Perfect Lawns: Increase or decrease the frequency of mowing according to the rate of growth, which varies from season to season, and may be influenced by bad weather, feeding, irrigation, the varieties of grass being grown and the general health of the turf itself.
Different types of lawn require a different frequency of mowing. Fine perfect lawns, for example, should be mown every two to three days,
average perfect lawns at least every seven days and preferably at intervals of three to five days and, for other sod perfect lawns, mow at least once a week.
Increase or decrease the frequency of mowing according to the rate of growth, which varies from season to season, and may be influenced by bad weather, feeding, irrigation, the varieties of grass being grown and the general health of the turf itself.
Different types of lawn require a different frequency of mowing. Fine perfect lawns, for example, should be mown every two to three days,
average perfect lawns at least every seven days and preferably at intervals of three to five days and, for other sod perfect lawns, mow at least once a week.See Also Common In Lawns Are Larvae:Grubs are the larval stage of quite different-looking mature insects. Those most common in lawns are larvae of the Japanese Beetle, Asiatic Garden Beetle, Oriental Beetle, May or June Beetle and European Chafer.
Keep a sharp lookout for them. If you do not, your first knowledge of their pres¬ence may come when the grass dies in patches as though it lacked moisture and you find that you roll up the unanchored sod like a carpet. It is unanchored be¬cause its roots have been chewed off.
The larvae and pupae resemble the adults except that the larvae, by means of a terminal fork, carry their cast skins and feces over their body as a parasol. Both larvae and adults largely restrict their feeding to the leaves of plants in the morning-glory family.
Gold bugs belong to the subfamily Cassidinae of the family Chrysomelidae. A common species, Metriona bicolor, lives on bindweed leaves. An¬other species feeds on sweet potato leaves.
On The Other Hand See Mossy Lawns:Lack of fertility and poor aeration are the most common reasons for mossy lawns, excessive acidity comes third. If you have mossy areas in your grass look into the reason for this before you attempt to cure it by the application of lime. If a too acid condition is responsible lime will, of course, correct it, but otherwise it will do little or no good and may aggravate the situation. When heavy (clayey) soils become com¬pacted they admit too little air for the healthy growth of grass and it gradually dies out.
Northern lawns, except those of creep¬ing bent, are best cut to a height of one and a quarter to one and a half inches, or slightly higher on shaded areas and banks. In really hot weather raise the cutting height an extra half inch. Give the last mowing of the season so that the grass goes into winter two to three inches long. Lawns of creeping bent may be cut to a height of from one inch to less than half an inch.
Southern lawns of subtropical grasses are generally mowed to a height of one inch. Temporary winter lawns of ryegrass are cut at one and a quarter inches.
Mowing machines should be used when the grass is dry, scythes and sickles when it is slightly moist. For the kinds of mowers see Chapter 16.
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