GRAND RAPIDS GROWERS, Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan 
29 
Care of the Established 
Lawn 
If the lawn was properly built and has received 
careful attention during the first year of its growth, 
its future care should be easy. The program for the 
established lawn includes feeding, watering, clipping, 
and similar operations which are necessary in main¬ 
taining a good lawn. A lawn which is properly cared 
for improves each year as the grass becomes more 
dense and more uniform. 
Spring Care of Lawn 
As soon as favorable weather comes in the spring, 
the lawn should be rolled. 
Any thin or bare spots should be reseeded. These 
may at times appear in any lawn and should be taken 
care of at the time they occur. Loosen the surface of 
the soil in such areas and reseed. 
Early Feeding Necessary 
Best results will be obtained by applying plant food 
to the lawn as soon in the spring as the grass begins 
growth. This provides an ample supply of available 
food material in the soil at the time the plants are 
much in need of it. 
Apply plant food to the lawn in the spring at the 
rate of four pounds per hundred square feet of area. 
The plant food should be brushed from the blades of 
grass with a lawn broom or the back of a rake and 
then soaked into the soil. 
Importance of Feeding 
Well-fed grass withstands the inroads of weeds 
and also resists injury from the attacks of certain 
diseases. 
Regular feeding will reduce the amount of reseed¬ 
ing necessary. The greater development of the root 
system and the ability to store up reserves of food 
material, make well-fed grass plants able to withstand 
the extremes of either winter or summer weather and 
to maintain a dense turf year after year. 
Proper feeding results in an improvement in the 
condition of the lawn .soil. As new roots are sent out 
by vigorous grass plants, the old ones die off and are 
responsible for adding large amounts of organic mat¬ 
ter to the soil. This is the only way that the organic 
content of the soil of the established lawn can be in¬ 
creased. The activity and decay of the roots also keeps 
the soil in good physical condition. Manure or similar 
materials applied on the lawn never penetrate deeply 
enough to add any appreciable amount of organic mat¬ 
ter to the soil. 
Does Lawn Need Lime? 
Since a neutral soil favors the common lawn weeds 
more than it does the grasses, the lawn soil should 
not be limed unless it is very strongly acid. The un¬ 
thrifty appearance of certain lawns is usually due to 
lack of plant food and not to high acidity. Lime is a 
soil conditioner and not a plant food. 
Summer Care of the Lawn 
Special care must be given the lawn throughout the 
hot months of summer. If excellent growth and vigor 
have been maintained during the spring, the lawn can 
be kept in a green, vigorous condition during the 
summer by careful watering, feeding, and clipping. 
Whenever applying water to the established lawn, 
be liberal with the amount used. Light sprinklings 
which wet only the upper surface of the soil are very 
often more detrimental than beneficial. 
Smaller amounts of plant food should be applied 
during the summer months than in the spring. Two 
pounds per hundred square feet is sufficient to keep 
the plants in vigorous growth, if made at intervals 
of six to eight weeks. 
The lawn should be thoroughly soaked following the 
application of plant food. Apply sufficient water to 
soak the soil surface to a depth of several inches. 
Clipping 
Never allow the grass to become longer than three 
to three and one-half inches before cutting it. Do not 
cut the grass shorter than one and one-half inches. 
This does not apply to the bent grasses, which must 
be kept closely clipped in order to obtain the proper 
type of growth. 
Clip the lawn as late in the fall as it continues to 
make growth. Do not allow it to go into the winter 
with a growth of three or four inches. Such a practice 
may allow the formation of a mat of grass which may 
be injurious. 
Control of Weeds 
The control of weeds constitutes one of the most 
serious problems in the maintenance of a beautiful 
lawn. Proper feeding is the most important single 
factor involved in weed control. Regularly fed grass 
is capable of preventing the inroads of weeds, and 
even of crowding many of them out after they have 
become established. In portions of the lawn where 
weeds are conspicuous, it is often desirable to hasten 
the removal of the most serious weeds such as dande¬ 
lions, chickweeds, and plantains, by digging them 
carefully from the lawn. Areas that they occupied 
should be reseeded. 
Numerous chemicals have been proposed for the 
purpose of destroying weeds, but they are not prac¬ 
tical under most lawn conditions. The results pro¬ 
duced by such methods are usually only temporary 
and frequently an unsightly appearance is produced 
by their use. 
Sunny Lawn Seed 
Contains Kentucky Blue Grass, Red Top, Perennial Rye 
Grass and White Clover. This mixture has made a host of 
friends by the results that are and have been obtained. We 
use only the very best of seeds obtainable, of lasting value and 
hardiness, we mix them ourselves in the correct proportions to 
assure you of a beautiful and permanent lawn that will last 
for years. Price, 50c per lb. 
Rant Prncc ° ne of the most valuable lawn grasses. Excep- 
DcDI UlaSS tionally good for golf courses, greens, etc., be¬ 
cause of its short growth and deep green, fine-leaved foliage. 
$1.00 per lb. 
Kentucky Blue Grass, June Grass ? 0 r e P o e f r t mIn b e e ncy. ra For 
lawns or pasture, it has no superior. Does well in any soil 
and stands the summer heat remarkably well. As it takes 
some time to become established, it is usually sown in mix¬ 
tures. 50c per lb. 
Succeeds on soil too poor for Ken¬ 
tucky Blue Grass. For shady spots 
it is advisable to use, as it is hardier and is better adapted to 
Michigan weather conditions. 50c per lb. 
Rough Stalked Meadow £.7“ 
It is mostly used in shady places and will thrive in any good 
soil. 50c per lb. 
Canadian Blue Grass 
Shady Lawn Mixture 
Contains Canadian Blue Grass, Red Top, Rough Stalked Mea¬ 
dow Grass, and Fescue. This mixture is our own also, being 
mixed by ourselves especially for the shady spots. We use 
only the very best of seeds obtainable and as more care and 
attention is required we have used the hardier grasses, that will 
make a dense, thick growth in light soils and a very satisfac¬ 
tory lawn in shady places. 
WllitP rinvpr ( Dutcll L A small, low growing variety. It 
fllllic vlUVCI ^ largely used in lawns and pastures. It 
makes a small, close, compact growth covering the ground 
like a carpet. Its blossoms are round, white and sweet scent¬ 
ed, with numerous leaves of bright green color. It succeeds 
well in Michigan and looks better when sown in mixtures. 
60c per lb. 
Rpd Ton A y ery hardy perennial grass, succeeding best on 
ncu iuji mo ist land. Valuable for lawn or pasture, and will 
produce large crops of good hay. 50c per lb. 
Rprpnnial Rvp (English). A desirable grass for lawn or 
1 cicuuiai IVjrc pasture. It forms a heavy close sod of me¬ 
dium fine grass and grows quickly after being cut. 25c per lb. 
rYppmilff nr Rail FncrilA Resists extreme drought, thrives 
creeping or iveil rescue on inferior soil, gravelly banks 
and exposed hills. 50c per lb. 
