This is a nice square of the tifgreen, looks like the mower could be sharper, but otherwise healthy.

I'm happy with this area, 3 weeks and growing strong

The next couple pictures look to me like i'm burning up some of the grass with nitrogen... but they are right next to grass that's loving life. I think the stuff having the most trouble is the mini verde.

ouch

i feel bad for this grass, in my hands :(

i hope someone has some encouraging words for this grass... It's not dead, but I think it's heading in that direction if I don't change something. I'm now watering once daily, about mid-day.

Hopefully our Bermuda expert, TW will happen along. Remember, it's not uncommon for new sod to go dormant after installation (turns tan). Dead= gray color.

Another piece of advice I received from this group, is you can't overwater new sod. Keep it wet until it roots. I wish we had those warm temps here!!!

In terms of maintaining your turf at 1/2", try something like Primo Max, growth regulator. I'm going to try it out this year.

I wish we had those warm temps here!!!

Come visit us in August, haha!

Maintaining 419 at 1/2" is normally a bit of a challenge in the spring... but for some reason this year it hasn't been too bad. I think the cold snaps have snubbed some of the growth. By August I'm usually up to 1" because even tifway struggles in this brutal heat.

For the grass shown above, I plan to try for 3/16". It means mowing everyday and twice on sunday, haha! I'm cutting it now at 7/16" every 2-3 days. If I ever get to the point I need a growth inhibitor I'll be very happy.

The mini verde is good for even below 1/8" It's the latest putting green grade bermuda (ultradwarf) but needs lots of attention. I don't think it will even grow to 1/2" tall if you never mowed it. I don't know if I have what it takes to maintain this grass... it was growing, so I have done something wrong to cause this stress.

The tifton 328 (tifgreen) is a very old putting green grass... it's now not even considered putting green quality on the courses anymore... but it's good enough for a home putting green. It's the tifgreen grass that is looking good in the above pictures.

Have you read thru the advantages of Primo Max, or the like? From what I know, it slows vertical growth while encouraging (maybe maintaining is a better choice) lateral growth so it's supposed to get real dense. I'm going to try to keep my 419 at 1/2 to 3/4" with my new Trimmer 25". Combined with the growth regulator (and leveling last year), I hope to be successful.

(and leveling last year),

Leveling is THE key to keeping short 419... and mowing often. I use a tru-cut 25 on my 419 with great success. It's probably the same as your Trimmer. I did get the full roller which helped prevent scalping, but you also have to watch your direction of cut (i.e. change direction every time). The pic is 419 cut 4 days ago at 1/2". It's not perfect yet due to aggressive verticutting, but it's coming along nicely. It needs to be mowed yesterday! If I wait too long I have to raise to 5/8" so I should get out there before the sun goes down :)

For the short stuff I use a jacobsen with a groomer... I thought the whole idea with the groomer attachment was to cut lateral growth and encourage vertical growth. I could be talking apples and oranges though. I do know I like my 419 best after I verticut... 419 can get sooo thick

What I see is SHOCK. For new dwarf bermuda greens raise the cutting height until the sod sets roots and stay off of it as much as possible.

Looks like you have a sand base? If so you are going to need to water frequently and fertilize once a week. Sand base will not hold water or nutrients.

To be honest it takes a full year to establish a putting green from sod. Any golf course who re sods or sprigs new greens have to shut down a full season before they allow anyone on the course to play. During that time they let the grass get a bit tall, to tall to putt on for the first season. Then start taking it down to plying height the next season when they reopen.

Yes TW, it's a sand/compost base (80/20). It's only a couple inches thick over the top of sandy loam (which also had very little nutrients). This is my first time trying to grow grass in a sterile environment, so I'm just as afraid of too little as I am too much.

I am using lesco 19-19-19 in a hand held spreader, but was being a little too generous (I think). At once a week I only needed like 0.35lbs for the entire 1250sqft. but there is no way to spread that little evenly over such a large space... I'd walk fast and still only cover 1/3 the area needed. So, I guess tomorrow I'll order some true greens grade starter fertilizer, and a more precise way to get it down even.

I upped my mower to as high as it would go, almost .5" and am trying to stay off it for now. I'm watering once a day by hand just until runoff. I also pet it and say nice things to it... I hope it pulls through.

i have the same mower and think it can go to almost 2inches. I am cutting mine just under an inch

I have the groomer attachment which prevents adjustment past 0.5"

I also have a tru-cut for higher cuts and quick adjustments.

Anyway, the stressed out grass is coming along now... I think I zapped it with a touch too much N. Even the sod farms growing mini-verde say to start mowing in 7-14 days... and rolling everyday, so I don't think it was that alone that caused the stress.

I would also baby it with a push reel mower for a while the powered mower on that new sod scares me a little.

Yes TW, it's a sand/compost base (80/20). It's only a couple inches thick over the top of sandy loam (which also had very little nutrients). This is my first time trying to grow grass in a sterile environment, so I'm just as afraid of too little as I am too much.

Right there is one of the problems causing the grass to go dormant and stay in shock. It has no roots or soil to pull in water and nutrients. It is impossible to over water it and it needs to be kept moist 24 x 7 with a light feeding of fertilizer application at least once a week.

Try using a micro-particle fertilizer as it dissolves very quickly when water is applied. The green will need several light watering every day until the roots set and start to grow.and reach down into sub soil.

Also sugar coat with light applications of sand as the grass starts to grow and fill in as this will cause or trigger new top growth and thicken it up to form that carpet you are looking for on a putting green.

Putting greens are a lot of work and expense. They take daily work, every day.