Archer County News (Archer City, Tex.), No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 25, 2004 Page: 4 of 6
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Page Four - The Archer County News - Thursday, March 25,2004
IP- Texas Cooperative
t EXTENSION
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The Texas A&M University System
by Travis B. Ball CEA-Ag.
FERTILIZING YOUR LAWN
With the recent rains and warm
weather that Archer County has been
graced with over the last couple of
weeks, many homeowners are now
thinking of their lawns. Lawn qual-
ity is generally measured in terms of
color, density, and uniformity. Cul-
tural practices, particularly fertiliza-
tion and watering, largely determine
lawn quality. A fertilization program
should include timely applications
of fertilizers in amounts and formu-
lations that meet the requirements of
your lawn. Excessive applications of
nitrogen simulate the production of
leaves and stems, increasing the
mowing and water requirements of
the lawn. As well, increasing the
thatch and potential for insect and
disease infection. Poor timing of fer-
tilizer applications, such as late win-
ter and mid-summer, increases the
likelihood if winterkill and insect
and disease problems in lawns.
The amount and formulation of
fertilizer to apply depends on soil
test results, grass species, environ-
mental conditions and mowing prac-
tices.
Soil tests provide information on
the availability of major fertilizer
nutrients. Soil types and usage deter-
mine the amount of available nutri-
ents within the soil. These nutrients
must be balanced to grow a lush,
green lawn.
Grass species differ in fertilizer
requirements in the following order:
Total Nitrogen required
(lbs/ 1,000 sq. ft./ year)
Grass Variety
4- 5 Hybrid bermudagrass (Tifway,
Tifgreen, Tifdwarf)
3 Common bermudagrass;
Zoysiagrass
St. Augustine; Tall fescue
1-2 Centipedegrass
0-1 Carpetgrass
Environmental conditions such as
shade, soil type and rainfall also in-
fluence fertilization. Moderately to
heavily shaded areas should not be
fertilized as much as grass growing
in full sun. St. Augustine growing in
moderate to heavy shade should be
fertilized in the fall only at a low rate.
Turfgrasses grown in sandy soils re-
quire more frequent applications of a
nitrogen source than those lawns
grown in heavy soils. And, lawns in
areas subject to high rainfall or fre-
quent watering should be treated with
a slow-release fertilizer to reduce
leaching away of the nutrients.
Mowing practices, as regular re-
moval of grass clippings, also influ-
ence fertilizer rates. Grass clippings
contain 3 to 4 percent nitrogen on a
dry weight basis and all other nutri-
ents that are needed for the grass to
grow, if recycled through the soil.
Regular removal of grass clipping
will make at least one additional
fertilizer application necessary each
year.
Timing, distribution, and rate of
application are important consider-
ations in a lawn fertilization pro-
gram. Timing the applications to
correspond to the requirements of
the grass can reduce many problems.
In Archer County, the best time to
fertilize our lawns is in March-April,
and September-October, with a
supplemental applications in June.
The first application of fertilizer
should be made after the second or
third mowing to use up all residual
nitrogen in the soil. If a soil test is not
done, than a fertilizer with a 3 -1 -2 or
4-1 -2 ratio should be applied at a rate
of 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000
square feet.
Lawns may require periodic appli-
cations of iron sulfate or iron chelate
to prevent iron chlorosis (which is
the yellowing of the leaf between the
veins or in more severe case the
entire leaf). In soils with a high pH
value (7.0 or higher) or heavy clay
soils iron may need to be added, in a
foliar application at a rate of 6 to 8
ounces of iron sulfate per 1,000
square feet to eliminate the symp-
toms.
The uniform distribution of fertil-
izer with either a broadcast or drop-
type seeder is essential to prevent
light streaks or missed areas on the
lawn. For better distribution, divide
the application of fertilizer into two
equal lots and apply one lengthwise
across the lawn and the other cross
wise over the lawn.
Fertilizer is sold in a N-P-K for-
mat. The first number (N) is the per-
cent nitrogen content of the fertilizer.
An 8-0-0 fertilizer would contain 8
percent nitrogen, which is used for
the formation of protein within the
plant. The second number (P) is the
percent of phosphorus. A12-6-K fer-
tilizer would contain 6 percent phos-
phorus and 12 percent nitrogen. Ad-
equate P fertilization will enhance
root development and decease the
amount of water the plant needs. The
third number (K) is the percent potas-
sium within the fertilizer. So a 6-10-
4 fertilizer will contain 6% nitrogen,
10% phosphorus and 4% potassium.
Potassium aids in disease, cold, in-
sects and drought resistance of the
plant. A proper balance of nutrients is
needed to develop a healthy and green
lawn.
Proper analyzes of the soil and the
correct application of fertilizers is
needed to grow a green, dense and
uniform lawn. If you have any ques-
tions with your lawn fertilization,
please come by the Extension office
or call us at 574-4914.
by Kathryn Carnes, Archer County
Extension Agent-Family and Con-
sumer Sciences
SPRING CLEANING—TIPS
FOR A HOME SWEET HOME
Spring is just around the comer.
From a recent newsletter Cleaning
Matters from the Soap and Deter-
gent Association I would like to share
some easy practical tips and trends
for clean ideas around the home.
1. Ditch the dirt. Get rid of dirt and
odors by laundering the clothes us-
ing your favorite detergent.
2. Freshen beds. To add freshness
to your bedding, place scented dryer
sheets into unsealed envelopes. Then
fold t hem into the sheet before stor-
age. This will make linen closets
.smell Spring fresh also. It is impor-
tant to note that regular laundering
of pillows removes many dust mites
and their allergens. When you wash
pillows, wash two pillows at a time,
agitating only one to two minutes on
a gentle cycle. Dry pillows in the
dryer. During the drying cycle, peri-
odically take them out and fluff them
to prevent clumping and to promote
even drying.
3. Toss and clean. Throw away old
food and ice in the refrigerator and
freezer. Along with spills, they can
cause odors. Clean your refrigerator
and freezer regularly using non-abra-
sive, all-purpose cleaner.
4. Sunny windows. For sunshine-
ready window, clean them with an
all-purpose glass cleaner. Launder
or dry clean the window treatments.
Or, you can give them a good vacu-
uming. The apply a fabric refresher
to remove odors. First, test product
on an inconspicuous spot to make
sure it’s safe for the fabric.
5. Scent of spring. Bring the scent
of spring into the house. Choose
cleaning products with soothing fra-
grances. Choose from lemon, orange,
eucalyptus, rosemary, and more!
Use scented candles, air freshen-
ers, or potpourri in room that attract
the most odors, such as kitchens and
bathrooms.
For more information contact
Kathryn Carnes, County Extension
Agent-FCS, P. O. Box 580, Archer
City, TX 76351. 940-574-4914.
Trojanette
track results
The Windthorst Trojanettes com-
peted in the Chico Dragon Relays
Saturday, March 20. The 11 mem-
bers team placed 4th with a total of
60 points. Individual results are as
follows:
400 Relay: 2nd Place - Teichman,
Steinberger, Schreiber,
Veitenheimer, 54.06
100 Hurdles: 5th Place - Teichman,
17.45
800M: 5th Place - Schroeder, 2:35
100M: 6th Place - Steinberger,
13:73
800 Relax: 3rd Place - Schreiber,
Wolf, Schroeder, Veitenheimer, 1:56
1600 Relay: 4th Place - Schreiber,
Schroeder, Berend, Veitenheimer,
4:37
Discus: 3rd Place - Veitenheimer,
95'11
Shot Put: 3rd Place - Teichman,
28'H; 4th Place - Schroeder, 28'1;
5th Place - Veitenheimer, 277
High Jump: 4th Place - Schroeder,
4'8; 6th Place - Wolf, 4'6
Ladycat
monument
Donations are now being accepted
for the purchase of a monument for
the Ladycat Basketball State Cham-
pions. Donations may be mailed to
ACISD, Ladycat Monument Fund,
P.O. Box 926, Archer City, Texas
76351. Make checks payable to
ACISD.
FINANCIAL FOCUS
by Grady R. Schenk, Jr.
Here's What You Should Know
About Dividends
Up until last year, the topic of stock
dividends may not have always en-
thralled investors. But when the new
tax laws were enacted, a lot of people
started thinking about dividends -
and maybe you should, too.
Thanks to the tax legislation divi-
dends are now being taxed at a maxi-
mum rate of 15 percent (The new
rate was effective Jan. 1, 2003, and
expires on Dec. 31, 2008). Previ-
ously, dividends were taxed at your
individual income tax rate. As a re-
sult, companies are issuing more
dividends - and some companies that
never paid dividends before are not
starting to do just that.
Of course, some investors have al-
ways known about the value of in-
vesting in companies that have a his-
tory of paying dividends - and that
have increased their dividends over
time. Typically, these companies are
well run, with a strong interest in re-
warding their investors. Further-
more, in addition to paying divi-
dends, many of these stocks offer
growth potential.
So, now that dividends are more
tax-friendly, you have even more
reason to learn more about them. For
starters, dividends can be paid in
various forms, but there are two ma-
jor categories: cash and stock. Cash
dividends are the most popular; they
are typically paid to stockholders out
of the corporation's current earnings
or accumulated profits.
For example, suppose you own
100 shares of the fictitious ABC, Inc.
