LOW iv MA INTENANCE Secret to a good lawn is small amount of work THERE ARE few things in the landscape that can turn heads the way a healthy, well-manicured lawn cai. A clean sweep of grass framed by tidy flower or shrub beds de- tmands the viewer’s attention; and the attention of the would-be owner of this dream lawn. 1 often hear requests for ‘low maintenance! gardens that, specifically exclude grass. The thinking here is that it is*casier to get on your hands and knees to pull weeds than to. fire up ‘Old Betsy’ and mow the lawn. Some- how. the logic escapes me. lawn and very few, if any pro- , blems. Of course this is only truce if you have a good lawn to start 'with. If your lawn was planted improperly or has developed problems since its installation, you will have ta go back to square one. over the garden gate ees | ‘Sersonally ‘feel: this to be a’. mistake. - There are. very’. few -,. lawnless gardens that find truly ‘attractive. °°. > Think’ of a: tiving. room: “with _ noifiing, but furniture, wail to wall... . ” No” carpet, not even ‘any open “ floor, just furniture. ° This is how:1 - -" view: most landscapes that do not” include at least some grass. “Let’s look more:closely. at: the grass. regards; 46. success than an aversion he small amount of work ‘that a gs lawn needs.:...‘*it. just never <_-¢seems to want to'grow for me’, is ‘@ phrase I hear all too. often. “As I have. ‘suggested i in aa am aan articles, the'secret to having a good ® . Jawn is small amounts of work‘on a ‘regular basis. If:the'lawn is ‘cut, ~ fed,’ limed and watered regularly, | : the rewards : _ will : be lush,’ green “ Geolf Tobiasson, This article will. deal with that. first: square,- the installation [of a new ,Jawn. If. yours to rip it out and start over. ("|"), First question: where can ‘ plant “it? Although certain varieties of “grass will tolerate some shade, you “will be more successf ul if you grow "it in full sun. ¢ ’ survive shady, damp | locations, but rationale behind this elimination of. ‘L sce ‘more ‘apprehension as: ‘tion: drainage. Poa ‘trivialis may extra care will be need “This leads to the next ‘considera- ~ Grass requires moist soil that drains well. Vf you have an area that" is per- petually wet, the Jawn will. never, do well; you ‘must. solve this pro- blem first. The solution may be as . simple as blending sand into your , ‘soil. mix ‘or ‘as complex :as major Whatever the) answer, drainage.: proper drainage is imperative. ©” “Ifyou need to bring in topsoil, ob. hd in. ft. . BULK SALE 1%, ft ., {covers over 500 fin: fh) is an ir-, . ‘reparable, old lawn, hire a! ‘bobcat don’t be too eager to use the “best’’ product available under the lawn. Heavy soils ‘that are rich in organic material (usually peat moss in the commercial mixes) are more difficult to work with when wet and will not drain as well. You will be better of f if you use a standard screened topsoil that has as litle sawdust filler as possi- ble. Sawdust will strip’ the Nutrients out of the soil as it rots, therchy starving the grass. {f your site has’ a poor clay o7 sand subsoil base, you may be wise to blend the better quality peat mix ‘soils on with a roto-tiller. Four to six inches of peat moss worked into 10 to 12 inches of subsoil should do the trick. Kt is extremely | important. to develop a level sub-grade before . you lay down fresh topsoil. if the sub-grade is not level, you risk! an uneven lawn because four inches of topsoil . will settle tess than eight inches. - inorder | to forestall ‘drainage ."problems, plan™. for finished grades that will channel, the water in useful directions. ° ; The’ finished grade ‘should flow: away, from : the. house, retaining ~ walls, ¢tc:, at arate of at feast one _ Quarter inch per.foot. If you have nowhere. for ‘the ; . Tunoff to go, sink a large hole in ground (five feet square, three feet deep), fill it with sand and lay four” inches of topsoil over it. . Once the topsoil i is in place anda ‘rough grade is established, apply - ‘the recommended amount of :a . goad quality turf starter. ference, both will pre-fertilize... Rake out your soil to the finish- ed grade, pass over it with a roller and rake it out again. Repeat this : See Watering" 677896" ond 77x96" 8.99 BULK SALE 6.49 {bundles of 30) nese, Halston, tron & Manion , ea 2 Ai Cloos future ; Whether . you seed or. sod makes little, dif-: establish’ “themselves at a faster. rate if you 21 - Friday, April 22, 1988 - North Shore News LIFESTYLI'S CAPILANO. RUGBY Club ‘members Gerard Hanlon, eft, and Shane Cable have been seiliag: 20-3-4 lawn fertilizer atong with their team- mates to raise moncy to upgrade their field and clubhouse at Kinhaale Park. The $18, 18-kilo bags can ordered Ms, calling 980-3322 from 9 a.m. to9p.m. ~ - | GRAND OPENING | After 81 years of serving our North Shore customers from Vancouver we've bridged the gap with a brand new store on Marine Drive in North ‘Vancouver. During our: grand: ‘opening sale, we shave special prices on. wool and synthetic. carpets from some of the world’s finest mills. ‘Drop | bi soon and we're. ‘sure you'll love our carpets, our easy parking, and ¢ our lack of bridges.