UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE BERKELEY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BENJ. IDE WHEELER, President THOMAS FORSYTH HUNT, Dean and Director H. E. VAN NORMAN, Vice-Director and Dean University Farm School CIRCULAR No. 149 (March, 1916) LAWN MAKING IN CALIFORNIA By J. W. GREGG A pleasing combination of good country architecture, tasteful planting and a good lawn. Panama-California Exposition, San Diego, California. In California, with such a wide range of soil and climatic con- ditions, and the extremes of moisture and drought, lawn making has been a much neglected phase of gardening. It is the prevailing opinion that good lawns are expensive luxuries, both in construction and maintenance, and that the same area would give greater satis- faction at less cost if it was devoted to the growing of flowering plants. It is true that with many soils in California, the first cost of lawn construction often appears more or less prohibitive to the aver- age home owner. When it is remembered, however, that a lawn once well made is the foundation of perfect home grounds, and that it requires no more general care than various flowering plants grown to perfection in the same area, and that it furnishes a soft, rich carpet of green upon which one may walk, romp, sit, or recline at ease, the many advantages and comforts of lawns will be appreciated and the first cost and after care will appear trifling. For the purpose of assisting people to understand better the prac- tice of good lawn construction and maintenance, and to appreciate more fully the value of lawns as a part of beautiful home grounds, their comfort and enjoyment, this circular has been prepared. Because the lawn is such an important feature of home grounds, no mistake should be made in its construction. Shrubs and trees may be transplanted, flower borders may be rearranged every year with com- paratively little trouble and expense, but the making of a lawn is of far greater importance, and all the failures and discouragements, no matter what the after care has been, can be traced directly back to poor, haphazard first-construction. Site or Location. — If it is possible to determine the areas to be devoted to lawns, and to complete many preliminary operations, such as draining, fertilizing, plowing, or spading, and the establishment of the rough grade, before the general building operations are begun, much time and labor can be saved. This is not always possible in case of small home grounds. On larger estates, however, and in parks such construction work can be carried on for a considerable length of time in advance of the construction of any buildings. It is not practicable, however, to attempt to make lawns too far in advance, or too near contemplated buildings, as the excavations for the foundations and cellar will frequently yield a quantity of sub-soil that is better dis- posed of by hauling away, or using it for some deep fill, than by spreading it over the surface where it seldom proves satisfactory as a lawn-soil. Preparing the Soil. — The first thing to do in making a new lawn is to put the soil into proper condition to receive the seed. More lawn failures are due to insufficient preparation of the soil than to all other causes combined. No intelligent man would try to grow grass upon a cement sidewalk, yet grass seed is often sown on hard, packed ground, offering just as little chance to take root, and is expected to grow luxuriantly, with little or no care. If the soil is poor and of a sandy, clayey, or adobe nature, and a good rich loam is not available, satisfactory results may be obtained by spading in a liberal quantity of stable manure. Lawn grasses are voracious feeders and for that reason it is desirable to have at least eight or ten inches of good rich soil. Stable manure is most commonly used, especially for sandy soils, as chemical fertilizers usually leach too rapidly. Both may be used, however, on heavier soil, the stable manure not only adding plant food, but greatly improving the physical condition of the soil, and the chemicals acting directly as sources of plant food. The one great objection to using stable manure is the amount of weed seeds it usually contains. This trouble can only be partly avoided by using manure that is old and well-rotted. Such material is often hard to obtain, however, in large quantities, and where extensive lawns are to be con- structed, humus may be added by sowing some green-manure crop and turning it under, adding later, at the time of final harrowing and raking, ground bone meal at the rate of 3,000 pounds per acre. If the soil is coarse or contains red or yellow clay, it should be thoroughly worked to a depth of from twelve to fifteen inches or more, and should be well mixed with a liberal amount of the best manure obtainable. Where a rich top soil may be obtained from another source of supply, and there is a sufficient quantity to make the entire lawn, there will be no necessity to do more than thoroughly work the original soil, but it is a mistake, too often made, to fill in small patches with foreign soil. It is much better to establish the rough grades first and then spread the rich new soil evenly as a surface dressing. Soil brought from many sources is usually not of uniform quality or tex- ture, and should be thoroughly mixed before spreading it evenly over the entire area. Always grade the heavy soils first, finishing the grades off with lighter, finer, and more friable loam. To make a lawn partly of clay and partly of sandy loam will invariably produce a patchy appearance which can never be remedied without remaking the whole lawn. Unevenness in soil texture and fertility produces uneven- ness in the growth and color of the lawn grasses, even to the extent of grass dying in patches. Oftentimes where there is much rock or hard- pan existing near the surface, the sub-soil should be broken by the use of dynamite. Many soils are also greatly improved by the addition of lime which loosens