Lawn Dressing
Stop lawn mowing during September or early October. Give the grass a chance
to develop its roots deeply, store up food and thus prepare for winter.
A dressing of good fertilizer in late September will also help
greatly. Lawns so left unmowed will look ragged but will usually
winter better than those mowed much later.
Moss in lawns may be destroyed with powdered sulphate of iron (copperas)
scattered on the surface at the rate of an ounce to four square yards.
When thi moss is very thick, rake out as much as possible before
making the application. About a week later give a top dressing of compost,
preferably made of rich soil and well decayed barnyard manure, and
sow the best available lawn grass seed mixture. After the new
grass is growing nicely spray the area with nitrate of soda solution
(about a quarter ounce to the gallon of water).
Brown streaks along the crowns of terraces are often (not always) due
to mowing across the face of the slope. The reason is that the wheels
of the mower are respectively above and below the crown so the
knives cut closer on the crown than either above or below. Often
they cut the grass roots and even the soil. The way to prevent this
unsightliness is to mow from . above downward, for thereby the wheels
are kept in an even position and the grass is cut at a uniform
height.
"Dollar spot" in lawns kills small areas of grass from late spring to
early fall. It may be destroyed by corrosive sublimate solution-ne
tablet to a pint of water. Remember this is a powerful poison, so
handle it carefully and keep it under lock and key. Lawns must
be rolled while wet to press down mounds raised by winter. Use as
heavy a roller as you can handle. Delay means harder work and poorer
results. Fill hollows with sifted soil and roll again. Hose connections
and nozzles of ordinary styles are so unsatisfactory both to connect
and to use that dozens of new styles have been developed. The illustration
at A shows how the Tradur connectors are fastened to the ordinary
faucet and how they link two lengths of hose together-a slight turn
of the wheel and it's done!
At B is shown the Foodndrink cartridge method of applying fertilizers,
insecticides and fungicides, these materials being inserted in the
specially planned nozzle and the water turned on. Irrigation by means
of the Roberts multiple sprinklers-portable nozzles anchored in the ground
by means of metal stakes-is shown at C. The hose is , connected
with the faucet at a, and with nozzles at b. By this means lawns
and gardens may be thoroughly drenched-the proper way to water them.
Lawns may be greatly improved after fall rains come by applying 6 pounds
each of ammonium sulphate (or nitrate of soda), superphosphate and muriate
(or sulphate) of potash to each 1,000 sq. ft. A similar dressing
when growth has started in spring and again in early June will stimulate
growth so that weeds will have no chance. Unless rain follows the applications,
wash these chemicals thoroughly into the soil with the hose or they
will burn the plants. Grass often fails on steep banks.
Lawns are improved by mulching during hot weather. Good materials are
buckwheat hulls, commercial humus and pulverized peat moss. Scatter a
Y2'' or even a 1" layer on top of the grass after mowing in early June.
Turn the wooden rake upside down and use it back and forth to work
the material among the grass.
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