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Show Brigham City, Utah 84302, Sunday Morning April 2, 1972 Its Right Time To Fertilize Lawn Controversy Continues Organic Gardners vs. Commercial Agriculturists A feud of contradictory opinions has long been smoldering between organic gardeners and commercial agriculturists. All dont see eye to eye, but the conflict is emerging into an era of greater understanding, believes Reed S. Roberts, extension entomologist, Utah State university. He noted that persons conwith commerical cerned agriculture have ben conducting experiments in which one plot of ground is treated with convential pesticides and commercial fertilizer, and then its production is compared with another identical plot of ground that is not treated. Under these experimental conditions, the results clearly show that more food is produced so at a lower cost and with less insect and disease damage by using pesticides and commercial fertilizers than by not using them. Feel Not Fair The organic gardeners, feel that this is not an entirely fair comparison. They cite the results of their own gardens. By using methods they consider to be more "natural, they have demonstrated that they can produce an abundant crop of quality vegetables. But much of this is a matter of degree and cost. At least some of the organic gardeners do use pesticides. They use what are supposed to be the more "safe compounds such as pyrethrum and rotenone to protect their crops from insect pests. The main objection that commercial agriculturists have with these pesticides is that they usually cost much more, are harder to obtain and to apply than the other pesticides such as how-ever- y, scale, properly timed insect control programs are essential to produce the quantity and quality of food needed by society today. of a survey in Utah, New Mexico and Colorado funded by the Four Corners Regional mid-Augu- fer- Cherry Slug The Cherry slug skeletonizes the leaves, them appear like lace, and Pear leaves are commonly injured. One Big Step One big step forward in this direction is expected to come " p? I? ' v- " i h' iYWtr; Sprinkle Lawn Sprinkle the lawn throughly immediately after you spread the fertilizer. This will move the nitrogen into the topsoil. Fertilizer is only one factor in good lawn management. If you 'I i.V tunnel openings. Effective requires both delayed dormant and late spring sprays, according to the USU extension service. Shallow soils and course sandy soils store less water, so they should be sprinkled more often. The green grass are indispensible to the growth of grass. The roots absorb water and nutrient materials from the soil, but the foods of the plants (sugar, starch, protein and vitamins) are manufactured in Clipping: shoots the shoots. Where close mowing continually eliminates most of the green shoots, the grass cannot grow well and develop good root systems, even when the soil fertility is high. Set the lawn mower to clip the grass l2 to 2 inches high. This is particularly true of Kentucky bluegrass or Merion bluegrass where the grass .shoots stand erect. A ' ' ' M I i8wf Ml ' && Peach Twig Borer control containing the grass roots. 5 s Damage from the Peach Twig Borer is caused by small brown worms that work inside the twjgs about blossom time, then enter the fruit later in the season. Infested twigs die back and small masses of gum exude from the want a healthy vigorous turf, follow two other principles: First, water heavily and infrequently. Second, clip the lawn at least 1 to 2 inches above the ground. Sprinkling: As a general practice, apply one to two inches of water at each sprinkling. Allow several days or longer before sprinkling again. In the cool fall and spring weather, heavy sprinkling once every one to two weeks should be adequate. Exception: the gravel soil in Brigham City, Willard or Perry area may need to be sprinkled every other day or daily. In hot weather, water heavily once or twice each week. Frequency of watering depends on weather conditions and the water-holdin- g capacity of the soil 4: f I Early spring is a good time to put fertilizer on lawns. You can apply the material as soon as the snow melts and the frost is out of the ground. Nitrogen fertilizer is usually all you need for grass. Nitrogen can be applied two or three times each year. This will help to keep the lawn green all through the growing season. You may need to add phosphate or a complete fertilizer approximately once every five years, particularly if you remove the lawn clippings. Fertilize in early spring, late spring, and late summer, but dont apply fertilizer during the hot period of summer; avoid commission. In it, a hormone, the female sex pheromone will be used to attract, trap and count the coddling moth that is responsible for most of the worms found in untreated or improperly treated fruit trees in the area. The survey aims to make it possible to eventually control the from mid-Jun- e coddling moth with fewer, more fertilizing effectively timed applications of through Use either ammonium nitrate pesticides. This will reduce the cost of control and the un- or ammonium sulfate. Apply desirable effects on the en- approximately five pounds of vironment. ammonium nitrate or eight stressed Roberts that pounds of ammonium sulfate per knowledge is important in 1,000 square feet of lawn area. If you lawn is Merion dealing with the problems represented in the controversy. bluegrass, double these amounts. Utah State university is currently One application should last six to conducting courses both in eight weeks, then you can repeat organic gardening and com- the treatment. If you want more merical agriculture for everyone vigorous growth of the lawn, add more fertilizer; but do not exceed who is interested. two or three times these amounts. tilizers. Most of them will readily admit that these methods may not work economically in large fields of one food crop. But the controversy between the organic advocates and the commercial agriculturists is not over. As they argue, scientists are continuing working to develop better, more safe and economical methods of producing food through more efficient control of plant diseases and pest insects. phosphorous compounds that may be more toxic. The increased cost and difficulty of using them for pest control discourages their use in commerical agriculture because it would necessarily increase the cost of the food produced. The agriculturists point out that large from the introduction program conducted Labor, Material Such programs must be both effective and realistic in terms of labor required and costs of materials used. As an example, orchardists find it almost impossible to produce apples free from worms unless they spray on a large scale and spray frequently. The same situation exists with use of fertilizer. The organic gardeners do fertilize their ground. They use compost, manure and other organic matter rather than commercial by Paul D. Christensen . . wp' aftgfts n, $ ? 6 But IISs Fum spring comes along, many tractors and other mechanized equipment can be seen working in the fields throughout Box Elder county, but theres something different on an East Corinne farm. This method of harrow As ing a garden being used by Pack Hatch, may be old fashioned, but its fun. Pack enjoys using his Shetland team and has several others on his farm. He has been a farmer in Box Elder county for many years. |