Evening star., 1952-03-02
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Good LuwnG Grass


IGood Lawn Grass
By Fred Y. Grou
Director. United s,oies Golf Asseeiotion Green
Section. Plant Industry Station
The exciting new grasses devel-
Ioped for golf are making many
ia home owners dream of a better
lawn come true. Miracle" grasses?
No! wonder" grasses? No! But
they are really and truly better
than the common pasture grasses
which have been sold as lawn
grasses.
Merton (B-2D bluegrass is the
first improved Kentucky bluegrass
for turf ever sold on the open
market. 1t is turf bluegrass-not
a pasture bluegrass. It is resistant
to heat, cold, disease, shade,
drought, insects, weeds and close
moving. It was found on a golf
course and it was developed for
golf. Now it is the most wanted
turf grass for lawns over a large
part of the United States. OF
course there isn't enough to go
around because the golf courses
haven't had their share yet. They
come first because they paid the
bill for developing it. The cost is
high (about IS a pound but, on
an area basis, it costs no more
than inferior seed. A pound will
plant 1000 square feet-and it is
so much more permanent. It needs
moving less frequently, and it is
more free of crabgrass under close
(A4-inch) than common
bluegrass.
Spring seedlings of Merton in
the Washington-Baltimore-Phila-
delphia area (part of the crab
grass belt) have been uniformly
successful. Common bluegrass seed
ed at the same time has failed
consistently. The winter color of
Merton is always better than
common, too. When it is all said
and done we have to admit that
Merton is a better bluegrass for
lawns.
ZOysia Laughs at Beetles.
Meyer (Z-52) zoysia is another
turf grass developed for golf which
is very nearly the homeowner's
dream. 1t is low-growing and
slow growing. Not much moving
is required and, here in Washing
ton, it won't need to be watered
once it is established. It laughs
at Jap beetles and diseases are
unknown. It takes q lot
OF wear and tear and grows in sun
or medium shade, on slopes and
terraces and needs little fertilizing.
During the summer season when
people use their lawns, it looks
very much like Merton bluegrass.
1t stays green until about Thanks
giving, then gradually turns a
lovely golden brown until along in
April.
To some the winter color is dis
tressing. Other more practical
minded folks say that they would
rather have brown grass and a
clean house than brown mud and
dirt in the house. But the golf
folks, principally the USGA green
section at Beltsville, have success
fully married Meyer zoysia and
Merton bluegrass so that the
Merton masks the dormant color
of the zoySia during the winter.
1t is a lovely combination and
looks very much like the "fool-
proof" ''weed-free" lawn in the
Mid-Atlantic area. There is no
seed of Meyer zoysia but you can
buy plugs locally.
Takes Frequent Cutting.
The third (and last for now
new grass for lawns in this area
is U-3 Bermuda. 1t fulflls all
the claims" made for Merton and
Meyer. 1t is more particular in
that it demands more frequent
close cutting and much heavier
fertilization than the other two.
Don't plant Us unless you have
lots of sun and power mower
that you are willing to operate
once a week regularly. U-3 must
be moved regularly and closely
G2 to "a inch). 1t won't tolerate
neglect. You must feed it gen.
erously, too. 1t will reward this
treatment by providing weed
free turf of great beauty and
durability. Golf course superin-
tendentS like it on their tees
which take terrific beating. On
our lawn the children roller skate
on our US and never a mark
shows even after a heavy rain.
U-3 will gradually invade flower
beds but not worse than crabgrass
and much less than common or
native Bermuda. U-3 is a true
gentleman among the Bermudas,
but it is only for the man who
cares, and who wants "nnthinP