Answer: Ken, Take-All Root Rot may sound like a made up name but it is for real. It turns out to be a very destructive fungus disease on St. Augustine grasses (all varieties). Take-all root rot has been found from Florida to Texas and California as well.

There have been several “findings” which contribute to the spread of this soil-inhabiting fungus disease – Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis.

• Heavy spring & summer rains
• Heavy liming
• Fertilizers containing heavy nitrates
• Micronutrient deficiencies

St Augustine is not the only grass the Take-All Root Rot fungus hits. The fungus has also been found on bermuda grass, zoysia grass and centipede grass.

First Symptoms

Usually the first symptoms of take all root rot show up in spring and summer. The lawn has a yellow-green cast from the yellow leaves called chlorosis. As the fungus progresses a severe thinning in irregular patches occurs as infected stolons begin to die.

If all grass dies in an area it is soon replaced with weeds.

Shady areas do not seem to show the damage as much as grass in areas with lots of sun. St Augustine grass with a “heavy dose” of Take-All root rot, look patchy in decline when accompanied with a weak root system.

In areas where St Augustine grass does not go completely dormant, the greatest recovery from the fungus happens during the winter. However, when spring rains return, often so do the symptoms.

Take All Root Rot and Brown Patch Confusion

Often the fungus called “Brown Patch” and “Take All Root Rot“
are confused, as they carry very similar symptoms.

Brown Patch

• Rotted leaves and leaf sheaths
• Unharmed roots and stolons

Take All Root Rot

• Undamaged leaves and leaf sheaths
• Usually badly rotted roots and stolons, dark brown or black in color

St. Augustine grass sod damaged by take all root rot fungus often look as if the have the same usually yellowing foliage professionals associate with an iron deficiency.

Soil Types Not A Factor

Currently, the type of soil the St. Augustine grass is “planted” in does not appear to be a factor. The fungus disease has been found in clays to fine sandy soils.

Control of Take All Root Rot on St Augustine Grass

Take All Root Rot does not seem to play favorites when it comes to the varieties of St. Augustine grass which can “resist” being affected. The following St Augustine cultivars in sod farms and homeowners lawns have all been “victims” of Take All Root Rot.

• Common
• Raleigh
• Floratam
• FX-10
• Jade
• DelMar
• Dalsa 8401
• Mercedes
• Bitterblue
• Standard
• California Common
• Sunclipse
• Seville

So far the “best” solution for control is not chemical but proper turfgrass management practices.

Nitrogen – nitrate nitrogen (ammonium nitrate and calcium nitrate) appears to play a part the the occurrence of the fungus. Avoid using fertilizers containing the above nitrogen forms.

The “preferred” forms of ammonium-containing fertilizers (such as ammonium sulfate, urea, and ammonium chloride) are recommended nitrogen sources for well-managed St. Augustine grass lawn.

Instead of heavy fertilizer applications (which may contribute to disease development), monthly light applications of nitrogen are recommended. The other option is applying slow-release fertilizers to maintain growth over the season.

Mirco-nutrient deficiencies may also contribute to the fungus “living environment.” Foliar applications of mirco-nutrient supplements can also be beneficial. If serious mirco-nutrient deficiencies are present, soil applications of manganese sulfate may be needed to correct the deficiencies.

A soil test is always advisable to learn the make up of your soil and its pH.

Lime which is used to help manage soil pH has been linked to increases in the fungus. Usually it is heavy liming to watch out for. For St. Augustine grass try to maintain a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.0 on heavily managed lawns. Apply no more than 10-20 pounds of lime per 1,000 square feet yearly.

Other turf management practices to consider:

• Raising cutting height for drought-stressed lawns
• Timing irrigation
• Improving drainage in wet areas

Lawn Renovation

Recovery from Take All Root Rot is very often poor in St. Augustine grass. The only choice may be a complete lawn renovation. However, laying new St. Augustine turf over “infected” areas with Take All Root Rot is just not advisable.

Laying down Bermuda or Zoysia grass are not good options since both of these grasses are hosts to this nasty grass fungus as well.

The best option for grass replacement may be Centipede grass, since few fungus cases have been reported.

Chemical Controls

Controlling the Take All fungus with chemical applications have not achieved the best results.

Due the the high cost of fungicides, applications are usually limited to spot treatment.

The Take All Root Rot fungus so far has proven to be a battle not won with chemicals but with using best turf management practices.

