The Huron Expositor, 1997-04-16, Page 28+c. n.o�r cAsn cusp
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Preventing problems saves grass treatment
A provtsntative health care pro-
gram for your lawn is very similar
to one you -would use tomnitrtain
your own health.
The idea is to prevent problems
from occurring so you skeet !have
to treat them. A healthy lawn can
withstand most stresses such as
weeds, insect attacks and other
diseases. Use the program out-
lined below as a general guide to
growing a healthy lawn.
SIX STRPS
1. Develop healthy soil. Good soil
is the foundation of a healthy
lawn. To grow well, your lawn
*needs soil with .good mature,
some key nutrients and the right
pH balance. Most lawns need to
be fertilized every year, because
theyneed wore nitrogen. phos-
phorus and potassium. Soil that is
too acidic can be "sweetened"
with lime: soil that's not acidic
enough can be made more "sour"
t'v adding sulfur.
2. Choose a grass type that thrives
in your climate. The right type of
grass — one that suits your needs
and likes the local weather — will
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always give bolter results.
3. Mow high, often and with sharp
blades. Mowing high — that is.
keeping your lawn a bit long —
will produce stronger, healthier
grass with fewer pest problems.
The rule of thumb is to mow often
enough that you :never cut more
than one-third of the height of the
grass blades.
4. Water deeply but not too often.
It's best to water only when the
lawn really needs it, and then to
WWI slowly and deeply.
3. Cotsoct thatch buildup. All
grans forms a layer of dead plant
material, known as thatch,
between the grass blades and the
soil. When it gets too thick it pre-
vents water and nutrients from
penetrating the soil and grass
MOW
lawn or using .a macinine that
slices through titch to break it
up. Sprinkling a thin layer of top-
soil or compost over the lawn will
also help.
6. Set realistic goals. Even a
healthy lawn is likely to have
.some weeds or insect pests. But it
will also have beneficial insects
and other organisms that help
keep pests under control.
Instant and beautiful lawn can be
achieved through putting down sod
Do you want a gorgeous lawn?
Are you willing .to wait several
dusty weeks for an inevitably
weed -plagued lawn :to take send?
Or would you rather plant your
lawn this afternoon and have a
lawn party on it tonight?
If you chose the latter option,
you'll.like the instant lawn you'll
get by putting down sod.
Sod has more going for it than
its :ability to give fast patisfaction.
You can plant it any time of year
as long as the ground isn't frozai:
and it's much less likely to be
infested with weeds while it's get-
ting established.
Start by making the soil rich and
fluffy. Over the area in which you
plan to lay the sod, spread out
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organic matter, such as compost
or peat. to a depth of two to duce
inches and turn it six inches into
the soil. Before mixing in the
organic matter, add lime at the
rate of 50 pounds for each 1,000
square feet.
The soil should then be leveled
with a rake and rolled firm
enough so that it wont leave deep
footprints when stepped on. This
also prevents uneven settling that
can result in a rough lawn.
Once this has been done, the sod
can be laid. Make certain that the
strips are pushed tightly together
to prevent gaps. If the fawn is
sloping, lay the sod perpendicular
to the slope to prevent erosion. •
On a steep scope, short wooden
stakes may be driven through the
sod and into the soil to hold it in
place until it has rooted down.
Complete the job by rolling the
lawn to press the sod firmly
against the soil and to eliminate
any bumps.
Turfgrasses are heavy feeders.
The new sod will come with little
more than an inch of soil to sus-
tain it until it has rooted into the
ground, therefore a fertilizer
application is essential. Make a
light application of a high-quality
liquid plant food.
In addition to feeding, it's very
important that the new sod be kept
moist until established. In the
summer, this may require water-
ing every day. To check, lift a cor-
ner of a sod strip here and there to
see if it is still moist. If it has
begun to dry out, watering is
needed.
In three or four weeks. you will
no longer be able to lift a corner of
a sod strip without resistance.
This indicates that the sod has
rooted down and is ready for rou-
tine maintenance. During the
growing season, applying liquid
plant food once a month, as well
as mowing and providing an inch
of water each week (when natural
precipitation falls short of that
amount), will provide assurance
of having a healthy, well-groomed
lawn.