^ T'<4 
 
 A Publication of The College of i 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNI 
 
 LAWN PLANTING 
 
 and CARE 
 
 H. M. Butterfleld 
 
 Warren Schoonover 
 
 Harry W. Shepherd 
 
 
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 EXTENSION SERVICE 
 
 
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 In this garden, space is made to appear greater by the use of stepping stones 
 in a turf of mixed bent. 
 
 October, 1951 
 
 THE AUTHORS: 
 
 Mr. Butterfield is Agriculturist in the Agricultural Extension Service. 
 
 Mr. Schoonover is Extension Soils Specialist in the Agricultural Extension Service. 
 
 Mr. Shepherd is Professor of Landscape Architecture. 
 
rf yo&ct taunt 
 
 is the result of a correctly prepared and planted seedbed. This means that 
 a home owner needs to know what seed to choose for a particular climate 
 and soil; how to irrigate, fertilize, and mow; and how to control lawn 
 diseases, pests, and weeds. He also needs to know that for every 400 square 
 feet of good lawn, at least 2Vi hours of weekly care, including watering, are 
 necessary. If business or other duties prohibit this allotment of time, it is 
 better to landscape, at greater first cost, with brick, tile, gravel, or pavement. 
 
 A lawn may be expensive to establish if soil and climate are not favor- 
 able. If the homesite has been chosen with the requirements of plant growth 
 in mind, however, and if the techniques of planting and care are learned, a 
 satisfactory lawn should be easy to establish and maintain. 
 
 *7^e CteCHtiaJl fioietfo 
 
 of lawn planting and care under the semiarid climatic conditions of Cali- 
 fornia are discussed in this circular under the following twelve headings: 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Relating the lawn to the landscape 4 
 
 Preparing the seedbed 9 
 
 Planning for irrigation 11 
 
 Knowing the grass species and varieties and their characteristics . . . . 12 
 
 Selecting the seed 21 
 
 Safeguarding the seed with fungicides 22 
 
 Planting the seedbed 24 
 
 Planting lawns by sodding or sprigging 25 
 
 Maintaining the lawn 25 
 
 Controlling lawn diseases, pests, and weeds 29 
 
 Renovating a lawn 37 
 
 Estimating certain costs of lawn planting and care 38 
 
JL<ZCUH is an area of cultivated grass. Properly planted and well-kept, it has no 
 adequate substitute. It keeps the soil from blowing and washing and, when well 
 cared for and in good color, it is a cool, restful cover for the homesite. Even before 
 selecting the exact location for the lawn, certain fundamental decisions must be made : 
 the purpose of the lawn; its size; the planting of trees and the protection of existing 
 tree roots; and the grading of the soil for contour and drainage. 
 
 Relating the Lawn to the Landscape 
 
 Gaining spaciousness. If the pur- 
 pose of a lawn is an area for use as well 
 as a setting for the house, do not plant 
 trees or shrubbery in the center. Spacious- 
 ness is gained by grading and directing 
 the slope, where necessary (fig. 1) ; by 
 keeping the center open ; and by planting 
 large growth toward the border. There 
 are many advantages to the open lawn, 
 not the least of which is easier main- 
 tenance. 
 
 Placing the trees. If trees are to be 
 grown close to the lawn, choose those that 
 will not be damaged by lawn irrigation. 
 Grass can be replaced, but trees are a 
 more permanent part of the landscape. 
 
 Many California gardens are planned 
 around aged native plants and trees, 
 which may be injured by continuous 
 watering of lawns during the warm 
 months. For instance, heavy summer irri- 
 gation causes the fungus damage and 
 sour sap so injurious to the California 
 live oak. Heavy irrigation, especially of 
 old lawns, where trees have grown for a 
 long time, can also cause roots to crowd 
 and eventually form a thick mat which 
 prevents normal moisture penetration. 
 
 Choice of plantings and their placing 
 are therefore very important. It is best to 
 plant all trees, whether affected by sum- 
 mer irrigation or not, outside the actual 
 lawn area. At the borders of the lawn, 
 also, shrubs and flowers should be 
 planted. These can be arranged in many 
 different patterns (figures 2, 3, and 4). 
 
 Protecting established tree roots. 
 On a homesite chosen for its growth of 
 fine shade trees, build the house away 
 from the trees so that grading, usually 
 essential to construction, will not destroy 
 
 surface roots. No grading should be done 
 within 50 to 100 feet of a tree. Paving is 
 especially injurious to the California live 
 oak and to aged trees, both evergreen and 
 deciduous. The health of the roots de- 
 pends on their securing the nourishment 
 essential to normal growth. 
 
 Substituting a ground cover in 
 shade. If dense shade is planned, it is 
 best to plant a shade-tolerant ground 
 cover and not insist on producing lawn 
 grass. A good lawn is difficult to main- 
 tain even under trees giving only light 
 shade, such as California pepper, eucalyp- 
 tus, American elm, and black walnut. 
 
 Grading the soil. Grading to change 
 land contour is expensive and often im- 
 practical, but it is sometimes necessary. 
 All changes in slope must be gradual, not 
 greater than 1 foot in 10 feet. This degree 
 of slope will permit easy mowing and 
 uniform irrigating. To maintain good 
 turf on slopes which are more than 10 
 per cent is expensive. Steeper slopes re- 
 quire special irrigation methods which, 
 if they include frequent irrigation, may 
 cause excessive runoff. The gradual and 
 easy slope is both restful to see and 
 practical to maintain (fig. 5). 
 
 Many times the level lawn is the most 
 practical and useful, although a gentle 
 slope can be satisfactory. A lawn area 
 should be full and slightly convex ; other- 
 wise it may appear hollow. To most 
 people a slightly mounded area is more 
 pleasing than a hollow. Slight crowning 
 of a small lawn results in a pleasing 
 ground line ; and of a large level area, also 
 in better drainage. Where slopes are too 
 steep for lawn, construct terraces with re- 
 taining walls (fig. 6). 
 
 [4] 
 
Hedge for screen and reduction 
 
 of height of structure 
 
 House terrace -I Convex surface Walk 
 
 Street 
 
 Flat, low planting 
 
 House terrace 
 
 Concave surface 
 
 Walk 
 
 Street 
 
 House 
 
 Fig. 1 . Height of structure, appearance from street, and outlook should regulate nearby planting. 
 Top: hedge between lawn and house acts as screen and reduces apparent height of structure. 
 Middle: flat, low planting in front of a low structure. Lower: method of shaping surface to create 
 spaciousness; also planting to define boundary and reduce apparent height of structure. All illus- 
 trations show concave and convex surfaces. (Drawings by Jack Laflin, Lecturer in Landscape 
 Architecture.) 
 
Left to right. Fig. 2. A simple strip of lawn in front of a border can produce a pleasing landscape. 
 Fig. 3. At this steep hillside home, tamarix juniper, standard trimmed trees, low, dwarf box, a 
 
 Fig. 5. A gradual and easy slope is needed for the modest home lawn. 
 
 [6] 
 
narrow border of color, and espaliered apple combine for economy and simplicity. Fig. 4. One of 
 many border effects set off well with a piece of lawn. 
 
 Fig. 6. A retaining wall decreases lawn slope and makes maintenance easier. 
 
 [7] 
 
When a dwelling is slightly elevated 
 from street level, a convex or mounded 
 ground surface tends to lessen the struc- 
 ture's height; when low, a slightly con- 
 cave surface gives it prominence (fig. 7) . 
 
 EFFECT RAISED 
 
 California's semiarid climate seldom 
 calls for a thick layer of crushed rock be- 
 neath level or gently sloping ground to 
 assure the satisfactory drainage neces- 
 sary to a good lawn. 
 
 EFFECT LOWERED 
 
 A—HOUSE BELOW STREET 
 
 B— HOUSE ABOVE STREET 
 
 C_ HOUSE FAR ABOVE STREET 
 
 Planting 
 
 Planting 
 
 D— EFFECT OF SHRUBS ON ELEVATION 
 
 Hedge . 
 
 Low shrubs or vine 
 
 Lawn 
 
 ^L 
 
 Planting Hedg 
 
 V- Terrace T 
 
 dge J 
 
 E— SIZE AND POSITION OF SHRUBS RELATIVE TO ELEVATION 
 
 Fig. 7. A-E: At left, purpose of planting and grading is to raise apparent height of structure; at 
 right, to lower apparent height. C illustrates position of retaining wall along street to raise ap- 
 parent height of structure and also to lessen degree of slope. (Drawings by Jack Laflin, Lecturer in 
 Landscape Architecture.) 
 
 [8] 
 
Preparing th 
 
 Grasses, if properly managed, will 
 grow well on a wide range of soil texture 
 (particle size), such as sand, loam, and 
 clay. Somewhat coarser, more vigorous 
 grasses may be required for the fine- 
 textured (clay) soils than for loams or 
 sands. 
 
 Saving topsoil. Any topsoil available 
 from excavating or grading operations 
 should be set aside for the surface of the 
 lawn. 
 
 Hauling in topsoil. Many people dis- 
 satisfied with a too-clayey or too-sandy 
 soil texture try to improve it by hauling 
 in topsoil. Topsoil may be necessary in 
 some special instances, but with initial 
 soil improvement and good management, 
 most soils can be made to grow satisfac- 
 tory grass without the addition of topsoil. 
 Topsoil is likely to be more effective for 
 the improvement of very sandy soils than 
 soils of finer texture. Topsoil used on 
 clay soils should, itself, be relatively fine- 
 textured. 
 
 Blend the lowermost layer of topsoil 
 with the base on which it is used. This is 
 done by spading, forking, or plowing. 
 Unless this is done, the roots may be 
 limited to the thin layer of topsoil. Any 
 topsoil should of course come from a 
 location of satisfactory natural vegeta- 
 tion, free from salt or other harmful 
 minerals or debris. 
 
 Using subsoil. Even subsoil from ex- 
 cavations or soil whose structure was im- 
 paired by packing during building opera- 
 tions can, with satisfactory management, 
 support as good a lawn as though topsoil 
 were hauled in. 
 
 Preparation for planting should in- 
 clude certain tasks, some of which are 
 performed gradually, others progres- 
 sively. 
 
 Grading. Grade when the soil-mois- 
 ture content is favorable, that is, when 
 soil crumbles rather than packs. A soil 
 too wet may puddle densely. One too dry 
 may break down into a fine dust, a con- 
 
 e Seedbed 
 
 dition usually worse than puddling. The 
 soil should be worked as little as possible 
 during grading. Fills should be left with 
 the soil loose, and settled by watering 
 rather than by mechanical packing. 
 
 Spading, forking, or plowing. 
 After grading, work the soil to a moderate 
 depth (4 to 6 inches) by spading, fork- 
 ing, or plowing. Deep working is usually 
 unnecessary. It may result in uneven 
 settling, which will give a poor lawn sur- 
 face. When preparing the soil, don't 
 hurry the operation by breaking up clods 
 mechanically, either by pounding with 
 the spade or by using a rotating soil- 
 beating tiller. Overworked soils tend to 
 settle into a structure denser than nor- 
 mal, and are less satisfactory for plant 
 growth. 
 
 Weathering. Slow weathering usu- 
 ally produces a good structure. During 
 this process the soil settles gradually. The 
 clods disintegrate from repeated wetting 
 and drying, together with a moderate 
 amount of cultivating or working at a 
 favorable moisture content. At this state 
 the soil should be dry enough to crumble 
 rather than pack. When the soil is first 
 worked, partially mix in manure or other 
 readily decomposable organic matter. 
 This will help the weathering process in 
 developing a favorable structure. In ad- 
 dition, it will supply nutrients. 
 
 Settling. At some stage in preparing 
 the seedbed, apply sufficient water to 
 settle the surface. 
 
 Conditioning. Wetting and drying, 
 especially when accompanied by applica- 
 tions of manure or of readily decompos- 
 able organic matter, often condition the 
 soil satisfactorily, but sometimes so- 
 called conditioners may be needed. Con- 
 ditioners may be divided into three 
 groups: 1) those that stimulate the bio- 
 logical processes; 2) those that have a 
 chemical or physiochemical effect on 
 the soil; and 3) those that are known as 
 inert fillers. 
 
 [9] 
 
The first group of soil conditioners 
 
 is the most useful and includes such 
 organic materials as manure, chopped al- 
 falfa, organic compost, sewage sludge, 
 and leafmold. These organic materials 
 serve as food for microorganisms. Dur- 
 ing the decaying process the microorgan- 
 isms produce certain types of organic 
 chemicals that granulate the soil or de- 
 velop a crumblike structure. Rapid de- 
 composition of the materials quickly 
 improves the soil. 
 
 A similar type of soil improvement 
 can be produced by growing fibrous- 
 rooted grasses. For instance, under very 
 unfavorable soil conditions, good pas- 
 tures have been produced by planting 
 sudangrass first, taking off a crop of hay, 
 then planting the finer grasses, clovers, 
 et cetera in the sudangrass stubble. The 
 sudangrass roots, together with sub- 
 stances produced during decay of the 
 roots, change very unfavorable conditions 
 to conditions suitable to establishing a 
 pasture. By using a vigorous lawn grass 
 rather than a sudangrass, this process 
 may be useful in establishing a lawn on 
 a tough soil. Any vigorous nonweedy 
 crop if allowed to grow long enough to 
 develop a good root system will greatly 
 improve a soil. 
 
 The second group of soil condi- 
 tioners includes so-called agricultural 
 minerals, such as lime, gypsum, and sul- 
 fur, which are applied for a chemical or 
 physiochemical effect. These materials 
 usually are effective only when used to 
 overcome a specific, unfavorable chemi- 
 cal condition of the soil. For example, if 
 the soil is too alkaline, gypsum will prob- 
 ably markedly improve it — and gypsum 
 is generally safer than sulfur for the 
 amateur to use. For soil structure dense 
 merely from packing or from an unfavor- 
 able claylike texture, gypsum is likely to 
 have little, if any, value; whatever value 
 it may have is from a temporary coagula- 
 tion of the clay into a less sticky material. 
 If the soil is too acid, it can be condi- 
 tioned with lime. Too acid a soil is less 
 
 important for grasses, which are more 
 acid-tolerant than is clover. 
 
