SHRUB BEDS: .

IPM/A -14-

Follow this cultivation procedure with application of grass seed at 11 times the recommended rate. Fertilize with nitrogen and phosphorous in approximately even amounts. Apply a top-dressing and keep evenly moist till grasses germinate. Some weeds may germinate and grow along with the grasses. However, if grass is mowed “high”, and watered properly, most of these weeds will disappear within a month.or two after renovation.

An alternative “spot-renovation” method is to aerate a section of weedy turf, wait two weeks, and aerate again. Follow thé first aeration with application of composted manure or sludge. Overseed following the second aera- tion and drag the seeded area. Keep evenly moist till grass is established. This type of renovation should be done in early fall or spring when scil moisture js plen- tiful..and soil temperatures are stil] warm enough to permit germination of grass seed.

Many shrub beds are planted with upright-growing shrubs and trees spaced 3 to 6 feet anart. This planting prac- tice leaves large areas of bar: (or bark-covered) earth

available for colonization by weeds. While mulch can

reduce or eliminate weed growth, the bark mulch currently utilized by the city is not large or dense enough in particle size, nor is it applied deeply enough to achieve significant weed control. For

“{mproved weed contro? in shrub beds with minimum use of

herbicides, the following tactics are recommended: