
any water from any source that is disapproved by the Engineer following
such tests.

All mixtures shall be constantly agitated from the time they are mixed
until they are finally applied to the seedbed.  All such mixtures shall
be used within 2 hours from the time they were mixed or they shall be
wasted and disposed of at locations acceptable to the Engineer.

**d. Spraying.**  Lime, if required, shall be sprayed only upon
previously prepared seedbeds.  After the applied lime mixture has dried,
the lime shall be worked into the top 3 inches (8 cm), after which the
seedbed shall again be properly graded and dressed to a smooth finish.

Mixtures of seed and fertilizer shall only be sprayed upon previously
prepared seedbeds on which the lime, if required, shall already have
been worked in.  The mixtures shall be applied by means of a
high‑pressure spray that shall always be directed upward into the air so
that the mixtures will fall to the ground like rain in a uniform spray. 
Nozzles or sprays shall never be directed toward the ground in such a
manner as might produce erosion or runoff.

Particular care shall be exercised to insure that the application is
made uniformly and at the prescribed rate and to guard against misses
and overlapped areas.  Proper predetermined quantities of the mixture in
accordance with specifications shall be used to cover specified sections
of known area.  Checks on the rate and uniformity of application may be
made by observing the degree of wetting of the ground or by distributing
test sheets of paper or pans over the area at intervals and observing
the quantity of material deposited thereon.

On surfaces that are to be mulched as indicated by the plans or
designated by the Engineer, seed and fertilizer applied by the spray
method need not be raked into the soil or rolled.  However, on surfaces
on which mulch is not to be used, the raking and rolling operations will
be required after the soil has dried.

**901-3.4 MAINTENANCE OF SEEDED AREAS.**  The Contractor shall protect
seeded areas against traffic or other use by warning signs or
barricades, as approved by the Engineer.  Surfaces gullied or otherwise
damaged following seeding shall be repaired by regrading and reseeding
as directed.  The Contractor shall mow, water as directed, and otherwise
maintain seeded areas in a satisfactory condition until final inspection
and acceptance of the work.

When either the dry or wet application method outlined above is used for
work done out of season, it will be required that the Contractor
establish a good stand of grass of uniform color and density to the
satisfaction of the Engineer.  A grass stand shall be considered
adequate when bare spots are one square foot or less, randomly
dispersed, and do not exceed 3% of the area seeded. If at the time when
the contract has been otherwise completed it is not possible to make an
adequate determination of the color, density, and uniformity of such
stand of grass, payment for the unaccepted portions of the areas seeded
out of season will be withheld until such time as these requirements
have been met.

METHOD OF MEASUREMENT

**901-4.1**  The quantity of seeding to be paid for shall be the number
of units **\[1,000 square feet (square meters)\]\[   acres (square
meters)\]** measured on the ground surface, completed and accepted.

BASIS OF PAYMENT

**901-5.1**  Payment shall be made at the contract unit price per
**\[1,000 square feet (square meters)\]\[acre (square meters)\]** or
fraction thereof, which price and payment shall be full compensation for
furnishing and placing all material and for all labor, equipment, tools,
and incidentals necessary to complete the work prescribed in this item.

Payment will be made under:

Item 901‑5.1 Seeding---per **\[1,000 square feet (square meters)\]\[acre
(square meters)\]**

MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

ASTM C 602 Agricultural Liming Materials

ASTM D 977 Emulsified Asphalt

FED SPEC A‑A‑1909 Fertilizer

FED SPEC A‑A‑2671 Seeds, Agriculture

**END OF ITEM T-901**

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