Clinton News-Record, 1980-04-17, Page 49By £L. lgggens
Departeit of
Dorticult.a1
Sclenee
- University of
a 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,
sg maintenance practices
may overlap. `l,awns and
lawn problemsdiffer 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 lawn in full sun,
with a Kentucky bluegrass
red fescue mixture in shaded
areas, as a loan 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 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
effectivea_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:PA) 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 fall,
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. The chinch bugs will
float to the surface. Repeat
the procedure at random
intervals across the lawn. If
you see bugs, treatment is
necessary.
should 9e treated with a 2,4-
D mixture in early to mid -
MAY, •
Mowing Mow at a height
of four centimetres (11/a
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, snow no lower than 6 to
7 centimetres (212, inches).
Do not remove more than ;40
percent• of the leaf blade
'luring 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 to control 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
S
a
should require little more
than mowing and irrigation.
Fertility T .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 irate di 0.8
ldlogrurXis N per 100 ,:quare
metres (11/2. . pound HH1000
square feet): To -determine :
the amount of actual
nitrogen in the fertilizer,,
divide the first number (i.e.
16-4-8 fertilizer) .ipto 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 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,
such as diazieon 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 turning on the
sprinkler for 20 minutes
after spraying the fungicide
on the grass foliage.
Chindh 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
for establishing lawns by
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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.
procedurecan transform
thin,.poor quality turf with
high weed population in to
thic,� 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
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; les. s than 40,
, percent of the lawn is
composed ` of desirable
perennial turf grasses; and
if^ IheF,, sail root - zone is
a1 favorable for turf growth:,
The lawn can ,safely, be
' averseede. d within - seven
days of treatment with
glyphosate (Roundup) 'ap-
plied a4t. a rate •of 1.68'
kilograms per, hectare in 80
to 135 litres of water.,(1% to 2
pounds: (active) per acre in
20 to 30 ga llons.of water).
Irrigation - Water at a rate
of 2 to 3 centimetres.'(Iinch)
per week.
Disease , The two most.
cotrunon diseases .on, home
lawns._ in August are
Fusdrfur blight and
dollarspot, Treat with a
systemic, such as Benomyl
Chinch bugs These in-.
• sects are very. destructive to ,
home lawns °in, August', and
should be treated . with an
insecticide,,suchas diazinon.
Mowing - The mowing
height should be raised curie
to two 'centimetres (1/4 inch)
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