A new or remodeled home deserves a new lawn, for after all it is an important part of the setting. All home owners contemplating lawn construction will welcome the word that there has been a marked reduction in the mortality rate of new lawns, and once the lawn is started right it is no longer necessary to remake it periodically.

There’s no trick to making a good lawn, all that is necessary is consideration of some of the fundamentals involved, namely:

• Drainage
• Topsoil
• Final grading
• Feeding
• Choice of seed or grass
• Sowing
• Early care
• Weed control

Grading and Drainage

First to be considered is the final grading and drainage. Before any topsoil is put in place, the fill or subsoil should be roughly graded to the desired finish contour allowing room for the addition of 4 to 6 inches of topsoil. By rough grading first it is possible to get a more uniform depth of topsoil throughout the entire lawn area.

For more on Click here to read this article on – Landscape Grading

Heavy, compact soils, especially in low lying areas, might need improved drainage. The right way to take care of this is to survey the property to determine the degree of natural slope and the location of existing drainage facilities.

Plastic drainage pipe is then installed 18 to 20 inches below the final surface. These drainage pipes can tie into drains serving the perimeter of the foundation and roof gutters. Filling ditches with gravel or crushed stone before replacing topsoil will also help the system do a better job of quickly removing excess water.

The ideal seedbed for a permanent lawn is made of soil having a uniform consistency. Must Read Our article on Improving Lawn Soil will help show the importance of having soil foundation for your your lawn as you move forward. Any layers of materials with contrasting textures in the upper 6 inches should be avoided. Begin to reserve your topsoil early. Before building excavation starts, pile it to one side for use later in lawn construction.

Abundance of Humus Preferred

Either a clay or sandy loam containing an abundance of humus is the preferred soil. It should have a granular texture and be friable enough to retain moisture without remaining sticky, but not becoming powdery when it dries. Such a soil 4 to 6 inches deep will provide a most favorable home for grass roots. Also, the deeper the root zone below 4 inches, the healthier the grass will be.

A pleasing grade from the beginning obviates a general facelifting after the grass has been started and also provides a means to carry the excess water off in the right direction. To develop this desirable grade, reference marks on several stakes placed in the ground will be a big help. A carpenter’s chalk line fastened 2 inches above the final lawn level and stretched tightly between stakes is better than trusting to the eye. To help point out high spots or low pockets, use a long board with its straight edge held on the unfinished surface. Then by alternately raking and shoveling, the excess topsoil can be transferred to lower areas.

Lawn Fertilizer – Starting The Grass On A Full Stomach

Physical condition is not the only soil factor contributing to the lawn of your dreams. The best grass is started off on a full stomach. Once the lawn is established, food can be applied only from the surface downward. So the right time to fortify a lawn for a vigorous start in life is just before planting. Special turf foods (Lawn Fertilizer) that have as high a content of nitrogen as phosphate and potash combined, applied at the rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet and evenly worked into the top 2 inches, will do the best job on new lawns.

After taking great care in providing drainage, a pleasing grade and the most favorable soil available, it would certainly be foolish economy to plant anything but the finest quality lawn seed.

Since it’s a rare neighborhood where one grass is the best the year around, a blend of perennial grasses will provide the kind of lawn you want. Attempting to start by sowing a single variety is usually asking for a lawn headache. If you don’t know your lawn seed, then make it a point to become acquainted with the lawn professional before you purchase your lawn, grass or turf. Naturally, he will be hesitant about recommending anything that will not give you the best results. Never select lawn seed on the basis of price alone – cheap mixtures are the most expensive in the long run.

Spreaders Eliminate Guess Work

Only 4 or 5 pounds of high quality seed are required for 1,000 square feet of new seedbed. Inexpensive spreaders from companies like Scotts, take much of the guesswork out of planting the right amount of seed for a given area. But even with a spreader it is well to divide the seed in half, planting the first half in the usual manner, and the rest crosswise of the first sowing. This method practically eliminates any possibility of skipping spots.

Broadcasting the seed by hand is made easier if the lawn is divided into sections and a weighed amount of seed reserved for sowing each part. After the seed is sown, hand rake the area very lightly with a flexible lawn rake, being careful not to bury the seed any deeper than 1/8 inch. Rolling with a light roller will firm the soil around the seed and also serve as an alternate method of finishing the planting.

