The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-22, Page 32Tips.for starting
Grass to enjoy — A Lush green lawn
enhances the appearance and the value of
any home, large or small. It helps to keep us
cool on- hot summer • days and it's"a major
producer of oxygen. constantly replenishing
our supply- of fresh air. To grow your own
lawn from seed, the most important con-
,siderations in establishing.a new lawn are:
Drainage, quality of the soil. preparation of
the seed bed, your choice of seed, fertility,
and moisture.. If you choose to plant your
'new lawn in the spring, begin just as soon as
the soil is dry enough to work. preferably
mid-April to mid-May. This will give your
new grass time- to get 'Fell. established
before the. hot dry weather sets in.
Fall is often a better time to start your
lawn, from mid-August to the end of
September: Your seedbed is less likely to
dry out at, this tithe of year. and the grass
should be- well established -before winter.
The area to be seeded should be levelled as
evenly as possible with a gi3ntle slope away.
fry an buildings. - You should -avoid, steep
slopes or terraces if possible where .water
may erode or wash away top soil. The entire
surface should have a layer•of good topsoil -
about 12 to 15 cin deep. It may he advisable
to mix peat moss or composted manure intra
your. topsoil for best results. •
The seedbed — Rake the .surface
thoroughly to prepare the seedbed and avoid
any depressions .that .may hold surface
water. Apply a good quality fertilizer
preferably with an analysis on a 14 -1 -ratio,
the middle number representing the propor=
tion of phosphorous. This will assist in
developinga healthy root •system. Rake the
surfac? again before seeding.
Choosing and• planting the seed — It pays
-to select good quality seed. It is -also wise to
choose a mixture of at least two or three
varieties in accordance - with your re-
quirements. This will= depend on sun and
this sprin
.111512116190.
A Lush., green lawn enhances the value of your
shade conditions, how much foot traffic
there will be, how short will the grass be cut.
etc. Virtually no single, variety will suit all
conditions. If you are in doubt ask your seed
supplier for assistance. Don't skimp when
seeding. Never try to cover more ground
than recommended on the package. It is
best to use a mechanical spreader. although
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small areas may be hand seeded.
Get the seed on as evenly as possible, ap-
plying half the seed travelling back and
forth across the entire area, then back and
forth crossing your first pattern at 90" with
the balance of the seed. Rake lightly, then
roll lightly to ensure that the seed is in firm
contact with the soil. Water slowly and even-
ly until 2.5 cm of top soil is thoroughly moist
and keep soil moist until grass seedings are
well established. Avoid creating puddles.
Tending the new lawn — Do not let the
seedbed dry out until grass is growing over
the entire area. Watering may then. be done
once a week if necessary, applying about 2.5
em of water to the surface each time. When
new grass has grown to a height of 6 to 8 cm
it may be cut. but not shorter than 4 or 5 cm_
I)o not let the grass grow so lung that it will
not stared upright. b nsure:that your mower
Page 7
blade is sharp to avoid unnecessary bruising
of the grass plants.
Overseeding can improve your lawn —
Your lawn will continue to improve with
age if you follow these simple rules. Keep
your lawn free of weeds either by hand
weeding or with a chemical weed control.
Fertilize your lawn at least three times a
year. following directions on package.
Each spring or fall. after cutting grass
very short. rake thoroughly and. if
necessary. add'a little top dressing of good
weed -free topsoil. then overseed. rake light-
ly again and roll. If the soil appears hard
and compacted. try going over it with an
aerating roller, then top dressing and
reseeding. Try and keep your lawn cut to
about 5 cm in height. and avoid leaving cut-
tings longer than 12-15 mm on the lawn after
mowing.
Renovating an established lawn - If your
present lawn is looking thin and worn try
this simple renovation procedure. Cut the
grass as short as possible. Rake hard with a
heavy garden rake to loosen the soil. Apply
a complete lawn fertilizer. Spread a thin
layer. about 12-15 min of weed free topsoil
over the area. Where there are bare areas
loosen and cultivate the top 5 to 7 cm of soil
thoroughly. Seed these cultivated areas at
the full recommended seeding rate and
grass -covered areas at about half this rate.
Rake lightly and roll. Thoroughly moisten
with 2.5 cm of water over whole area. Keep
moist until new grass is established
e
E� etermj 1 e the
®
�i.! t ti.l.Re
to sow seeds
A soil thertiiometer can help you to deter-
mine the right time for sowing. Insert the
base into the soil and you can record the
temperature quickly and accurately on the
moisture -proof dial.
You can take the guesswork out of buying
and applying fertilizer by first testing your
soil with a.home gardener's soil testing kit.
This tests the soil for the three most impor-
tant plant_ nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus
and potash, as well as for pH ,acidity vs.
alkalinity �.
TREES
We have a
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Royal Red — Norway Maple
Linden and M,i i, ntain Ash
White Ash — Red Oak
Bareroot — Potted — Wire Baskets
in Targe and small caliper sizes
Also a complete line of
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FLOWERING SHRUBS
R.R. 2 BAYFIELD 482-9995
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