HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-04-16, Page 34N. 'T.1Ag
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Proper mowingpan help
"No single cutural practice has ruined
more lawns than improper mowing techni-
ques," says Turf Researcher Nancy Pierce
of the University of Guelph's horticultural
science department. -
In Canada, most lawns are a mixture of
Kentucky bluegrass and red fescue.
The recommended mowing height for
these grasses is between four centimetres
and five cm.
The best time to mow is when the grass is
one-third taller than its recommended mow-
ing height.
",So, if you want to keep your lawn at the
recommended five cm, mow when the grass
has reached eight cm in height," she says.
During the month of June, your lawn will
be growing quickly so you may have to mow
twice a week.
Avoid mowing your lawn closer than the
recommended height — especially in early
spring.
This results in a shallow root system that.
will weaken the grass for the entire growing'
season and will force you to water and fer-
tilize the grass more often.
"It is best to wait until the grass reaches a,
height of seven cm to eight cm before mow-
ing the first time this spring — no matter
how tantalizing that fresh cut smell of your
neighbor's lawn becomes," she says.
It is also important to mow the grass when
it is dry --- otherwise, you mow unevenly and
the clippings tend to clump, suffocating the
new tender grass blades underneath.
The moistness of the grass could also play
a part in the spread of disease.
Alternating the direction in which you
mow, especially during the spring when
growth is at a maximum, encourages the
grass plants to grow upright and reduces
wear patterns.
If your lawn is subjected to shade, in-
crease your mowing height by about 1.5 cm
in the late spring, when the tree canopies
are fully developed.
During hot summer months, the grass
grows much slower, so you won't have to
u uow;the grass as often.
ay raising the height of the cut by about
one em.you.,ean help shade the•lower shoots
and the sell surface. .. •
When the cooler weather arrives in the
fail,. lower •the blade .of the mower again to
four em to five cm.
Sod can be put down anytime
Question: I just built a new house and
would like to put in a sod lawn. Is it O.K. to
do it right away?
Answer: Assuming that you won't try to
put your sod lawn in during a blizzard, tor-
nado or hurricane, you can install a sod
lawn almost any time of year. For cool -
season grasses, however, late summer or
early fall provide ideal growing conditions.
The peak time for warm -season grasses is
late spring and early summer.
LEAVE CLIPPINGS -- If you leave grass clippings on the
ground after mowing, then your fertilizer requirements will
be about one-third less than a similar lawn where the clipp-
ings were regularly removed, says Turf Researcher Nancy
Pierce of the University of Guelph's horticultural science
department. (photo by the Ontario Ministry yaf Agriculture
and Food).
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