up heavy soils, renders plant food more available, and makes sour soils sweet. Preparing soils in this thorough manner permits the roots of grass plants to penetrate to a greater depth where it is cool and moist, and insures a strong, vigorous growth and pro- duces a close, compact turf which better resists drought, severe heat, and hard usage. Grading. — Before the seed is sown, the ground should be gone over with a steel rake to establish the final grade and make the top soil as fine as possible. Uniformity in the finished surface before the seed is sown is essential to a perfect lawn. The ideal lawn surface on a large scale is of gentle rolling contour, rather than a direct slope or a per- pect level. On small home grounds, however, it is often necessary to have a perfectly level lawn, and in many cases this is a particular ad- vantage in the conservation of water ; the water spreading and soaking down evenly over the whole level area instead of running off as fast as applied, as is often the case on sloping surfaces. Sowing. — The next operation is sowing the seed. This is usually done by hand, using about one pound of seed to two hundred square feet of lawn area. This heavy sowing is better than a thin sowing be- cause man}' weed plants are crowded out by a good thick stand of lawn grass. The seed is sown evenly when the wind is not blowing and lightly raked into the surface. If the soil is of a light, sandy nature, a good rolling will tend to press the soil around the seed and promote even germination. With heavy clay or adobe soil, care should be taken in the use of the roller, either rolling very lightly or not at all. In many sections of California, mulching the lawn after sowing the seed is a very desirable and oftentimes a necessary practice. The material used for such mulching should be quite fine and light in weight. Old, well-rotted and finely divided stable manure, as free from weed seeds as possible, is generally used and applied lightly over the surface. After the mulch is applied a thorough watering may be given and the soil kept moist by daily watering until the seed germin- ates. As soon as the grass is tall enough to be clipped, the lawn mower should be used. This early clipping tends to check the top growth of the young grass plants, and encourages them to make roots, thus pro- ducing a firm sod. After the first clipping a good rolling will tend to smooth the surface and promote better growth. Lawns should be watered thoroughly about two or three times a week during dry weather, preferably in the evening. Light surface sprinklings for a few minutes every evening are worse than nothing, and waste water. While lawns will still continue to be watered by the hose, various types of automatic sprinkler systems are rapidly coming into more general use, and their efficiency and economic value are being clearly demonstrated. It has been known for a number of years that pioneers in the installation of lawn sprinkling systems have been experimenting and perfecting numerous automatic devices for the control of various section valves, and for governing the length of time each section operates, with the result that it is now possible to step out on the front porch, or any other convenient place, turn a single lever, and set an automatic sprinkler system in action. Every portion of the grounds thus receive refreshing showers uniformly which distribute a summer- like rain in quality and quantity to suit the character of all vegeta- tion thereon. Some of the advantages of such systems are, the aboli- tion of the hose, the elimination of the hose-shifter, whose services are available for other duties, sprinkling at night or in the evening, when there is least evaporation, the use of the entire lawn during the day for recreation and pleasure, a uniform distribution of water without waste, and no forgetting to move the hose, or turning off the section control valves. The cost of installation is soon paid for by the saving in labor, hose and water. Kind of Grass. — The grasses now being used for lawn making in California are varying mixtures of Kentucky blue-grass (Poa pra- iensis) Australian Rye grass (Lolium perenne) and white clover (Tri- fplium r opens). While the basis of all lawn grass mixtures is usually Kentucky blue-grass, some mixtures consist of one-half Kentucky blue-grass, and one-half Australian Rye grass, with possibly a little white clover added. The Australian Rye grass is very strong and quick growing, producing what is called an immediate effect, but like all drought-resistant grasses, it does not make a good permanent lawn. While a perrennial, it seen becomes bunchy and runs out. It is wiry, hard to cut, and does not produce the desirable rich green color. Aus- tralian rye grass and white clover when used in combination with Kentucky blue-grass often serve as nurse crops, blazing the way and protecting the 3 r oung Kentucky blue-grass plants until they can take care of themselves and make a permanent sod. Whether lawns should be seeded with Kentucky blue-grass alone, or with some of the various mixtures, is a question upon which there is a great variety of opinion. It is generally conceded, however, that Kentucky blue-grass should be used either alone, for the best permanent lawns, or with a little white clover added ; two parts of Kentucky blue-grass to one part of clover being a good proportion, although equal parts of each variety are often used. If immediate effects are wanted, especially during the winter months, the lawn mixtures offer distinct advantages because they con- tain some quick germinating grasses ; and if the soil is of an uneven quality, and varies greatly over a large area, mixtures again are valu- able, because one grass or another in the mixture will usually find its ideal conditions for growth. Kentucky blue-grass alone, on the other hand, makes the ideal lawn. It is a very slow growing grass at first and very weak when it is young; when once established, however, it produces a permanent velvety sod