 The third group of soil condition- 
 ers includes organic fillers, such as peat 
 moss, which is practically inert and de- 
 composes very slowly, and mineral fillers, 
 such as vermiculite, pumice, perlite, sco- 
 ria, and sand. These materials have no 
 chemical effect; they do not alter the 
 stickiness of the clay nor develop the 
 necessary crumblike structure of the soil. 
 They merely dilute the soil without blend- 
 ing with it. Their effect on available water 
 supply has been greatly overexaggerated. 
 They will not be helpful for any purpose 
 unless used in relatively large quantities. 
 Usually the same amount of money in- 
 vested in decomposable organic materials 
 will give greater improvement of the soil. 
 
 Leveling. This is a gradual process 
 through raking, cultivating, or through 
 minor grading operations performed 
 while the weathering, settling, and con- 
 ditioning practices are going on. 
 
 Germinating weeds. Weed seeds 
 can also be germinated during this par- 
 ticular period, and the weeds themselves 
 removed during the final leveling. Well 
 in advance of planting, weedy peren- 
 nial grasses should be killed by tillage or 
 by such sprays as maleic hydrazide and 
 TCA. The soil should not be worked more 
 than is absolutely necessary for this final 
 evening-up, because each working tends 
 to impair rather than to improve the 
 structure. Rolling the seedbed may not 
 be necessary before planting if the soil is 
 given sufficient time for settling, although 
 rolling does tend to break up the small 
 clods beneath the surface of the bed. 
 
 Completing the seedbed. In the 
 final preparation of the seedbed, loosen 
 the soil to a depth of about one-half inch 
 and break it into fine particles with a 
 rake or with small cultivator teeth. If the 
 soil is loosened to a greater depth, it will 
 have to be settled again. The bed is now 
 ready for planting, which process is de- 
 scribed in the section "Planting the Seed- 
 bed," on page 24. 
 
 [10] 
 
Planning for 
 
 Most California lawns must be watered 
 from April to October. This calls for a 
 practical system of irrigation. Hand irri- 
 gation is not as satisfactory as a good 
 sprinkler system because few gardeners 
 will hold a hose long enough at one time 
 for the water to penetrate to a satisfactory 
 depth. With an efficient sprinkler system, 
 the sprinklers can be turned on at any 
 time and left to operate until the lawn is 
 adequately watered. In this way, many 
 hours of maintenance can be saved. 
 
 Many important decisions must be 
 made when considering the installation 
 of a sprinkler system. The type of system, 
 amount of water pressure, choice of heads 
 and length of connecting nipples, spacing 
 of heads, and kind and size of pipe are all 
 of great importance to any sprinkler 
 system. 
 
 Selecting the sprinkler system. 
 The system should fit the family income 
 as well as the lawn's needs. For a small 
 lawn, an underground system with fixed 
 heads is generally the most satisfactory. 
 Some gardeners use a sprinkler head that 
 rises when the water is turned on and 
 settles back when the water is turned off. 
 This type is out of the way of the lawn 
 mower. For very large areas, rotary sprin- 
 klers that can be quickly attached or re- 
 moved are practical. There is a specific 
 type of sprinkler for almost every lawn 
 plan. 
 
 Determining water pressure. The 
 size of the pipe connecting a house with 
 the street side of the water meter deter- 
 mines the water pressure in the garden. 
 Many houses are connected on the street 
 side of the meter with only half -inch pipe. 
 In addition to pressure control by pipe 
 size is further control by the bur which 
 may have been left on the inside of the 
 pipe by the roller pipe-cutter. The orig- 
 inal inside diameter of the pipe can be 
 restored only by using a reamer to remove 
 the bur. All joints and nipples must be 
 sealed against leakage. In cutting pipe, 
 
 Irrigation 
 
 use a hacksaw, which cuts without leaving 
 a bur, rather than a pipe-cutter. 
 
 Inadequate water pressure is com- 
 monly caused by too many sprinkler 
 heads to one shut-off valve. In some cities 
 the pressure is not adequate for more 
 than 5 or 6 sprinkler heads to half-inch- 
 pipe connection. If the size of the laterals 
 can be increased to %-inch pipe, and the 
 main line to 1 inch or to IV2 inches or 
 more, the pressure should be much 
 greater. The larger diameter must extend 
 beyond the meter to the main pipe. 
 
 Anticipating that the shut-off valve 
 might have to be replaced or repaired, a 
 union joint should be installed next to 
 each shut-off valve. This will eliminate 
 the necessity of cutting the pipe with a 
 hacksaw and replacing with a union joint 
 later on should replacement be necessary. 
 
 On farms where water pressure is low, 
 pipe should be of fairly large diameter, 
 with suitable sprinkler heads spaced at 
 carefully measured distances to give ade- 
 quate coverage of the lawn. Good sprin- 
 kler-head pressure is needed where gen- 
 eral pressure is low. 
 
 Choosing sprinkler heads and 
 nipples. Several styles of sprinkler heads 
 are on the market, with the best durable 
 and easily adjusted. Only enough sprin- 
 kler heads should be connected with each 
 shut-off valve to give the desired pressure 
 when the water pressure is at its lowest 
 point during the day. By drawing the 
 lawn plan to scale, the sprinkler system 
 can be laid out accurately and the num- 
 ber and kind of heads determined in ad- 
 vance. 
 
 Many of the popular small heads cover 
 a circle about 12 feet in diameter with 
 adequate pressure. By setting the heads 
 10 feet apart, with 20 to 25 pounds pres- 
 sure, the water from one head will over- 
 lap the next head part way, insuring an 
 even coverage. Sprinkler heads in one 
 row should be set half way between the 
 heads in the next row, so that the water 
 
 [ii] 
 
circles fit well into each other. Sprinkler 
 heads to cover a half circle or a quarter 
 circle are available; the quarter circle, 
 however, does not always function as well 
 as the half and the full circles. Half cir- 
 cles are placed along the edges of the 
 lawn or bed, and quarter circles at the 
 square corners. 
 
 When water pipes are laid on a slope, 
 remember that after the water is turned 
 off, it will run out of the lowest sprinkler 
 head until the pipe is emptied. If the line 
 of sprinkler heads is laid as nearly level 
 as possible, there will be very little water 
 left in the lower end of the pipe line to 
 cause erosion. 
 
 The exact length of the individual nip- 
 ples connecting the sprinkler heads is 
 hard to determine until the soil has settled 
 after planting. Some contractors put in 
 temporary nipples, with the sprinkler 
 heads standing well above the lawn sur- 
 face. As soon as the soil has settled, the 
 
 sprinkler heads are installed at a level to 
 clear the lawn mower. Nipples come in 
 various lengths; this makes it possible to 
 buy the right length and not have to cut 
 and thread them at home. Shorter nipples 
 save trouble and labor. 
 
 Using durable pipe. In the last few 
 years, durable galvanized pipe has been 
 scarce on some markets. Reconditioned 
 pipe is sometimes used. Copper pipe is 
 also used, when available. Some water 
 districts greatly increase the life of the 
 pipe by treating the water with lime to 
 reduce electrolysis in the pipes. Treating 
 pipe with hot tar before it is laid also 
 helps to lengthen its normal life. 
 
 Lay underground pipes several weeks 
 before planting so that the soil will have 
 time to settle. Pipes can be laid in estab- 
 lished lawns by lifting the sod carefully 
 with a sharp spade, then replacing the 
 sod after the pipes are down. If this is 
 done, the entire pipe should be treated. 
 
 Knowing the Grass Species and Varieties 
 and Their Characteristics 
 
 Some knowledge of grass characteris- 
 tics is needed in selecting a specific grass 
 or grass mixture. Four important points 
 must be kept in mind : 1 ) climate and ex- 
 posure; 2) soil; 3) maintenance, includ- 
 ing watering and mowing; and 4) lawn 
 use. 
 
 A seed mixture including both a warm- 
 season and a cool-season grass will meet 
 the requirements of climate and exposure 
 in California. This combination will pro- 
 duce a lawn that, under normal variation 
 in climate and with good management, 
 will be green the year round. 
 
 Soil requirements can be met only if 
 the needs of the specific grass or grass 
 mixture are known. All grasses benefit 
 by fertile soil and good drainage. Some 
 grasses are more drought-resistant than 
 others; and some stand more alkali or 
 more acid than others. Where only defi- 
 cient or thin, worn-out soils are available 
 for planting, it is important to know what 
 
 soil conditioners will help to restore them. 
 
 A grass or a grass mixture should be 
 able to form a good turf and crowd out 
 weeds; it should also be free from dis- 
 eases and pests. Adaptation of the grass 
 will save much labor in maintenance. 
 
 A lawn to be used as a service yard or 
 playfield, or for any purpose involving 
 heavy tramping, must be able to stand up 
 under traffic. Surface compaction of the 
 soil will result from hard usage. 
 
 A summary of the specific characteris- 
 tics of certain grasses for certain condi- 
 tions in California indicates that Ken- 
 tucky bluegrass and Colonial bent, in 
 their best strains, are perhaps two of the 
 most satisfactory. The Illahee strain of 
 creeping red fescue does better than Ken- 
 tucky bluegrass in shade and tolerates 
 soil of lower fertility and with less mois- 
 ture. Kentucky bluegrass and creeping 
 red fescue make a good mixture. Chart 1 
 lists many of the grasses and their needs. 
 
 [12] 
 
Bluegrass (Poo species). The dense 
 and extensive root system of Kentucky 
 bluegrass (Poa pratensis) (fig. 8) prob- 
 ably accounts for its long-lived and hardy 
 characteristics. Under most garden con- 
 ditions, the foliage is dark blue-green 
 and of medium texture, not quite so fine 
 as good bentgrass but better than its rela- 
 tive Poa trivialis. It can be planted with 
 ryegrass or with white Dutch clover where 
 a mixture is desired. It does not remain 
 so green in cold winters as ryegrass. Its 
 sod should become well established in 6 
 months to a year. The grass spreads by 
 underground rootstalks or rhizomes, 
 much like Colonial bents. Under favor- 
 able conditions, Kentucky bluegrass has 
 lived for twenty years or longer. 
 
 Climate and exposure: Bluegrass 
 will stand cold, heat, and some drought, 
 but will not tolerate much shade. The 
 grass is fairly dormant in December and 
 January; for this reason, some gardeners 
 prefer to use it in a mixture with other 
 grasses that are green in winter. 
 
 So/f: Fertile, well-drained soils of neu- 
 tral or slightly alkaline reaction are best 
 for bluegrass. The soil should contain a 
 liberal amount of phosphate. Poa praten- 
 sis is not well adapted to thin, worn-out, 
 acid, or infertile soils. 
 
 Maintenance: Bluegrass should not 
 be watered as often as creeping bent. It 
 does not require such frequent mowing 
 as bentgrass, and should not be clipped 
 closer than 1% inches. If neglected for a 
 time, it will usually recover very well 
 under good management. 
 
 Lawn use: Bluegrass is tolerant of 
 tramping after it has formed a good sod. 
 
 The Merion (B-27), a variety of Ken- 
 tucky bluegrass, has been tested in recent 
 years and appears to be superior to ordi- 
 nary bluegrass in turf quality, color, and 
 
 Fig. 8. Gradation of grass texture from fine 
 to coarse is illustrated by the four grasses 
 shown from top to bottom in this panel: creep- 
 ing red fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial 
 rye, and meadow fescue. 
 
 
 
 A - ' ~t 
 
resistance to leaf spot. It makes a dense 
 turf, takes closer mowing and less mow- 
 ing, and is more resistant to the invasion 
 of other grasses and weeds than the usual 
 bluegrass. The supply of Merion (B-27) 
 seed is still so scarce that few home gar- 
 
 deners are able to find it in nurseries or 
 seed houses. 
 
 Rough (stalk) bluegrass (Poa trivi- 
 alis) is used in most shade-grass mix- 
 tures. The grass is a bright yellow-green 
 rather than the dark green of Kentucky 
 
 Chart 1 . A listing of some popular 
 
 
 Climate 
 needed 
 
 Shade 
 tolerance 
 
 Soil and fertility 
 preference 
 
 Bentgrasses (Agrostis species) 
 A. tenuis varieties 
 
 Colonial bent 
 
 cool and 
 moist 
 
 cool and 
 moist 
 
 cool or 
 hot 
 
 warm or 
 cold 
 
 very good 
 very good 
 medium 
 
 well-drained acid loams ; low- 
 
 Astoria bent 
 Highland bent 
 
 Creeping bent (A. palustris) (Seaside, 
 Cocoos, Washington, Metropolitan, 
 et cetera) 
 
 Redtop (A. alba) 
 Velvet bent (A. canina) 
 
 to-medium fertility 
 
 acid loams; best with high 
 fertility 
 
 wide range; best when fer- 
 tilized 
 
 well-drained fertile loam 
 
 Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) 
 
 mild to 
 hot 
 
 poor 
 
 well-drained fertile loam ; 
 tolerates some alkali 
 
 Bluegrasses (Poa species) 
 Kentucky bluegrass (P. pratensis) 
 (fig. 8) 
 
 Rough bluegrass (P. trivialis) 
 
 warm or 
 cold 
 
 cool and 
 moist 
 
 medium 
 to poor 
 
 very good 
 
 well-drained fertile loam ; 
 neutral or alkaline 
 
 slightly acid; best in fertile 
 loam 
 
 Fescues (Festuca species) 
 
 Chewings fescue (F. rubra var. fallax) 
 
 Creeping red fescue (F. rubra) (as 
 Illahee and Ranier) (fig. 8) 
 
 warm or 
 cool 
 
 cool and 
 moist 
 
 good 
 good 
 
 wide range; sand or loam; 
 medium fertility 
 
 sand or loam; medium-to- 
 high f ertility 
 
 Ryegrasses (Lolium species) 
 
 Domestic rye (L. multiflorum) (Italian, 
 Pacific) 
 
 Perennial rye (L. perenne) (fig. 8) 
 
 cool or 
 hot 
 
 cool or 
 hot 
 
 medium 
 to poor 
 
 good to 
 medium 
 
 well-drained heavy soil; me- 
 dium-to-high f ertility 
 
 well-drained heavy soil; me- 
 dium-to-high fertility 
 
 Matrellagrass (Zoysia matrella) (Flawn) 
 
 cool and 
 moist 
 
 medium 
 
 well-drained heavy soil; me- 
 dium fertility 
 
 White clover (Trifolium repens) (fig. 11) 
 
 warm 
 
 medium 
 
 well-drained loam; medium 
 fertility 
 
 * L = long; M = medium; S = short. 
 t 15-20 lbs. stolons to 1000 sq. ft. 
 
