UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) - Before you resign yourself
to having another mediocre
lawn this year - or to spending a
hefty part of your salary to
improve it - take a few tips from
a turfgrass specialist in Penn
State's College of Agricultural
Sciences.
"Revitalizing your lawn does
n't need to be a costly, time-con
suming process," says Peter
Landschoot, associate professor
of turfgrass science. "It's more a
question of correctly evaluating
the trouble spots before you
invest in solutions."
•Soil Test. The Penn State
soil fertility test, which tells con
sumers how much fertilizer and
lime are required, is available
for a nominal fee at Penn State
Cooperative Extension offices
across the state. The test helps
determine what nutrients the
lawn needs and when to apply
them.
•Weeds. The least costly way
to control weeds is to follow good
lawn management practices
designed to prevent reinfesta
tion. A sound program of mow
ing, watering and fertilizing is
your best defense against weed
invasion, Landschoot says.
"Before purchasing herbi
cides, first identify the weeds
you want to control," he says. "If
you're unsure what the weed is,
or how to control it, don't just
guess what product would be
best. Bring a sample of the
weed to a lawn and garden cen
ter or to your county
Cooperative Extension office
and get a professional recom
mendation.
•Weed Control. "Most weed
problems can be reduced by
using a weed-and-feed product -
herbicide and fertilizer rolled
into one," Landschoot says. He
recommends buying or renting a
spreader to ensure that the
product is distributed evenly
across the lawn. Homeowners
should be sure to identify what
types of weeds are in the lawn
before choosing a product. Not
all weed-and-feed products are
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the same.
•Read Labels. When it
comes to fertilizers and herbi
cides, more isn't necessarily bet
ter, says Landschoot. "Follow
the instructions on the label.
Not only are you wasting money
if you apply more than the rec
ommended amount, you could
damage the grass."
•Timing. "To combat crab
grass, you have to apply herbi
cide before the weed germi
nates," Landschoot says. "Some
people use forsythia bloom as an
indicator, but a good rule of
thumb is to apply a pre-emer-
ANSWER John Anshant, Aston, requested a recipe for
really good Hungarian goulash and really good dumplings.
1 pound box macaroni
1 pound ground beef or turkey
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
8-ounce bag shredded Cheddar cheese
8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook macaroni as directed on box. Brown ground meat in
separate pan and drain. Mix macaroni, meat, and tomatoes
well. Add sugar. Over very low heat, add cheese, stir continu
ously until all cheese is melted.
ANSWER—Janet Spangler, York Springs, sends a recipe
requested by Bevefly Bishop of Landisburg.
2'/> cups macaroon cocoanut
% cup Karo (red label)
1 pound melting chocolate wafers
Mix well and cool. Shape into eggs and dip in one pound
melted milk chocolate wafers. Macaroon coconut and milk cho
colate disks can be purchased in the bulk food section of
supermarkets.
• Double linkage for extra
stability
• Control handle operated from
either side
• Fast, easy adjustments to match
animal size and neck size from
5” to 7”
• Handle to manually operate for
slow or homed cattle
295 Woodcorner Rd.
Lititz, PA 17543-9165
1 Mile West of Ephrata
717-738-7365
Hours
Mon. Thru Fri,
7 to 5
gence herbicide before April 15
in southeastern Pennsylvania,
during late April in central
Pennsylvania, and between May
1 and May 15 in the northwest
comer of the state.
"For broadleaf weeds, such as
dandelion and clover, wait until
the weeds appear before treat
ing them," Landschoot says.
Before purchasing grass seed
to replenish thin areas, home
owners should assess why the
grass disappeared in the first
place. "Ask yourself if the lawn
was too wet, too shady or poor in
fertility before you spend time
Cook's
9
Question
Comer
(Condniwd from Pag* BS)
Goulash
Cocoanut Bon-Bons
Lancastar Farming, Saturday, April 11,1996-Bit
and money trying to replace the
grass," he says.
"The best time to reseed is in
late summer or fall, when there
isn't much competition from
weeds. If you apply herbicides
in spring, you can damage young
seedlings.
"When it's time to reseed, you
don't just throw seed on the
lawn," he says. "First, get rid of
weeds, break up the soil surface
ANSWER Thanks to Eileen Greenaway, Somerville,
N.J., who sends spinach recipes requested by Bonita Martin.
Spinach Souffle
10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
1 teaspoon lemon seasoned salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
VA cups milk
V* teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, beaten until light
1 cup sharp shredded cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon horseradish
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
Cook spinach 10-12 minutes and drain, pressing out excess
liquid. Melt butter and add flour, milk, salt, and pepper. Add egg
yolks, cheese and remaining seasonings. Add spinach. Allow
mixture to cool completely then fold in egg whites. Bake at 350
degrees for 30 minutes in a greased I'A quart casserole.
Serves 4-6. May be frozen.
Creamed Spinach
2 10-ounce packages frozen spinach
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
8-ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon milk
'A teaspoon pepper
Parsley for garnish
Cook spinach, onion, and salt 10-12 minutes (covered) in
boiling water. Drain, pressing out excess liquid. Return spinach
to saucepan and add cheese, milk, and pepper. Cook over low
heat until cheese melts and mixture is well blended, stirring
constantly. Garnish with parsley. Serves 6.
Thanks to Anna Martin, Denver, for sending this spinach
recipe for Bonita.
Popeye’s Favorite Snack
10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
1 cup herb seasoned stuffing mix, crushed to crumbs or
bread crumbs toasted and seasoned.
V» cup grated parmesan cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, cook spinach according to
package directions and drain well. Combine spinach with
remaining ingredients, mixing welt. Roll into walnut-sized balls.
Bake at 350 degrees on ungreased cookie sheet for 10
minutes. Then can be frozen before cooking. Without thawing,
bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Fun in
lunches.
and put down the seed so it
makes good contact with the
soil. Place straw mulch over the
area so the soil doesn't dry out."
Choose a high quality seed or
seed mixture adapted to the site
conditions, says Landschoot.
For more information about spe
cific varieties suited to your
area, contact the Penn State
Cooperative Extension office in
your county.