15

Grass, too, needs its calcium

Mineral deficiency will result in limp, droopy turf

WELL, THIS may not be the next Ice Age, but it doesn’t
seem like the bonny days of spring either. Last week my
window was full of sunshine and while we have yet to re-
alize my predictions of an advancing Ice Age, we are not

out of the water yet.

Speaking of water, do you
know why your grass is so flac-
cid? The Webster’s dictionary
defines this condition as “...Soft
and week; limber; lax; drooping;
hanging down by its own weight.”

If you look out the window and
you see what I see now, vou will
be staring (albeit. mournfully) at
the reason. Rain — itll do it
every time. Just looking at it can
make me feel rather droopy
myself, but the problems it pres-
ents to grass are both far less lit-
erary and much more literal.

A brief digression: have you
ever had the opnrortunity tc exam-
ine turf grow. on the Prairies?
Now, there is some stiff grass.
Firm instead of flaccid, resilient
instead of reclined — why, it’s
positively perpendicular.

So what do they have that we
do not? Large amounts of calcium
in their soils. And what do we
have that they do not? Well,
among many other things far too
numerous to mention, we have
rain, which washes our calcium
out to sea.

We are all familiar with calci-
um’s role as a modulator of acidic
soils —- the guy 2t the garden cen-
tre said so while he was taking
your money. I am also sure he

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pointed out the soluble nature of
calcium. He would havc helpfully
informed you that the abundant
rainfall of the West Coast rapidly
leaches it out of the soil. Almost
as rapidly as he helped himself to
your cash.

All of this is quite true — as
your soil becomes more acid, the
PH level drops. The turf grasses
commonly grown in this area re-
quire a pH not too far removed
from 6.5 and it is not uncommon
to see levels as low as 4 or even
lower. This is damaging to the
grass in a number of ways, most
importantly in that it can cause
the essential nutrients to become
‘locked’ in the soil, thereby starv-
ing the grass.

Still, none of this hes much to
do with our turf’s proclivity
towards flaccidity (don’cha love it
when he talks dirty?). Calcium is
an integral part of the cell struc-
ture of turf grass.

A deficiency in calcium will
weaken its overall structure, caus-
ing this peculiar bent in our
coastai lawns.

For this reason we must con-
sider calcium to be more than just
the soil conditioner it has been
relegated to. It is an essential
nutrient in itself and as such must

Geoff
Tobiasson

OVER THE GARDEN GAT

be supplemented as you would
any other nutrient.

It is a fertilizer.

Calcium should not be added
during the same period used to
apply regular lawn fertilizers.
First, it has a nasty habit of join-
ing with other nutrients in a way

d

instructions
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that makes them unavailable to
the turf. Second, supplying it to
the plant well before the arrival of
other lawn foods will assure that
they are used most efficiently.

The best time tc begin applying
calcium is Nov. 1, at the advent
of the heavy fall rains. This will
assure that it is well distributed in
the root zone by spring. Note that
the old saying, “Better tate than
never’ does apply here. If you
have a calcium deficiency, do it
now; I do believe these rains will
do. Also note ! said ‘begin’ ap-
plying; with severe shortages, you
may be required to apply more
than once.

The only practical way to supp-
ly calcium is in the form of calci-
um carbonate or limestone or
garden lime. The best lime for the
garden is dolomite lime; it will
supply magnesium as magnesium
carbonate as well. Magnesium is
also considered to be an essential
nutrient for turf grasses.

Amounts applied vary with the
degree of the deficiency as well as
the character of the soil. The best

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plan is to send several samples off
to Pacific Soil Analysis and follow
their recommendations.

If your problem is a bad one,
you may be instructed to apply
what is apparently a ridiculously
large amount per square foot to
your lawn. Quantities such as 12
pounds per !,000 are not unheard
of. This being the case, split the
applications so that you are
delivering no more than 4 or 5
pounds per 1,000 at any given
time.

There is dolomite and then
there is dolomite. The very fine
material is great if you plan to
lime once per month. Better to use
a coarse grade such as 60 mesh
(argon for the size of screen it
will pass through) or 40 mesh
minimum.

If you are unable to send out
for a soil test and concerned
because of a dose of flaccid grass,
do not worry. You are safe
enough with an application of 4
pounds per 1,000 as a minimum
and can rest assured this will do
far more good than harm.

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LYNN VALLEY
LYNN VALLEY CTR.

@ Regency

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