 [14] 
 
bluegrass. It does best in a soil of neutral 
 or slightly alkaline reaction, which con- 
 tains a considerable amount of lime. It 
 spreads by runners or stolons. 
 
 Poa trivialis is not well adapted to very 
 sunny areas nor to very hot weather (90° 
 
 F or above), but makes a fine turf in 
 shaded lawn areas. It seldom needs a 
 nurse grass unless seeded at a time when 
 perennial grasses are hard to start. 
 
 Ryegrasses (Lolium species). Three 
 kinds of ryegrass are listed by dealers. 
 
 lawn grasses and their needs 
 
 Water needed 
 
 Care 
 required 
 
 Texture 
 
 Color and period 
 when green 
 
 Life* 
 
 How 
 startedf 
 
 Germination 
 
 Rate of 
 
 seeding, 
 
 1 lb. to no. 
 
 sq. ft. 
 
 good supply, but 
 Highland bent 
 drought-tolerant 
 
 good supply 
 
 good supply, but 
 drought-tolerant 
 
 good supply 
 
 much 
 much 
 medium 
 much 
 
 fine 
 
 fine 
 
 coarse 
 
 very 
 fine 
 
 light green spring 
 to fall 
 
 lighter than Astoria 
 bent ; spring to fall 
 
 pale to bluish 
 green ; best in late 
 summer 
 
 dark green ; spring 
 and summer 
 
 M 
 M 
 S 
 M 
 
 seed or 
 stolons 
 
 seed or 
 stolons 
 
 seed 
 seed 
 
 medium 
 
 medium 
 
 rapid 
 
 medium 
 to slow 
 
 500 
 
 500 
 
 500 
 
 1000 
 
 good supply 
 
 medium 
 
 fine 
 
 dull green ; summer 
 to fall 
 
 L 
 
 seed 
 
 good 
 when 
 warm 
 
 500 
 
 good supply 
 good supply 
 
 medium 
 to much 
 
 medium 
 to much 
 
 medium 
 fine 
 
 bluish green ; sum- 
 mer to fall 
 
 bluish green ; 
 spring to fall 
 
 L 
 M 
 
 seed 
 seed 
 
 slow 
 medium 
 
 350 
 350 
 
 little or much 
 good supply 
 
 medium 
 to much 
 
 medium 
 to much 
 
 fine 
 fine 
 
 dark green ; 
 spring to fall 
 
 deep green ; 
 spring to fall 
 
 M 
 M 
 
 seed 
 seed 
 
 medium 
 medium 
 
 250 
 250 
 
 drought-tolerant 
 drought-tolerant 
 
 medium 
 to much 
 
 medium 
 to much 
 
 medium 
 coarse 
 
 medium 
 coarse 
 
 deep green most of 
 year 
 
 dark green most of 
 year 
 
 lyr. 
 
 M 
 
 seed 
 seed 
 
 rapid 
 rapid 
 
 200 
 200 
 
 good supply 
 
 medium 
 
 fine to 
 medium 
 
 medium green ; 
 summer to fall 
 
 M 
 
 sod 
 
 poor 
 
 
 good supply 
 
 much 
 
 coarse 
 
 light green ; 
 spring to fall 
 
 S 
 
 seed 
 
 good and 
 rapid 
 
 2 oz. per 
 lb. grass 
 
 [15] 
 
these are perennial rye (Lolium perenne) 
 (fig. 8) ; Italian rye (L. multiflorum) ; 
 and domestic rye (L. multiflorum vari- 
 ety) . It is often used as a nurse, or com- 
 panion grass, with Kentucky bluegrass or 
 white Dutch clover, where a mixture is 
 desired, but it is not the best companion 
 grass. Ryegrass gives a quick effect and 
 stands much abuse. 
 
 Perennial rye is sometimes sold under 
 various strain names, such as Australian 
 rye and Paceys rye, but the ordinary per- 
 ennial rye is best. In California it should 
 grow well for at least four to five years 
 under favorable conditions. In the coastal 
 areas some perennial ryegrass lawns have 
 done well for twenty years. 
 
 Climate and exposure: Perennial 
 rye can be sown at a season when some of 
 the popular perennial grasses start poorly. 
 Its quick-forming, dark-green cover re- 
 mains greener in cold winters than some 
 of the popular lawn grasses, such as Ken- 
 tucky bluegrass. It tolerates more shade 
 than Kentucky bluegrass, yet stands con- 
 siderable drought, even surviving on a 
 hot slope where some other grasses would 
 fail. 
 
 Soil: Perennial ryegrass prefers well- 
 drained, heavy soil of medium-to-light 
 fertility. 
 
 Maintenance: Frequent watering is 
 not as urgent with ryegrass as with bent- 
 grass, although ryegrass will respond to 
 good care. All ryegrass is coarse and un- 
 less it is mowed at least once a week dur- 
 ing the growing season, it soon sends up 
 tough seed stalks that interfere with mow- 
 ing. 
 
 Lawn use: The best strains of peren- 
 nial rye are useful for planting in service 
 yards or in large areas where little soil 
 preparation or care is given. A 50 per 
 cent mixture of perennial ryegrass and 
 .roughstalk bluegrass, sown at the rate of 
 1 pound for 150 square feet, stands some 
 abuse and drought and matures quickly. 
 It will also tolerate some shade. 
 
 The two varieties Italian rye and do- 
 mestic rye are similar to perennial rye- 
 
 grass, but do not live so long and have 
 little to recommend them for garden 
 lawns. Domestic or common ryegrass is 
 a variety of Italian ryegrass which in- 
 cludes both annual and perennial forms. 
 It has largely replaced the regular Italian 
 ryegrass as a house grass in lawnseed 
 mixtures. Its length of life is short. Some 
 of the hardy grass mixtures offered for 
 sale in California contain up to 60 per 
 cent domestic ryegrass. 
 
 Bentgrasses {Agrostis species). At 
 least four species of bentgrasses are 
 worthy of mention: redtop {Agrostis 
 alba) , which is sometimes known as Eng- 
 lish bent, Southern bent, and Herdsgrass; 
 Colonial bent (A. tenuis), which includes 
 the three main varieties or strains — As- 
 toria, Highland, and Colonial — , Rhode 
 Island bent, Common bent, Oregon bent, 
 and New Zealand bent; Creeping bent 
 (A. palustris), sometimes referred to by 
 the names of Seaside bent or Cocoos bent, 
 Washington bent, and Metropolitan bent ; 
 and Velvet bent (A. canina) . Various 
 strains or varieties may occur within these 
 species. When buying Colonial bent seed, 
 specify the variety wanted, such as As- 
 toria or Highland. 
 
 Some bents are more subject to disease 
 and lawn insects than are the fescues, 
 bluegrass, or ryegrass. Bentgrasses like 
 a cool, moist, coastal climate, and need 
 frequent watering. Both bents and fes- 
 cues will tolerate much more shade than 
 bluegrass, with the exception of Poa 
 trivialis. 
 
 The hardy, coarse-textured redtop 
 spreads by shallow, underground root- 
 stocks from 2 to 6 inches in length. The 
 decumbent stems often root at the base. 
 The color of its rather coarse leaves varies 
 from pale to bluish green. The grass es- 
 tablishes a turf rather quickly and is 
 fairly enduring. 
 
 Redtop is often included in mixtures 
 for service yards or other areas where 
 conditions are not very favorable for the 
 best grasses, although it is being replaced 
 by better companion grasses. It is used 
 
 [16 
 
up to 30 per cent in a mixture with Ken- 
 tucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine- 
 textured fescues, and white clover. 
 
 Climate and exposure: Redtop 
 stands extremes of heat and cold or sud- 
 den changes in weather. It is drought- 
 enduring. 
 
 Soil: Redtop can be planted in almost 
 any kind of soil, even thin, acid, or poor 
 soil, but it naturally does best in good 
 loams. It responds well to good care, es- 
 pecially to fertilizing. It needs excellent 
 drainage from the start, although it will 
 stand wet feet much better than most 
 grasses. 
 
 Maintenance: In spite of its drought- 
 tolerance, redtop requires frequent wa- 
 tering. It also requires frequent mowing. 
 
 Lawn use: Bentgrasses are not as tol- 
 erant of tramping as bluegrass. 
 
 Astoria bent is one of the most popular 
 of all the varieties for home lawns. Like 
 the Highland variety, it spreads both by 
 surface runners and underground rhi- 
 zomes. Its growth is not usually as up- 
 right as the Highland variety, but fre- 
 quently it has finer-textured leaves and 
 stems than the other forms. It is usually 
 somewhat shallow-rooted. Its require- 
 ments, like most bents, are exacting, and 
 if growing conditions are not favorable, 
 it may be readily attacked by sod web- 
 worm and brown-patch fungus. Given 
 good drainage and plenty of water, As- 
 toria bent is one of the very best of the 
 lawn grasses. 
 
 The stems of Highland bent are usually 
 somewhat more upright than other bents, 
 although not usually as tall as Astoria. 
 In spite of the fact that its fairly extensive 
 root system has given it the reputation of 
 being the most drought-resistant of the 
 bents, it does need a good supply of soil 
 moisture. In winter, Highland bent seems 
 to hold its green color a little better than 
 do the other bents. 
 
 Colonial bent represents all the other 
 forms of Agrostis tenuis not included un- 
 der the names of Astoria and Highland, 
 such as Rhode Island bent — the smallest 
 
 stemmed and most delicately foliaged of 
 bents; Australian Browntop; and some 
 strains of German bent. 
 
 The two similar but distinct types in- 
 cluded in creeping bent are sometimes 
 listed as inland and seacoast forms. The 
 latter is represented by Seaside bent or 
 Cocoos bent (formerly listed as A. mari- 
 tima) . The coastal form is somewhat 
 more luxuriant and coarser than the in- 
 land and has fewer but broader and 
 stouter stems. Seaside bent has numerous 
 fine, overground, trailing, leafy stems 
 that take root. The stem leaves are usually 
 flat and narrow. A good sod can be ex- 
 pected in a year. Seaside bent, usually 
 confined to coastal areas where the hu- 
 midity is higher and the air is cooler than 
 inland areas, needs a liberal supply of 
 water. 
 
 Clonal strains of creeping bent, partic- 
 ularly Metropolitan and Washington, are 
 propagated vegetatively for lawn plant- 
 ing. The texture of the different forms 
 varies greatly. The color is bluish to 
 green. 
 
 Velvet bent is the finest textured of all 
 the bents. It grows under about the same 
 conditions as Kentucky bluegrass. Like 
 the other bents, it does well in acid soil. 
 It tends to mat more than most of the 
 other bents, so requires grooming and 
 raking to insure proper water penetration. 
 At least three varieties of Velvet bent have 
 been mentioned: Kernwood, Piper, and 
 Raritan. 
 
 Velvet bent seed is the most expensive 
 per pound of all bent seeds, but its tiny 
 size makes a small amount go a long way. 
 The seed is not always available or may 
 be scarce, which makes it high priced. 
 Some gardeners propagate the variety by 
 stolons. It creeps extensively and roots at 
 the lower nodes where moisture and soil 
 conditions are favorable. Some of the 
 best grass mixtures contain small amounts 
 of Velvet bent seed. 
 
 Unless gardeners have excellent grow- 
 ing conditions and are prepared to give 
 the new plantings of Velvet bent proper 
 
 [17] 
 
care, Astoria and Highland will probably 
 be more satisfactory for the average gar- 
 den lawn. Given satisfactory conditions, 
 however, Velvet bent will have the best 
 quality of all the bents. 
 
 Superior strains of creeping bents are 
 being tested, such as Arlington, Old Or- 
 chard, and Congressional, but seed is not 
 yet available commercially to the home 
 gardener. 
 
 Fescues {Festuca species). Useful in 
 grass mixtures, the fescues are less par- 
 ticular about soil conditions than either 
 bentgrass or bluegrass. They thrive in 
 soil slightly acid or slightly alkaline, even 
 grow on rather poor, sandy soils where 
 many other lawn grasses fail. They grow 
 best on good soil, of course, and with 
 more than ordinary care. There is a great 
 deal of variation in the value of the dif- 
 ferent kinds of fescues, insofar as lawn 
 purposes are concerned, and the selection 
 should be made carefully if fescues are to 
 be entirely satisfactory. 
 
 Creeping red fescue (see figure 8), a 
 selection of red fescue (Festuca rubra), 
 forms a fine turf of wirelike leaves. It 
 spreads by underground rhizomes, which 
 favor a tight sod. Creeping red fescue is 
 often mixed with Kentucky bluegrass for 
 planting in gardens where the lawn will 
 receive only ordinary care. This lawn 
 grass holds its color very well during hot 
 weather — superior to Chewings fescue in 
 this characteristic. It also grows in shade. 
 It will stand cold weather, and is able to 
 grow in relatively poor soils, requiring 
 little moisture and standing up well under 
 traffic. 
 
 The Illahee variety of creeping red 
 fescue is superior to other strains. It is 
 somewhat higher priced than the ordi- 
 nary creeping red fescue. It is often sown 
 with other permanent grasses and some- 
 times with a nurse grass. This strain has 
 been recommended where the lawn will 
 receive heavy tramping and where there 
 is some shade. 
 
 Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra var. 
 fallax) is known to produce a turf of wire- 
 
 [ 
 
 like leaves, and does not stool out like the 
 other fescues. It makes a good, matted 
 turf in time, and is able to crowd out 
 some kinds of weeds. This variety does 
 best on well-drained soil of not too high 
 fertility, and seldom needs water except 
 in the very dry months. Frequent mowing 
 produces the most satisfactory turf. If a 
 single plant is allowed to spread out and 
 occupy a broad area the grass will be 
 hard to cut. The best texture can be ex- 
 pected when the stand is good. It is dark 
 green from spring to autumn. 
 
 Chewings fescue is now being super- 
 seded to some extent by superior grasses, 
 such as the Illahee variety. The Ranier 
 strain seems better than the regular stock 
 of Chewings fescue. The Pennsylvania 
 State Chewings fescue has an excellent 
 reputation. In spite of the recommenda- 
 tions of new strains of red fescue, the 
 worth of Chewings fescue has been 
 proved by field tests of many years' stand- 
 ing. A field of 15 acres was prepared for 
 the sowing of an equal number of seeds 
 of several commonly used grasses. After 
 being under observation for seven years, 
 Chewings fescue was seen to predominate. 
 
