Even Very Green Lawns Can Be Improved By Overseeding, Good Turf Management By Dr. William H. Daniel Consultant to Lawn-Boy/Ryan The green, green grass of home can be yours this grow ing season without becoming a slave to your lawn But good grass can be yours only if a good, uniform stand of grass is present. Usually a good lawn can be improved by overseedmg and good lawn management The arduous and time-consuming task of complete lawn reworking, re seeding and resoddmg should be a last resort The problem in overseeding is to get the seed in contact with the soil, so spread seed by using half of it in the more barren spots and the rest as light, all-over seeding Keep WISHING YOU THE BEST IN 1973 AND FORALLYOUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS THIS YEAR CALL JOHN M. ZIMMERMAN SALES REPRESENTATIVE Ventures Chevrolet Inc. NEW AND USED CARS, TRUCKS. AND RECREATIONAL VEHICLES. Kissel Hill, Lititz, Pa SOfHMNE NEW HOLLAND WHIRL-A-FEED’ BLOWERS v' Sk %- New concept in silage handling! The exclusive whirling table on Models 25 and 27 give the material a “running start" into the blower fan. This means less drag on the fan, more efficient use of horsepower and high capa city. We have these blowers in stock now... in a size to fit your needs. Drop in soon to see Models 25 and 27, Roy A. Brubaker A.B.C. Groff, Inc. 700 Woodcrest Ave. 110 S. Railroad Ave. s Lititz. Pa New Holland Tel. (>2O-77(1(> 354-4191 C. E. Wiley & Son, Inc. 101 S Lime St., Quarryville 786-2895 soil moist by watering, which tends to work seedlings into the ground. Avoid Excess Thatch After overseeding, your next step is to remove excess thatch (portions of dead grass, leaves, stems and roots) from your lawn. Thatch forms a felt-hke blanket of excess organic matter, which holds seeds away from the soil. It also can harbor harmful insects and disease organisms Dethatching, aeration and raking improves movement of air and moisture to the grass root zone and aids seed pene tration Check rental, garden and landscape services for John M. Zimmerman Ph. 626-2091 MODELS 25 and 27 L. H. Brubaker 350 Strasburg Pike Lancaster 397-5179 power aerators, dethatchers and sweepers Selecting a good grass is an important step in- overseeding and you should choose one that is managable, disease re sistant and suited to your climate. Common Kentucky bluegrass is passe because it is susceptible to leafspot. But newer grasses such as Manhattan or Pennflne have been developed and offer more disease resistance than Ken tucky Bluegrass. Leading gar den shops can offer assistance in selecting new bluegrasses, ryegrasses or older fescue cul tivars (varieties) Fertilizer Speeds Growth Force your lawn to grow, thicken and fill m by using fertilizer Fertilizer speeds up growth, makes your lawn thicker and helps it recover from disease. But apply it carefully, uniformly and keep fertilizers and other chemical products off the sidewalk, streets and gutters. Be ecology conscious, but a sparse, thin and bare lawn is poor ecology. Fertilizers frequently have a high salt concentration and can cause moisture to be drawn from plant cells, thus resulting in leaf “burn” (de hydration) Fortunately, most turf fertilizers are pelleted to minimize the chance of leaf “bum” because the pellets fall to the ground instead of sticking to grass blades If your fertilizer is completely soluble, water it thoroughly after application to avoid the chance of “bum.” One labor saving technique is to fertilize before a rain and let nature do your work Slow release sources of nitrogen in turf fertilizers minimize bums and favor long-term feeding, which can limit the number of times you must fertilize this season to no more than twice Slow re lease formulas include 24-4-12 (24 per cent nitrogen, 4 per cent phosphate and 12 per cent pot ash), 16-4-8, 12-4-8, 18-5-9, and 23-7-7 Guard Against Crabgrass Incidentally, you can do three jobs at once by selecting a fertilizer containing fungi cide for disease control and a herbicide for crabgrass and broad leaf weed control. Dac thal, Betasan, Bandane and Balan are toxic to all new seedlings, but are excellent on established cool-season lawns needing protection against crabgrass infestation. Siduron can be used con- / vCs i * < > ' S V Ip 0 4a '' T! x f \ N V V>S Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 9.197 3— 3 Despite imputed prices, FOOD is STILL A BARGAIN IH THE US. IN THE ZO YEARS SINCE mi. RETAIL FOOD PRICES WENT UP47%,HOUSING UP 64% AMP MEDICAL CAKE \I%%. r r m mz 197 Z 1973 IN W 72, THE RETAIL CAST OF A “MARKET BASKETS ROOD WAS 33% HIGHER THAN 20 YEAR'S EARLIER; THE FARMER'S SHARE PUKING THE PERIOD INCREASED OMLVI3% WHILE PROCESSING AND MARKETING COSTS WENT UP St%!IHE FOOD BILL .THAT TOOK 23% OF THE AVERAGE AFTER-TAX DISPOSABLE INCOME IN 1952 .TOOK ONLY 15.7% IN 19T2- FOR 1913. WHO KNOWS? currently with overseeding and is the only herbicide you should use on cool-season grasses such as bluegrass It is a good herbicide for crab grass and broad leaf weed control Although it is a last resort, complete lawn renovation might be needed if your lawn is rough, needs major repairs, has severe turf loss or you want newer grass varieties The old sod if thatched should be cut off and discarded Then spread fertilizer and contact your county agent or agricul tural extension service to h ll M If PRICES WAD GONE UP AT THE SAME RATE AS WAGES, A HALF GALLON OF MILK WOULD COST $MO‘ AND IF WAGES HAD GOME UP AT THE SAME RATE AS FOOD PRICES, CONSUMERS WOULD HAVE TO TARE A 39% PAVCUTf \sn determine whether lime is needed and, if so, how much. Next till and loosen, level, seed and mulch or sod your lawn. Sod growers can deliver newer grass varieties for in stant lawns, thus saving you time and labor. Resodding can be a fast job when well planned. The power mower, espe cially the rotary type, can injure and maim and spe cial. precautions must, be taken. Familiarize yourself with the controls and what they can do. Be certain you can stop the mower in stantly. Stand clear when you start the machine. Hands and feet should never be under the mower or near the discharge chute. Fill the gas tank before you start the mower. Do not fill while the engine is running or while it is hot. Clear the lawn of stones, sticks and other foreign ob jects before cutting the grass. Such objects can be hurled with tremendous force. They also will dam age the blades. ERTH-RITE MAXICROP (Formerly Sea-Born) AIGIT ZOOK & RANCH, INC. R.D. 1 Gap, Pa. 17527 Phone 717-442-4171 Sources l U.S.News& World ReporF, March 19.1973. "Whati Happened To Food Prices" USP A, April, 1973. Fix-It Tip TRY A CLASSIFIED AD! 1
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers