| May is still a good month to get a lawn started, but | | | | is concerned. Perhaps the principal cause of seed and |
| the earlier the better. As the days grow longer and | | | | seedling failure is insufficient and untimely watering. |
| warmer, seed germination and seedling growth is not | | | | Losses sometimes also are traceable to the incorrect |
| so good as when milder weather prevails. It is | | | | use of the new chemical lawn weed killers on |
| desirable to get a good stand of new grass well | | | | sprouting seed and young seedlings. Do not use |
| established before the hot, dry days of mid-summer | | | | these weed killers on established lawns where |
| arrive and weed competition becomes greatest. | | | | reseeding has to be done to improve the turf, to |
| A good lawn is one of the main landscape | | | | restore grass in winter killed places or on young |
| requirements of a home and one that gives more | | | | stands of grass in new lawns. One major question to |
| problems and concern than any other landscaping | | | | carefully think about is when to fertilize lawn. It is |
| problem. A State Department of Agriculture bulletin | | | | inadvisable to use chemical weed killers until after |
| on lawns should be consulted for full and detailed | | | | new grass has had to be cut at least two times. |
| information. | | | | Also, too often a good, established lawn is reseeded |
| The most common mistake made is to try growing | | | | routinely in the belief that this is necessary. Reseed |
| grass in poor, thin topsoil and inadequately prepared | | | | only a weak, thin and weedy lawn; good turf does |
| earth. Grading and leveling too, are often done wrong | | | | not need reseeding every spring. Bare patches, |
| resulting in a perpetual series of problems when | | | | obviously, need reseeding. |
| watering and mowing with increased danger of | | | | A Feeding Program |
| winter injury. Another common mistake is to sow | | | | If fertilizing of the lawn and the y perennial garden |
| cheap grass seed. Good grass seed commands a | | | | was not done in April, do it early in May. Lawns that |
| good price but is less expensive in the long run. | | | | were fertilized in early April will benefit greatly if given |
| Cheap seed is no bargain. | | | | another application during the last week of May or |
| After seed is sown, the soil must be kept moist | | | | early in June. Grasses grow vigorously during May and |
| constantly by frequent light sprinklings. Drought for as | | | | June so they can use a lot of plant food; give at |
| little as a half day can be fatal. Until it is well started, | | | | least one pound of actual nitrogen for each 1000 |
| grass requires continuous attention as far as watering | | | | square feet in each application. |