Sowing Grass Seed

Every authority states unequi-vocably that fall is the best time to seed, preferably in September after the months of hottest weather and when there is a good moisture con­dition. If you seed in the fall the grass will thrive, but, nevertheless, the heaviest sales of seed are in the spring. If you do seed in spring, start as early as the weather per­mits so that there will be good root growth started before hot weather sets in. May plantings usually suf­fer from competition with crab grass and other summer weeds as well as from heat and inadequate moisture. Usually it is best to make a temporary lawn of rye grass where seedings are necessary in late May or during the summer, and then turn this cover under for per­manent seeding in early fall.

An open barbecue terrace with access from the cov­ered porch has become an outdoor annex to this house. After proper grading to raise the area the existing stone foundation of the house was extended as a retaining wall. Flagstone provides the surface for terrace and steps. The wrought iron railing is both protective and attractive.

A covered walk from garage to house becomes an in­tegral part of the landscaping of this charming period home. The change in elevation is emphasized by a fieldstone retaining wall that blends so well with the brick walk, steps, and house wall. The shrubs and vines lend added distinction to the graceful white fence and posts.

Grass seed is relatively small and must not be planted deeply. Cover larger seeds such as rye grass and Chewings fescue with soil to provide enough contact with the moist soil for germination and growth. Small seeds such as the bent grasses need only partial covering in moist seasons. You will need 4 pounds of seed for 1,000 square feet of lawn; heavier seeding will not make up for poor-quality seed or a poorly prepared seedbed as it merely causes an excess of com­petition between seedlings.

If possible, use a mechanical spreader. Whether by hand or spreader, sow by dividing the seed, spreading part in one direction, the rest crosswise to the first. This in­sures even coverage and lessens the chance of missed spots or wind­rows. Rake the seed lightly, or drag a flexible steel doormat over the area. Then roll lightly to firm the seed into the soil. Small lawns may be top-dressed with 1/8inch or so of screened soil or compost.

Slopes require special treatment as new seedings on them are likely to be washed by heavy rains. You can use straw to cover them, but it must be picked up as soon as the grass gets started. Or the new seed­ing can be promptly covered with open mesh burlap or cheesecloth or a special garden-supply stock of open mesh cloth that can be left in place to rot and become part of the soil. This prevents soil erosion and keeps the soil surface moist, pro­tecting the young seedlings from damage by exposure to the sun. Or­dinary burlap should be removed when grass sprouts are 1/2 to 1/4 inch long.

Natural rainfall is best for new seeding, but if the weather is dry it is necessary to water for prompt germination. Do your watering in the morning, with a fine mistlike spray to avoid puddling or crust formation. Once the seed has started to sprout, the moisture supply must be constant or the plants may die. For level places use a sprinkler and get the soil wet at least 5 inches with each watering, but don't keep watering until the soil is water­logged and too compact. For slopes use a canvas hose, or wrap the hose in porous canvas, so that the water will ooze out slowly in big drops and go off into the soil quickly. Seed mixtures in new plantings develop unevenly. The "nurse" grasses (such as rye grass), and the semi-permanent types will grow rapidJy. To prevent their damaging the slower-starting permanent grasses, such as the bluegrasses, by their shade or competition for mois­ture and soil nutrients, begin mow­ing when the tallest grass is 2 inches. Do not mow shorter than 1 1/2 inches.

Renovating Old Lawns

If you have been struggling in vain with a poor lawn, you might just as well do something drastic with it, such as spade it up and re­build it. If you do, however, be careful not to build in the same mistakes again. If there are puddles or pools on your lawn for a long time after rain, you may need to lay drain tile or get a good layer of gravel under the topsoil.

If your problem is due to a hard-baked soil and the grass is thin and anemic, spading up or plowing followed by soil preparation and re-seeding, is probably the best pro­cedure. If limited areas (such as paths or low spots or areas under trees) get too packed, they can be loosened and cultivated, or opened up by aerating to a depth of 6 or 8 inches. You can do this with an ordinary spading fork, driven deep and worked back and forth to en­large the openings. Brush sharp sand or compost into the holes to attain better movement of air and moisture through the soil.

Many poor lawns are due to poor soil conditions and can be im­proved by a better feeding pro­gram. Use 4 pounds of plant food for each 100 square feet of lawn. If the grass is too thin, try plant food along with new seed.

If your old lawn is bumpy, level it down, raking top-dressing into the hollows, or peel back the sod, filling in the hollow with good soil and replacing the sod.

A mossy lawn is usually due to poor drainage, not to acidity in the soil, as is widely believed. A mossy lawn may need a change in grading for improved drainage, or raking and liberal fertilization.

Fighting Insects, Diseases, Weeds

Weeds in an old lawn, or in a new lawn, can best be combated with chemical weed-killers such as 2,4-D compounds. Using a granu­lated chemical with a spreader is sometimes preferable to a liquid spray. Spray must be used on a day when there is little or no wind as drifting spray kills and harms veg­etables, flowers and shrubs. Feed your lawn after spraying against weeds, so that the grass can thicken up and fill in the bare spots more quickly.

However, one must keep in mind that the best way to prevent weeds in the first place is to have a healthy lawn, with good soil pro­viding sufficient nutrient for the grass you plant. Weeds come in after, when the lawn is badly thinned for one reason or another. For example, a lawn may be thinned by diseases which are overlooked in our haste to lay the blame on weeds. It is true for diseases that com­monly attack turf, too, that pre­ventive steps are the best, and that a healthy turf will be better able to ward off the disorders that occur. As previously stated, a mixture of seeds is more resistant to disease. Excess moisture in the soil seems to be a cause of many diseases. An­other cause is poor circulation of air for the grass roots, due to near-by trees, shrubs, and build­ings. You can do a little about this by pruning.

Close mowing causes some dis­eases since it weakens the grass and causes more succulent growth, which, in turn, brings about fungal attacks. If the mowing height is not below 1 1/2inches, even though the lower leaves may be attacked, the newer leaves may not be.

Watering late in the evening is a poor practice because if the grass remains wet at night, disease is in­vited. And if you use fertilizer to stimulate turf grasses, do so in the early spring and fall when the grass is healthy, not during the summer when the leaf is succulent and tender and easily attacked by disease.

A healthy turf will not in itself combat insects, but they will not be able to do as much damage if the grass is strong. If you suspect in­sects, such as grubs, roll back a foot of sod. The presence of some insect infestations in your lawn may be disclosed by flocks of birds, such as sparrows, starlings and grackles; they drill holes in the ground with their bills to feed on the grubs, sod webworms and other pests.

Moles are seldom a bother in turf areas except when attracted to grubs or other soil insects in the area. This provides the key to get­ting rid of moles—getting rid of grubs. Actually, moles can be bene­ficial, they eat bugs, beetles, earth­worms, spiders and grubs. But they do harm a lawn when they cause bumpy ridges, which then become runways for mice—and mice feed on bulbs and roots.

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