and a most pleasing effect. In southern California, Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon) is largely used for lawns because it requires less attention in the way of water- 6 ing, is fairly tolerant of alkali soils, and tends to withstand the intense heat better than other grasses. It may become a nuisance, however, as it spreads rapidly and is very difficult to eradicate. Good results may be expected when Kentucky blue-grass lawns are established in the middle and northern counties during April and May, or immedi- ately after the cold rains are past, but in the southern part of the state, lawns may be made earlier. In fact, it is a common practice to make lawns at any time of the year when the soil is, or can be put into proper shape and good growing conditions provided. Early autumn or early spring are the two most favorable seasons, however. Around the country home where it does not seem feasible to main- tain large areas of blue-grass lawns, there is nothing more pleasing and refreshing than ample stretches of alfalfa, carefully irrigated and neatly grown. A little plant that is now receiving very favorable consideration for lawn purposes is known as Lippia canescens. This is a low- growing, trailing plant, producing grayish-green leaves, and quanti- ties of small lilac-colored flowers. It is easily propagated by rooting pieces of the stems, or by transplanting pieces of sod every twelve inches. It may be mowed or allowed to grow at will. While it will respond to a light application of water, it will thrive and produce a good effect with little or no watering. Unlike Bermuda grass, it will never become a nuisance, and can be easily eradicated at any time. It stands sun and shade and a great amount of tramping, and is well suited for planting in parkings along streets and avenues, and on school grounds. Mowing. — Lawns should not be clipped too short during the hot- test and driest months of the year. The knives of the machine should be set high and the short, fine clippings thus produced may be allowed to remain on the lawn where they will quickly work down around the grass plants, and produce a mulch that conserves moisture and pro- tects the crown of the plants from extreme heat. If the grass is al- lowed to grow too long before cutting, and a large amount of clippings are produced, they are better raked off and taken away. Weeds. — Weeds will usually give considerable trouble, especially in new lawns, and very often in old ones, and hand weeding seems to be the only reliable remedy. Weeds should be pulled, root and all, as soon as they make their appearance and are large enough to handle. They are also more easily pulled from soft, moist soil than from a hard, dry surface. Perhaps one of the most common weeds is the dandelion. It is not sufficient merely to crop off the rosette of leaves without dig- ging into the soil and taking out as much of the root as possible. A 7 long-bladed knife proves an efficient instrument if run into the ground at an angle so as to slice the succulent root as far below the surface as possible; the crown of the plant may then be pulled out and de- stroyed. Rodents. — Moles often travel through a lawn, especially if the soil is loose and damp ; they will always take the route of least resistance and are not so apt to burrow under a lawn if the sod has been well rolled and compacted. The course of their tunnels should be thor- oughly tramped down. Mole traps may be used if set carefully over the runs, and in some cases poison baits may be used successfully. Small pieces of potato, apple, carrot or even wheat or corn, soaked for two or three hours in a solution of strychnine and water and then placed in their runways, will often prove effective. Gophers are also troublesome in many sections of the state and can be controlled by trapping, shooting and poisoned baits, as recommended above, as well as by the use of the numerous patented remedies now on the market, especially those in the form of cartridges which may be placed in the runways, where after being lighted, will give off poisonous gases, which penetrate the workings and kill the rodents. Bisulphide of carbon, a highly inflammable liquid, is also used successfully and may be injected into the openings by means of specially constructed "guns," which operate to inject approximately one-half pint of the liquid at one stroke of the plunger. After three or four minutes, the gas can be fired by means of a long handled torch and the hole tightly closed with earth. Great care should be taken if torches are used, as the gas is highly inflammable and an explosion is liable to result if the operator waits too long after injecting the liquid into the hole before firing it. Insects. — The common millepeds often produce the round dry patches found on lawns. They eat and disturb the roots of the grass until it dies. They are small, many-legged worms, and are usually curled into a small spiral. Sprinkling the lawn with a solution of air-slacked lime and water will create alkaline conditions which are distasteful to them, and they will usually leave. Undesirable conditions are sometimes created by angle-worms; their presence is known by the casts thrown up over the surface of the lawn, and if they occur in troublesome quantities, the lime and water application will prove effective. Ants may kill patches of lawn by their burrowing and honey- combing the soil under the sod. The most effective remedy is bisul- phide of carbon. One or two tablespoonfuls should be poured in every hole and the hole immediately covered with earth so as to retain the 8 penetrating fumes. It must be noted again that the fumes are not only poisonous but highly inflammable. In conclusion, it may be stated that if a person woidd give a lawn the same amount of intelligent care, both in construction and main- tenance, that is usually given any other important element of garden design, it would not prove an expensive luxury, but a most serviceable and pleasing part of the home grounds.