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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (May 29, 1981)
May 29,1981 PAGE 9 Sod lawns fast and simple Extension Establishing a lawn by using sod is a simple wav to avoid the six-to-eight week struggle of coaxing a newly-seeded lawn into existence. Where growing a lawn from seed would be e x tre m e ly d if f ic u lt o r impossible, sodding offers a good chance of success. If lawn sod is used, it’s important to install it correctly. Proper site preparation and the choice of a turf grass variety that is adapted to local conditions are also imnportant. A blend of selected fine f e s c u e s a n d im p r o v e d Kentucky bluegrass is found in most of the sods commercially available in Oregon. Some blends also include perennial ryegrass. The area where the sod is to be planted should be rototilled, graded, fertilized, rolled and raked. The yard should be sloped so water will drain away from the house. Sod won’t thrive if placed directly on subsoil or worn-out topsoil. If additional topsoil is needed, do the grading first, then add the topsoil and rototill it lightly into the top inch or two of the planting site. If there isn’t time for a soil analysis, use a fertilizer that will supply two pounds of „actual element each of nitrogen and phosphorus per thousand square feet. Remove all trash, rocks and other debris from the soil surface before laying the sod. Do a final light raking and pack the soil surface lightly with a ro ller before the sod is delivered. For best results, install the sod immediately after it’s delivered. Sod doesn’t keep well in a stack. When ordering sod, arrange to have it delivered when the soil is co m p letely p re p a re d for planting. Sod can be installed by do-it- yourself, but it is usually installed by the supplier, who contracts to both furnish and lay the sod. When laying the sod, it is best to establish a straight line through the length of the area and lay the sod along it. Before installing the sod, irrigate the soil lightly. Dry soil beneath the sod will pull moisture from the new grass and increase the risk of damage. Fit the pieces of sod together as tightly as possible. Don’t stretch or overlap the pieces. Butt all ends tightly against each other to prevent air spaces that will cause the roots to dry out. Make sure the sod is in firm contact with the soil by rolling it after installation. After rolling the sod, add a top dressing of nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of one pound per thousand square-feet, and then water. Water the sod enough to moisten it and soil below to a depth of several inches. Keep the sod moist until it has become established. D uring the spring and summer this may require two or three waterings a day. Wait seven to 10 days or until the sod is firmly-rooted and secure in place before mowing. Set the mower height so no more than 40 percent of the grass height is cut with the first mowing. For more information about law n sod see the OSU E x te n s io n p u b l i c a t i o n , “Establish Lawns by Sodding,” EC 966. It’s available at the Extension office of the OSU Extension Service in the old Administration Building. Ways to cut calf losses Calf losses in heifers are often high and most of these deaths are a result of dystocia (calving difficutly) problems, according to the new Oregon State University Extension Service publication, “How to Handle Calving difficulties.” The new publication states that many of these calf losses can be prevented if the heifers are closely watched and the dystocia problems detected and corrected early. The E xtension circular d e s c rib e s so m e r o u tin e techniques that can help reduce calf losses. It also recommends t h a t a n y s e r i o u s and* com plicated problem s be handled by a veterinarian. “How to Handle Calving Difficulties” explains how recognize normal calving, the dangers of interfering during birth of a calf and when and how to examine the cow. Also included are sections on how to prepare before helping with the calf birth and forced extraction of a calf. The publication stresses that it is important to know, with complete confidence, how long to leave the cow during calf> birth and when to seek help. “How to Handle Calving Difficulties,” EC 1074, is available free at the Extension office. ............... Notes from Pennle Little and Clint Jacks Shrubs may need fertilizers In most cases, home lawns and landscape shrubs respond to spring with a flush of green growth. Shrubs and lawns that don’t are usually in need of some spring fertilization. A shot of fertilizer can do w onders fo r w ash ed -o u t looking shrubs or lawngrass that has taken on a yellowish cast. Many fertilizer formulations manufactured specially for grass are available. Weed and feed combinations will do double duty by killing early summer weeds. Directions for using these fertilizers should be printed on the package. Ammonium nitrate contains 33 percent nitrogen; a five- pound . box will cover 1,000 square feet. Ammonium sulfate contains 21 percent nitrogen. W a s h e d -o u t e v e rg re e n shrubs can use some fertilizer to green them up again. A fertilizer high in nitrogen, such as a 12-4-8 combination, can put the green back in evergreen shrubs and will help eliminate stunted growth. It can be applied at the rate of one pound, or two cups per 100 square feet. 4-H Summer Camp Applications are still being accepted for 4-H Camp to be held June 22-26 at Round Lake. The camp is designed for all youth completing the 4-6 grades. 4-H cam p is* a well- s u p e r v is e d e d u c a t i o n a l outdoor adventure experience with responsible leadership in group living from which each youngster will benefit. Cost to youth from Warm Springs is $25. Registration deadline is June 1. Additional information and applications can be picked up at the Warm Springs Extension office. “Earth Week” ---------------------------------- * Simnasho students plant flowers “Look! I did it!!” Is this hole deep enough? For their “Earth Week” project this year, Rich Little’s Simnasho students learned about germination, where the roots and stems come out of the seeds, and how flowers push up through the soil. On M ay 8, they planted Dahlias, Marigolds, Zinnias a id a mixed bag o f garden flowers. They tend the plants everyday and now know what’s weed and what’s flower, Spifyay Tymoo photo by Rangila
