24 - Friday, May 26, 1989 - North Shore News

40 TIPS

Safely beautify lawn

DESPITE SOME predicticns, damage caused by drought will not make lawns and fawn mowing things of the past.

Data recently released by En- vironment Canada indicates that last summer’s drought is easing in the northern and southernmost areas of the prairie provinces while eastern Ontario and all of Quebec are experiencing normal soil moisture levels.

What does this mean for home- owners? It means they'll be faced with lush green lawns this spring and summer, What follows are mowing tips from Dr. James Wat- son, chief agronomist for an in- dependent manufacturer and mar- ketez of outdoor power and irriga- tion equipment.

3) Set the mower a notch lower

permits light and beat to speed

grass growth.

2) Alter the fisst mowing, rater ‘the mower to the preferred beight-of-cut for your Ken- tucky bluegrass, fine-feaved tescues and perennial ryegrasses should not be mowed lower than 2.5 te 4m.

Duriag periods of high temperatures cr reduced precipita-

on the species of grass and time of year some lawns may require fire- quent cutting. For example, in the spring, Kentucky bluegrass may need to be mowed every three or four days.

3) Remove no more than oze- third of the izaf surface during say ore cutting. Cutting more than one-third of the leaf surface in any one cutting reduces its ability to “photosynthesize” (manufacture the food necessary for the growth process).

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Grass grows from its base, not its tip. Growing points are located at the crown, the soil surface line between the roots and leaf, rather than at the tips of the blade or stem. Mowing does not harm the plant, as long as no more than one-third of the surface is remov-

4) Meiutaia a consistent mowing schedule. Allowing the grass to grow tco high can cause clipping accumulation. A layer of clippings can smother the grass and create an environment favorable to disease organisms and insects.

If the grass gets too long, you May want to mow twice. mow at a higher cut, let the clippings dry for a few hours and then mow at the normal height-of-cut for

your region. This will disperse the clippings, and on thin turf, will terve as a mulch which conserves moisture.

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6 Choose 2 good time of day to mow. Avoid mowing during early morning hours when there is a heavy dew on the grass. Dry grass cuts easier, appears better groomed and requires less mowing time. If you must mow when the dew re- mains, you can partially dissipate it with a light spriakling, or by dragging a garden hose or rope over the turf surface.

T) To ensare the best cut, make sare the mower blade is sharp. Dull blades or improperly adjusted cutting heights can damage the turf. Leaf tips will become frayed, tum gray, then brown. Brown, mutilated tips provide ready access for disease-producing organisms.

You may want to choose a mower with snhanced vacuuming power that lifts grass blades straight up before cutting.

> For esthetic parpcses, alter

patterns with each mowing. For example, cut in an east/west direction once, then a north/south direction the next time and diag- onally the next. This strategy pro- duces a “‘patterned effect’? which enhances turf appearance and sids in grooming.

_ 9) Wear proger clothing while mowiag. To ensure your own safe- ty, wear long pants that will shield your bare skin. You should avoid loose clothing or dangling jewelry that can snag on mower controls. Also, wear sturdy, non-slip shoes that provide good traction and protection.

10) Properly maintain your lewmmowey. To save yourself from the headache of a mower that won’t run when you want it to, take steps to properly maintain your mower. Always use fresh gasoline and thoroughly clean the underside of the deck and external engine components after each mowing.

On a periodic basis, clean the air filter, service the spark plug, change the oil and lubricate and grease all mower parts.

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