Mower height

[CycloneErik]

People who trim only the lower branches (and on larger trees I mean up 30+ feet).

So when it's done ... it looks like a stick with a top, not a tree. A tootsie pop, if you will.

How many bites to get to the middle?

[capitalcityguy]

I live in Iowa and most places in Iowa have lawns, I wasn't going to move to AZ just because I'm not into yardscaping. Actually my neighbors don't mind, they are like me and aren't petty about something so trivial. Definatley not lazy just have better things to do with my time and money than waste it on a lawn.

Exactly...which is why I live in a townhome. I actually like doing lawn work, but have better things to do with my time. You don't need to move to AZ to not have to maintain a lawn.

[bugs4cy]

Mulching trees...

I have the mind-numbing job of going out to look at trees thanks to trouble-calls from people who think they have EAB, etc.. Over 50% of the trees I end up inspecting, are dying from home owner stupidity. Mulch volcanos, planting depth issues and weed whippers are prevalent.

Mulch volcano - people think that a little much is a good thing, so a huge pile must be a great thing. Don't pile mulch up the trunk of the tree!

Planting depth - When you plant a tree, you should see the flare at the base of the trunk. Don't bury it! Sure, the tree my grow for a few year but it will become distressed and then you'll have a half-grown tree that is really close to being the nice shade tree you wanted, annnnnd then it will croak.

Topping - At least once a year I will see a truck from a tree care company, that has a big advertisement on it about topping - "Call us for your topping needs!" And, each time I nearly black out.

'Lead poisoning', or at least that's what I call it. Don't weed whip around the trunk of your trees, or ram your lawnmower into them. I live by a park that has a bunch of half grown trees and they've all dying from the lawn guy whipping the living daylights out of the base of every one of them. It makes me sad.

And of course, I run into things like trees planted years ago but the wire basket around the roots was not removed (rood girdling), or severe lighting damage that the owner though would just 'heal over', trenching or some other activity that cut many roots, and of course, the deadly flower bed. Staking up bricks, filling with soil and planting flowers/hostas/whatever around the base of a tree. It's the same as planting a tree too deep.

If you don't know what you're doing, or the tree is very large, I highly recommend a certified arborist. Just because someone hangs out a shingle that proclaims they know what they're doing ... doesn't mean they really know what they're doing. Make sure they're bonded/insured.

And, personally, I never used rock mulch around plants, ever. Rocks hold a lot of heat and the plants literally fry. I invest too much $$ and time in my yard to intentionally kill them.

[cdekovic]

I wish some of you lived next to me so after mowing I didn't always hear my wife saying "How come everyone else's lawn looks so lower like a golf course?".

Go take a divot out of your neighbors lawn and see if she still thinks it looks better than your thick green lawn.

[cychhosis]

On my Toro I have it right on the middle setting which is 2 3/4 but it seems like all my neighbors mow a lot shorter which looks a lot better. I've always been told that it's better to cut high and cut often. What's the best setting?

The horticulture books I read say:

1. "The most common mistake most people make is to mow too short"

2. "Only cut 1/3 of the blade length at any one time."

A good healthy turf is your best defense against weed invasion, longer grass is healthier. The more of the leaf blade you cut off... the more photosynthetic sugars you are denying the plant.

[CYVADER]

AMEN BROTHER!! What is this ridiculous infatuation people have with bagging. Mulching is generally much better for the lawn.

i bag my yard because i have a vegetable garden that needs mulched or else it gets completely submersed in weeds. i realize it would be better to mulch, but it would eat up way too much time to have to pull all the weeds from my garden.

[DaddyMac]

i bag my yard because i have a vegetable garden that needs mulched or else it gets completely submersed in weeds. i realize it would be better to mulch, but it would eat up way too much time to have to pull all the weeds from my garden.

I bag because my yard is 80% covered by trees and the sunlight doesn't break down the thatch layer much at all.

Between that, the tiny leaves and stems for the locust tree, the seed-copters from the maple, and everything else - every year I power rake and have bags and bags of thatch. Hate to think if I didn't bag.

Needless to say, I think my yard is getting plenty of organic matter returned to it. And I also use the grass clippings in our garden.

[BoxsterCy]

On my Toro I have it right on the middle setting which is 2 3/4 but it seems like all my neighbors mow a lot shorter which looks a lot better. I've always been told that it's better to cut high and cut often. What's the best setting?

Buy the house next door to me and you can mow at any height you like. The new owner hasn't mowed yet this year and it looks like crap. And, no, it isn't a prairie planting, just grass and weeds over a foot tall.

[CyCrazy]

This thread is outstanding.

[CarolinaCy]

I bag because my yard is 80% covered by trees and the sunlight doesn't break down the thatch layer much at all.

Between that, the tiny leaves and stems for the locust tree, the seed-copters from the maple, and everything else - every year I power rake and have bags and bags of thatch. Hate to think if I didn't bag.

Needless to say, I think my yard is getting plenty of organic matter returned to it. And I also use the grass clippings in our garden.

Is it too late this year to power rake to remove thatch? I would assume that it's getting too hot to do this, as it would distress the lawn too much after. Should I do it in the fall, or wait until next spring?

[BoxsterCy]

Mulching trees...

