HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-04-16, Page 58Ey J ,..: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 practices
may overlap. Lawns and
lawn problems differ con-
siderably. Not all lawns have
the same problems. It is
important to know your soil
type and have it tested for
nutrients.
The maintenance prac-
tices suggested in this article
are for a typical Kentucky
bluegrass la.wrt in full sun,
with a Kentucky bluegrass -
red fescue mixture in shaded
areas, as a loam soil. It is
tialso'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 stolens. It
will also help dry the lawn,
and reduce snowmold fungus
activity.
Thatch control - Thatch
consists of a tightly in-
termingled layer of living
and dead stems, leaves, and
roots, that develop at the soil
surface. Thatch causes grass
plants to develop above the
soil surface. Vigorous hand
raking in mid-to-late April, is
• effective for thatch removal
in small area. 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 unacceptable • com-
paction 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 her-
bicide, such as Bensulide•or
dacthal, applied late April.
Broad-leaved weed control is
• most effective in mid-
September. ^ However, an-
nual broad-leaved weeds,
such as prostrate knotweed,
• and weeds which were
missed' the previous.. Tall,
In the bag
The numbers listed on
fertilizer bags, for example
5-10-15, refer to 'the per-
centage of the three main
nutrients. The first number,
is the percentage of nitrogen,
the second is the percentage
of phosphorus, and, the third
number is the percentage of
potassium.
Chinch cocktail
Early July is the best time
to treat for hairy chinch
bugs. To check your lawn for
these pests, use a large juice
can with the top and bottom
removed. Push the can into
the turf, and fill it with
water. `rhe- chinch -bugs -w i float to the surface. Repeat
the procedure at random
intervals across the lawn. I'f
you see bugs, treatment is
necessary.
steps to'a ten.er lawn
with a disc-overseeder.
Renovation should be
carried out if selective weed
control is not practical; the
lawn contains weedy grasses
that cannot be selectively
controlled; less than 90
percent of the lawn is
composed of desirable
perennial turf grasses; and
if the soil root zone is
favor -able for -.turf groxttl k..._
The lawn can safely be
overseeded within seven
days of treatment with
glyphosate (Roundup) ap-
plied at a rate of 1.68
kilograms per hectare in 90
to 135 litres of water (1y2 to 2
pounds (active) per acre in
Should be treated with a 2,4-
D mixture in early to mid-
May.
Mowing - Mow at a height
of four centimetres (1-y
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 (Cinches).
Then mow no lower than 6 to
7 centimetres (21/2 inches).
Do not remove more than' 40
percent of the leaf blade
during mowing.
Cultivation - Fine -
textured, poorly -drained
soils and areas of con-
centrated foot traffic may
require coring or slicing. A
compacted 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 accomplished with a
fork. A mechanical aerating
machine is required for
large areas.
Renovation Resodding is
much better than seeding at
this - time of year. Spring
sown seed is slow to ger-
minate because of low soil
temperatures. The seedlings
do not grow well because of
intense weed competition.
Disease - The main disease
of home lawns in spring is
leaf spot. Definite, dark,
purplish -red spots appear on
the leaf, blades. It is im-
portant tcontrol the disease
at this stage. If en-
vironmental conditions favor
disease development (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. Under"
normal conditions, lawns
should require little more
than mowing and irrigation.
Fertility - In, early June,
apply a complete fertilizer of
a 9:1:2 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-000
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 flying over the
lawn in a zig-zag pattern.
The moths lay eggs as they
fly over the turf. The Jarvae.
from these eggs are rhe
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,
such as diazinon or sevin.
Fusarium blight This
fungus disease causes most
damage when periods of high
termperature 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 turningon the
sprinkler for 20 minutes
after spraying the fungicide
on the grass foliage.
Chinch bugs .- These in-
sects are most destructive in
August, but are large enough
to be found in the turf in_late
July. Treat with an ,in-
secticide, such as diazinon,
in late July, to prevent lawn
injury in August.
Irrigation - Water lawns at
the rate of 2 to 3 centimetres
(1 inch) per week.
August
August is the best month
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seed. If seeded .mid-August,
seeds will germinate in early
September under very
favorable growing con-
ditions. Sod growers attempt
to seed ' as many of their
fields as possible in mid-
August • to achieve optimum
establishment.
Renovation' - This
procedure can transform
thin, poor-quality-tur-$-with a
high weed population in to a
thick, weed..free lawn. This
is accomplished without
complete tillage, ,and
generally involves killing the
existing turf and weeds with
a .contact herbicide, such as
glyphosate, and overseeding
20 to 30 gallons of water).
Irrigation - Water at a rate
of 2 to 3 centimetres (1 inch)
per week.
Disease - The two most
common diseases on home
lawns in August are
Fusarium blight and
dollarspot. Treat with a
systemic, suchpas Benomyl.
Chinch bugs - These in-
sects Are YOS's destructive to
home lawns in August, and
should be treated with an
insecticide, such as diazinon.
Mowing - The mowing
height should be raised one
to two centimetres (1/2 inch)
to increase droughtand heat
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