Local Factors Determine Best Turf One of the most common ques tions I hear from leaders this time of year is 'What kind of grass should I plant in my yard?' That question is nearly impossible for me to answer because so many iuviuu)vv;niv iniw };tu). In order for you to determine which grass is best for your yard, consider the following: ?Do you enjoy working with your lawn? ?Do you have heavy traff ic in your yard (ic; children, dogs)? ?Is your yard heavily shaded? ?Do you have an inground irriga tion system? ?What soil type predominates in your yard? ?Do you have adequate drainage? The answers to these questions will help guide you in selecting a turf grass. Each species of turf grass has advantages and disadvantages. The only logical way to choose a turf grass that will function best for your yard is to understand the char acteristics of the turf grasses best to this area. The best adapted turf grasses for southeastern North Carolina coastal plains aaa all perennial warm-sea son grasses. Examples of these grasses include centipede, bcrmuda, zoysia, St. August: ic, carpel and bahia. For the average homeowner, I do not recommend any of the cool season perennial turf grasses (ie; tall or red fescues, Kentucky blue grass, bent grass, perennial rye grass) be cause of the high incidcncc of dis ease problems and drought (heat) stress during the summer months. You can grow orange trees in Alaska easier than cool-season turf grass in the sandy, coastal plains of North Carolina. THE PLANT DOCTOR C. BRUCE WILLIAMS Extension Area Turf Specialist Characteristics of Popular Warm Season Grasses Si. Augustine grass is a coarsc tc Mured grass that docs well in moist but well-drained, slightly acidic (pH 6 to 6.5) sandy soils. It is the most shade tolerant of all the warm season grasses. However, it is also one of the least cold tolerant. St. Augustine grass will require moderate fertilization to produce a beautiful deep green lawn. This grass is especially susceptible to chinchbug damage in the hot sum mer months. Routine ovcrsccding with annual rye grass is not recom mended w ith this grass. St. Augustine grass can be propa gated by seeding, plugs or sod. The best cultivar for this area is called Raleigh and must be established ci ther by plugs or sod. Centipede grass is a medium tex tured, slow-growing grass that pre fers infertile, acidic soils (pH 5.2 to 5.8). This grass will not tolerate heavy traffic and is prone to winter kill if improperly fertilized. Centipede grass produces a yel low lime-grccn turf and is generally considered to be a minimum mainte nance lawn grass. This grass is susceptible to a presently incurable insect problem Mat , una ??Mrtrrrr*- ?*? ? ? Queen And King Of Hearts Maggie Diane Sellers (left) and J erek O. Hewett were named Val entine queen and king, respectively, of the Cedar Grove Head Start Center for their outstanding donations raised for the facility. Miss Sellers, daughter of Robert and Diane Sellers, collected $207, while Hewett, son of Elandrea Janelle Hewett, raised $211.10. Other noted collectors were Matthew Ferster, Laura Lewis, Julius D. Melvin, Freddie Hankins, Danielle Humphries, Joshua Bur cham, Angie Sellers, Dennis Hewett and Jamie Pherson. JLWi WJ WVJ Vm?FA kWi MM kWi LWJ kWJ L called ground pearl. Routine ovcrsccding with annual rye grass will causc severe thinning and potential loss of the established grass. Centipede grass can be estab lished by seeding, plugs or sod. Bcuuuua gia.v> is a finc-ieMuicu, fast-growing grass that tolerates a wide range of soil types, but prefers a soil with pH 6 to 6.5. It will toler ate heavy traffic and makes an ideal groundcover for lawns, athletic fields, golf courses and high traffic commercial sites. Bermuda grass will produce a high quality turf, but requires one of the highest levels of maintenance (frequent mowing, fertilization, aeri fication, etc.). It will not tolerate shaded sites. This grass can he routinely over seeded with annual rye grass. The sterile hybrids (Tiflawn, Til way, Tifwarf, Tifgrecn and Vamont) offer the best lawn turf grass culti vars. Seeded bcrmuda grass culli vars tend to bccome invasive into flower and shrub beds. Zoysia grass is a grass in transi tion. Historically, the zoysia grasses (there