PUBLISHED FIVE TIMES YEARLY FOR LAWNTHUSIASTS PERK UP PARCHED LAWNS There is an ideal time to start a new lawn, to rejuvenate a poor one or to give a beauty treatment to any lawn in the Pacific States. That is late summer and fall. In the Northwest from the last of August through September is the period when soil and climatic con- ditions are most conducive to the strong healthy growth of grass. The season runs in southern California, while in the milder desert climates, seeding into November and December maybe practical. later In their natural state, grasses bloom in summer but nature delays the drop- ping of seeds and their after-ripening until August or September. The seeds then fall on warm soil at a time when hot days are growing shorter, cool nights longer, dews heavier, and evap- oration slower. Mother Nature sets a good example. There is economy in fall seeding. The cultural loss from planting is less because of better natural conditions for germination and seedling growth. Weed competition is reduced and there is less disease—all in all a better chance for each grass seed to produce a ma- ture plant. When the right seed is selected for fall planting, a lower rate of seeding will produce equal or better turf than a much heavier rate of spring seeding. Based on tests over many years it can be expected that with average soil con- ditions 4 pounds of good seed per 1,000 sq ft in the fall will produce thicker and better turf than 6 to 8 pounds in the spring. What to Sow. What is the right seed for fall planting of western lawns? (1) It must be composed of perennial varieties that will not winterkill. (2) It should be properly cured and thor- oughly recleaned so as to be free of bulky chaff and troublesome weeds. Such seed can be planted sparingly. Many folks plant twice as much as they need. This is not only wasteful, but can also be harmful. The grass comes up too thick. It is just as wrong to try to grow too many grass plants on a given area as to house a hundred people in quarters meant for ten. PS-979 People sometimes reason they should sow heavily because "the soil is poor." That is a mistake. Poorer soils are less able to support a large number of plants than are good soils. Liberal use of grass food before sowing will help, but extra heavy seeding — never! Feed in the Fall. A good place to in- vest part of the saving from using less seed is in lawn food. This will help the new seedlings get off to a better start, insuring quicker coverage, more vigorous growth and a more uniform stand of new grass seedlings. Tune-Up Check List Stop Weeds. Fortunately most weeds common to the Pacific area are now easily controlled by chemical applica- tions. One of the worst and toughest summer weeds is stopped by the simple ScuTL-ing proc- ess, two or three applications at inter- vals of 5 days to a week. is Crabgrass. It Dandelions, plantain, bur clover and other similar non-grass weeds are killed by spreading 4-XD or W E ED & FEED. Since it is not advisable to apply SCUTL and other weed controls simul- taneously, the suggestion is to first use 4-XD or W E ED & FEED. Wait a few days, then start the SCUTL program. The lethal action of chemicals on weeds is through their leaves. A rain or sprinkling within twenty-four hours of application will reduce the effective- ness and may necessitate a repeat. Whatever is used, be sure to follow the directions that come with the product. Feeding Is Next. This may precede the last application of weed control or be applied afterward. If the latter, wait a couple days, because much walk- Sirs: I am now using several of your products and like them very much. Your seed is excellent. sending me continue Lawn Care. Many thanks! Daly City, Calif H W Houghtaling Please ing over a lawn right after a weed con- trol treatment will knock off some of the particles and make it less effective. Fall feeding is especially important after a hot, dry summer. It supplies the energy required for grass plants to generate new roots and sprout new blades. In spite of the fact that some lawns may look absolutely dead from thirst, they make a surprising recovery when given enough water to drink and enough food to eat. Perennial grasses make the best comeback. Seeding Over Old Lawns. A good rain or sprinkling should soak the ground before seeding. If weather continues dry and the lawn can not be watered, finish up the weeding and feeding program but delay seeding un- til the soil is thoroughly soaked. Seeds need moisture to germinate and the root hairs from the sprouting grass must reach soil moisture quickly. Little is available to seeds lying on top of the ground exposed to sun and wind. If seed is sown into a rather good turf, shade from this grass will protect the seed and sprouts to a degree. But if sowing is in thin grass with sizable bare spots, some help is needed. Any roughening, perforating or loosening of the soil gives the seed a better chance. Tools which can be used for include the heavy iron garden this rake, a spading fork and various forms of spikers. A flat spade, an edging tool, a mattock or even an axe can be used to cut shal- low g a s h es in hard bare spots, so the seed can lodge, be protected from sun and wind and find a moisture supply. If the roughening operation severs some roots of established grass, no serious harm is done as the plants will soon heal the injury. Owners of Scotts spreaders have a valuable tool that makes lawn work easier and more pro- ductive. They get the most out of their investment by regular serv- icing according to the suggestions in the Spreader Service Manual. There is no charge for this man- ual. Just drop a postal card to Scotts, Palo Alto, Calif., asking for a copy. Most seed is sown by hand, but a two-wheel mechanical spreader of good design for