Mowing Height
We are currently mowing at 3.25" for this spring. Most turf in our area is fescue, which prefers to be mowed higher than most grasses. Mowing higher will also assist in weed prevention and drought tolerence.
Irrigation Reminder
Please do not water on your mow day or the day after in case of rain. This will help us stay on schedule and keep your lawn looking thick and lush. If you have any questions about your mow day or need help setting your clock, please call the office, we can assist you.
Leaf Cleanups begin 10/31
We will begin leaf cleanups on all properties on Halloween. The first cleanup will involve removing all leaves from turf areas and hard surfaces. The second and final scheduled cleanup will involve removing all leaves from turf and hard surfaces in addition to removing all leaves from bedding areas. Please call the office to schedule this service.
Weekly Mowing has begun!
Now that our week of rain is past us, we've begun our weekly mowing routes. Typically, we begin our mowing season the first week of April, but this year is anything but typical. For those we don't mow, we recommend mowing as soon as possible. The grass may not look that tall, but it is very thick right now and will create a mess if not mowed soon. Warmer weather and sunshine is on the way, so next week it will really take off!
How to mow your yard. A rebuttal of a Consumer Reports Article
This article was posted by Rodney State John via the Kansas State University turfgrass blog-
Blade Sharpening
If you mow your own lawn make sure you are keeping those blades sharp on the mower. Here at Aspen we sharpen every night, it has happened that we change out blades half-way through the day to insure a good clean cut. Here is a picture that might help you determine if you need your blade or blades sharpened.
Mowing Schedule After Seeding
A lot of customers are calling in asking why the mowers skipped them this week. We actually recommend skipping the weekly mowing after a fall renovation. The seed is still very fragile and cannot handle the machines running over it. Usually the grass has not germinated by this time anyways, so it is not always needed. If you are doing a complete overhaul of the lawn with a full renovation, you might have to skip mowing even longer.
Mowing high prevents weeds!
Mowing is one of the cultural practices that has the greatest effect on weed infestation. When mowing the grass too low, it becomes less competitive and weeds especially adapted to low mowing heights will increase. This is the case with a grassy weed like crabgrass, which is more of a problem in lawns that are mowed short.
Safe Mowing tips
The center for Childhood safety offers these tips for safe lawn mowing:
In the spirit of Mowing season!
Make sure to sharpen your blades before the first mowing- Dull blades cause "tearing" of the blade which causes the tips to have a brown discoloration. In addition, it is not healthy for the plant. Ensure that used blades are free of cracks, nicks or bends before using them.
2 1/2-3" Mow height (1st mowing only)- This will remove the old tips and encourage new growth resulting in better vigor and appearance. Height should be moved to 3-3 1/2" for subsequent mowing(s).