Early Stages

Bringing the new lawn through the early stages of development requires careful watching. It is seldom advisable to force germination by artificial watering since it is next to impossible to match the thoroughness of a gentle rain with sprinkling equipment. However, and underground irrigation system makes lawn maintenance much easier.

Keeping the sprouting grass alive once the green fuzz puts in its appearance is another thing. When rain clouds are giving you the go-by, faithful sprinkling with a fine spray several times daily is recommended. This is imperative when a warm or windy period follows the first appearance of the new grass. Keeping the surface moist will save your investment until the return of normal showers.

There is also a right time to give the lawn its first mowing. When most of the grass has reached the height of 2 to 3 inches, mowing will encourage more lateral growth, leading to a denser turf. The first cutting will he less likely to injure the grass if its foliage is free of moisture and the mower is sharp and adjusted to a cutting height of 1-1/2 to 2 inches.

Lawn Weeds

The rapid growth of weeds is not an uncommon problem faced by the builder of a new lawn. The first few mowings will destroy some weeds, but others may require the use of chemical weed killers. After the grass has been cut a half dozen times, and the temperature is in the low 70′s, it is safe to use a chemical weed control.

Check out – Enemies of Your Lawn

A number of soil and weather factors strongly favor autumn as the best season for planting new lawns and fixing up old fawns. One of the greatest advantages of fall lawn work is that the grass does not have to compete with weeds. It just isn’t natural for troublesome lawn weeds. such as crabgrass. to sprout and make rank development during this season.

New lawns can be made in the Spring or Fall, although Fall is considered the best season of the year in the Eastern section of this country. However, no matter when you make a new lawn there are certain steps that must be followed if you want a deep root system and a thick, healthy top growth of sod. The success or failure of any lawn is dictated by the care and intelligence used in preparing the ground in which it is to grow. Either a clay or sandy loam containing an abundance of humus is the preferred soil. It. should have a granular texture and be friable enough to retain moisture without. remaining sticky. hut not becoming powdery when it dries. Such a soil, six to eight inches deep, will provide a most favorable home for grass roots. If the sub-soil needs correcting, it should he done at the time of setting the grade.

Soil Testing Is Worthwhile

How much loam and native peat to add to a heavy or thin sub-soil is an individual problem. I advise having samples of soil taken from different parts of the lawn and having the soil tested to see what is lacking. For feeding lawns, a complete fertilizer, such as 8-0-2, is usually best for established grass. We apply fertilizer at the rate of 20 pounds per 1000) square feet in the Spring, 10 to 15 pounds in June and 10 to 15 pounds in the Fall. A soil which has a pit of 7.0 is neutral; most grasses like a pH of 0.5 to 5.5. Kentucky Blue Grass is usually a neutral grass, but bent grasses are happy on the acid side.

A good mixture of grasses which stand well under city conditions is composed of Chewings Fescue, Domestic Rye Grass, Kentucky Blue Grass, Red Top and Colonial Bent. Sow the seed at four to five pounds per 1000 square feet.

If sowing by hand, sow half lengthwise and half crosswise. Your local seedsman can provide you with the best seed. It is wise to grub-proof your lawn before sowing. Roll to imbed the seed, and do this before and after sowing the seed to assure perfect contact between seed and soil. This step is essential, and should not be omitted. Then water thoroughly, using a very fine spray. Continue to water daily until seed germination is complete; then water as needed, but always thoroughly; light sprinkling encourages shallow roots.

Established lawns need regular care if they are to remain beautiful. This care includes such things as plant feeding, reseeding and proper mowing and watering. In the Eastern sections, the Fall offers an ideal season for renovating established lawns, since it enables gardeners to combine an effective weed control program with lawn care. I give three feedings to our lawn. I have used such fertilizers as 9-0-0, 8-0-2, 5-10-5 and cotton seed meat in the early Spring, the last of March or first of April. I always test the soil. Then in June, I apply a 4-12-4 formula at the rate of 10 pounds to every 1000 square feet. Do not stimulate your lawn during July and August unless you are forced to do so. In September, I give it either 4-12-4 or bone meal. This seems to take care of the rout system and keeps the turf flourishing.

When feeding a lawn in the Spring or at any time, be sure your grass is dry; then spread the fool and soak it in. I have never burned a lawn with fertilizer, because I have always looked out for that possibility. In mowing, do not cut your grass shorter than l i z inches. Your last. cutting of the season is usually rather short. so that leaves will not lie and smother the grass during the Winter; this practice prevents snow mold from developing.

