Evening star., 1952-08-31
In Defense Of Crobgross
Digitoriu Suneunos Does Keep the Lawn Green
And Points Up Neglect in Feeding the Grass
By W. H. Younsmon
Garden Editor

Dy w. u.
Corde
Washington gardeners as a
whole condemn, some with vitrolic
adiectives and even with tears.
this tough, reliable and most de-
pendable member of the grass
family. Digitaria sanguinalis puts
in its appearance each season
with the advent of warm weather.
Without it most of our lawns
would have a moth-eaten appear
ance. Without this toughie the
soil would lack humus. Without
its lush growth the animals that
Craze the pastures might even
have to go hungry, for digitaria
takes the place of all the weak
lings that we try to grow. With
all of these attributes, why should
this member of the digitaria
species be condemned? That is
the $64 question!
Digitaria sanguinalis, more
commonly sknown and perhaps
universally called crabgrass. is the
most dependable annual grass
that we have. We do not have to-
sow it. It seeds so freely that a
crop is assured every year in every
lawn. Without crabgrass the soils
would lack the decaying roots
which. we must admit. they badly
need. But more important, be-
cause our bluegrass and other
cool-weather grasses fold up for
one reason or another each sum-
mer, we would have a rather
patchwork quilt lawn were it not
for crabgrass.
It is true that the crabgrass is
q coarse, invasive grass that we
can hardly class as an attractive
lawn grass. Moreover. if left to
its own devices, it will smother
out the desirable fine-leaved
grasses. Therefore, we work and
sweat to kill out our one depend
able.
Does Not Thrive in Shade.
We admit that because of our
mistakes or failure to care for
our lawns properly, they do not
do as well as they should, hence
the appearance of crabgrass.
Crabgrass does not thrive in
shade, therefore we must assume
that the bluegrass and other cul-
ti7ated grasses sown are not
thrifty and vigorous. If they
were, they would shade out the
crabgrass seedlings, that is, if we
set the lawnmower to cut height
of Ia inches or higher during the
summer.
But the height of the cut is
not the whole story. We must
feed our lawn grasses so that they
are vigorous growers. This means,
according to studies made by
State experiment stations as well
as the U. S. Golf Association,
Greens Section, regular appli-
cation of fertilizer in the spring
a& we'll as in the late summer.
The grass plants are producing
a6crop continuously, hence they
NEED food. The standard recon-
nendation Is 25 to 80 pounds Of
as5-10-5 fertilizer per 1000 square
feet in September or early Octo-I
Der. A similar feeding is recon-
mended for March or April. Spread
the fertilizer even on dry day
SO that the fertilizer will fall to-
tie ground with a minimum OF
disturbance. Most gardeners try
tA beat rain so Mother Nature
Will wash the fertilizer off the
glass into the ground.
sThere seems to be no expert
mental evidence for this area as
to the Importance of the trace
elements. However, since some OF
them are known to be deficient
in our soils, the gardener might
well do a little experimenting on
his own.
Limestone Necessary.
We usually think of lime when
discussing fertilizers, although it
is not a major plant food. Still
the grass plants do require some
calcium. The recommendation is
to apply about SO pounds OF
ground limestone or it's equivalent
per 1000 square feet once every
4 or 5 years. This may be divided
up and applied at shorter inter-
walls
Recent studies have shown that
the heavier soils need to be opened
up, perhaps it is better to say
loosened, so that the grass plants
will have an adequate supply OF
air to the roots. Various methods
of loosening the soil have been
tried from homemade spiked
tampers to mechanical corers. The
value of their use emphatically
points to the injurious affects OF
the lawnroller. That machine
should be cheerfully relegated to
the antique shop. If the soil is
wet enough so that it does have
smoothing effect, it will prob
ably compact the soil so much
that it deprives the grass plants
of needed air. If the soil is dry
enough so that the roller does not
puddle the soil, it will not smooth
out the bumps. However, it is
admitted that the roller does push
those grass plants which have
been loosened by winters freezes
and thaws back into the soil, thus
saving them temporarily from the
cutter blades.
To meet the problems Of level
ing the soil. the gardener might
better try top-dressing the lawn,
but weed-free topsoil is non-ex'
istent as far as the writer is aware
Therefore, the gardener must rely
on well-decayed compost or some
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