27th Year No 130-PS FOR M A NY YEARS Lawn Care has been advocating an early spring meal for lawns. A good sound break- fast starts the grass on its new year of activity with a feeling of confidence and well-being. Each year, as the prac- tice gives additional evidence of its soundness, more western homeowners are taking it up. Why Feed Early. In the temperate rainy winters along the West Coast, plant nutrients are leached by the downward drainage of water through the soil. This natural loss needs to be replaced before your lawn starts its spring sprint. In high altitudes or east of the Cas- cades and Sierras, alternate snow and thawing cause much the same need for replacement of food. Grass that has been weakened or thinned out from fungus and other causes will often recuperate quickly and completely if given good nourish- First Spring Step — Feed Lawns ment in the form of Turf Builder. Early spring is the best time to start a feeding program. The unseen portion of grass plants is involved too. In the spring grass generates new roots to replace those sloughed off in fall and winter — a sort of self-pruning. This is the most important reason for spring feeding, because the quantity and vigor of new roots depend largely on the food avail- able at the time. No Need to Wait. March is a good time to serve your lawn a nourishing meal even if the soil is still wet, cold or even frozen. It is better to make application when the grass foliage is dry so the fertilizer particles don't stick to it. However, sprinkling after- wards will wash the particles off the grass onto the soil. The beauty of it is, this is one step that can be finished before the press of other gardening duties. Good Feeding The vigor and pleasing color of a lawn is directly related to the availability of ample food of the right kind. Program. Most lawns are nourished haphaz- ardly or left entirely to forage for themselves. But like any garden plant, grass has to stay put. It can't go wandering around in search of food like an animal or bird. It is solely dependent on what is within its very limited reach. Lawns hastily built on a shallow layer of topsoil have shallow roots and their reach is even more restricted. Mild acting is healthiest. Overstimulation is not good practice and makes too much mowing. feeding Light feedings are safest, less likely to streak. They provide the moderate and uniform stimulation that is most helpful to grass. Frequent application is the secret. It is the regularity of feeding rather than the amount that really counts. Frequent applications avoid the risk of the grass wanting at any time. Re- member the food is used up in growth. Each of the millions of plants in a lawn consumes its share of the total. Providing food three times a year — spring, summer and fall — should be a minimum. Once every other month is even better and most of the really brilliant lawns get their rations each month. A right feeding program such as this can save money on seed and when good seed is scarce that is important. Obviously it is wasteful to sow more seed on soil already so deficient it can't adequately support what is there now. Provide fertility first. What Food Is Tops. Using just any fertilizer is also wasteful. One com- posed of choicest ingredients is usually the most economical for less of it does a better feeding job, just as good paint on a house "covers" better and holds up longer. A complete meal is required — that means Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potash. If any of these is lacking or in the wrong proportion grass growth will be improperly balanced. Minor elements needed are present in most complete fertilizers. At present there are three types of food easily procured for lawns: (1) Inorganic or chemical. These are wa- ter soluble, quick acting but rapidly (2) Organic. They are dissipated. slow acting but last longer. (3) Com- bination of organic and inorganic. These rate in first place because they combine the benefits of each type. An example of inorganic food is Ammonium Sulphate. It is dramatic in its effect but is of short duration. It provides only Nitrogen and a steady diet of it can be likened to a growing boy subsisting on cake alone. In the long run it has ill effects. Manures or sewage sludge are ex- amples of common organic fertilizers. They are slower for they must de- compose before releasing any food. These particular ones are surprisingly low in food value, usually analyzing not more than 3 or 4% nutrients. Since complete commercial fertilizers analyze 18 to 20% or even 23% food, it is plain that manures have to be used five or six times heavier — a fact which nullifies their advantage in cost per pound. T u rf Builder combines several chemical ingredients with clean or- ganics. These are selected for their high analysis, mild action and freedom from weeds or disagreeable odors. Apply Turf Builder in early spring and as frequently thereafter as needed to keep your grass green and vigorous. It is the surest and most economical way to lawn beauty. • lawn practices Outmoded include: 1) or digging of weeds; 2) rak- hand-pulling ing out crab grass, dead or alive ; 3) avoid- ance of watering in hot sun — it's good, not bad. Sirs: uses "Scotts Lawn Food" and sees to use results he will always want "I have no hesitation in saying once one the it." W J BARRISKILL VICTORIA, B C, C A N A DA Here ore a few easy steps to toke on your lawn now — if you in live west of Apply Lime in Oregon and the Cascades the North Washington or Coastal Counties of California, Twenty-five pounds of agricul- tural lime per 1,000 square feet is a safe amount. Use at least two weeks prior to fertilizing or seeding. Your Scotts Spreader applies lime evenly. Set it wide open and go over area twice. Mow soon as weather permits. Cutting opens turf to receive food and seed. However, if the lawn is too wet to mow, go ahead with the feeding and seed- ing and mow later. trees — Lawns twigs, also rake matted smother grass. Particularly Oak and other leaves which hug ground, decompose very slowly. pounds Spread Turf Builder 5 feet. Double per 1,000 lawn rate for faster results if especially poor, or quicker re- sults needed because of late start. If double rate or damp grass, sprinkle immediately. sown after Seed be Turf Builder. If Scotts Lawn Seed is used, 2 pounds or even less will be adequate per 1,000 square feet. Scotts Spreader will sow evenly and without waste. to remove or near leaves square can right under that •j 2 3 ® . ® Per Pound Cost is Up Last fall L A WN CARE readers were informed of the extremely short harv- est of Kentucky Bluegrass seed. The crop was less than half normal yet the demand for it is the greatest in history. Fortunately this critical situation has developed at a time when more is and more folks are realizing possible to develop good lawns with only a few pounds of quality seed. The cost per lawn need not go up in relation to the cost per pound. it Modern turf management, includ- ing the use of grass food, weed con- trols and fungicides, reduces the need for heavy seeding. Instead of sowing five or six pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet folks are urged to use only two or three pounds of Scotts Seed. This small amount can not be sown evenly by hand but it is easy with a Scotts Spreader. is It to note if in a spirit that interesting of Mother Nature (as revenge) reduced the yield of Ken- tucky Bluegrass seed just when the virtues of this traditional grass were becoming more appreciated. There had been a flurry to turn to something "new" in grasses, the result of pre- mature conclusions reached after only brief observations. As so often hap- pens, the weaknesses of the "new" were overlooked at first but they ap- peared conspicuously in the last year or two. Now,