Weed Insurance – Dense Growth

A dense, vigorous turf is the best insurance against weed infestation. A few years ago weeds were a major lawn problem. To- day, however, it is no longer necessary to spend hours of back-breaking labor pulling and digging troublesome weeds. With the use of various chemicals, dandelions, common plaintain, wild carrot and chickweed are easily eliminated; but be sure to “stick” to the instructions on the container. Crab grass control, in many instances, is a little more difficult.

Chinch bugs on established lawns should be looked for in June and early July and again in August and September. The use of a stomach poison is ineffective as the chinch bug is a true sucking insect and so does not chew the vegetation. The method of directly checking the invasion is by contact poisons that suffocate the chinch bug. The lawn should be cut closely before treatment, so the dust will settle close to the grass crowns; brush the dust in briskly with a corn broom. Damaged areas should be raked out and reseeded with a good lawn seed in the usual manner.

During the past several years the Japanese beetles have done considerable damage to turf. The grass turns brown and dies. It is severed at the roots so that it can be literally rolled up like a carpet. If the sod is removed at the right time, a colony of the feeding grubs will be found. The presence of grubs is often disclosed by flocks of birds such as grackles and starlings. In the country, skunks are fond of the grubs; so where there are damaged lawns, the way to get rid of them is to destroy the grubs.

They often use only the juiciest superlatives in describing their new grasses. Should the homeowner tear up his lawn that is already established and reseed it with a new strain that is advertised as being far superior to the grass he now has? Or if he is building a new lawn, should he stake everything on the new strains and completely disregard the time-tested strains of bluegrass, bent, and fescue that have served well for so many decades?

Judging New Grasses

Just how should the home gardener judge all the information on the new grasses that he reads? It is true that new grasses often represent long years of patient work by highly gifted specialists, and the research men who develop them are usually honest and accurate in their statements. As is true with anything new, however, the advertisers and writers of popular articles may over-emphasize the good qualities of the new strain and completely disregard the poor qualities.

When judging for yourself the merits of a new lawn grass, You would do well to remember that the introducer has tested his new strain for a relatively short time when compared with the older, common strains. Most likely, he has tested it under the most favorable conditions. Also, he probably has not grown the grass under the widely varied conditions that exist in the United States.

Only the rough and tumble test of being tried by millions of lawn makers under every combination of conditions over a period of a decade or more will determine the real importance of these new grasses to American horticulture.

The soundest procedure for the homeowner to follow in judging the merits of a new strain of lawn grass is to plant a small test plot with the new seed and then judge its performance.

To be a good strain a lawn grass should meet the following standards:

First Grass Test

First, it must persist under your environmental conditions soil structure and texture, moisture conditions, exposure, temperatures and so forth. There is no one grass that will persist under all climatic conditions, but instead, each grass is adapted to a specific region. A good grass is one that performs well consistently in its own unique area.

Second Grass Test

Second, it should be able to reproduce itself from year to year without losing its outstanding qualities, and should be a good seed producer.

Third Grass Test

Third, it should have a reasonable tolerance to disease. It is always advisable to choose a seed that is known to have a high degree of natural resistance.

Fourth Grass Test

Fourth, it should be able to produce a good quality turf for the particular purpose for which you are using it. Some of the important characteristics of a fine turf are resistance to wear, good color and desirable texture. The performance of the new strain should be judged over a period of at least three years.

And finally, to be the best grass for you. it should be superior to the grass that you now have in at least one of the above qualities.

The smart gardener’s motto was well stated by Alexander Pope many years ago. when he said, “Be not the first by whom the new is tried, nor yet the last to cast the old aside.”

Answer: Katie, where crabgrass is present, watering should be avoided as long as possible. Frequent and light waterings are especially undesirable, since they do the permanent grasses little or no good, yet encourage crabgrass to spread rapidly. Keeping the mower blade set 1-1/2 inches or higher in hot weather prevents crabgrass runners from spreading and rooting so rapidly. Crabgrass cannot be cut close enough to stop it front setting seed.

Chemical preparations are useful for crabgrass control if properly applied. Instructions on the container for rate and frequency of application should be followed to avoid serious turf injury. Trial applications on an inconspicuous corner of the lawn give the home owner experience in chemical treatment and determine whether the amount of injury is tolerable.

