Clinton News-Record, 1984-04-25, Page 59Month-bymonth guide to a better lawn.
By J.I.. Eggens
Department of Horticultural
Science
University of Guelph
For the purposes of lawn maintenance
and care, the growing season from April
through August may be divided into three
main periods. The division of the growing
season is not exact, so maintenance prac-
tices may overlap. Lawns and lawn pro-
blems differ considerably. Not all lawns
have the sample problems. It is important to
know your soil type and -Gave it tested for
nutrients.
The maintenance practices suggested in
this article are for a typical 'Kentucky
bluegrass lawn in full sun, with a Kentucky
bluegrass -red fescue mixture in shaded
areas, on a loam soil. It is also assumed that
a medium to high visual quality is required.
April - May
Raking - A vigorous raking with a leaf
rake, as soon as the turf is dry enough to
walk on, will remove many creeping bent
grass and rough --bluegrass -stolen. It- will
also help dry the lawn, and reduce
snowmold fungus activity.
Thatch control - Thatch consists of a tight-
ly intermingled layer of living and dead
stems, leaves, and roots, that develop at the
soil surface. Thatch causes grass plants to
develo above the soil surface Vigorous
P
hand raking in mid-to-late April, is effective
for thatch removal in small areas. However,
for larger areas, mechanical removal is
more practical.
Rolling - Turf areas seeded the previous
fall should be rolled to press the grass plants
back into the soil. Rolling can also be used to
level the lawn, but it may cause unaccep-
table compaction on fine -textured soils.
Fertilization - Apply a complete fertilizer
of a 4:1:2(N:P:K) ratio with a fast release
nitrogen carrier ( water-soluble nitrogen) at
a rate of 0.5 .kilograms. actual nitrogen per
100 square metres (1 pound N/1000 square
feet). Nitrogen provides early shoot growth
and green color and should not be applied
earlier than mid-April.
Weed Control - Annual grass weeds, such
as crabgrass, can be controlled with a pre -
emergent herbicide, such as Bensulide or
dacthal, applied late April. Broad leaf weed
control is most effective in mid-September.
However, annual broad leaf weeds, such as
prostrate knotweed, and weeds which were
missed the previous fall, .should be treated
with a 2,4-D mixture in early to mid-May.
Mowing - Mow at a height of four cen-
timetres (142 inches), once every 10 days,
until late May. For heavy -shade areas,
delay mowing as long as possible or until the
turf has grown to a height of 10 centimetres
(4 inches). Then mow nolower than 6 to 7
Achieve a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood with a little sensible and relatively
easy management, says horticulturalist Jack Eggans at the University of Guelph. Clip
your lawn no shorter than three to four centimetres (1.2 to 1.5 inches) in height. Water
and fertilize regularly.
Lettuce -
The elusive
vegetable
Were it not for two . problems, lettuce
would be the perfect summer vegetable.
When hot summer weather comes, most
'kinds of lettuce quickly shoot up seed stalks.
Some kinds will look good through a week to
10 days of hot weather, but will taste bitter.
The perfect lettuce would keep its good
flavor and not go to seed in hot weather.
Lettuce breeders are very aware of the
need for more and better summer salad
vegetables. They are forever looking for
individual lettuce plants that are slow to go
to seed. One of these days they'll also find
one that holds its flavor in hot weather and
you'll see a lot of happy gardeners.
Salad lovers really suffer lettuce
withdrawl symptoms when hot weather
comes. There just isn't any good substitute.
centimetres (21 inches). Do not remove
more than 40 percent of the leaf blade dur-
inmowing -
Cultivation - Fine -textured, poorly-
drained soils and areas of concentrated foot
traffic may require coring or slicing. A com-
pacted soil condition restricts water and air
movement within the soil, resulting in a
shallow root system and reduced quality. In
small areas, cultivation can be accomplish-
ed with a fork. A mechanical aerating
machine is required for large areas.
Renovation - Resodding is.. uc better
than seeding at this time of year. Spring
sown seed is slow to germinate because of
low soil temperatures. The seedlings do not
grow well becameof intense weed competi-
tion.
Disease - The main disease of home lawns
in spring is leaf spot. Definite; dark,
purplish -red spots appear on the leaf blades.
It is important to c Jntrol the disease at this
stage. If environmental conditions favor
disease developme, t (cool, cloudy weather,
high, nitrogen, frequent low mowing).,root
and stem rot will develop in June. To control
this disease, apply a fungicide, such as
Daconil or Dyrene, raise the mowing height,
and reduce the mowing frequency for
several weeks.
June and July
These are the months to enjoy your lawn.
CARPET
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Under normal conditions, lawns should re -
(Wire little more than mowing and irriga-
tion.
Fertility - In early June, apply a complete
fertilizer of a 4:1:2 ratio with the nitrogen
(N) in the slow-release, (water -insoluble)
form at a rate of 0.8 kilograms. N per 100
square metres (1% pound N/1000 square
feet). To determine the amount of actual
nitrogen in the fertilizer, divide the first
number (i.e. 16-4-8 fertilizer) into 100. For
example,100 divided by 16 is approximately
6, so_ 6 pounds of the actual fertilizer
material is applied to 1000 square feet of
lawn surface.
Insects - Watch for buff -colored moths fly-
ing over the lawn in a zig-zag pattern. The
moths lay eggs as they fly over the turf. The
larvae from these eggs are the destructive
sod webworm which destroy lawns in
September. The larvae live in silken tunnels
in the thatch at the soil surface during the
day. At night, they cut off the grass blades
at the crown. Control with an insecticide,
sycKasdiazinonor sevin.
Fusarium blight - This fungus disease
causes most damage when periods of high
temperature and humidity follow a drought
period. Treat with a systemic, such as
benomyl, in late July. Systemic fungicides
are applied to the soil as a drench, or by tur-
Turn to page 18 •
TUi.JE P
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