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Show PAGE 5 MowToSolveSomeLowtsi Problems By Melvin 8. Burningham community. These are caused by improper management, abuse by heavy foot traffic, or wrong treatments that do more damage than good. An example of the latter is power raking. It has been highly promoted in some areas. It can do more harm than good if it isn't needed. Usually, there is no need to power rake at all unless there is lots of heavy Utah State University Extension Area Horticulturist Probably nothing en- hances the appearance of our communities more than lawns. We thrifty well-kehave a lot of them, but we also have some lawn problems. In hot summer weather we most often see a problem of a burned appearance in pt from resulting drought. You can go down the streets and see about a third of the lawns that have ' drought problems caused by insufficient or improper irri- -' gation. Soon after fertilizing you will probably need to water your lawn about every four or five days, and then as the grass becomes semi 'dormant in the summer, once a week may be plenty often. This will vary with types of soil. Gravely or sandy soil will require more frequent irrigation than clay soil. Some lawns just look unthrifty. Often this is a result of mowing too dose. The only time we suggest mowing close is the first cutting in the spring. At that time you can lower the cutter bar on your mowing machine down to one-hato. three-fourtof an inch to cut off the old dead stuff. Catch it and remove it. Then the new grass will come up green and d them their own showplace. and weather only imConstructing an inexpensive plant showplace proves it. In addition, it is a very simple task, can be made in all sorts claims the new Ortho gar- of shapes, sizes and colors. den book, "Garden Con- Your own imagination can struction Know-Hoas be your guide, and its a long as you know what perfect job for non-stic- youre doing. One of the easiest A Weeds present another very common problem in the community. They thrive best when improper mowing, poor fertilization and other environmental conditions encourage them and discourage the desired grass. Sometimes they are unintentionally planted by planting seed BEAUTIFUL LAWN that has the undesirable non-glar- non-ski- e, The first thing to do is to decide on what design drops to build is also one looks best for your yard. of the loveliest and most You can do a myriad of inexpensive. Its simple fancy things, depending construction consists of on your taste, or stick mounting decorative with the simple stuff, like create on to a base, bricks reca good an exquisite platform of tangle. One way to enhance the beauty of a home. lines for applications are about April Fools Day, plants in it. Weeds come in many Memorial Day, and Labor Day. If your blue grass is shapes. Thats understandable since a weed is any thin and needs extra encourplant growing where you agement, add more fertilizer don't want it, whether a in broad-leafe- d Insects and animals annual, such as the common dandelion, or a cause their share of lawn broad-leafe- d course bunch problems in the area. Bill bugs find white grubs are the grass such as Tall Feasce. Some lawn weeds may re- main insect offenders. Appliquire special attention such cation of Chlordane or Diaz-ginoas directed on the as grubbing out or spraying insecticide label, will control with the proper weed killer. But most of the weed pro them. Night crawlers help aerate lawn soil but the blems will diminish by folthese bumps they make on the three lowing important management steps for lawn lawn when it begins to dry care: (1) fertilize heavily to are particularly objectionpromote a good thick turf; able to some people. Any of a (2) water thoroughly and not number of formulations can too often; and (3) clip high be used to control them. In some areas of the and often. community gophers burrowIn fertilizing, remember that lawn grasses require a ing underground, making raised tunnels and dirt high nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen is the first big number mounds, constitute a vexing problem. This seems to be you notice on the fertilizer of a problem in parks more is second the bag. Phosphate and potash the third. A soil and other public grounds sample sent to the Utah State than in home lawns. Poison bait or traps set in their University Soils Laboratory burrows will usually remoye will indicate any deficiencies in phosphate. Most Utah them. Domestic animal pets soils already have plenty of also look present a lawn problem So for fertilizers potash. not uncommon to the comwith the biggest number at the front. munity. Dogs are the main You see some lawns turn culprits, leaving feces to be yellow from putting too removed and urine spots that make discolorations on the much nitrogen on, especially during hot weather. If you lawn. You can cope with the put fertilizer on during hot problem either by keeping weather, apply it very lightly them off the lawn or hose the and immediately water it spots to dilute the concentrawell. However, it's better to tion of salts, etc., that may time the fertilizer for coder cause the discoloration. People are the source of periods. Some holiday guide- many lawn problems in the k, back- LAWN CARE SALE ' Great Buys on Lawn and Garden Equipment SAVE 10 REAR DISCHARGE ROTARIES! SAVE 19 PUSH ROTARY MOWER n, . . down through the cool. besides plants on this "stage." This brick platform1' is around outside. Build throwing your grass into., clippings on the lawn helps put a mulch on the soil surface to keep the lawn stone. And, of course, you can place other objects Dont leave your magnificent plants which you worked so hard to raise and pot casually lying But after that first cutting, if you want a really healthy looking lawn, raise the cutter bar to about two inches. Leave it that way the rest of the summer and mow frequently. Some people have the idea that they wont have to mow so often if they really scalp the lawn each time they mow. They lower the cutter bar to about a halfinch. That reduces the vitality of the grass and encourages the weeds to grow. In hot weather, avoid the short clippings filter grass and won't have to catch or rake them. In fact, leaving short your local Utah State University County Extension office. Don't Leave Magnificent Plants Lying Around Outside nice. shock by letting it get up so high that you cut too much off all at once. When you cut down below the portion of the grass that has been exposed to the sun, you cut into new tender material. Then the sun bleaches and burns the part that hasn't had a chance to toughen. We suggest that if you plan to let your grass be two inches high, mow just an inch off when it's three inches high. That may mean more frequent mowing than you anticipated, but you can let proper management. For further information on this important topic, contact would be in the fall or early spring. Lawn problems that stem from peoples' ignorance or neglect require edu lf . lots and rental property where there is no commitment to take care of the grounds. Many lovely lawns in communities throughout the state arc proof that lawn problems can be licked with thatch that prevents the water from penetration. It that case, the best time lawns ' cation to correct. Part of the problem on public grounds stems from frequent turn-oxe- r and lack of training of caretakers. A neglect problem on private grounds is found frequently on vacant . (far ... H- I- llflllWtfiM fl" feel la riatefc had k ri eeil fwieer. rNlnl with nu wfcnfa hrpMiiwiiwiMsisfi SAVE 20 GREAT 158" Wm VALUE! Ife-H- SAVE 40 M-I- "i263" ARY J171H hwafiMnll Wm TILLER Illl.M Tvrfaiw KWw dari i vsnsa far cfawn rating win Hngi Hnsr fan "full (hi murk Marini ad nun nadir IMaa ha ha hag n pin dan aprretwM, Bad favfv SAVE 40 ON ELECTRIC START LAWN TRACTOR HALF PRICE SALE! GRASS' CATCHER 17" . |