The best season for applying and crabgrass killer preparations is from late July through mid-August.

The use of chemicals for crabgrass control is not justified unless the permanent turf grasses are improved by regular fertilization and higher mowing. For the Kentucky bluegrass-fescue lawn the height of cut may be kept at 2 inches until crabgrass is brought under control, then lowered to 1-1/2 inches, Crabgrass cannot be eliminated entirely in one year. All plants should be kept from producing seed for a period of several years. Even then it is better to keep the occasional plant from going to seed than to run the risk of a future infestation.

Dandelions, buckhorn and broadleaved plantain are readily destroyed by 2,4-D preparations. Applied according to the instructions, a small quantity of this chemical can destroy a surprising number of weeds. This chemical, and the sprayer used for it, should be kept away from other valuable garden plants since it may damage them. And if late summer or fall reseeding is planned, make the final treatment several weeks before.

A number of effective chemical insecticides are available for this purpose.

When using any chemical turf insecticide, the homeowner is cautioned to handle it with care because it is also poisonous to him in a greater or lesser degree.

Gloves should be worn because the chemical will penetrate small cuts on the hand and under fingernails. Face masks or respirators are also available, and to wear one when spreading an insecticide, is a reasonable precaution.

Keep children and animals off the lawn until the chemical has been watered in, and store it out of reach of children. Some insecticides are poisonous to cold-blooded animals such as fish, and care should be taken not to let the chemicals run into fish ponds bordering the lawn.

The below table list the: Insects, How to Detect and Description. For the best treatment for your area contact your county agent or lawn professional.

Identification of Lawn Pests

Incorrect fertilizer applications can cause burning, waste money along with harm water supplies due to fertilizer run off.

Algae bloom in water supplies caused from high-levels of nitrogen and phosphorus found in lawn fertilizers reduces oxygen levels in lakes and ponds resulting in fish kills.

Cities and counties around the nation are beginning to take action.

For example, Pinellas County Florida (Tampa area) has passed ordinances requiring landscapers and lawn care professionals and those who mow, fertilize, prune, or remove yard waste and debris (does that mean homeowners as well) now must be certified and licensed. Not companies alone but those who handle fertilizer must to receive proper training.

Landscapers no longer will get a grace period. They will now be fined without proper certification.

The Pinellas ordinance requires landscapers, companies or personel applying fertilizer or performing landscaping to be have received proper training and be and licensed.

Required:

• All service vehicles must display certification decal
• All “landscapers” must carry a card to show they have received training for either landscape maintenance or fertilizing.

There are two different types of certification.

A complete training course approved by the state of Florida – like Green Industries Best Management Practices is available online at: https://gibmp.ifas.ufl.edu

Landscapers Too

Landscapers who do not apply fertilizers must also be certified.

With more emphasis on reducing the use of chemical fertilizers on lawns, this trend is sure to grow.

For years, those who apply chemicals in nurseries and commercially have been required to be trained.

Whenever chemicals are employed best practices should be followed.

When I dropped in on Al Huttar he was literally up to his neck in mowers that were waiting for repairs. But he graciously gave his time for what he termed as “the good of the cause.” Here’s what he had to say:

Competent Service

“Most troubles can be avoided if the people take their machines to a competent service man once a year. Like most service men, we prefer to have them in the winter when we have the time to work on them. In addition to sharpening, we fix a lot of minor things which often saves a lot of trouble when the spring comes.

“A good many ills could also be avoided if the mower owner would leave well enough alone and let a competent man make the major adjustments. You know, it’s very easy to ruin a good mower if for example – the reel blades don’t meet the cutting blade exactly right. This is nothing for the gardener to fool with. One adjustment the gardener can, and should, make is the height of cut. On reel mowers this is done by raising or lowering the roller – raise the roller to lower the cut. On rotaries, this adjustment is made by changing the position of the wheels.

Stop Tinkering

“The commonest cause of engine failure is definitely ‘tinkering.’ When a mower leaves the store it’s in good working condition; nine times out of ten it will stay that way if you don’t fool with it. I think more people would be happier with their power mower if they’d leave their screw driver and pliers inside when cutting the lawn.

“However, there are a lot of things you can do to keep the mower in good condition, although they may be a lot less glamorous than taking the carburetor apart.