 The value of new strains may be deter- 
 mined only after normal usage over a 
 long period. It is better to continue to use 
 grasses known to be satisfactory than to 
 turn to so-called improved strains highly 
 recommended by a commercial enthusi- 
 ast. It is also true that highly heralded 
 grasses from certain regions of America 
 have not entirely lived up to their ad- 
 vance notice in some California areas 
 when normal irrigation practices were 
 followed. 
 
 Meadow fescue [Festuca elatior) (see 
 figure 8), valued mostly for pasture, is 
 included in some Golden Gate mixtures, 
 where it makes up perhaps 20 per cent 
 of the total mixture. It is a good nurse or 
 companion grass. It does not throw out 
 rootstalks or stolons, so a plant may be- 
 come coarse and bunchy in time — some- 
 what like certain of the ryegrasses. Since 
 it stands wet soil fairly well, meadow fes- 
 
cue may find a place in service yards that 
 are wet for several weeks in winter. 
 
 Meadow fescue has been listed incor- 
 rectly at times as English bluegrass, but 
 should not be confused with either blue- 
 grass or red fescue. 
 
 Alta fescue (Festuca elatior var. arun- 
 dinacea) is a popular pasture grass re- 
 ceiving some attention in California for 
 playgrounds and service areas because it 
 stands heavy tramping. Its coarseness, 
 however, is not recommended for areas 
 where the bentgrasses, bluegrasses, and 
 fescues thrive and make a better appear- 
 ing lawn under favorable conditions. 
 
 Alta fescue will stand either wet or dry 
 conditions and either acid or alkaline 
 soil. It stands poor topsoil, little watering, 
 and is disease-resistant. When mowed, it 
 should not be cut lower than 1 inch. It is 
 greenest during the spring and summer. 
 Normally, if the soil is well drained, Alta 
 fescue is long-lived. 
 
 Some gardeners when planting Alta 
 fescue on moist, heavy soils prefer to use 
 redtop and perennial rye as a companion 
 crop. In mixtures, Alta fescue can be used 
 at the rate of 50 per cent, along with 25 
 per cent red fescue and 25 per cent Ken- 
 tucky bluegrass. 
 
 Miscellaneous lawn grasses. Ber- 
 mudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) was first 
 brought to California in 1856, and the 
 common strain has been widely known 
 as a weed pest. Many people living in the 
 warm interior valleys near open irriga- 
 tion ditches find that Bermudagrass will 
 come into a lawn sooner or later, so plant 
 it at the start of the lawn and try to keep 
 it in good condition. The common variety 
 is green only during the warmer months 
 of the year and turns brown in cold 
 weather. 
 
 In recent years, strains of Bermuda- 
 grass have been selected that promise a 
 greener color during cool weather. U-3 is 
 one of these strains. It is only slightly dis- 
 colored in the coastal area of southern 
 California in late December. It retains its 
 green if given nitrogen in the fall. The 
 
 U-3 strain has not been observed to set 
 seed. Stolons or plugs of sod are avail- 
 able at present only in limited supply in 
 California, but should be available gen- 
 erally in a few seasons. 
 
 Since the grass spreads rapidly by rhi- 
 zomes it should be confined to prevent its 
 spread into nearby beds or around shrubs 
 and other plants. If Bermudagrass is al- 
 ready established, there is little use in 
 trying to grow other grasses until it is 
 exterminated. Sometimes in the fall the 
 turf is closely cut with a special tool that 
 loosens the soil, and perennial ryegrass or 
 some other companion grass is planted 
 for its green color during the winter 
 months. When the Bermudagrass starts 
 to grow in the spring it will again assert 
 itself and dominate the lawn. 
 
 Bermudagrass has also been sown in a 
 young lawn of perennial ryegrass, where 
 white clover may be present, with the 
 intention of having Bermudagrass ulti- 
 mately take over the entire lawn. The rye- 
 grass and clover are planted in the fall, 
 and the Bermudagrass seeds are sown and 
 raked in after the weather warms up in 
 the spring. Similarly, Kentucky bluegrass 
 and Highland bent may be seeded in with 
 Bermudagrass. 
 
 Weather that is warm-to-hot is best for 
 Bermudagrass. Its permanent sod stands 
 much drought, although it responds to 
 good care and a good supply of water. 
 Bermudagrass will stand much tramping 
 and abuse. 
 
 Kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandesti- 
 num) (fig. 9) is a very coarse grass that 
 rarely sets seed in California. It is started 
 from stolons or plugs of sod. It resembles 
 a very coarse Bermudagrass lawn in its 
 hardiness and growth. It sends rhizomes 
 down to a depth of several inches. Kiku- 
 yugrass can become a serious weed. 
 
 Its coarse texture and yellowish-green 
 foliage are objectionable to many people, 
 yet this grass will remain exceedingly 
 vigorous under somewhat adverse soil 
 conditions and a great deal of tramping. 
 It is very springy, takes frequent mow- 
 
 [19] 
 
Fig. 9. The vigorous Kikuyugrass is very coarse in texture. 
 
 ing and, occasionally, very close mowing 
 to prevent matting. If allowed to make 
 much growth it cannot be mowed easily 
 with a hand mower. Trim the edges regu- 
 larly to keep the grass from spreading to 
 nearby areas. 
 
 St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum se- 
 cundatum) is not suitable where a fine- 
 textured lawn is planned. It closely 
 resembles kikuyugrass in coarseness, 
 vigor, and need of mild temperatures. In 
 southern states like Florida, where it is 
 one of the best grasses for shady loca- 
 tions, it is very popular. In California it 
 grows in either sun or shade. 
 
 St. Augustinegrass is started from 
 plugs of sod in California. Seed is not 
 available. Its ability to stand hard usage 
 makes it suitable for service yards or play- 
 yards, but its springy nature demands 
 occasional close cutting and grooming to 
 prevent surface matting. It should be con- 
 fined wherever it is grown. 
 
 When St. Augustinegrass is a weed, it 
 can be killed by tillage and by chemical 
 
 sprays, such as maleic hydrazide, but this 
 chemical is not selective. 
 
 Zoysia occasionally is grown in Cali- 
 fornia in three species: Zoysia japonica, 
 Z. matrella, and Z. tenuijolia. The seed of 
 the zoysia grasses is scarce and that pro- 
 duced sometimes fails to germinate. If a 
 way can be found to improve seed germi- 
 nation, Z. matrella may have a place in 
 areas of mild winters. Soaking the seed 
 before planting sometimes improves ger- 
 mination. Seed germinates best at fairly 
 high temperatures — up to 95° F. 
 
 Zoysia japonica, known as Japanese 
 lawngrass, develops an extensive, tough 
 root system. The most winter-hardy of the 
 three species, it will, nevertheless, turn 
 brown or straw-colored with the first 
 heavy frost. It can replace Bermudagrass 
 in warmer areas, but usually has to be 
 started from plugs of sod. Being very 
 slow to mature, it has limited possibilities. 
 Once established, however, it is hardy 
 and persistent and requires very little 
 cutting. Z. japonica stands much tramp- 
 
 [20] 
 
ing and can be combined with Kentucky 
 bluegrass for planting in service yards or 
 play areas where hard usage is expected. 
 It is a little coarser than bluegrass. 
 
 Zoysia matrella (Manilagrass; flawn, a 
 strain) is the most important and widely 
 used of the zoysias, but is not quite so 
 winter-hardy as Z. japonica. It does best 
 on the heavier soil types and will tolerate 
 some shade. It seems to be resistant to 
 attack by both diseases and insects. In 
 California, Z. matrella is started from sod 
 and is slow to mature. Once established, 
 however, it tends to crowd out other 
 grasses until it dominates the lawn. Its 
 texture is finer than that of Japanese 
 lawngrass and bluegrass. It needs less 
 frequent mowing than most other grasses, 
 and should be planted alone. Z. matrella 
 needs a good supply of water. 
 
 Zoysia tenui folia (Mascarenegrass, vel- 
 vetgrass) has been planted occasionally 
 for more than thirty-five years, but it has 
 never met with much popularity. The 
 grass is very dark green. It is the finest- 
 textured of all grasses, and so short — not 
 more than 2 inches — that it does not have 
 to be mowed. Some strains develop humps 
 and ridges in time and this fact, together 
 with the scarcity of sod, probably ac- 
 
 counts for its lack of popularity. Unless 
 some way can be found to prevent its 
 forming humps, Z. tenuifolia will prob- 
 ably never be planted extensively. 
 
 Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiu- 
 roides) is a Chinese grass. Suitable only 
 for areas with mild weather, it is planted 
 in the southeastern states. It will tolerate 
 some drought, but will not withstand 
 winter freezing. Claims that it is able to 
 fight its way with Bermudagrass are not 
 at all reassuring to gardeners who have 
 had trouble with Bermudagrass and 
 similar weedy grasses. Unless centipede- 
 grass can be confined in some satisfactory 
 way, it has little to recommend it, even in 
 the mild parts of southern California. 
 
 Tests have not progressed far enough 
 in California at this time to make any 
 final approval of its value as a lawn grass. 
 
 Mitchellgrass (Astrebla species) is a 
 drought-tolerant grass limited to parts of 
 southern California because it will not 
 withstand winter freezing. It might be 
 tested for service-yard areas, where little 
 care is to be given to the grass. However, 
 it is not so widely adapted as some other 
 grasses, including centipedegrass. Mit- 
 chellgrass does not require regular mow- 
 ing. 
 
 Selecting the Seed 
 
 With some knowledge of grass seeds 
 and seed mixtures the gardener will need 
 to find a dealer who is known to sell seed 
 that has given good results. Seed com- 
 panies that have carefully studied the 
 reasons for combining certain seeds in 
 mixtures and that use grasses known to 
 thrive under specific conditions will usu- 
 ally enjoy the confidence of both garden- 
 ers and retailers. 
 
 Grass seed should be selected from 
 recent-crop, re-cleaned, Grade-A seed of 
 high germination, free from noxious weed 
 seeds. There are standards of seed purity 
 and germination, which reputable seeds- 
 men endeavor to follow closely. The 
 original package is labeled to show the 
 
 percentage of purity and germination. 
 For example, most of the grasses will in- 
 dicate at least 85 to 90 per cent germina- 
 tion. 
 
 A mixture of grass varieties adapted to 
 local conditions may thrive better than 
 any one grass alone. The faults of a 
 variety may not be as conspicuous in a 
 mixture as when planted alone. Mixtures 
 are prepared in the expectation of pro- 
 ducing a green lawn during most of the 
 year. Regardless of the uniformity of 
 sowing, it is reasonable to expect one 
 grass to predominate, thereby changing 
 the texture of the sod. This natural sur- 
 vival determines the best choice for uni- 
 form stands. In spite of the advantages 
 
 [21 
 
Fig. 10. One of the popular grass mixtures used Fig. 1 1. White Dutch clover is planted alone in 
 in this state is California Lawn Mixture. this lawn. 
 
 of the mixtures there is no more effective 
 lawn than one with a single grass favor- 
 ably established and properly maintained. 
 Using the commercial mixture. 
 
 Most seedsmen offer various mixtures of 
 lawn-grass seed. Selection of seeds should 
 be based on climate and exposure, soil 
 and moisture, maintenance, usage, and 
 any other conditions that may affect the 
 success of the turf. 
 
 Grass-seed mixtures are sold under a 
 variety of names. These include Golden 
 Gate Mixture, Choice Golden Gate 
 Mixture, Hardy Lawn Mixture, California 
 Lawn Mixture (fig. 10), Shady Grass 
 Mixture, and with names suggesting some 
 
 green mixture. The beginner should know 
 enough about such mixtures to select 
 wisely or take the seedsman's advice. 
 
 White Dutch clover is sometimes 
 planted alone (fig. 11) and is often added 
 to the cheaper mixtures, such as Golden 
 Gate Lawn Mixture, or may be planted 
 with perennial ryegrass. 
 
 Preparing the mixture at home. 
 The gardener rarely knows exactly what 
 goes into the commercial mixtures. Not 
 wanting to plant a seed mixture of un- 
 known composition, he may decide to 
 prepare his own mixture. Then he needs 
 to know what seeds to combine. Chart 2 
 contains examples of grass mixtures. 
 
 Safeguarding the Seed with Fungicides 
 
 Certain harmful fungi thrive in cold, 
 poorly drained, wet soils. These organ- 
 isms often cause poor seed germination. 
 There are two safeguards against them. 
 
 Planting ahead of cold weather. 
 By planting early enough in the fall, the 
 young grass will be well up before cold 
 weather sets in. In many areas the end of 
 September or early October is not too 
 late. Early planting is especially advisable 
 
 when the home owner does not want to 
 wait until warm spring weather. 
 
 Treating seeds with fungicides. 
 
 Treating the seed with fungicides before 
 planting gives some protection against 
 fungus trouble. Spergon W (wettable), 
 Tersan, Cadminate, and other fungicides 
 have been used to help protect against 
 damping-off fungus. For each 1,000 
 square feet, allow about 5 ounces of 
 
 [22] 
 
Chart 2. Examples of grass mixtures 
 
 Mixtures 
 
 Per cent 
 by weight 
 
 1 lb. per number 
 sq. ft. 
 
 Listed as choice : 
 
 Perennial ryegrass 
 
 Kentucky bluegrass 
 
 Meadow fescue 
 
 White Dutch clover 
 
 Similar, with more ryegrass : 
 
 Perennial ryegrass 
 
 Kentucky bluegrass 
 
 Redtop 
 
 White Dutch clover 
 
 Hardy: 
 
 Domestic ryegrass 
 
 Meadow fescue 
 
 Kentucky bluegrass 
 
 Fine-textured : 
 
 Kentucky bluegrass 
 
 Chewings fescue 
 
 Astoria bluegrass 
 
 Fine-textured : 
 
 Astoria bentgrass 
 
 Seaside bentgrass 
 
 Velvet bentgrass 
 
 Service yard, for northern California: 
 
 Perennial ryegrass 
 
 Illahee fescue 
 
 Kentucky bluegrass 
 
 Redtop 
 
 Shady lawn, for northern California : 
 
 Creeping red fescue 
 
 Rough bluegrass 
 
 Redtop 
 
 Temporary ground cover for summer sowing 
 
 Redtop 
 
 White Dutch clover* 
 
 50 
 30 
 
 15 
 
 5 
 
 100 
 
 60 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 5 
 
 Too 
 
 60 
 20 
 20 
 
 "ioo 
 
 50 
 25 
 25 
 
 loo 
 
 65 
 
 30 
 
 5 
 
 loo 
 
 40 
 25 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 loo 
 
 50 
 30 
 20 
 
 loo 
 
 50 
 
 50 
 
 100 
 
 300 
 
 300 
 
 300 
 
 350 
 
 500 
 
 300 
 
 300 
 
 300 
 
 May be sown separately at y^ lb. per 300 sq. ft. 
 
