296 PARKS 



two to three weeks, according to the date of sowing and the weather after- 

 ward. Not all the grass will germinate at the same time in any event, 

 and Kentucky blue grass is not likely to show above ground until after 

 such grasses as redtop are well up. 



Sometimes it may be expedient to water newly sown ground, but it 

 is generally better to keep off the ground until the grass is up one and one- 

 half or two inches. At this time it may be mowed with a lawn mower set 

 high. Also any large weeds may be removed, the resulting holes patched 

 and seeded, and any small bare spots raked over and seeded. From this 

 time on the usual maintenance care may be given the lawn. 



Sowing bent grass stolons to produce turf by the vegetative process. For 

 each ten square feet of area to be planted, the turf from one square foot of 

 well developed nursery row should be provided. (The Metropolitan strain 

 or Washington strain of carpet bent are preferred as they are the most 

 resistant to the brown patch disease.) 



Soil preparation. The same preparation is required for planting stolons 

 as for planting grass seed. A firm, even surface which should be free from 

 soft spots as well as sticks, stones or other extraneous material should be 

 provided. The top layer of soil should be uniform in texture and contents 

 over the whole area to be planted. Any fair to good agricultural soil in the 

 north is satisfactory. It should be loamy and not too heavy in texture. 

 (Recent experiments show that carpet bent is more susceptible to brown 

 patch in soils which are slightly acid or neutral in reaction.) 



If the weather is dry the area to be planted should be thoroughly 

 soaked with water far enough in advance of the planting operation so that 

 the soil will be moist, but not sticky, when the planting starts. Just before 

 the planting work is begun the soil should be lightly raked. 



Fertilizers. No fertilizers should be used in preparing the area to be 

 planted other than natural manures and those only to a very limited extent. 

 A light layer of well-rotted stable manure may be incorporated in the top 

 layer of soil if it is heavy in texture or low in fertility. (Young grass plants 

 are easily affected by an excess of soluble salts in the soil moisture and, 

 therefore, no quick-acting fertilizers such as sodium nitrate or ammonium 

 phosphate should ever be used until after the grass is well established and 

 growing vigorously.) It is not necessary to put any fertilizer in the topsoil 

 used for covering the stolons. 



Time of planting. In Ohio, central Michigan and central New York 

 the best time to plant stolons is in late summer so as to take advantage 

 of the good grass-growing weather in late September. Therefore, from 

 August 15 to September 15 is the best season. (If planted earlier, weeds 

 and drought make successful growth difficult, and if planted later the 

 stolons will survive but make little growth until the next year.) 