Keep Mower Clean

“0ne thing you can do, even if you don’t know the first thing about machines, is to keep the mower clean. By this I mean that after you use it, remove any matted grass on the blade and also remove any grass that may have wound around the reel, wheels, etc.

“Also, I’ve yet to hear of any machine that was harmed by too much oil and grease in the right places. The instruction manual you get with the machine will tell you where you can oil and how often. If the manual is lost you can usually find it in PDF form at the manufacturers website.

“On gasoline engines you should frequently check to see that there is a little oil in the air filter. This is extremely important.

“It’s also important to check the oil in the crankcase, just as you do in your automobile. You may have to add some from time to time, but I don’t think you will have to change it but once a year.

2 Cycle Engines

“On two cycle engines, be sure there is the correct mixture of oil and gasoline. The best way to do this is to mix about 5 gallons at a time; this should be enough for the whole season. Be sure to use a clean can when filling your machine. We had one machine that came in so gummed up that the pistons wouldn’t move. We found out that the lady had used an old can for filling the gas tank. I don’t know what chemical reactions were involved, but boy what a mess that engine was in!

“It would be a good idea if you kept a spare spark plug around. Make sure, though, that it is the correct one for the engine. If the engine fails, try the new plug. If this doesn’t help, take it to a mechanic.

“Very briefly, that’s about it. By the way, how’s your mower working?”

Answer: Allyson, summer is the season for building homes and early autumn still leaves time for building lawns. All through the land (even with the current rough economy), thousands of families are moving into new houses, stepping along wobbly planks, walking around piles of earth and wondering if the heaps of yellow clay surrounding their castles will ever be transformed into green, carpet-like lawns.

Read these 10 Questions on Lawn Making

As the summer wanes, the homeowner looks with dismay at the barren earth surrounding their new home. If the sun shines, dust covers the immaculate newness of her cabinets, If rain and snow come, she sees muddy tracks of small fry across the carpet. “Hurry, hurry,” she urges the bedeviled contractor. “The lawn we must have now!” A long winter of muddy tracks and perhaps another summer of dust cannot be endured. Suddenly, the work is finished and lawn-making time is at hand.

Lawns Need preparation

If a lawn is to be magnificent, the preparations for it cannot be slighted. A lawn is expected to be a thing of beauty forever, and not a ragged foot mat kept barely alive by continual doctoring. It is expected to endure the vagaries of hostile weather and periods of vacation-time neglect. If a lawn is to live up to these great expectations, the lawn soil must be prepared properly before the seeds are planted.

Indeed, building a lawn means preparing the seed bed. And remember that no amount of subsequent dabbling with lawn sprinklers and fertilizers will completely overcome the evils of a poorly prepared soil. The secret of building a good lawn is the thorough mixing of lime, phosphate and potash into the soil before seeding – after the rough grading is finished.

Lime Acid Soil Lawns

In areas where soil is acid in reaction, agricultural lime should be added at the rate of 15 to 20 pounds per 100 square feet (150 to 200 pounds per 1,000 square feet). The neighbors will wonder what is going on when they see so much lime being spread on the soil. Their advice should be listened to – but, only with neighborly politeness!

In areas where soil is alkaline (mainly in semiarid climates), lime is not needed.

Of course, the exact degree of acidity or alkalinity of a soil cannot be known unless soil samples are sent out for testing to determine your soil’s exact fertilizer requirements. However, excess lime never injured a lawn. Even when 25 per cent of the soil volume is pure lime, grasses and clovers thrive happily.

Grasses and clovers also require large amounts of phosphate to grow their best. Superphosphate (20 percent available phosphorous) should be added at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre (2 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet, 25 pounds per 1,000 square feet).

Potash also must be added in many areas. The correct potash requirement is difficult to learn, but if 1-1/2 pounds of 50 per cent potash per 100 square feet are added, no grass will complain of being starved for this plant food.

Lawn Work Begins

Now the real work begins. The fertilizers must be disked deeply and thoroughly into the soil. Ideally the disk should cut about 8 inches into the soil, but since few lawn disks can cut so deeply, the golden rule of lawn building is to disk as deeply as possible. Five or six diskings are not too many. Remember that the better and deeper the fertilizer is mixed with the soil, the better the lawn will be, and above all, the less sensitive it will be to drought and summer heat.

