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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Lynn Wigglesworth wrote:
> I did some more reading, and the curved snath is usually heavier (my
> old curved one certainly is), and didn't seem to have any other
> advantage.

Seems like I recall a discussion here that curved was better-can't
remember why tho...perhaps we can revive this topic?

> Lawns need to be mowed from early May to September/October.  Lawns
> here are bluegrass, and that grows better during cool weather. Right
> now my neighbor mows his lawn continuously (he has 10 acres of lawn)
> to keep it looking perfect. Every day he's out there mowing one
> section or another.

Lawns here are a mix, depending on sun or shade, old or new.  A lot of
new houses are getting Bermuda sod.  Really expensive new houses are
getting zoysia sod.  Most folks, with a mix of sun and shade, grow a
mixed lawn of weeds, red fescue,(lots of types of fescue in the mix)
bluegrass, wild Bermuda, etc.  The fescue types mostly grow early and
late in the season, cuz, like you say, they like it cooler, and the
bermudas grow wild in the heat of summer.  I have longed for a zoysia
front 'yard'-if you gotta have grass...It doesn't needed to be mowed
that much, (my folks had a zoysia lawn-they cut the grass about once
every two-three weeks instead of every three or four days in the summer)
It is expensive tho...it does, however, plug and spread well in case
anyone is wondering.  I can't remember how much he bought originally,
but it came in squares that we cut into 2" plugs and stuck them in their
existing fescue grass.  Spacing was about 15" apart, and it took about 3
years to cover the 1/2 acre of their lot.  Of course, it was lush and
beautiful, crowded out weeded, and felt like carpet under your feet.  I
love the stuff.

> I just cut my first cutting of hay. Real hay fields won't be cut for
> another couple of weeks, but I needed to clear certain areas. We can
> sometimes get three cuttings of hay if the weather works out; early
> June, August, and maybe one in October.

That's about right for here, too.  I start seeing hay cut around the
last week of May(haven't seen one this year yet, but I know one nearby
pasture is scheduled to be cut next week).  We usually get three even in
drought.  I can't remember a two cuttings year.  What suffers in
droughty years is the quality.

As to my mowing dilemma the other day, after I almost ripped my shoulder
out trying to start the damned thing, calling and striking out with
three different people to try to get some help, my best friend just
happened to drive up.  She walked out there, pulled the cord, and the
MFT(dirty word acronym<g>) started on the first pull.  I guess I primed
it well.
At least I got everything mowed before the rain started again.  Even
better, that evening, we went around the yard and eliminated mowing
obstacles like half rotten stumps and vertical post like RR ties that
had been used for old fencing and muscadines.  We dug, axed, and pulled
up with a come-along seven obstacles just behind the house, a job that
we should have done years ago.  It is hard enough to deal with terrain
and slopes on a riding mower when there are no obstacles, but if you are
dodging stumps, too, then you are flirting with danger.  No mas, and
mowing back there just got a whole lot easier.  We celebrated with a
nice campfire.  You know that is one of the perks from living in the
country...you can have a campfire whenever you choose, as long as you
are safe with it.  There's something magical, primeval about
campfires-very relaxing.


--
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public
debt  should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered
and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed
lest Rome become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work, instead of
living on public assistance."

--Cicero, 55 BC
http://erthnsky.blogspot.com/