PUBLISHED FIVE TIMES YEARLY FOR LAWNTHUSIASTS CLOVER IN LAWNS—Friend or Enemy The growth of clover is an interesting phenomenon of nature. Farmers know that some years it grows more abundantly than others. For reasons hard to explain it may disappear in some years and reappear later without reseeding. About the same situation exists in the type of clover found in many lawns. Sometimes this clover is seeded by the owner, but often it is strictly volunteer. Its source seems a mystery. The expla- nation is that some clover seeds have an extremely hard, impermeable seed coat. Such seeds may resist germination or decay for 25 or even 50 years. Even in a closely cut lawn, clover is apt to bloom and produce seeds. These fall to the ground and some eventually start new plants to continue the cycle. It Advantages of clover in a lawn lie in its prolific top growth and extensive root system. is somewhat more drouth resistant than grasses so it usu- ally stays green longer. As there is some spreading, almost vining growth close to the ground, clover may help the lawn present more of a green cover right after mowing. Even if the plant dies the roots add valuable humus to the soil. Clover takes nitrogen from the air but little more than is needed for its own growth. One disadvantage of clover is that it is not a grass so its vegetation is of a different texture. Another is that most lawn lovers object to the white blos- soms in mid-summer. Actually this is no longer a valid objection. Some of the newer controls for broad-leaved weeds are formulated so they do not Clover blossoming controlled by one June application of weed control. Scotts Lawn Research photo. 2 permanently injure clover plants. They simply inhibit the blossoming tendency, thus eliminating one objection to clover. If desired, weed controls may be used to practically eliminate clover. This requires applications at 3 to 4 week intervals through the summer and early fall. One or two treatments per year will have no effect except to reduce blossoming. Where it is desired to bolster a lawn with clover it is suggested that the seed be sown separately and lightly in late winter or in the spring. Fall seedings are risky because of winterkill. In fact, another objection voiced against clover is that it may kill badly in severe win- ters, leaving ugly patches to be repaired in the spring. Some theories have been advanced that lime or fertilizers, used indepen- dently or together, may have some bearing on clover prevalence in turf. There seems little basis for such con- tention. If a lawn needs lime, it should be applied and regular feeding is a necessity on all lawns. SIRS: I used a packagc of Scotts Lawn Food plus Weed Control and the results were marvelous. One of my neighbors sent for a trial order and I helped him apply the material and again with satisfactory results. So Scotts fame is spreading in this neighborhood. Cornell, Wis. ANDY BORK. Crabgrass Next In LAWN CARE NO. 102, readers were asked to report on their experiences with the new chemicals on Crabgrass. Replies poured in, a wonderful re- sponse. This gave good evidence that LAWN CARE readers are anxious to exchange helpful information. The next issue will report the survey. Readers will have it in time to plan this year's action against Crabgrass. SCOTTS LAWN CARE INSECT CONTROL NOW EASIER Fortunately lawns escape the ravages of most of the insects and diseases of the flower and vegetable garden. Grass enemies are relatively few compared to the beetles and aphids, mealy bugs and lady bugs, potato bugs and corn borers, mildew and rust that force the gar- dener to give weekly or daily therapy to his prized roses or tomatoes. In many sections of the country, in- sect and animal pests harm lawns not at all. Even in infested areas, most lawns escape especially if they are on reasonably good soil and receive proper preventive maintenance. One such step is to guard against Beetle Grub dam- age by having the toxic agent in the soil before grub activity begins. Prior to the development of DDT and successor chemicals such as Chlor- dane, Toxaphene, Benzine Hexachlo- ride, Thiophos, the job of controlling pests in grass was extremely obnoxious, to say the least. This generally involved working with poisonous substances, laboriously mixing and applying sprays or choking dusts. Apprehension fol- lowed lest a member of the family or a pet be sickened by one of the toxic ingredients. treatments had added hazards of explosion and fire. Some While many of the new insecticides are relatively harmless to warm-blooded animals, they still have to be applied as sprays or dusts. This is quite a job and N U M B ER 1 04 if there is m u ch w i n d, the material m ay settle on the neighbor's property or even on the wife's white wash. to lawn M o st objections insecticidal use have been overcome in a conveni- ent Scott preparation called Pest C o n- trol. T he n e w er chemicals are blended into dry carrier materials so the appli- cation is easily m a de with a s p r e a d e r— even in a fairly brisk wind. T h is dry c o m p o u nd provides control of m o st in- sects h a r m f ul to lawns. is 5 T he standard dosage of Scotts Pest C o n t r ol lbs. per 1000 sq ft., a nd this a m o u nt is adequate for almost any infestation w h i ch the product is a spe- cific control. W h i le Pest Control does not h u rt or even shock grass, there is no point in using it unless insect trou- ble is present or suspected. No attempt is m a de here to describe the various pests or the way they i n j u re grass. T he reader is referred to earlier issues or to the LAWN CARE Digests. ANTS There are as many different kinds of ants as breeds of dogs but whether Lasius niger or the common picnic variety, they dam- age grass only (LAWN CARE Digest Chapter 11). Their mounds or burrows are unsighdy, interfere with mowing, and may smother young grass plants. They be- come real pests if they move from the lawn into the garden or even the house. indirecdy Ant activity starts in early spring as soon first-warmed as the soil warms, usually on terraces or slopes facing west or south. intricate Ants are special pests in the garden because their tunnelling permits excessive evaporation from the soil. This may result in fatal drying of the roots of valuable plants. A more serious indictment of ants is that they foster objectionable aphids. They carry the eggs underground in winter and actually transport young and adult aphids to "host" plants during the