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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-04-13, Page 29When crocus bloom feed lawn Watch for the crocus bloom in your area. This is the time you can give some quick first aid to winter -ravaged lawns in the form of extra care and feeding, says The Fertilizer Institute. Start with a thorough raking to remove heavy, wet, grass - smothering tree leaves and other debris. Da not rake so vigorously, however, that you destroy young fall -planted seedlings. Then mow the lawn to remove brown tips of grass leaves, even though no growth signs are evi- dent yet. Benefits of lawn rolling are questionable in most heavy - winter areas. The practice may lin prove the surface evenness of winter -heaved soil. Heavy rolling, however, tends to compact soil in the root zone of the dense, clay soils and has little effect on sandy soils. Worried about crabgrass? • Ci,n g.irdi tools now Cleaning your gardening tools now will make the spring digging and hoeing easier when you get down to it. "Dirty spades and shovels pick up a covering of sticky soil at each thrust," explains Ontario ministry of agriculture and food horticulturist, R.A. Fleming. "Rusty hoes and cultivators accumulate gobs of soil instead of gently turning them over. So the gardener who cleans his tools before he needs them saves lots of time and energy becausehis equipment is less apt to clog with mud." Use coarse steel wool and It emery paper to remove rust and corrosion from steel tools. When they are bright and polished, rub them carefully with light lubricating oil. This keeps them clean all season with a minimum of care. Bentgrass for Humid Climates Most lawns in "bentgrass country" are planted to a colo- nial type hent such as highland. Turfs "like a golf green" how- ever, utilize creeping hentgrasses such as Emerald. which need a bit more care. does nu good in the spring to pull out or rake crabgrass patches in the lawn. Crabgrass grows back from seeds, not by last year's growth. So, just let crab- grass deteriorate in place. But clo spread a recommended crabgrass preemergence material. These products set up an effective ger- mination barrier which stops crabgrass before it can get started. Last, but likely the most im- portant spring first aid measure for your lawn is adequate fert- ilization. There are many specially -formulated lawn fertil- izers on the market. says the Institute, which can he used to gine that first spring feeding to lawn grasses. R1any of today's lawn fertil- izers for spring have incorporated crabgrass preventers in the mixture, so you can conveniently do two iohs at once. Follow the instructions on the bag. For many areas, a lighter application will he recom- mended Tor early spring so that grass plants don't heconre too lush and "over grow" their built- in protection to disease and fungi that attack during cool, wet seasons. Then, additional fertil- izer applications can be made in June or July to strengthen grass 1 11111• iii' !x 11E. r • Paw s through the summer. Remember, first aid attention to your lawn this spring can mean a better, healthier lawn all summer. rJ .,!...'1%1;'; • EASY TO TEND: Low -growing modern lawngrasses do much to make lawn tending easy. Beautifully dense, they are also amazingly able to tolerate most diseases. Regular mowing, and occasional fertilization for weed control are about all that are required to create an attractive. wearable outdoor carpeting, says the Lawn Institute. See Us Soon, At Our New Location. Hwy. No. 8 West across from the Elmhaven We are working hard completing our new building and will be moved on May 1st. Our new larger facilities will enable us to serve you better. We are looking Toward to seeing you... CHAIN SAWS I LAWN MOWERS 4114 H C) M E L. 1 T E •.• ROTOTILLERS Selected Models We Service What We Sell! RIDING MOWERS And we also maintain a COMPLETE PARTS and SERVICE DEPARTMENT for small engines. Whether you have a small lawn or several acres, we will be pleased to look after ALL YOUR NEEDS. MAPLE LEAF MALL ENGINE ALES & ERVICE Soon To Be at Our New Location, Hwy. No. 8 West (across from the Elmhaven) PHONE 482-3722