Show Planting a New Lawn Heres Here's How A new lawn can be planted WI with th greatest confidence if the seedbed has s been cultivated mixing in pl plenty ty of fertilizes lime too if ifa ifa ifa a soil test shows acidity ft Tt is possible possible possible ble to scorch old vegetation chemically chemically chemi chemi- cally scratch the surface as with a a 3 powered thinning machine and then seed But seed stands the best chance of settling to a good site for sprouting and rooting among loose soil chunks Soil cu cultivation may be by a rotary tiller almost no one seems to spade sizable areas anymore or ora ora ora a tractor with cultivating and leveling leveling leveling level level- ing implements can be rented Dont Don't rework the soil more than necessary to get it level for repeated tillage pulverizes soil aggregates and destroys structure A dusty melts upon first fiat watering to an impervious surface which seals off the from air and causes future water to run runoff runoff runoff off rather than soak into the lawn Use a lawn spreader to sow seed uniformly About 3 pounds of a Kentucky fine bluegrass fescue blend is all that is needed for a thousand square feet feet or or only half this much of tiny-seeded tiny varieties such as Highland and other colonial colonial colonial colon colon- ial Even if you are in moist bent gr grass ss country a little bluegrass I and fine fescue is suggested along with the but mow low and water and fertilize to favor the bent The new perennial asses are not only attractive but sprout quickly they are arc good in seed blends for slopes that must be over grassed-over in a hurry If possible mulch the new seed seed- ing Any loose material that conserves conserves conserves con con- serves moisture and protects the soil will suffice Clean straw is an anold anold anold old favorite though seldom obtainable obtainable obtainable obtain obtain- able by city folk Garden centers usually carry woven nettings or mulch mats such as of excelsior or you can even use plastic if you are willing willingto to lift it any time temperature approaches degrees as it willon will willon willon on a sunny day Around home you might find dried lawn clippings or the power company can perhaps provide chipped twigs Stringy sphagnum ss can be used also If the is kept moist by light sprinklings and weather is warm the seeding should sport a fuzz of green in two or three weeks Natural mulches need not be removed but of course a plastic covering is another matter Roots of new grass grow about as much as the tops so when the grass grassis is an inch or two tall taU watering can become less frequent As soon as the grass leaves turn a abit abit abit bit floppy 2 to 3 inches tall it is time for mowing From then on mow each time the lawn exceeds its customary height usually about JA inch for l B Vi 2 2 inches for bluegrasses and by 50 50 per per- cent After a few the lawn will be well enough established to endure weed treatments if needed including spring crabgrass such as Azak Dac- Dac thal thai and so on |