growing season. It is not easy to eliminate ants. While no one control will get rid of them under all circumstances, the combination of materials in Pest Control has been found effective and easy to use. The best treatment is a broadcast applica- tion over the lawn area. A small amount of material may be placed in each hill or mound but this is quite a job if there are any number of them. infested 3 Pest Control may be applied any time ants are bothersome, and repeated safely as occa- sion requires. This is not likely to be more than once or twice a season. BEETLE GRUBS. There are many kinds of beetles but only a few lay their eggs in sod. Of these the most common are Japanese, Asi- atic and May beetles. Their eggs hatch into larvae or grubs that feed on grass roots, even- tually killing large patches of turf. (LAWN CARE Chapter 11.) Jap and Asiatic grubs are to be found in the East from southern Maine to Georgia, west to the Alleghenies. Scattered infestations occur around Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago. Activity of the May beetle or June grub occurs mostly in the Middle West. Since beetle grubs feed through the growing season, control may be applied almost any time, even when the ground is frozen. Except where the compound is worked into cultivated soil, to grub-proof before seeding, any grubs already present in the soil will not be affected until the material works down to where they are feeding. This may take several weeks de- pending upon the soil type and weather. CHINCH BUGS. Fortunately chinch bugs are turf pests in only limited areas along the East Coast from Boston to Miami. Occasional infestations occur around Pittsburgh, Cleve- land and Chicago. tiny This insect, described in DIGEST CHAPTER 10, is one of the most difficult of pests. in detail Controls for chinch bugs must be applied during or a few days before they start feeding on grass plants by sucking the juices. This takes place only in warm, dry weather. As the effectiveness depends upon the Pest Control being on the plants or at least at the surface of the soil, application is made about the time the first in May or June. Repeat treatments may be needed at four or five week if chinch bug activity continues. is expected infestation intervals SOD WEBWORMS. On the West Coast these pests are better known as Lawn Moths. A similar pest is called Skippers. The moths are small, having a wing spread of one inch or less, white to yellowish-tan in color. Insects of this type lay eggs in the grass and these hatch into grass-eating larvae. (LAWN CARE Digest Chapter 10.) Except on the West Coast, web- worms are not a serious lawn problem. They may be bothersome in other parts of the coun- try if the weather in late spring and early summer is unusually dry. This pest also feeds above the surface. Pre- treatments are not prescribed until ventive 4 there is good evidence of activity. This would be when a large number of moths are ob- served flying over the grass, especially in the evening or when birds are unusually active in tearing up the grass. A treatment with Pest Control should last at least four weeks or pos- sibly the full season. ARMY WORMS, CUTWORMS do little direct damage to turf. If they are present in such numbers as to attract unwanted birds, they may be substantially reduced by a standard Pest Control treatment. CHIGGERS. There is good news for those who like to lounge on their lawns but hesitate to do so because of chiggers. Fortunately oc- casional applications of Pest Control spell doom to this nymphal mite. MOLE CRICKETS are pests in lawns and put- ting greens of the deep South. They are diffi- cult to kill so a double dose is recommended. EARTHWORMS also called Fish-, Dew-, Angle-worms and Night Crawlers. For all he is a lowly creature, there is no question but that the earthworm has been and will con- tinue to be important fertility, yet scientists say there is no justification for the cults, societies and commercial hullabaloo about propagation and preservation of earth- worms—hybrids garden variety. common in soil the or In spite of the faddists, earthworm activity can be curtailed in lawns without dooming the world population. The question is how. The claim has been made that fertilizer harms earthworms but that theory has been exploded. Arsenate of Lead at 10 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. seems to reduce earthworm numbers but most folks dislike to use this poison on their lawns. Some report good success with Pest Control at double rates. Results have been erratic so applications are suggested on a trial basis. Moles, Skunks, Raccoons and other burrowing animals often damage lawns but not because of their fondness for grass. They are after the juicy grubs or worms buried under the sod and they don't replace the divots! If any of these four-legged animals are at work, or if birds tear up the sod, the grass area needs a treatment to destroy what- ever insect or larva is attracting them. SCOTTS LAWN CARE SIRS: Now . . . I've used a spreader as you suggest on Page 4 of LAWN CARE No. 98 but under paragraph 6, wind or no wind, I merely put a bag or two of fertilizer on the spreader, slit- ting the under side lengthwise of each bag, and start off with it. Saves handling and certainly prevents any blowing. Material runs out of the bag into the spreader as I walk. L. DODGE, Head Gardener, Girard College, ( \ . \ Philadelphia, Penna. Chickweed, Wild Onions Are Tough to Kill Most broad-leaved weeds succumb readily to the new weed controls. Oth- ers are resistant at certain seasons. Chickweed is a vigorous grower in cool, moist weather. At such times, weed control has little effect so appli- cations are better made in early sum- mer or early fall. Repeat treatments are apt to be required. Some plants will escape and Chickweed is such a prolific seeder that seeds in the soil will con- tinue to send up new plants. About the same difficulty exists in trying to rid lawns of other low-grow- ing, vining weeds such as Speedwell, Heal All and Black Medic (Trefoil). Wild Garlic or Wild Onion is more vulnerable in late winter or early spring just as they get off to a good start in the new season. A double strength treatment is recommended (this is safe in cool weather) because of the natural resistance of these bulbous weeds. Wild Garlic or Wild Onion cannot be elimi- nated in one year because not all bulb- lets will germinate in any one season. O M < $ C 0 $ tl S O NS CO M A R Y S V I L LE - • O H IO