|
Chapter 13: Maintenance
& Equipment
Scott was
beginning to get frustrated. He'd helped Bud through the
selection of grasses, seeding in his lawn, nurturing it,
watering it, and the man was doing all his maintenance with
Scott's tools. I need to present this to him in a friendly
way, Scott thought. An idea came to him.
"Hey Bud,"
Scott said the next time he saw Bud outside, "I'm going to the
hardware and tool store to look at some new equipment. Want to
come along and pick up a mower and some tools for taking care
of your lawn?"
"No, you go ahead, I'll just..." Bud's
voice trailed off as he saw a look of exasperation start to
steal over Scott's face. "Uh, actually... I'll come. Let me
get my wallet."
Once you've got your lawn in,
the expense and work doesn't end. At the very least,
you'll need a lawnmower, an edger, a weed-whacker, a shovel, a
rake, a broadcast spreader, some sort of aerator (even shoes
with spikes will do,) a sprayer bottle, and some good, thick
work gloves.
Mowing
One of the most overlooked
and misunderstood aspects of lawn maintenance is mowing. Too
often  mowing is looked at as a chore, a job that has to be
done before you can go fishing or whatever. If you really
enjoy lawn care, mowing is a very relaxing part of lawn care.
One of the biggest problems homeowners have when it
comes to mowing is cutting the grass too low, or
scalping. Each type of turfgrass has its very own
height of cut that is ideal for it to grow and be healthy.
Tall Fescue should be cut at 7 to 10 cm (2.75 to 3.9375
in.) Most people cut it way too low. Get out a measure
and set your blade at 7 cm. (2.75 in.) minimum while the mower
is sitting on a hard flat surface.
The next thing to do
is to never cut off more than one-third of the grass in one
mowing. Sometimes we will let the grass get too high
and then cut it back to where it's been cut before. This
sudden change stunts and shocks the grass. You will notice it
turning yellow after a cut like this. During the spring and
fall, tall fescue grows at its best.
During this time you may have
to cut every 5 days or so to keep up. If you do, the grass
will look better all the time. It will be healthier and
thicker. Frequent cutting encourages the tillering of fescue.
Or it makes it spread out a little more. Fescue does not
spread laterally on the ground li
|
Helpful Hints
Make sure you change directions each time you mow –
your grass will be healthier for
it. | ke
bermudagrass, but rather, each grass blade branches (tillers)
out to cover a wider area. As a result, the fescue gets wider
and thicker.
Bermudagrass can be cut much
lower than fescue. It has a preferred height of cut of about 2
to 5 cm (0.75 to 2.00 in.) Mostly it depends on how smooth
your lawn is. If you have humps and dips in your lawn, you
won't be able to cut so low. Bermudagrass is used extensively
on golf courses and is routinely cut as low as 1 cm (0.375
in.) You must have a perfectly smooth lawn to be able to cut
this low without chucking some dirt. Bermudagrass spreads
rapidly, covering up wounded areas. It is very vigorous in
resistance to fungus and other problems. Properly maintained,
you can't beat it in the summer. The major drawback is its
dormant color in the fall and the winter.
Recycle When You
Mow
 Do your part for the environment by
recycling when you mow. Grasscycling — leaving grass
clippings on the lawn — saves time and landfill space,
and nurtures the soil, according to the Professional Lawn Care
Association of America. "Yard waste bans are in place in many
areas of the country," says Michael Gaffney, PLCAA's technical
resource specialist. "Grasscycling is an alternative to
dumping and bagging and enriches the soil for a healthier
lawn."
Grass clippings are 85% water and return 20% of
their nitrogen to the soil to feed the lawn's root system.
They decompose rapidly and return nutrients to the soil with
no thatch buildup. Grasscycling can be practiced year-round
with most mowers.
When you mow, follow the one-third
rule: mow often enough to cut only one-third of the grass
plant in any one mowing. Cut the grass when dry and keep the
lawn mower blade sharpened.
Before
Grasscycling or practicing any lawn care activity, safety
should always be your first concern. Follow these
basic safety steps: read all operating instructions; keep
equipment well-maintained; dress properly for the job (sturdy
shoes, long pants, no loose jewelry); store gas in an approved
container, away from the house; clean up and clear the area
before you start; keep hands and feet away from moving parts;
never take passengers; and turn off the engine and remove the
key when leaving equipment unattended.
|
|