 23 
 
Tersan, 3 ounces of Cadminate, or 3 
 ounces of Spergon. Spergon is used at 
 the rate of 1 ounce for 10 pounds of seed; 
 the seed is shaken in the Spergon for a 
 coating of dust (see also page 30). This 
 
 treatment is especially effective for pro- 
 tecting small and expensive seed, such as 
 that of the bentgrasses. Spergon may be 
 mixed with Celite 505 for treating large 
 quantities of seed. 
 
 Planting th 
 
 When the lawn area is properly pre- 
 pared and leveled, roll the surface lightly 
 while the soil is wet. The roller should not 
 weigh more than 150 pounds. Rolling is 
 needed only to break up small clods that 
 may be just under the surface. Light rak- 
 ing should follow. 
 
 If footprints are likely to leave a de- 
 pression on the surface soil, lay flat 
 boards to walk on while raking and 
 planting. Move the boards backward as 
 the lawn area is sown. 
 
 There is considerable variation in the 
 rate of seeding. The rates listed in Chart 
 1 are based on experiments showing that 
 moderate seeding will often produce a 
 better lawn than heavy seeding, and will 
 lessen the danger of damping-off. Where 
 the seedbed is not of the best quality, and 
 where, for some reason, poor germina- 
 tion is expected, a heavier rate of seeding 
 may be justified. 
 
 Gauging the amount of seed. The 
 amount of seed recommended and the 
 thickness of seeding may be illustrated by 
 1 pound of Astoria bent for 500 square 
 feet of surface. One pound of this seed 
 contains approximately 6 million seeds, 
 practically 98 per cent of which is good. 
 This means that 12,000 seeds per square 
 foot would be sown, a tremendous 
 quantity for so small a space. With ger- 
 mination-tested seed, the soil properly 
 prepared, the seed uniformly sown, and 
 very lightly covered, at least 10,000 seed- 
 lings could be started within 1 square 
 foot. 
 
 To sow a greater quantity of seed than 
 is recommended in Chart 1 is, therefore, 
 not practical. The thick sowings fre- 
 quently recommended on packaged seed 
 cannot be justified by any reason. 
 
 e Seedbed 
 
 Sowing the seedbed. Divide the 
 amount of seed into two lots and sow 
 each part in a different direction to in- 
 sure even distribution. Do not sow on a 
 windy day. Mix very fine seed, such as 
 Velvet bent, with sand for proper dis- 
 tribution. White clover used in the mix- 
 ture should be planted separately 
 
 Raking in the grass seed. When the 
 seed is planted, lightly rake the surface of 
 the bed to keep the seed from blowing 
 away. It is important to rake lightly. Too 
 heavy raking followed by too heavy 
 mulching keeps much of the seed from 
 germinating — at a great waste of seed. 
 
 Mulching the bed surface. After the 
 grass seed is planted on the smooth soil 
 surface, scatter over it screened coarse 
 sand or pulverized peat moss to a depth 
 of about Ys inch, or just deep enough to 
 protect the bed from drying out after 
 watering. A sand mulch is especially good 
 in hot weather. It insures both adequate 
 drainage and aeration, important for 
 good germination. 
 
 Since the presence of light seems to aid 
 the germination of grass seed, mulch the 
 seed very lightly. Seed too deeply 
 buried will not germinate. The seed 
 of Alta fescue can be mulched a little 
 deeper than most other seeds. 
 
 Rolling the mulched bed. Before 
 the seedbed is watered, roll the area with 
 a light-weight roller. Grass seed weighs 
 so little that it becomes fixed when only 
 lightly compressed. Rolling compacts the 
 seedbed by pressing all seeds close to the 
 moist soil, a process that hastens germina- 
 tion. 
 
 Watering the new planting. If the 
 bed is watered immediately after roll- 
 ing, use a very fine mist spray that will 
 
 [24] 
 
not disturb the mulch covering. The cover 
 must not dry out or bake while the seeds 
 are germinating and the young seedlings 
 are breaking through the surface. On the 
 other hand, excessive surface moisture 
 favors damping-off and rotting of the 
 seedlings, especially in cool weather, so 
 water only often enough to keep the seed 
 moist. Watering once or twice a day in 
 good growing weather is suggested, al- 
 though one thorough sprinkling a day 
 should serve. 
 
 Predicting time of germination. 
 Beginners often want to know how long a 
 particular kind of grass seed takes to ger- 
 minate. The time varies with the grass, 
 the temperature, and the season. Ryegrass 
 usually begins to germinate in 7 or 8 days. 
 Kentucky bluegrass takes about 14 days 
 at moderate temperature, longer in cool 
 
 weather, and slightly less in warm, grow- 
 ing weather. Bermudagrass planted in 
 warm spring weather should germinate in 
 about 14 days. The fescues take about the 
 same length of time as bluegrass. Most 
 bentgrasses germinate in a period of 10 
 to 14 days. 
 
 Protecting the young lawn. Fence 
 the new lawn until it is well established. 
 Use galvanized wire netting, wooden 
 crate tops, or any other material that will 
 form an adequate barrier. Children and 
 pets especially can be hard on a new lawn. 
 Construct the fence by driving stakes at 
 the edge of the lawn at suitable distances 
 and nailing a thin wooden rail at a height 
 of 2 to 3 feet. Fasten wire netting or some 
 kind of slats to this railing. Keep the 
 fence in place during the period when 
 the grass is young. 
 
 Planting Lawns by Sodding or Sprigging 
 
 Sodding means starting a lawn with 
 pieces of sod rather than seed; sprigging, 
 starting it with stolons. A few kinds of 
 grass — U-3 Bermuda, Kikuyu, St. Augus- 
 tine, centipede, and zoysia — set very little 
 seed, or the seed may be scarce. Sodding 
 or sprigging therefore may be required. 
 
 California nurserymen occasionally 
 sell sod of various grasses. However, sod- 
 
 ding is not a popular way to start grasses 
 that furnish seed at a reasonable cost, 
 such as most bents, fescues, ryes, blue- 
 grass, and ordinary Bermudagrass. Some 
 specialists have suggested covering bent- 
 grass stolons with about 1 cubic yard of 
 top dressing per 1,000 square feet of lawn 
 to help the stolons become well estab- 
 lished. 
 
 Maintaining the Lawn 
 
 Among the more commonly found 
 causes of lawn decline are either insuffi- 
 cient or overabundant irrigation; poor 
 drainage or surface compaction ; too close 
 or too frequent cutting; lack of soil fer- 
 tility; and diseases, pests, and weeds. 
 Each of these factors deserves careful at- 
 tention. The control of diseases, pests, 
 and weeds is discussed in a separate sec- 
 tion. 
 
 Important, too, in the subject of lawn 
 maintenance is the kind of tools and 
 equipment used and their care. 
 
 Irrigating. It is important to main- 
 tain favorable soil moisture at all times. 
 
 The rate of moisture penetration, espe- 
 cially in soils of fine texture, is often so 
 slow that ordinary irrigation does not 
 supply enough water. Attempts to remedy 
 this condition with a spiking tool (fig. 
 12) are relatively ineffective. Even though 
 the tines form small basins in which to 
 hold the water, the sides are too com- 
 pacted to permit water penetration. The 
 cutting out of small cores with a hollow- 
 tined fork (fig. 13) is more successful. 
 The most satisfactory procedure is to 
 prepare the soil properly in advance of 
 planting and, when irrigating, apply wa- 
 ter more slowly. 
 
 25 
 
One inch of rain in 24 hours is consid- 
 ered a heavy rain. Most lawn sprinklers 
 apply water at the rate of at least 1 inch 
 an hour; very few soils can absorb water 
 this quickly. Penetration can be satisfac- 
 tory without mechanical means by re- 
 peated light sprinkling. Let the sprinklers 
 operate until water begins to run off, then 
 turn them off for a while, and repeat the 
 process several times. Another good 
 method is to use a porous hose or soil 
 soaker, which keeps the surface of the soil 
 continuously wet without sufficient vol- 
 ume of water to produce runoff. 
 
 If a lawn is suffering from drought, 
 careful watering will usually improve 
 growth more effectively than mechanical 
 
 treatment. Semipermanent improvement 
 will result from letting the grass grow 
 tall once or twice a year before a mowing. 
 It must be emphasized that possibly the 
 most effective method of soil improvement 
 is to grow a fibrous-rooted crop, such as 
 an ordinary lawn grass. If a good vigor- 
 ous top growth is allowed to develop, the 
 roots will also extend and open up the 
 soil. 
 
 Eliminating surface compaction. 
 In spite of good soil preparation, some 
 hard spots may form on the lawn, and 
 these can interfere with the penetration 
 of water and soluble fertilizers. When 
 members of a family walk in a single path 
 across the lawn, or when children play on 
 grass that is wet, the surface soil will be 
 compacted. 
 
 The best methods for overcoming sur- 
 face compaction are a slow soaking of the 
 soil to insure adequate penetration of wa- 
 ter, stimulating the growth of the grass 
 with fertilizers, mulching with surface 
 soil or suitable compost, and mowing the 
 lawn less regularly. 
 
 Very hard compaction may require soil 
 treatment with some sort of tool. The 
 spiking should be done when the soil is 
 dry. 
 
 Mechanically driven machines are 
 available for opening up compaction in 
 large areas of lawn. These machines are 
 called aerators, although their purpose is 
 not primarily to promote aeration but to 
 improve the rate of water infiltration. No 
 doubt the treatment does increase the oxy- 
 gen supply in addition to increasing wa- 
 ter intake. If it is possible to wet the soil 
 even through some method of slow soak- 
 ing, spiking or other mechanical treat- 
 ments for opening the soil will be 
 unnecessary. 
 
 Fig. 12. The spiking tool in fine-textured soil 
 compacts the sides of the basins it forms so that 
 water will not penetrate easily. Fig. 13. The 
 hollow-tined fork, on the other hand, cuts out 
 small cores but leaves the sides of the soil open 
 to easy water penetration. 
 
Mowing (clipping) and raking. 
 
 Several types of lawn mowers can be 
 bought. The most widely used mower has 
 5 cutting blades (fig. 14) ; other mowers 
 have only 4 blades. Bentgrass lawn mow- 
 ers may have 7 or more blades. There is 
 also considerable difference in the weight 
 of these mowers. The handles of some of 
 the new ones are made of bent metal pipe, 
 while those of the older types are of wood. 
 Most mowers now have rubber tires. 
 Whatever the model, the blades should be 
 adjustable so that a keen cutting edge can 
 be maintained at all times (see fig. 14). 
 The height of the roller attached to the 
 mower may be adjusted by set screws to 
 regulate the closeness of cutting. On most 
 lawns the young grass should not be cut 
 closer than 1% inches. 
 
 The first cutting can be given when the 
 young grass is about 2 to 3 inches tall, by 
 which time the grass should be well 
 rooted. A few days before cutting, roll the 
 lawn with a light-weight roller to compact 
 the surface. This helps to protect the 
 young grass during the first clipping. For 
 cutting an established lawn, set the mower 
 blades for 1 to IV2 inches. Golf turf is 
 cut closer, but close cutting is not recom- 
 mended for the ordinary home lawn. 
 
 Several tools are available for edging 
 the lawn. Many people still use hand clip- 
 pers of some kind (fig. 14) to clip the 
 lawn edge after each mowing. The cutter 
 type of edger (fig. 14) saves hand labor 
 and quickly finishes the job. Dealers can 
 also furnish a combination edger and 
 clipper (fig. 14) for cutting close to 
 curved walks and plants in narrow spaces 
 where a standard lawn mower cannot be 
 used. Special equipment for edging will 
 not be necessary if a layer of brick or flag- 
 stone is set at the lawn border. A trim, 
 neat edge can thus be maintained with 
 
 Fig. 14. In lawn maintenance such tools as 
 those shown from top to bottom in this panel 
 are used: the 5-bladed lawn mower; hand clip- 
 pers; the cutter type of edger; or the combina- 
 tion edger and clipper. 
 
little labor. The border need not be wider 
 than 5 inches. 
 
 During winter months, lawns make so 
 little growth that regular cutting is un- 
 necessary, but most lawn grasses should 
 be clipped at least once a week during the 
 season of rapid growth. Some bentgrass 
 lawns are mowed three times a week, but 
 fescues and bluegrass, as well as ryegrass 
 mixtures, can usually get along with one 
 mowing a week. The new Merion variety 
 of bluegrass grows slowly and will not 
 require mowing as often as the common 
 Kentucky bluegrass. 
 
 Lawn clippings are usually left on the 
 lawn at the first cutting. After the lawn 
 is well established, the clippings either 
 may be removed or left on. If they lie in 
 a very thick layer remove them with a 
 rake (fig. 15). Clippings left on during 
 the dry months will dehydrate quickly 
 and should add to the organic matter in 
 the soil, but remove them in wet weather. 
 Cross-raking at regular intervals will dis- 
 close creeping weeds; raking may not be 
 required, however, in weed-free lawns 
 unless the grass forms a thick mat or nap 
 on the surface. 
 
 Fertilizing. Grasses do well in a wide 
 range of soil reaction if they are given 
 plenty of nitrogenous fertilizer and, in 
 
 Fig. 15. The light-weight, wire- or bamboo- 
 pronged rake easily removes grass clippings. 
 
 some locations, a phosphate. There are 
 only a few sites in California where local 
 experience has indicated a need of potash. 
 Clover cannot be planted in too acid a 
 soil. It usually requires a higher level of 
 available phosphorus than grasses. 
 
 The home gardener should learn how 
 to use the commonly available chemical 
 materials without burning grass or plants. 
 The necessary precautions are : 1 ) do not 
 apply too much fertilizer at a time; 2) 
 distribute it uniformly; and 3) apply it 
 when the turf is dry, then water imme- 
 diately. 
 
