THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503130172
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: WEEDER'S DIGEST
SOURCE: BY ROBERT STIFFLER, GARDENING COLUMNIST
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
IF YOU HAVE a fescue lawn, as do most homeowners in this area, there is not much to do in the spring. Your lawn probably just needs some cleanup now. A light raking or mowing with the blade set high, using a grass catcher, will pick up leaves and other debris.
By early April, your grass should be fertilized lightly with a high nitrogen fertilizer, such as 25-5-10. Zoysia and Bermuda need to be re-fertilized monthly through August.
If you haven't limed your lawn in the last three years, it probably needs it. Use 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet; buy granulated lime so you don't get covered with lime dust. If you're not sure what you need, get a soil test.
When it comes time to mow, cut fescue at 2- to 2 1/2-inches, Bermuda and Zoysia at 1/2- to 1-inch. If you have bare spots, reseed them. The thicker you plant, the narrower the blade will be, which is desirable.
If you're seeding a new lawn, the recommended rate is 5 pounds of fescue per 1,000 square feet. The tag on the grass seed should guarantee 85 percent germination or better. Also, check for noxious weed content. You don't want to plant weeds in your lawn.
When weeds show up, and they will, spray with a product like Weed-B-Gon, but avoidfragile shrubs and the root area under trees.
If crabgrass is a problem, a preventer product should be applied when the forsythia is in bloom. You can't use crabgrass preventer and apply seed at the same time. There is usually a six-week waiting period, so you'll have to decide which is most needed.
For wear-resistant lawns, use wear-resistant grass. Species and cultivars can make a big difference in how lawns stand up to heavy traffic. This is especially important if children are playing on the lawn.
If you have established Bermuda grass or tall fescue in a play area, mow high to help it survive. Fertilize regularly, but don't overdo it. Too much nitrogen reduces wear tolerance. Adding potash, up to 8 pounds per 1,000 square feet per year (even if your soil is already high in potassium), can improve wear tolerance. If your soil is sandy, add potassium in small doses throughout the growing season to minimize losses from leaching. A little bit of thatch can actually aid wear tolerance by providing a cushion for the grass, but too much is detrimental.
If you haven't aerated your lawn, do that early. It helps seed get started; fertilizer and water penetrate deeper, and grass roots can breath better.
Most important, make sure your mower blade is sharp so you don't tear up your grass. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
HOW GRASSES STAND UP
Species Wear Tolerance Compaction Tolerance
Bermuda very high very high to high
Zoysia very high high to medium
Fescue very high to high medium
Annual bluegrass very low high
Kentucky bluegrass medium high to medium
Annual rye grass low medium
by CNB