arc three species and numer ous hybrids) have been thought of as high quality, high maintenance, slow-growing, somewhat shade tol erant grasses with excellent wear tolerance. However, this view is changing. Grass breeders across the country are beginning to release new culli vars of zoysia grass that break with all the traditional thinking about this grass. N.C. State University is con ducting variety trials with 24 new cultivars of zoysia grass and believe me, some of these cultivars arc ex tremely unique. However, it will be years before these grasses are ready for commer cialization. Until then, sod or plugs can be used to propagate the culti vars Emerald, Meyer or Cashmere. Seeded zoysia grasses area avail able, but are untested in this area. The zoysias are best mowed with a reel mower and can be routinely ovcrsccdcd with annual rye grass. A well-maintained zoysia grass yard is a beautiful sight (site) to behold. * * * * Gourd growers take note! One reader writes in to tell readers that the Purple Martin Conservation As sociation gives away free gourd seed for people interested in growing this plant to provide homes for purple martins. If you arc interested, send a SASE with two first-class stamps affixed to the Purple Martin Conservation Association, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, Pa. 16444. Another reader writes that the Charles G. Hart Seed Company (Wcthersfield, Conn. 06109) has an excellent selection of gourd culti vars. Send your comments and ques tions to The Plant Doctor, P.O. Box 109, Bvliviu, N.C. 28422. If request ing information or a reply, please enclose a SASE. CEDAR GROVE AREA NEWS Two Recovering From Illness HY IIARKARA T. HEWETT The Cedar Grove community has N undergone some anxious mo ments this week as its concerns were turned to two of its fa vorite citizens, Mattie Lane Hcwcu and Ethel Grissctt. Ms. Hcwcu, a HKWKTT former colum nist for the Cedar Grove area, has returned home after a stay in New Hanover Regional Medical Center. She appeais to be recovering from her illness. Ms. Grissctt is still a patient at New Hanover where she had surgery for a broken hip Feb. 23. Reaching Out Viola Gore was hostess of a Group 1 mission outreach service at tended by Christabell Bryant, Ada Fullwood, Etta Hcwcu and Hattic Chapman. They also visited the home of Josic Mae McMillan, who is shut- in at this time. Group 11 met in the home of A/alle Johnson. Those present were Pencie Grisseu, Magdclinc Johnson and Lena Johnson. They tell of an inspiring time of fellowship. Women's Union With 14 churches, Cedar Grove only gets to host the Ocean View Woman's Union once every three years. This has caused an air of fas cination and cxciiemcni to all of the citizens in the community. Even non-churchgoers can be seen riding with Willie Calvin Bryant in his pickup truck on their way to clcan the sanctuary and kitchen of the Cedar Grove Church in preparation for serving as host for the Woman's Baptist Home and Foreign Missionary Convention for worshippers from Brunswick and Columbus counties. It will begin Saturday, March 8, 9:30 a.m., with a devotion by the se nior department and greetings by President Irene Hankins. Cloxie Stanley of Pleasant Hill in Shallotte will lead the praise service, and Rose Gardner of New Mount Zion in Columbus County will give a re sponse. Ruby Bryant, secretary, will con duct a roll call and Mary Bernard of St. James in Bolivia will introduce Arabella Davis or alternate Ethcrinc Butler to discuss the iheme, "The Family of Life and Ils Ministries." The Rev. Charles Jacob will give the morning message and the Rev. Moses Herring closing remarks, with music by the mass senior choir. In charge of music arc Arvclla Marlowe and Louise Gause of Pieasant Grove in Tnomasboro; Dorothy Lcc Frink of Little Prong in Ash; and Felicia Stanley of Zion Plain in Nakina. Youth Honored The Cedar Grove Improvement Association and Missionary Depart ment have chosen Richard "Rick" Bernard, son of Samuel and Uzcna Bernard, as youth of the month. The Shallotte Middle School stu dent was choscr. for accompanying the groups in music at convalescent homes. His hobbies arc hunting and music. B I N G 0 Thursday Nights ? Doors Open 6:15 pm at Calabash VFW Post 7288 Carter R