 Fertilizers applied in solid form should 
 be broadcast over the lawn when it is dry. 
 They can be more evenly distributed if 
 mixed with sand or soil and broadcast, 
 half in one direction and half in the other. 
 If there is any dew or other moisture on 
 the grass, it will partially dissolve the dry 
 fertilizers and make a strong solution that 
 will burn the grass. Therefore, immedi- 
 ately after applying fertilizer to a dry 
 lawn, sprinkle the lawn with a sufficient 
 amount of water to wash the materials off 
 the grass and down into the soil. 
 
 Any of the fertilizers mentioned here 
 may also be applied in liquid form. This 
 is done by dissolving in 10 gallons of wa- 
 ter the amount required for 100 square 
 feet and sprinkling this liquid over the 
 area with a sprinkling can. Mechanical 
 devices for feeding the dissolved mate- 
 rials into the irrigation stream or hose 
 can also be purchased. 
 
 The most commonly used nitrogenous 
 fertilizer is sulfate of ammonia, which 
 can be applied at the rate of % to 1 pound 
 to 100 square feet of lawn per applica- 
 tion. Ammonium nitrate is another satis- 
 factory nitrogenous fertilizer, used at 
 rates up to but not more than 10 ounces 
 per 100 square feet per application. If 
 phosphorus is needed in addition to ni- 
 trogen, a material such as ammonium 
 phosphate-sulfate (16 per cent nitrogen, 
 20 per cent phosphoric acid) can be ap- 
 plied up to 1 pound per 100 square feet 
 for each application. Some gardeners pre- 
 
 [23] 
 
fer to use as many as five light applica- 
 tions at intervals of 4 weeks during the 
 growing season, with as little as 2 pounds 
 per 1,000 square feet. 
 
 Some people like to use a mixed fer- 
 tilizer. One commonly sold is a so-called 
 6-9-6 fertilizer (6 per cent nitrogen, 9 per 
 cent phosphoric acid, and 6 per cent pot- 
 ash). A fertilizer of this kind must be 
 applied dry. One to 3 pounds per 100 
 square feet per application are reasonable 
 rates. Similar fertilizers are sold in liquid 
 form. The concentrated liquids are very 
 corrosive and must be diluted as directed 
 on the container to avoid burning. 
 
 Organic fertilizers, such as sewage 
 sludge, dried blood, cottonseed meal, and 
 alfalfa meal, are excellent lawn fertilizers, 
 but are usually more expensive than the 
 chemical materials. Too, they are disap- 
 pearing from the fertilizer market in fa- 
 vor of their value as animal feed. There 
 is no danger from burning by organic 
 fertilizers. They take effect more slowly 
 than chemical fertilizers, with longer-last- 
 ing benefit to the soil. Rates for using 
 organic materials are suggested. 
 
 Lbs. per 100 
 Organic material sq. ft. of lawn 
 
 High-grade sewage sludge 5 
 
 Alfalfa meal 10 
 
 High-grade manure 10 
 
 Cottonseed meal 5 
 
 Dried blood 2 
 
 Chemical materials used at the larger 
 of the suggested rates ordinarily are ap- 
 
 plied three or four times a year ; organic 
 materials applied in larger amounts, once 
 or twice a year. Chemical fertilizers may 
 be used in the summer months and sup- 
 plemented with organic fertilizers in the 
 wet months of the year. It is unnecessary 
 to work any of the chemical fertilizers 
 into the soil. The nutrients are carried in 
 gradually by irrigation or rain. 
 
 Caring for lawn tools and equip- 
 ment. Keep all clippers, edgers, and 
 mowers properly cleaned and oiled to 
 hold a sharp cutting edge. Before oiling, 
 remove rust with fine sandpaper or steel 
 wool. Thoroughly clean and oil all tools 
 before winter storage in a dry tool house 
 or in a waterproof location. 
 
 Oiling, adjusting, and sharpening the 
 lawn mower are often neglected. Oiling 
 makes operation of the mower much 
 easier. Adjustment controls the specific 
 cutting height and smoothness. If the cut- 
 ting blades are not close enough to the 
 cutting bar, a jagged edge instead of a 
 clean-cut edge will result at mowing. If 
 the cutting blades are too close to the cut- 
 ting bar, the lawn mower will be hard to 
 push. The blades of most makes of lawn 
 mowers are not sharpened by filing. They 
 are sharpened by rotation against an even 
 sharpener, a process calling for a spe- 
 cialist with the right kind of sharpener. 
 Mower blades can be protected by raking 
 all twigs, pebbles, and rocks from the 
 lawn before mowing; and by lowering 
 the sprinkler heads if they are set too 
 high to clear the cutting blades. 
 
 Controlling Lawn Diseases, Pests, and Weeds 
 
 Diseases. The lawn diseases more 
 commonly found in California include 
 damping-off, brown patch, dollar spot, 
 copper spot, Helminthosporium leaf spot, 
 and fairy rings. These diseases are dis- 
 cussed in this section and appear in Chart 
 3 under the headings of fungus, symp- 
 toms, season, and control. 
 
 There has been some confusion in the 
 proper diagnosis of turf diseases, and 
 
 more work is needed to determine fully 
 the cause of various other lawn diseases 
 in the state. Snowmold, for example, 
 caused by the fungus Fusarium nivali, 
 occasionally has been found in central 
 California, but is not believed to be of 
 general concern. A disease known as false 
 brown patch has appeared in eastern 
 states and may occur in California at 
 some time in the future. 
 
 [29] 
 
Chart 3. Important fungus diseases of lawn grasses, and their control 
 
 Disease 
 
 Fungus 
 
 Symptoms 
 
 Season 
 
 Control 
 
 Damping-off 
 
 Rhizoctonia 
 
 young plants rot off, 
 
 cold, wet 
 
 treat seed with Tersan, 
 
 
 species 
 
 or some seedlings may 
 not reach surface 
 
 weather 
 
 Cadminate or Spergon; 
 avoid over watering 
 
 Brown patch 
 
 Pellicularia 
 
 dead patches, 5 " to 20 " 
 
 only dur- 
 
 Caloclor for diseased 
 
 
 iilamentosa 
 
 in diameter ; dark 
 
 ing warm 
 
 spots; avoid overwater- 
 
 
 
 smoky ring at edge; 
 
 weather 
 
 ing 
 
 
 
 develops rapidly 
 
 
 
 Dollar spot 
 
 Sclerotinia 
 
 dead spots, W to 2" 
 
 April to 
 
 treat spots with Cad- 
 
 
 homeo- 
 
 in diameter, yellowish 
 
 October 
 
 minate, Crag 531, or 
 
 
 carpa 
 
 to dirty white in color ; 
 spots develop slowly 
 
 
 Puraturf 177 
 
 Copper spot 
 
 Gleocerco- 
 
 small dead spots with 
 
 after or 
 
 Puratized 177, Crag 531, 
 
 
 spora 
 
 copper-red color 
 
 during 
 
 or Dupont F531 applied 
 
 
 sorghi 
 
 
 several 
 days of 
 warm, sul- 
 try or 
 humid 
 weather 
 
 to spots 
 
 Helmintho- 
 
 Helmintho- 
 
 straw-colored spots 
 
 cool, 
 
 spray with phenyl mer- 
 
 sporium 
 
 sporium 
 
 with dark borders on 
 
 moist 
 
 curials, PMAS, or 
 
 leaf spot 
 
 vagans 
 
 leaves, as on blue- 
 grass leaves 
 
 weather 
 from fall 
 to spring 
 
 Puraturf 
 
 Fairy rings 
 
 mostly Agar- 
 
 appearance of dark 
 
 in spring 
 
 treat soil with magne- 
 
 
 icus and 
 
 green rings several 
 
 or cooler 
 
 sium products, such as 
 
 
 Marasmius 
 
 feet in diameter in 
 
 months of 
 
 magnesium sulfate or 
 
 
 species of 
 
 lawn, followed later 
 
 the year 
 
 magnesium phosphate; 
 
 
 Basidio- 
 
 by mushrooms 
 
 
 an acid soil is unfavor- 
 
 
 mycetes 
 
 
 j 
 
 able to the fungus. 
 
 
 Damping-off occurs in California in 
 two forms: preemergence damping-off 
 and postemergence damping-off. Contin- 
 ued spells of cold, wet weather after grass 
 seed is planted favor the growth of the 
 fungi responsible, and the same factors 
 retard germination and growth of the 
 grass seedlings. Poor drainage, too fre- 
 quent watering, and too thick planting 
 all favor damping-off. 
 
 The Rhizoctonia fungus is believed to 
 be the fungus most commonly associated 
 with damping-off. If the fungus kills the 
 seedlings before they emerge, the trouble 
 is called preemergence damping-off; if it 
 attacks the young seedlings, it is called 
 postemergence damping-off. Some of the 
 failures to secure a good stand may be 
 caused — at least in part — by this fungus. 
 Occasionally, good germination is fol- 
 
 [30 
 
lowed later by a serious loss of the young 
 grass, especially where the grass is too 
 thick and where it remains very damp 
 during cold, wet weather. 
 
 Several fungicides can be used to treat 
 grass seed before planting to help reduce 
 danger from damping-off. Among those 
 tested and found to be promising are: 
 Tersan at 5 ounces, Cadminate at 3 
 ounces, and Spergon W (wettable) at 3 
 ounces, each per 1,000 square feet of 
 lawn. Thiosan and Caloclor have been 
 used on small patches of damping-off to 
 check its spread. 
 
 Sometimes the best control is to pro- 
 vide better drainage. There is no very 
 good substitute for satisfactory soil prep- 
 aration in fighting some of the turf dis- 
 eases. In young lawns, proper soil prep- 
 aration should help to insure good drain- 
 age, and seed treatment to aid further in 
 preventing most of the damping-off. 
 
 Brown patch (large brown patch) 
 may appear in circular or irregular 
 patches varying in diameter from 5 to 20 
 inches. There is usually a dark, smoky 
 ring at the edge of the dead turf. Such 
 spots may rapidly develop and as rapidly 
 disappear. Since the disease appears and 
 develops only in warm weather, it may 
 not be found until June or July, when- 
 ever the weather is warm. Lower soil and 
 air temperatures may delay its appear- 
 ance near the coast, whereas higher tem- 
 peratures in warm inland areas may 
 hasten it. 
 
 Brown patch is caused by the fungus 
 Pellicularia filamentosa (syn. Rhizocto- 
 nia solani) . National trials in 1949, as 
 reported by the Division of Plant Pathol- 
 ogy, University of California at Los An- 
 geles, showed that in all experiments Cal- 
 oclor gave consistent control of brown 
 patch. Such compounds should be used 
 according to the manufacturer's direc- 
 tions. Poor drainage and excessive water- 
 ing, combined with hot weather, may in- 
 crease this disease on some grass varie- 
 ties, especially on bentgrasses. Gardeners 
 may need to distinguish between brown 
 
 patch and sod webworm damage. If no 
 worms are found, then brown patch may 
 be suspected. 
 
 Dollar spot kills the grass in small 
 spots % inch to 2 inches in diameter; 
 hence, the name of dollar spot. The spots 
 are yellowish to dirty white, and enlarge 
 slowly or may persist at one size for 
 weeks. In California the disease is preva- 
 lent from April to October, or during the 
 warmer months of the year. The fungus 
 Sclerotinia homeocarpa is the cause. The 
 more promising chemicals used in control 
 include cadmium products, such as Cad- 
 minate, Crag 531, and Puraturf 177. 
 Caloclor has given satisfactory control in 
 some plots at the University of California 
 at Los Angeles. 
 
 Helminthosporium leaf spot (blue- 
 grass leaf spot) may attack Kentucky 
 bluegrass, annual bluegrass, and some 
 other grasses during cool, moist weather 
 from fall to spring and thin out the stand 
 of grass. Straw-colored spots with dark 
 borders appear on the leaves. The fungus 
 Helminthosporium vagans is responsible. 
 Tests on grass plots at the Rhode Island 
 Agricultural Experiment Station indicate 
 that the phenyl mercurials, such as PMAS 
 and Puraturf, give very effective control. 
 
 Copper spot is caused by the fungus 
 Gleocercospora sorghi. Small copper-red 
 spots, similar in size to dollar spot, ap- 
 pear in the lawn. In California this trouble 
 may come only after several days of 
 warm, sultry weather or during spells of 
 such weather. It develops in turf tempera- 
 tures ranging from 65° to 85° F, as ob- 
 served by C. C. Wenham in Pennsylvania. 
 Various materials appear to be effective 
 in control, including Puratized 177, Crag 
 531, and Dupont F531. 
 
 Fairy rings are certain mushrooms or 
 toadstools in the Basidiomycetes group, 
 which form rings in a lawn. Some eastern 
 studies place most of the responsibility on 
 species in the Agaricus and Marasmius 
 
 Where fairy rings are serious enough 
 to justify control measures, the gardener 
 
 [31] 
 
may apply magnesium products, such as 
 dolomitic limestone and Epsom salts 
 (magnesium sulfate or magnesium phos- 
 phate). Commercial mushrooms will not 
 fruit where the soil has a reaction much 
 lower than pH 6.0. By keeping the soil 
 fairly acid for bentgrasses, which tolerate 
 acid soils, fairy rings may not appear. 
 Gardeners with other lawn grasses may 
 wish to try one of the magnesium products 
 until further experiments have been made 
 in California. 
 
 Preventing lawn diseases. There 
 are certain general precautions in lawn 
 planting and care that will go a long way 
 toward preventing the occurrence of dis- 
 eases. Better soil preparation, adequate 
 drainage, more careful watering and fer- 
 tilizing, and higher clipping are all im- 
 portant factors. 
 
 Use resistant grasses where they are 
 known to be satisfactory, and avoid using 
 grasses known to be susceptible to certain 
 diseases under unsatisfactory conditions 
 of soil and exposure. For example, the 
 bentgrasses seem to be more susceptible 
 to brown patch than are most other lawn 
 grasses. Velvet bent is reported to be 
 more subject to copper spot and less to 
 dollar spot than some other bents. 
 
 Good drainage is important. Better 
 aeration may be needed to improve water 
 percolation. The tools now available for 
 eliminating soil compaction in lawns are 
 described on page 26. Overwatering a 
 lawn favors some grass diseases. Water 
 should be applied in the early part of the 
 day so that the leaves will dry off quickly 
 before evening. 
 
 Various sprays and dusts are being 
 used effectively in the control of grass 
 diseases, but it is too much to expect that 
 fungicides will completely solve the prob- 
 lem where unfavorable soil conditions 
 are largely responsible for the fungus 
 troubles developing. 
 
 It is not possible to change the general 
 environment greatly; therefore, diseases 
 may appear in spite of all the precautions 
 taken, yet they can be held at a minimum 
 
 through good lawn management and the 
 use of control measures. 
 
 Pests. These include sod webworms, 
 grubs, and other insect pests, such as the 
 skipper butterfly larva, ants, and earth- 
 worms. Included in this section, also, are 
 moles, pocket gophers, and birds. 
 
 Sod webworms cause great damage 
 to lawns in California during the warmer 
 months, especially July, August, and Sep- 
 tember. The moths begin to fly as early 
 as May. The worms prefer young lawns 
 of bentgrass and even attack bluegrass. 
 Their presence in the lawn is indicated 
 by repeated dying-back of the new grass 
 shoots, until, finally, irregular dark- 
 brown spots appear. These rapidly grow- 
 ing spots seem to come overnight. A close 
 examination will show that the leaf blades 
 are eaten. 
 
 Adult sod webworms are small, whitish 
 or gray moths, which hide in the shrub- 
 bery all day and fly over the lawn at dusk. 
 They fold their wings close to the body 
 when at rest, which makes them look slen- 
 der. The eggs scattered over the lawn 
 hatch within a week. In warm weather the 
 worm stage lasts 3 or 4 weeks. During 
 this time the age of the worms is shown 
 roughly by their length: about % inch 
 when a week old; % inch when 2 weeks 
 old ; % to % inch when 3 weeks or older. 
 
 The very young worms make skeletons 
 of the grass blades. The older worms eat 
 the greener parts of the grass crown, the 
 tender growing tips, and even the grass 
 blades themselves. As the worms grow 
 older, they eat more heavily. Before 
 emerging as moths, the mature worms go 
 through a pupal or resting stage, which 
 lasts about a week. 
 
 The presence of worms in a lawn may 
 be detected by breaking apart some of the 
 dying sod. Three or 4 lawn-moth cater- 
 pillars in a 6-inch-square section will in- 
 dicate webworms. A more reliable test is 
 to sprinkle a square yard of lawn with 
 water-miscible pyrethrum extract at the 
 rate of 1 tablespoon to a gallon of water. 
 This treatment brings the older worms 
 
 [32] 
 
to the surface. If no worms appear, the 
 trouble may be caused by a fungus, lack 
 of water, poor soil, improper fertilization, 
 or such lawn insects as grubs or skipper 
 butterfly larva. Several materials have 
 been used to control sod webworms. 
 
 DDT in a 50 per cent wettable form, 1 
 pound to 100 gallons of water, may be 
 applied by sprinkling can or by com- 
 pressed-air hand spray at the rate of % 
 gallon to the square yard (1 pound is 
 enough to treat 200 square yards or 1,800 
 square feet) ; or 1 level tablespoon of 50 
 per cent DDT to 1 gallon of water may 
 be applied by sprinkling can at the rate 
 of 3 gallons to 150 square feet. A 5 per 
 cent wettable DDT dust may be sprinkled 
 over the surface and watered in, allowing 
 about 1 pound of the 5 per cent dust to 
 about 45 square feet of lawn. All wettable 
 dusts should be stirred in just enough 
 water to remove the lumps before the full 
 amount of water is added. At the present 
 time the DDT treatment is one of the least 
 expensive. 
 
 Lead arsenate, 5 pounds to 50 gallons 
 of water, may be applied by sprinkling 
 can at the rate of % gallon to the square 
 yard (5 pounds are enough to treat 900 
 square feet). This half -gallon quantity 
 will contain approximately 5 level table- 
 spoons of lead arsenate. Do not let the 
 lead arsenate settle at the bottom of the 
 container. Get a thorough mixture by 
 putting the lead arsenate in the bottom of 
 the sprinkling can and filling the can with 
 a strong stream of water. 
 
 Lead arsenate is poisonous to both 
 humans and animals and should be 
 handled cautiously. If animals eat 
 grass coated with lead arsenate, 
 they may die. 
 
 Chlordane in wettable powder form has 
 been used recently with success in con- 
 trolling sod webworms. Allow about 5 
 pounds of the 40 per cent wettable powder 
 
 or 4 pounds of the 50 per cent wettable 
 powder to 100 gallons of water, and apply 
 at the rate of 7 to 10 gallons to 1,000 
 square feet of lawn. On a small scale, 
 allow 3 or 4 level tablespoons of the 40 
 per cent wettable chlordane or 3 table- 
 spoons of the 50 per cent wettable powder 
 per gallon of water and apply 3 gallons to 
 150 square feet. To control sod webworm 
 on a large scale, allow from 5 to 6 pounds 
 of actual chlordane to the acre of lawn. 
 The material also is successful in the con- 
 trol of earthworms and is one of the best 
 materials in the control of ants. If the 
 manufacturer gives specific directions for 
 the use of chlordane in the control of a 
 lawn pest, follow these directions. To 
 avoid possible burning of tender grass 
 with this material, use it in not less than 
 10 gallons of water to 1,000 square feet 
 of lawn. 
 
 Chlordane is poisonous. Do not in- 
 hale either dust or spray. 
 
 Dichloroethyl ether, diluted 1 part to 
 400 parts of water (% ounce to the gal- 
 lon), is applied by sprinkling can at the 
 rate of 1 gallon to the square yard (allow 
 about 300 ounces or 9% quarts to 900 
 square feet). If pure dichloroethyl ether 
 is used, place the proper quantity in the 
 bottom of a sprinkling can and direct a 
 strong jet of water into the can, prefer- 
 ably from a hose nozzle. When the con- 
 tainer is about two-thirds full, a white 
 foam should appear. This indicates that 
 the material has gone into solution. If 
 foam does not show, the spray will not be 
 effective; in fact, it may injure the lawn. 
 Commercial products containing dichlo- 
 roethyl ether are treated to go into solu- 
 tion readily. These products call for % 
 ounce of dichloroethyl ether to a gallon 
 of water per square yard of lawn. 
 
 Gardeners are warned that where di- 
 chloroethyl ether is not in proper solu- 
 tion, parts of the spray material may be 
 
 [33] 
 
strong enough to injure the lawn. Benzene 
 hexachloride (in the form of lindane) is 
 another insecticide that is being tested 
 and may offer some promise of control. 
 
 Several hours before applying these 
 liquid insecticides, water the lawn. It is 
 not necessary to soak the insecticide into 
 the soil to control sod webworms, but the 
 spray should wet the grass down to its 
 base. After applying the spray for sod 
 webworm control, do not water the lawn 
 again for several days or until necessary. 
 
 Wettable DDT, lead arsenate, chlor- 
 dane, and products containing dichloro- 
 ethyl ether can be bought at seed and fer- 
 tilizer stores or in larger quantities from 
 insecticide manufacturers. Pure dichloro- 
 ethyl ether is available at chemical com- 
 panies and wholesale drug supply houses. 
 
 The methods described will control sod 
 webworms in the lawn at the time of ap- 
 plication. However, each method has its 
 good and bad points, and each must be 
 judged by the fact that during warm 
 weather an infestation of sod webworms 
 can build up in as short a time as 3 weeks. 
 That is why it is necessary to use an in- 
 secticide with a prolonged killing effect. 
 Although dichloroethyl ether treatment 
 has a rapid killing action, it has little 
 residual value. On the other hand, experi- 
 ments indicate that DDT, lead arsenate, 
 and chlordane sprays are effective for a 
 month or longer. 
 
 White grubs are of the usual crescent 
 shape and feed mostly on the roots of the 
 host plant. Some eastern reports indicate 
 that white grubs are not controlled by 
 DDT or chlordane, at least not at the 
 usual concentration. The lead arsenate 
 treatment has been standard in the past 
 and should be used in preference to oth- 
 ers. Water the lawn thoroughly after ap- 
 plication to wash the lead arsenate into 
 the soil. Allow 10 pounds of lead arsenate 
 to 1,000 square feet for the control of 
 white grubs. 
 
 Skipper butterfly larvae can very 
 likely be controlled by the same measures 
 that control sod webworms, although 
 
 there is little experimental evidence avail- 
 able. Chlordane also seems to give excel- 
 lent control of the fiery lawn skipper. 
 
 Ants do not usually attack the grass 
 directly, but their nests at the edges of the 
 lawn may cause some destruction. Fre- 
 quent watering usually discourages the 
 building of nests. Applications of wet- 
 table chlordane at the same strength as 
 that suggested for sod webworms will aid 
 in control. 
 
 Earthworms (night crawlers) be- 
 come a nuisance in lawns by piling up 
 mounds of earth. They can be controlled 
 by corrosive sublimate diluted at the rate 
 of 2 or 3 ounces in 50 gallons of water. 
 This amount is enough to treat 1,000 
 square feet of lawn. The lawn should be 
 watered after this treatment. Lead ar- 
 senate has also been used at the rate of 
 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet of lawn 
 and spread evenly over the surface of the 
 grass before watering. Wettable chlor- 
 dane, discussed under sod webworms 
 (page 32) , also gives some control. 
 
 These chemicals are highly poison- 
 ous. See that children and pets do 
 not come in contact with them. 
 
 Moles in search of worms and insects 
 frequently make runways or tunnels 
 through a young lawn, loosening the 
 grass, which becomes badly dried out. 
 They sometimes work in older lawns if 
 the soil is loose. 
 
 Moles do not leave open runways as 
 gophers do, although they sometimes 
 push up a small mound of earth. Shallow 
 runways or tunnels just under the surface 
 of the soil usually indicate their work. 
 Trapping with a standard mole trap is 
 considered the best method of control. 
 Set traps in repeatedly used tunnels. Step 
 on the tunnels to find which ones are in 
 use. Frequently used tunnels will give 
 under pressure. Moles will not readily ac- 
 cept poison baits, although earthworms 
 have been poisoned in various ways and 
 
 [34 
 
placed in the runways. (For further in- 
 formation, see "Control of Field Ro- 
 dents," California Agr. Ext. Cir. 133.) 
 Repellents, such as naphthalene flakes, 
 lye, and paradichlorobenzene are not al- 
 ways effective with moles. 
 
 Pocket gophers push up mounds of 
 earth and leave the entrance to the run- 
 way open for a short time. Usually the 
 runway branches down a short distance 
 from the mound, and the nest is located 
 in the direction of the oldest mounds. 
 Either poison with strychnine or trap by 
 gopher trap. The Macabee wire trap is 
 popular. Set the trap lightly and place it 
 in the runway, where its jaw will close 
 quickly after the trap is sprung. Use 
 strychnine sulfate or alkaloid on pieces 
 of carrots, prunes, or on the thick midrib 
 of cabbage and cauliflower. If the bait is 
 placed in an open runway, cover the en- 
 trance to the runway. Locate the runway 
 near the mounds with an iron prod, and 
 drop some of the poison bait into the 
 opening. 
 
 mm 
 
 Protect children and pets against 
 any possible contact with strychnine. 
 
 Catching or killing the gophers early 
 in the year before the breeding season 
 starts will often wipe out entire colonies. 
 Fumigating with methyl bromide in a 
 special applicator has been done success- 
 fully by trained operators, but the gas is 
 dangerous and may cause serious damage 
 to the roots of nearby plants. 
 
 Birds often scratch newly planted 
 lawns, although they are rarely trouble- 
 some where the lawn is close to the dwell- 
 ing. Cover young grass very lightly with 
 brush and leave this on until the birds no 
 longer bother. 
 
 Weeds. Most young lawns need an 
 early weeding, perhaps just before the 
 first clipping. Such weedy grasses as 
 farmers' foxtail stool out quickly; all 
 weeds of this kind should be removed 
 with a knife before thev have had time to 
 
 Fig. 16. A hand weeder is satisfactory in remov- 
 ing such weeds as dandelion. 
 
 injure the young grass plants. Small an- 
 nual weeds can be pulled up gently or cut 
 off below the crown. Some broad-leaved 
 weeds that appear in a newly planted 
 lawn never become a problem because 
 they are unable to compete with the grass 
 and with repeated mowing. This is not 
 true of field weeds, however. 
 
 Systematic weeding once every 2 weeks 
 may be often enough to control almost 
 any kind of weed. If there are only a few 
 weeds in the lawn, hand-weeding is often 
 the simplest method of elimination. Fre- 
 quent mowing helps to keep most weeds 
 from maturing seed, and this treatment is 
 one of the most important in preventing 
 the spread of weeds in the lawn. 
 
 Among the lawn tools needed in the 
 home garden are a knife for cutting off 
 weedy annual grasses without seriously 
 disturbing the lawn, a hand weeder for 
 lifting out such weeds as dandelions (fig. 
 16) , and a small hand sprayer for apply- 
 ing only weed sprays. If the sprayer is 
 used for any other kind of spray it will 
 need to be thoroughly cleaned between 
 operations. 
 
 Most broad-leaved weeds are controlled 
 with 2,4-D, but the 2,4-D sprays are not 
 safe to apply to a very young lawn, espe- 
 cially to young bentgrass and redtop. 
 When applying 2,4-D, be certain to fol- 
 low the directions given on the package 
 
 [35] 
 
and see that the spray does not drift to 
 nearby ornamentals. With grasses sus- 
 ceptible to 2,4-D injury, such as bentgrass 
 and redtop, it may be necessary to reduce 
 the strength of the spray solution to about 
 one half that recommended on the label 
 for lawns. 
 
 The lawn may be fertilized before ap- 
 plying 2,4-D, so that the grass and weeds 
 will grow vigorously. This will help to 
 stimulate growth and aid in preventing 
 any serious, depressing effect of the weed 
 spray. To avoid damage to susceptible 
 grasses, see that the grass is healthy and 
 is slightly dry before using the spray. Re- 
 member, too, that the lawn should not be 
 clipped for several days or a week before 
 spraying and not clipped again until sev- 
 eral days after spraying. Do not irrigate 
 immediately after spraying with 2,4-D; 
 wait several hours. In rainy weather, de- 
 lay spraying until there is a promise of 
 several hours of dry weather. Repeat the 
 
 spray as needed to control broad-leaved 
 weeds. If only an occasional weed, such 
 as a dandelion, appears, it may be spot- 
 treated without trying to cover the entire 
 lawn. 
 
