H U B L I S H ED IN F E B R U A R Y, M A R C H. A P R I L, A U G U ST A ND S E P T E M B ER BY O. M. S C O TT & S O NS C O. M A R Y S V I L L E. O H IO Sixteenth Year Number 75-B WET SPRING PRESENTS L A WN PROBLEMS unfavorably affected grass THIS SPRING'S excessive rainfall has two ways. The soft, lush, rapid growth has been all too obvious to the lawn mower pusher, but the really harmful effect has come from complete saturation of many soils, resulting in shallow rooting. in When water fills up the soil, air is excluded. As a result there is no depth of rooting since the oxygen supply in the soil is cut off. Excess water fills the pore spaces so only the roots growing at the surface get the necessary air. This harmful condi- tion was very prevalent this spring in the heavier soils and in other situations of poor underground drainage. A lush susceptible top growth, a shallow root growth, or a combination of them will make grass particularly to injury if the weather turns suddenly hot In such cases the surface soil and dry. quickly dries, leaving the shallow roots without any moisture supply to take care of the heavy above ground growth. The plants soon wilt and may succumb if first aid is not administered. How To Help important Especially in conditions of this kind is moderately high cutting. This serves to reduce evaporation and to protect the surface roots from direct rays of the sun. For most lawns the cutting height should be 1/4 to 2 inches, for Creeping Bent lawns about 1 inch. After a period of excess rain, a careful watering program should be followed to prevent too rapid drying. Light sprinkling every day or two with a fine spray will keep the surface moist—but not saturated. As the excess water drains from the soil, the grass roots will go down and watering can be less frequent. This special program is in contrast to the one prescribed for usual conditions, when heavier but less recommended. frequent waterings ( S ee L A WN C A RE N O. are 6 0 .) The matter of soil moisture supply is extremely critical and a frequent check is advisable as soils usually dry at the surface much sooner than suspected. Maintaining moisture in the surface soil will also help avoid injury from the hot sun. Plants remain cooler if there is a constant move- ment of moisture that is taken up by the roots and transpired through the leaves. Fungus Disease Various fungi attack grass in summer especially when the plants are in a weak- ened condition as they are apt to be this summer. The damage of brown or dead turf may be lessened by occasional preven- tive applications of Turf Fungicide. This is put on every two or three weeks during hot, humid weather. Several commercial products are available including our own combination of chemical and carrier mate- rial. This the lawn either by hand or through a Scott Spreader at the rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet. is easily broadcast over Weeds Are Bad For a number of years we have been using a combination of chemicals for the C O P Y R I G HT BY O. M. S C O TT ft S O NS C O. spotting control of broad-leaved weeds including dandelion and buckhorn. This has been so successful that we are now putting it up in packages and offering it for sale in a limited way. It is used by placing a teaspoonful on the crown of the weed. One shot is usually death to any lawn weed in a few days. This chemical is not poisonous or explosive so it is safe to let the youngsters apply it. One pack- age contains enough to destroy 150 weeds. This same chemical is also good for the Ivy, by positive destruction of Poison making a solution and applying as a spray or with a sprinkling can. One pack- age is enough for 100 square feet of vege- tation. Weed Shot may also be used in the same way to kill off all vegetation as in driveways where neither grass or weeds are wanted. Seeders Quite a few readers of L A WN C A RE have been disappointed in not being able to buy Spreaders for sowing seed and apply- ing Turf Builder. We still cannot make Spreaders but we do have a small hand implement that is a help in sowing seed. It consists of a canvas knapsack to hold seed or fertilizer, to which is attached a long tube sowing spout. The tool is hardly a substitute for a Spreader but it enables one to do a better job of seeding than can be done by hand and the investment is small as it is offered at one dollar while they last. PRICE L I ST Weed Shot, pkg $1.00 Turf Fungicide, pkg. for 1000 sq. ft. 1.25 Hand Seed Sower 1.00 O. M. SCOTT & SONS CO. MAR YS V I L LE • • O H IO WERY PACKAGE OF SCOTTS LAWN SEED BEARS THIS TRADE-MARK AND IS SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION