Get Off My Lawn
The American Lawn. Our homegrown “cash crop.” Not so much that we sell it for cash but that we spend our hard earned money to have and maintain it. We’ve been handed down this desire for lawns through the ages from the nobility who would maintain large open areas around the castles so that archers could have a clear shot at would be attackers. In our ongoing emulation of the nobility at some point we as Americans decided this was a fine show of prosperity. We got rid of the majority of victory gardens and self sustaining mini farms and opted for a vast expanse of … turf. Now, don’t get me wrong. A nice lawn can be a great place to entertain and spend time with the kids throwing the ole ball around but be prepared for blood, sweat, cash and tears. Not your yard you say? Fair enough.
Some people are blessed with a lawn they rarely touch other than mowing and yes, it can be done. Ironically I find some of the biggest spenders have the most problems. My opinion? If you need the lawn for entertainment etc and you’re not fighting nature to keep it then why not. I would like to address the biggest destroyer of lawns and it’s not what you think. It’s not insects, fungus, etc. It usually is…….Drumroll…. improper mowing.
Remember the clip of poor Nancy Kerrigan holding her knee crying and shaking her head saying, “Why? Why?” Well, that’s how I felt at the end of the last 2 large irrigation projects after doing major renovations to existing systems only to watch the lawn maintenance, (this is not landscaping,) person show up and shave the lawn down way too low. First there was the routine of him blowing all the loose dirt away with a backpack blower in areas that had a few leaves. Without the loose soil these areas will almost never develop. “But Charlie!,” you say. “I cut it real low so I don’t have to mow it as often…” That’s not the way it works folks. If you stress the lawn out then weeds will fill in those gaps and you’ll be up to your ears in nut sedge, sand spurs and other tough, invasive plants.
Many lawn maintenance people never change the height of the mower regardless of the many different lawns they do each day. Imagine a farmer planting rows of corn and just before he starts to get ears of corn he comes and cuts it down way too early to harvest anything. This is essentially the same of cutting your lawn at the wrong height. St. Augustine, Centipede, and many other turf types have cutting height requirements that a simple internet search can reveal to you. Make sure you or your lawn service has the height of the mowing deck to your needs. I also hear a lot of, “I know my guy is mowing wrong but he’s cheaper than most.” Well, how much money are you saving if you have to replace grass or use chemical treatments to supplement bad technique? As an irrigation proficient person I can tell you honestly that a properly mowed lawn rarely needs watering. The roots go as deep as the blades of grass.
Anyway, hope this helps. If you’re not using a lawn for entertainment or anything then why not settle for some nice trees and shade plants to keep your costs down? Go ahead and get rid of your castle’s archers while you’re at it. Aloha and Good luck!
Charlie Stonecypher is the owner of Suncoast Irrigation and Landscaping. They specialize in products that work smart without wasting resources. Contact him at (843) 327-8642 or email suncoastirrigation@gmail.com.