Thanks to shrewd management and
Phillips named
to Dean's List
v1 H
^ * ill
I!l
V
Trent Phillips was named to the
Texas A&M University Dean's
Honor Roll for the 2003 Fall Se-
mester. Trent graduated from
Henrietta High School in May
2003. He is the son of Leonard &
Kandace Phillips of Bluegrove. His
grandmothers are Dorothy Davis of
Archer City and Dorothy Phillips
of Bluegrove.
WEATHER
March 15,2004 - March 21,2004
Hi
Lo Prec.
Hi
Lo
Monday
67
40
Thursday
86
50
Tuesday
70
41
Friday
85
63
Wednesday
85
50
Saturday
86
53
Sunday
66
44
innovative marketing techniques,
ABC has experienced continual
growth, and, as a result, the company
declares an annual dividend of $4 a
share. You will then earn $400 a year,
or $100 paid every quarter. But what
if you don't need the income? De-
pending on where your shares are
held, you may be able to automati-
cally reinvest the dividends back into
the company, thereby, purchasing
more shares.
If ABC, Inc. wants to pay a divi-
dend, but doesn't have the necessary
cash for all its shareholders, it could
issue stock dividends. So, if ABC is-
sues a dividend of 0.05 new shares
for every existing share, you will re-
ceive live shares for every 100 shares
that you own. Generally, stock divi-
dends are tax-free, although you may
incur taxes if you sell the shares.
A dividend's key dates
As an owner of a stock that pays
dividends, you will want to become
familiar with some key dates:
* Declaration date - On this date,
the board of directors announces to
shareholders - and the market as a
whole - that the company will pay a
dividend.
* Ex-date (Ex-dividend date) - On
or after this date, the stock trades
without its dividend. If you bought a
dividend-paying stock one day before
the ex-dividend, you still get the divi-
dend; if you buy on the ex-dividend
date, you won't. Alternately, if you
want to sell a stock, but still receive
a declared dividend, you'll have to
sell on or after the ex-dividend date.
* Date of record - On this date, the
company looks at its records to iden-
tify its shareholders. If you're an in-
vestor, you must be listed as a
"holder of record" to guarantee the
right of a dividend payout.
* Date of payment - Here's when
the company mails out the dividend
to the holder of record. The date of
payment is generally a week or more
after the date of record.
At first glance, you might think
that you can make a nice profit by
buying stock just before the ex-divi-
dend date. But it's not that simple.
You aren't the only one who knows
when the dividend will be paid - ev-
eryone know about it. And because
"the market" sees a dividend payout
as a giveaway of profits, it will "pun-
ish" the company by lowering its
stock price by about the same
amount of the dividend on the ex-
dividend date. In other words, for-
get about those instant gains com-
ing from "well-timed" investments.
Also, keep in mind that stocks are
subject to market risks, including the
potential loss of principal invested;
furthermore, stocks are not fixed-rate
investments and may not even dis-
tribute dividends.
Still, don't forget about dividends.
When you buy high-quality, divi-
dend-paying stocks, and place them
in a well-diversified portfolio, you
can help yourself make progress to-
ward your important long-term
goals.
Tax-Deferred Annuities • IRAs • Rollovers
0
Our Rates Are
GUARANTEED
pen a new Tax-Deferred Annuity or IRA and we'll guarantee you'll
earn the current interest rate forone full
year.
If that doesn't grab your attention, we'll pay
you an additional 1% bonus just for opening the
annuity.
Interest rates may change after the first
year, but will never fall below 3.25%.
3.50%*
+
1.00%
=
4.50%
Ray Lindemann, FIC
940-423-6495
CATHOLldllFE INSURANCE
•Based on MPlusM contracts. Rates vary by contract & are accrued by date of publication
Does not apply to 5-Year Preferred Annuity or Immediate Annuity Contract. 1/04
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Thank You, Fans!!
On behalf of the 2004 Ladycat State Champions, we wish to
thank all of our super fans for following us on our road to
Austin. We could have never done as well as we did without all
of you there! It Is awesome to see your fans double, if not
triple the amount of the opposing teams' fans.
Thanks for all of the hospitality and the motivational
speakers. Vail were great! Thanks for all the words of en-
couragement from everyone In the town. Also, thank you for
all the great signs that were made and the window painting of
local businesses. A great big thank you to Mr. Phillips and
Ryan Phillips for the broadcast and newspaper articles.
The welcome home celebration was awesome! Thanks so
much to all of you for that. The 2004 seniors truly lived out a
dream "State Champions" and say farewell. The rest of your
Lady cats will be back next year, looking forward to another
great season.
Thank You,
2004 Ladycat State Champions
\\
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Lewis, Shelley. Archer County News (Archer City, Tex.), No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 25, 2004, newspaper, March 25, 2004; Archer City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth993987/m1/4/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Archer Public Library.