 Some gardeners fear a depressing ef- 
 fect from the continued use of 2,4-D on 
 a lawn. In general, on a lawn well fer- 
 tilized and properly watered, 2,4-D will 
 leave no serious effects. Even repeated 
 applications to a healthy lawn will ordi- 
 narily not cause trouble. Any possible 
 root damage to a lawn can be largely 
 avoided by taking the precautions sug- 
 gested. 
 
 Weedy grasses are given special atten- 
 tion, with the exception of crabgrass 
 which has been treated with several selec- 
 tive chemicals within recent years. Other 
 weedy grasses, such as Bermuda, Kikuyu, 
 St. Augustine, and Johnson, cannot be 
 killed in a lawn by any kind of selective 
 weed killer. Gardeners who have the prob- 
 
 Chart 4. Some common weeds found in California lawns 
 
 Annuals 
 
 Perennials 
 
 Arenaria serpyllifolia (sandwort) 
 
 Cerastium arvense (field chickweed) 
 
 Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd's purse) 
 
 Cerastium vulgatum (perennial mouse-ear 
 
 Cerastium viscosum (annual mouse-ear 
 
 chickweed) 
 
 chickweed) 
 
 Cynodon dactylon (Bermudagrass) 
 
 Digitaria ischaemum (smooth crabgrass) 
 
 Dichondra carolinensis (dichondra) 
 
 Digitaria sanguinalis (hairy crabgrass) 
 
 Holcus mollis (creeping velvetgrass) 
 
 Eleusine indica (goosegrass) 
 
 Hydrocotyle sp. (pennywort) 
 
 Geranium dissectum (cut-leaved geranium) 
 
 Nepeta hederacea (ground ivy) 
 
 Malva rotundifolia (dwarf mallow, annual 
 
 Oxalis corniculata (yellow oxalis) 
 
 or biennial) 
 
 Plantago sp. (plantain) 
 
 Medicago hispida (bur clover, annual or 
 
 Prunella vulgaris (self-heal) 
 
 biennial 
 
 Sida hederacea (alkali mallow) 
 
 Medicago lupulina (black medick, annual 
 
 Taraxacum vulgare (common dandelion) 
 
 or perennial) 
 
 Trifolium repens (white clover) 
 
 Mollugo verticillata (carpetweed) 
 
 
 Poa annua (annual bluegrass) 
 
 
 Scleranthus annuus (knawel) 
 
 
 Sherardia arvensis (field madder) 
 
 
 Stellaria graminea (grassy starwort) 
 
 
 Stellaria media (common chickweed) 
 
 
 Verbena bracteosa (bracted vervain) 
 
 
 
 [36] 
 
lem of killing such perennial, weedy 
 grasses before planting a lawn may wish 
 to seek the advice of the County Farm 
 Advisor's office. 
 
 Crabgrass control is successful if the 
 chemical treatments are started when the 
 first crabgrass seedlings appear, which 
 may be as early as March or April. Two 
 of the several more recent chemicals for 
 selective control are potassium cyanate 
 and phenyl mercuric acetate, the latter 
 sold under such trade names as Scutl and 
 Tat-C-Lect. These chemicals are effective 
 if directions are followed closely. Chemi- 
 cal treatment of old, established crab- 
 grass plants usually is not successful. 
 
 More than one treatment will probably 
 be necessary, since seed of crabgrass may 
 continue to germinate throughout the 
 summer. It is best to measure off areas in 
 the lawn and apply chemicals as accu- 
 rately as possible. Either too much chem- 
 ical per gallon of solution or too much 
 solution per given area can lead to dam- 
 age. If too much of the chemical spray 
 is applied, the lawn grass may show some 
 browning, but this usually disappears 
 within a week or two unless extremely 
 heavy dosages are used. 
 
 Bermuda, Kikuyu, St. Augustine, 
 and Johnson grasses should be weeded 
 out before the lawn seed is planted and 
 kept out after the lawn is established. 
 Control at present consists of digging out 
 the roots and exposing them to the sun 
 to dry during the warm months. Where 
 the roots cannot be removed completely, 
 if possible fumigate the soil with carbon 
 disulfide. 
 
 Repeated applications of special kinds 
 of oil sprays, such as Shell No. 20, Cali- 
 
 fornia Spray Chemical Corporation Pen- 
 tox No. 2, Richfield "A," and Tidewater 
 Associated Annalos No. 11, are also effec- 
 tive in killing small patches of these 
 grasses. Do not let the oil spray touch 
 valuable plants near by. 
 
 Oxalis, especially the red creeping 
 form, is one of the weeds that resists selec- 
 tive weed spray. Unless the seedlings of 
 this weed are removed before they start 
 to run, it is impossible to eradicate the 
 plant. Repeated applications of 2,4-D 
 spray at 2-week intervals may help some- 
 what to control oxalis, but such treatment 
 is considered entirely inadequate. It is, 
 however, the best chemical method avail- 
 able at present. Oxalis and some other 
 weeds may also be discouraged by rather 
 heavy applications of ammonium sulfate, 
 a slightly acid fertilizer. 
 
 Annual bluegrass {Poa annua) is 
 often found as a weed in lawns, espe- 
 cially in shady places where the lawn 
 grass has died out. This weedy grass is 
 favored by heavy watering. It can be dis- 
 couraged by avoiding excessive watering, 
 by proper aeration, and by selecting a 
 lawn grass suited to the exposure and 
 climate of the area. As a last resort, cer- 
 tain chemicals, such as isopropyl-N- 
 phenyl carbamate (IPC), may have a 
 place in control. IPC has been used at the 
 rate of 4 to 6 pounds to the acre, or 1 to 2 
 ounces to 1,000 square feet. 
 
 Chickweed is effectively controlled 
 with sodium arsenite, used at the rate of 
 2 ounces to 1,000 square feet, or doubled 
 in amount if used dry. The dry material 
 can be used with a fertilizer. 
 
 Chart 4 lists some of the common weeds 
 found in California lawns. 
 
 Renovating a Lawn 
 
 Lawn decline may be caused by too-fre- 
 quent cutting, fungus diseases, pests, ro- 
 dents, or weeds. It may also be caused by 
 improper watering, loss of soil fertility, 
 soil compaction, too much shade, the 
 wrong kind of seed for local conditions, 
 
 [37] 
 
 or the wrong methods of soil preparation. 
 A declining lawn may be rejuvenated by 
 spiking and reseeding or resodding, by 
 top-dressing lightly, and by replanting to 
 a different and more suitable grass. Fer- 
 tilizing, watering adequately, and letting 
 
the grass grow until it establishes a good 
 root system before mowing are all very 
 important. 
 
 Spiking and reseeding or resod- 
 ding. Where the soil is badly compacted, 
 especially in spots, irrigate the surface, 
 then spike — preferably with a hollow- 
 tined fork (see fig. 13) — to a depth of 
 3 or 4 inches. Remove any hard spots in 
 the lawn and replace with new soil of 
 better composition. Then either reseed or, 
 if it can be spared, replant with sod taken 
 from the edge of the lawn. Reseeding or 
 resodding will be necessary where insects 
 or diseases have thinned the stand or have 
 made dead spots. 
 
 Top-dressing with soil or compost. 
 A top dressing once a year in spring will 
 improve most lawns. First mow the grass 
 closely and cross-rake; then spike the 
 turf if necessary and cover the surface 
 with soil or compost. The soil may be or- 
 dinary garden soil taken from other parts 
 of the yard. Many gardeners have used a 
 compost consisting of equal portions of 
 loam, peat, screened leaf mold or well- 
 rotted manure, and washed river sand. 
 
 There is some danger that a compost of 
 this kind will cause most of the roots to 
 develop in the top dressing. This will pro- 
 duce a shallow-rooted lawn, which is hard 
 to maintain. Any manure in the compost 
 should be free from weed seed and any 
 peat moss free from excessive salt or 
 other harmful material. 
 
 Weed a lawn before top-dressing it. 
 Apply the top dressing to a uniform 
 depth of % to % inch and rake it with 
 the back of a rake so that it comes into 
 close contact with the soil. This kind of 
 top dressing or resurfacing is often used 
 by gardeners in the maintenance of the 
 most beautiful lawns. 
 
 Replanting to suitable grass. 
 Green algae or moss in a lawn almost al- 
 ways indicates that the wrong kind of 
 grass was planted or that at times the 
 grass was kept too wet. Chemical treat- 
 ment will not protect a lawn against green 
 algae if shade and moisture are wrong. 
 If a shade-tolerant grass is planted, it 
 should not be allowed to thin out and 
 leave spots in which the green algae or 
 moss can grow. 
 
 Estimating Certain Costs of Lawn 
 Planting and Care 
 
 Contracts have been made for the plant- 
 ing and care of a new lawn until after the 
 second cutting. These average about 10 
 to 15 cents per square foot, where the 
 lawn is level, and include draining, grad- 
 ing, or hauling in of topsoil. The cost of 
 a sprinkler system is extra, of course. A 
 minimum contract price for establishing 
 1,000 square feet of lawn at 10 cents per 
 square foot, covering all materials and 
 labor until after the first clipping, 
 amounts to $100. Any unusual amount 
 of grading or hauling in of topsoil could 
 greatly increase the expense. 
 
 Whether the lawn is planted and estab- 
 lished by the contractor or by the owner, 
 there is some expense for materials pur- 
 
 chased. There is also the expense of a cer- 
 tain amount of necessary labor, for in- 
 stance, the work of watering daily and of 
 weeding before the first clipping. This 
 expense may be considerable. 
 
 An established lawn of 400 square feet 
 may require weekly 2 hours of watering 
 and % hour of mowing. A lawn of this 
 size may use weekly, during the warm 
 months, as much as 400 gallons of water 
 and, toward the end of the dry season, 
 when the weather is cooler, about 100 
 gallons. 
 
 These costs are only rough estimates, 
 which may not apply under unusual con- 
 ditions, but they do give a general idea 
 of what to anticipate. 
 
 [38] 
 
In order that the information in our publications may be more intelligible it is sometimes neces- 
 sary to use trade names of products or equipment rather than complicated descriptive or chemical 
 identifications. In so doing it is unavoidable in some cases that similar products which are on the 
 market under other trade names may not be cited. No endorsement of named products is intended 
 nor is criticism implied of similar products which are not mentioned. 
 
 Cooperative Extension work in Agriculture and Home Economics, College of Agriculture, 
 
 University of California, and United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. 
 
 Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8, and June 30, 1914. 
 
 J. Earl Coke, Director, California Agricultural Extension Service. 
 
 50WI-10, '51(6909)M.H. 
 
THIS DOOR SWINGS OPEN 
 
 TO ANSWER 
 
 COUNTY 
 
 FARM 
 ADVISOR 
 
 QUESTIONS 
 
 Bring your farming questions to your County 
 Farm Advisor— he's an agricultural special- 
 ist with a background gf practical experi- 
 ence. And he's there to help you. If he can't 
 answer your question himself, he'll find 
 someone who will. 
 
 Farm Advisors serve 52 counties in Cali- 
 fornia, with offices in the towns listed below. 
 Get to know yours— make use of his free 
 service. 
 
 Alameda County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Hayward 
 Butte County: 
 
 Federal Bldg., Oroville 
 Colusa County: 
 
 Federal Bldg., Colusa 
 Contra Costa County: 
 
 Cowell 
 Del Norte County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Eureka 
 El Dorado County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Placerville 
 Fresno County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Fresno 
 Glenn County: 
 
 607 5th St., Orland 
 Humboldt County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Eureka 
 Imperial County: 
 
 Court House, El Centro 
 Kern County: 
 
 2610 M St., Baker sfield 
 Kings County: 
 
 131 E. 8th St., Hanford 
 Lake County: 
 
 Kelseyville 
 Lassen County: 
 
 Memorial Bldg., Susanville 
 Los Angeles County: 
 
 511 E.AHsoSt., 
 
 Los Angeles 12 
 Madera County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Madera 
 Marin County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., San Rafael 
 Mariposa County: 
 
 Fairgrounds, Mariposa 
 Mendocino County: 
 
 Court House, Ukiah 
 
 Merced County: 
 
 County Adobe Bldg., 
 
 Court House Square, Merced 
 Modoc County: 
 
 1621 Main St., Alturas 
 Monterey County: 
 
 Court House, Salinas 
 Napa County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Napa 
 Nevada County: 
 
 Memorial Bldg., 
 
 Grass Valley 
 Orange County: 
 
 1 104 W. 8th St., Santa Ana 
 
 Placer County: 
 
 1389 Lincoln Way, Auburn 
 
 Plumas County: 
 
 Court House, Quincy 
 
 Riverside County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Riverside 
 
 Sacramento County: 
 315 Federal Bldg., 
 Sacramento 2 
 
 San Benito County: 
 Court House, Hollister 
 
 San Bernardino County: 
 
 566 Lugo Ave., 
 
 San Bernardino 
 San Diego County: 
 
 4005 Rosecrans St., 
 
 San Diego 10 
 San Joaquin County: 
 
 145 S. Amerkan St., 
 
 Stockton 2 
 San Luis Obispo County: 
 
 997 Monterey St., 
 
 San Luis Obispo 
 
 San Mateo County: 
 Half Moon Bay 
 
 Santa Barbara County: 
 
 Federal Bldg., 
 
 Santa Barbara 
 Santa Clara County: 
 
 201 Post Office Bldg., 
 
 San Jose 13 
 Santa Cruz County: 
 
 555 Ocean St., 
 
 Santa Cruz 
 Shasta County: 
 
 County Office Bldg., Redding 
 Sierra County: 
 
 Court House, Quincy 
 Siskiyou County: 
 
 Court House, Yreka 
 
 Solano County: 
 
 County Library Bldg., 
 Fairfield 
 
 Sonoma County: 
 
 Court House, Santa Rosa 
 
 Stanislaus County: 
 
 Federal Bldg., Modesto 
 
 Sutter County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Yuba City 
 
 Tehama County: 
 
 Federal Bldg., Red Bluff 
 
 Trinity County: 
 
 Court House, Weaverville 
 
 Tulare County: 
 
 Post Office Bldg., Visalia 
 
 Tuolumne County: 
 
 815 Washington St., Sonora 
 
 Ventura County: 
 
 52 N. California St., Ventura 
 
 Yolo County: 
 
 Court House, Woodland 
 
 Yuba County: 
 
 Federal Bldg., Marysvillo 
 
 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION 
 
 SERVICE • COLLEGE 
 
 OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 CALIFORNIA