Evening star., 1940-06-15
Lawns Need
Balanced
Feeding
Ample Supplies of
Phosphorus Are
OF Importance

I have Just received an eloquent
letter from prominent Eastern
landscape designer and horticultur-
ist, which brings out so clearly the
necessity of using a complete bal
anced plant food for all-season
beauty of the lawn, that I couldn't
present the facts more forcibly, sc
l am quoting his letter After all
users OF products like to hear the
results of other users, described in
their own words, and when the con-
sumner in question is a successful.
professional gardener, then his com
ments really do interest the garden
enthusiasts, because such a man
knows whereof he speaks:
My correspondent says: IT receive
your regular releases and read
them with interest. There is
one argument that I think you can
use in connection with the use OF
balanced plant food on lawns, and
I do not recall that you have en-
phasized the point.
There is a tendency to use nitro.
gen fertilizers on lawns. This pro-
6uces fine growth and looks like
good treatment. But when summer
comes the grass often slumps be-
cause under the heat and dryness
/ there is not sufficient vigor to carry
the grass through the summer. The
growth has been produced at the ex.
| pense OF the vigor of the grass. II
Is something like the weakness that
is found In the case of a youth who
during his teens has grown rapidly
this growth has been at the ex.
pense of vigor, even though he has
been we'll supplied with nourishine
food. Grass needs plenty of phos-
phorus. for it Is that element that
produces root vigor and fine root
growth. If that is taken care of
the blade growth will take care OF
itself, and the grass will probably
not require as much cutting and will
stand up far better in the summer
Ample supplies of phosphorus are
desirable, because that element does
not penetrate deeply and does il
slowly. A product is admirably
adapted to accomplish this result
that gives generous supply OF
phosphorus and yet gives enough
nitrogen to produce reasonable
growth. The extent of growth is not
vital. What is vital is a good
green turf that will stay green. and
product should be adapted to
that end. I think you could empha-
size this to advantage.
Il hope you will not consider this
suggestion an impertinence, but i
have acted upon it with good re-
suits"
During late June and in July OBJ
serve the lawns about you. Note
the condition of those that have
been fed with complete balanced
plant food-one that develops strong
healthy roots as well as top growth: =:
then compare these healthy. vigor-
Gus lawns with lawns that have been
fed incomplete, unbalanced products
products that force top growth at
the expense of the root system. You
will see then that for lasting beauty
and the ability to withstand un-
favorable temperatures, grass must
have complete balanced plant food.
Remember this. too, in making
fall gardening plans-if you have
not been feeding your lawn properly,
and it has been parched and brown
this summer, to renew its vigor and
develop a root system that will
carry it safely through the winter,
apply a complete balanced plant
food to the lawn this fall. In late
August or during September. Apply
at the rate of pounds per 100
square feet and water into the soil.