I have the mind-numbing job of going out to look at trees thanks to trouble-calls from people who think they have EAB, etc.. Over 50% of the trees I end up inspecting, are dying from home owner stupidity. Mulch volcanos, planting depth issues and weed whippers are prevalent.

Mulch volcano - people think that a little much is a good thing, so a huge pile must be a great thing. Don't pile mulch up the trunk of the tree!

Planting depth - When you plant a tree, you should see the flare at the base of the trunk. Don't bury it! Sure, the tree my grow for a few year but it will become distressed and then you'll have a half-grown tree that is really close to being the nice shade tree you wanted, annnnnd then it will croak.

Topping - At least once a year I will see a truck from a tree care company, that has a big advertisement on it about topping - "Call us for your topping needs!" And, each time I nearly black out.

'Lead poisoning', or at least that's what I call it. Don't weed whip around the trunk of your trees, or ram your lawnmower into them. I live by a park that has a bunch of half grown trees and they've all dying from the lawn guy whipping the living daylights out of the base of every one of them. It makes me sad.

And of course, I run into things like trees planted years ago but the wire basket around the roots was not removed (rood girdling), or severe lighting damage that the owner though would just 'heal over', trenching or some other activity that cut many roots, and of course, the deadly flower bed. Staking up bricks, filling with soil and planting flowers/hostas/whatever around the base of a tree. It's the same as planting a tree too deep.

If you don't know what you're doing, or the tree is very large, I highly recommend a certified arborist. Just because someone hangs out a shingle that proclaims they know what they're doing ... doesn't mean they really know what they're doing. Make sure they're bonded/insured.

And, personally, I never used rock mulch around plants, ever. Rocks hold a lot of heat and the plants literally fry. I invest too much $$ and time in my yard to intentionally kill them.

Agree with much of what you posted. Sometimes you get root girdling in spite of the tree planted at the right level. The growers are pretty careless (lazy) when moving young trees into container and the roots can get twisted. Red maples just seem to want to girdle no matter what we do.

Big thumbs up on your rock mulch diss. I hate the damn stuff and the new rubber crap they are pushing. If it isn’t something that will naturally decompose over time it doesn’t have any business being used as mulch.

[birdflu]

Mulching trees...

I have the mind-numbing job of going out to look at trees thanks to trouble-calls from people who think they have EAB, etc.. Over 50% of the trees I end up inspecting, are dying from home owner stupidity. Mulch volcanos, planting depth issues and weed whippers are prevalent.

Mulch volcano - people think that a little much is a good thing, so a huge pile must be a great thing. Don't pile mulch up the trunk of the tree!

Planting depth - When you plant a tree, you should see the flare at the base of the trunk. Don't bury it! Sure, the tree my grow for a few year but it will become distressed and then you'll have a half-grown tree that is really close to being the nice shade tree you wanted, annnnnd then it will croak.

Topping - At least once a year I will see a truck from a tree care company, that has a big advertisement on it about topping - "Call us for your topping needs!" And, each time I nearly black out.

'Lead poisoning', or at least that's what I call it. Don't weed whip around the trunk of your trees, or ram your lawnmower into them. I live by a park that has a bunch of half grown trees and they've all dying from the lawn guy whipping the living daylights out of the base of every one of them. It makes me sad.

And of course, I run into things like trees planted years ago but the wire basket around the roots was not removed (rood girdling), or severe lighting damage that the owner though would just 'heal over', trenching or some other activity that cut many roots, and of course, the deadly flower bed. Staking up bricks, filling with soil and planting flowers/hostas/whatever around the base of a tree. It's the same as planting a tree too deep.

If you don't know what you're doing, or the tree is very large, I highly recommend a certified arborist. Just because someone hangs out a shingle that proclaims they know what they're doing ... doesn't mean they really know what they're doing. Make sure they're bonded/insured.

And, personally, I never used rock mulch around plants, ever. Rocks hold a lot of heat and the plants literally fry. I invest too much $$ and time in my yard to intentionally kill them.

Good points. I would also add another pet peeve of mine: staking left on the trees until the wire, rope, or whatever was used starts to strangle the trunk.

[dmclone]

Agree with much of what you posted. Sometimes you get root girdling in spite of the tree planted at the right level. The growers are pretty careless (lazy) when moving young trees into container and the roots can get twisted. Red maples just seem to want to girdle no matter what we do.

Big thumbs up on your rock mulch diss. I hate the damn stuff and the new rubber crap they are pushing. If it isn’t something that will naturally decompose over time it doesn’t have any business being used as mulch.

Man you would hate me. I have both river rock and that rubber mulch. I understand the hate for rock but why the rubber mulch. What does it hurt? I keep it around the trees and I like that it always looks good and you don't have to change it out every year.

[BoxsterCy]

Man you would hate me. I have both river rock and that rubber mulch. I understand the hate for rock but why the rubber mulch. What does it hurt? I keep it around the trees and I like that it always looks good and you don't have to change it out every year.

Nah, I would hate your rubber not you! At least kids can't throw the rubber through your window.

[jamesfnb]

3 1/4 with my John Deere most of the time. Will go up to 3 3/4 in July/August sometimes. I water twice a week for 30 minutes at each station.