seeding will save both seed and time and insure more even growth. Aside from nurseries, garden supply firms and landscape contractors, green- houses are possible sources of topsoil. In some communities, compost is avail- able from commercial mushroom grow- ers. Black muck and raw peat are no good. The important thing is friable physical condition like a good garden loam. Do not judge on color alone. One trouble with topsoil is that it may bring in weeds, but they are no longer the problem they used to be. Care After Seeding. If possible, keep newly seeded areas moist. This hastens germination and seedling growth. Once started watering must be continued un- til the grass is well rooted. If it is not feasible to follow this watering pro- gram, do not start it. Sooner or later, when rains come or there is enough water available to keep the soil soaked, the grass seed will germinate. Standard recommendation for most lawns is cutting one and one-half inches high, at least throughout hot weather. Most lawns, however, can survive with closer clipping providing they can be watered and fed more often. In fact, cutting at an inch or so is advised when seedling grasses are trying to get started in the lawn. "The last two years there have been lawn moths in my Bentgrass lawn and I have tried every kind of remedy to no avail. This year I tried your Scotts Pest Control, apply- ing it with the spreader which was much easier. I am happy to know about your product as it is saving me a great deal of work as well as money. My lawn is beauti- ful and I receive many compliments on it." —Menlo Park, Calif. • High Mowing Cuts Water Bill Conservation of water in dry years becomes a responsibility of every good citizen. Many towns throughout the West can boast of cheerful gardens and smooth green lawns. These are the things that reflect the civic pride of communities and make the visitor say "This is the place for me." So many people have acted on this conclusion, that the water supply in some places has been unable to keep up with the growth of population. To gain the greatest good for your lawn from the irrigation water avail- able, keep these grass facts in mind: 1. A soil rich in humus retains mois- ture longer. A lawn built on such soil requires less watering. 2. A well fed lawn can do better on less water than a starving lawn. It has more and deeper roots so can draw on a greater volume of soil for its supply. Its topgrowth is more dense so evaporation is less. 3. High cut lawns stay greener with less water because the extra top- growth shades the surface of the ground, reduces evaporation. Higher cut lawns are also likely to have deeper roots. In general, Bentgrass lawns have to be cut closer than lawns of other grasses. 4. Weeds, because of their greater root system, compete with grass for limited moisture supplies. They make their greatest headway when lawn grasses are weakest. Cop Scents Foul Odor 'Twaren't hay, and 'twaren't legal, neither, so a pair of New Jersey ferti- lizer peddlers, whose product reported- ly was not all they claimed it to be, ran afoul of the law in Bridgeport, Con- necticut, according to a recent story in the Bridgeport Post. Hoping to make their usual easy and fruitful sales to an unsuspecting victim, the men acciden- tally called at the home of a police sergeant. Scenting trouble, he called headquarters, had the peddlers taken in custody for peddling without license and fraud- ulent misrepresentation. The investigation disclosed that the "fertilizer" was the usual tired, worth- less "humus" that the first wind drives away, a racket not meriting attention of the Kefauver committee but exposed in LAWN CARE a dozen times, most re- cently in No 113. In the West, Too A recent issue of the Pacific Coast Nurseryman magazine reported the case of a Santa Rosa, California slicker who made the mistake of working the quality-wise town of Concord. Picking out a nice residential area, he would call house to house offering to treat lawns with a magic stuff that would kill all lawn insects, destroy all weeds, and, feed the grass with a fertilizer that would last for two years. But the alert State Bureau of Chem- istry soon caught up with this chap. They found he was the same operator whom they had warned about failure to make good on similarly promised services offered in Sacramento County last year. This time they let him tell it to the judge who found him guilty of violat- ing the California agriculture code. He was fined heavily, placed on probation six months, and ordered to refund upon demand, all money received from dis- satisfied customers. You can't expect a lawn to thrive On air and dew and wishes. How long would folks like us survive Confined to loaves and fishes? Grass has to eat the same as us To make it lush and mellow. When starved it may not make a fuss, But, boy, can it turn yellow! A. Lawn fellow Is Your Lawn in Trouble? By the end of a hot or dry period the weak points of a lawn have usually become conspicuous. To help you diag- nose your lawn problem and plan the best method of correction, previous is- sues of LAWN CARE are available with- out charge. Here are some of the im- portant subjects covered. A postcard to Scotts, Palo Alto, Calif, will bring you any of these discussions: Lawn Moths & Other Turf Insects .... Crab grass Control Subduing Western Weeds Starting New Lawns Right Where Weeds Come From Correct Lawn Mowing How to Water Lawns Selecting Lawn Seed Feeding Lawns z • 103-PS Ill 104-PS 107-PS 101-PS 100-PS LCD-6 115-PS 114-PS "Have been using your advice and mate- rials for two years and have the best lawn in town."—Elgin, Oregon. O M SCOTT & SONS CO. M A R Y S V I L LE - - O H IO EVERY PACKAGE OF SCOTTS LAWN CARE PRODUCTS BEARS THIS TRADE - MARK A ND IS S E A L ED FOR YOUR PROTECTION