Fine Grading The Lawn

Next, the fine landscape grading begins and the surface is made as smooth and even as possible. The final finishing touches are important. Surface irregularities will cause the mower to bounce about next summer as if it had springs for wheels. When the neighbors stop watching and cease commenting, the lawn bed is probably smooth enough.

Now that everything is ready, what kind of grass will make the best lawn? There is no better grass than good, old-fashioned bluegrass. Fancy seed mixtures usually lead in time to a pure stand of bluegrass anyway. Wherever bluegrass will grow, it might as well be planted on purpose and excused from preliminary competition with other species. A little white clover, of any common variety, gives an added touch of green during the first summer and stimulates the bluegrass to do its best. Within four years usually, the clover fades away, leaving a rich-carpet of bluegrass.

The Germinating Seeds

Right after seeding, by all means add a topdressing of ammonium nitrate at the rate of 3/4 pound per 100 square feet (7 1/2 pounds per 1000 square feet). Lightly rake the nitrate and seed together into the upper film of soil. This nitrogen gives the germinating seeds a start in life and enables them to put forth roots to hold the soil during late fall rains. Read ==>> 5 Steps To Making A Lawn

Someone certainly will advise the amateur gardener to finish with a layer of “black dirt.” Rarely is this necessary. The thorough mixing in of lime, phosphate, potash and nitrate will contribute more to the health of a lawn than any amount of black soil. Although this abnormal soil looks impressively fertile, frequently it is astonishingly infertile and almost always contains a fantastic number of weed seeds and fragments .of quack grass stolons. If it’s necessary to add soil when grading, an ordinary farm loam is infinitely better than the expensive black soil.

Rejuvenate An Old Lawn

An old, threadbare lawn is a sorry sight. The best way to rejuvenate such a lawn is to plow it up and plant a new one the way the plot should have been planted in the first place. But such a drastic procedure is expensive and often impractical. So if you must work with an old, worn-out lawn without disturbing it, simply resign yourself to the fact that mere treatment of a lawn – when it has been too longdelayed – can only be second-best.

An old lawn which has already seen its best days should be limed and fertilized, twice a year, just after growth begins in spring and in fall, The fall top dressing should consist of 5 pounds of agricultural lime per 100 square feet (50 pounds per 1,000 square feet) and 3/4 pounds of a 10-10-10 mixed fertilizer per 100 square feet (7 1/2 pounds per 1,000 square feet). The spring treatment should consist of the same amount of lime and 1-1/4 pounds of the mixed fertilizer per 100 square feet (12-1/2 pounds per 1,000 square feet). After two such fertilizations, reduce the amount of lime by one half.

All lawns, no matter how carefully they have been established or how perfect they appear, should receive a little fertilizer twice each year. The treatment for old and starving lawns has already been described, but even new lawns on well prepared, heavily fertilized soil should be fed a little. In fall, they should receive about 3/4 pound of a 12-6-6 fertilizer per 100 square feet (7 1/2 pounds per 1,000 square feet) and in spring 1-1/4 pounds.

Take care not to feed your lawn more often than this, however – and, also, don’t indulge in frequent light lawn watering or sprinklings – or you’ll find yourself in trouble. Roots grow where there is the most fertilizer and water. Too frequent top dressings with fertilizer, particularly with nitrogen, and too frequent light waterings result in an accumulation of feeding roots near the surface. Drought and summer heat then do their worst. Although light sprinklings may cool the gardener on hot summer evenings, they increase the sensitivity of the lawn to heat and drought. A cardinal rule in lawn watering is to soak the soil well or don’t water at all.

Weeds are the curse of almost all new lawns. However, a well fertilized lawn will gradually kill out most annual weeds the second season. But some weeds are tough and seem to thrive on competition and these often must he attacked with hotelier knives and weed-killing chemicals. Although it’s true that these chemicals are rough on clover, so are weeds. Therefore, drastic treatment with chemicals sometimes is necessary.

Correct Mowing

Correct mowing of your lawn is important. Most people thoughtlessly mistreat their lawns with improper mowing. Everyone wants a thick, carpet-like lawn and believes for some strange reason that the closer the grass is cut, the thicker and finer it will become. Nothing is farther from the truth.

Close mowing has ruined many a lawn. It weakens the vitality of the grass and its resistance to heat and drought. It also exposes every imperfection, weed and variation in soil surface. The even, velvety look that is the hallmark of a good lawn depends on the grass’s being clipped at a reasonable height. Two inches is ideal, and this is about the maximum height obtainable with ordinary mowers.

Thee lawn should be mowed frequently, as often as the track of the mower can be followed. At the height of the growing season, fine lawns should be mowed every other day, and certainly no less than twice a week.

Clippings should be left where they fall. If the mowing is done often enough, the young and tender fragments of grass will quickly decay and disappear. If the clippings accumulate, forming a dense mat on the soil surface, it shows that the grass was allowed to become too mature before it was cut. This mulch of dead grass lessens the normal aeration of the soil and inhibits new shoots from emerging in spring, So if it remains in significant amounts through the winter-, rake it off in early spring.

Thus, by adequate initial preparation of the lawn soil, use of a tough and durable species of grass, frequent mowing at the 2-inch height, and two fertilizations a year, you can achieve a luxuriant grass stand that will be a joy for many, many years.

Answer: Marc, summer is the real test for any Kentucky bluegrass-fescue lawn. No matter how well it thrives during cool weather, through the hot months protecting the turf from serious damage is about all that can be expected. Once warm weather arrives, opportunities for improving the lawn are limited, and treatments should be carefully chosen and administered, since carelessness may destroy the turf area already established.

Good Lawns Made in Spring and Fall

The most productive efforts toward maintaining a good lawn can be made in the spring and fall. Resolutions to fertilize and lime properly during those seasons are the best approach to summer enjoyment.

It is natural for Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses to turn rather yellow or brown when temperatures are high. Attempting to avoid this natural loss of color by fertilizing and watering throughout the summer may defeat the purpose by keeping the grass soft and more subject to disease and heat injury. It also encourages summer weeds such as crabgrass. The healthy lawn will not be injured permanently by typical summer weather, and the average lawn maker should relax rather than try such practices as regular watering throughout the season.

Reviving Lawns

While most lawns will revive after prolonged hot, dry periods, those in very sandy soils or warm exposures and ones closely clipped may be ruined unless judiciously watered. Water should be applied slowly and uniformly until it moistens the soil as deep as it is dried out. This amount should enable the grass to survive 7 to 10 days of additional hot, dry weather. Apply the water only as fast as it will enter the soil. For areas that absorb slowly, a soaker hose or some other irrigation device to control the flow may be necessary. The sod on compacted spots can be opened by cultivation with lawn aeration.

Fertilizing The Summer Lawn – Wait

For best results, fertilize the lawn in September and early spring. Fertilization during the warm weather of late spring and summer may help keep the grass green, but it encourages weeds and sometimes leads to serious turf damage. The experienced turf grower may recognize occasional need for summer fertilizing, but he too must exercise great care in fertilizing at this time.

Shaded Lanws

Shaded lawn areas or other problem spots may benefit from light applications of fertilizer during summer. However, beware of scorching the grass. For 1.000 square feet, 4 to 8 pounds of an 8-6-4, 5-10-5 or similar fertilizer might be spread and watered in without delay. Organic nitrogen fertilizers may be applied at slightly higher rates without watering. Or small amounts of soluble liquid fertilizer are sometimes applied as the lawn is watered.

Mowing The Lawn

High mowing is beneficial to shaded lawns since it permits more grass leaf area to remain for food production. Mowing closer than 1-1/2 inches may tax the grass plants so severely that they cannot survive the summer.

When grass nears the wilting stage it is particularly susceptible to injury from heavy traffic. Spreading the wear over the lawn helps avoid loss of grass and increases the service life of the turf.

With the best of care summer is likely to leave its disease, drought or crabgrass scars on the lawn, where even greater future troubles may start. Most lawns should be fertilized in late summer or early fall to encourage vigorous growth during the cool moist weather that follows. The amount of recovery a properly fertilized Kentucky bluegrass lawn can make in autumn is amazing.

In late summer also, reseed all bare areas or they are likely to revert to weeds next year. The right seed and correct fertilization are important. For the cool moist areas of the country. Kentucky bluegrass. Chewing’s or other red fescue and colonial bcntgrass are the main kinds of grass seed. Be sure the seed comes in contact with the soil even if this necessitates scarifying the bare spots and breaking through weeds and trashy litter at the surface. Turf cultivating tools, purchased or rented, may be useful for this purpose. The cool fall months give new seedlings plenty of time to prepare for the rigors of next year’s hot weather.