I've been doing that for 35 years. Regards.
Max. K 4 O D S. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Transistor site http://www.funwithtransistors.net Vacuum tube site: http://www.funwithtubes.net Music site: http://www.maxsmusicplace.com To subscribe to the fun with tubes group send an email to, [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ray Boyce" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 02, 2007 8:57 PM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Grass Recycling > Hi > Everyone knows the process of mowing grass can be a time-consuming, > two-phase operation. Once the grass is mowed, the work's still not over. > If > you're sick > of spending your weekend collecting grass clippings, you're not alone. > Faced > with the longstanding question of how to deal with the clippings left > behind > after a long afternoon of mowing, the California Integrated Waste > Management > Board (CIWMB) offers a fresh approach -- do nothing. > > In California and many other states, lawn clippings comprise a > surprisingly > large portion of the waste stream. California lawns can generate > approximately > 300 to 400 pounds of grass clippings per 1,000 square feet annually, > depending on turf variety, environmental conditions and turf-management > practices. > This can equate to as much as 8 tons per acre each year. Much of this > valuable green material is being wasted in landfills rather than being > reused in > the very urban landscapes that generate it. In response, landscaping > industries are paying more attention to practices that reduce waste > generation, reuse > trimmings on-site and recycle organic products back into the urban > environment -- something homeowners should consider for the sake of their > time, labor, > lawn care and the health of their surroundings. > > One such technique is grasscycling, the natural practice of leaving > clippings on the lawn when mowing. The clippings quickly decompose, > returning nutrients > to the soil. This practice, in conjunction with a proper turf-management > program, can reduce water and fertilizer requirements, as well as mowing > and > disposal > time. > > Big Benefits > "There are a number of benefits to grasscycling," says Ken Decio, > integrated > waste-management specialist with the CIWMB. "First of all, it's a > timesaver. > By grasscycling you don't have to bag your clippings, stop the mower, take > off the bag, empty the clippings, reattach the bag, etc. Eliminating this > saves > a lot of time." And if your mower isn't equipped with a bag to catch the > clippings, you can give the rake a rest. > > "It also saves money and helps the lawn," says Decio. "Grass clippings > contain nitrogen and other nutrients, so leaving them on the lawn to > decompose actually > returns these nutrients to the soil. This can cut down on fertilizer > costs." > Not only does this organic matter benefit the grass, it provides nutrition > to the soil, resulting in a healthier stand of turf. "I've heard different > estimates," he adds, "but a ballpark figure would be that about 15 to 20 > percent > of your fertilizing requirements can be supplied by grasscycling, so you > could probably get by with a quarter less fertilizer." > > But the benefits of grasscycling don't stop with your yard. The > surrounding > locality will reap environmental benefits. "One of the biggest advantages > for > the community is that grasscycling reduces green waste," says Decio. > "Leaving the green material means it doesn't end up in landfills. Plus, > since clippings > left on the lawn are composed primarily of water, you don't have to water > the lawn quite as often." > > The reduction in water and fertilizer requirements in turn reduces the > problem of storm-water runoff. "Storm-water runoff is becoming a huge > issue > in California > and I'm assuming in other parts of the country as well," says Decio. > "There's a lot of overwatering, overfertilizing and pesticide use, and a > lot > of that > is transported through the water. If someone irrigates their lawn after > these chemicals have been added, these pollutants can flow directly into > storm > drains, local creeks and rivers without being treated by the sewer > system." > > The Basics > Grasscycling, if performed correctly, can benefit most types of grass and > work in most types of weather conditions. Decio notes that mowers with > mulching > capacity achieve the best performance. Mulching blades cut and recut the > grass blades into smaller pieces than standard mowing blades and blow them > down > into the turf. These short clippings are not very noticeable on the lawn > and > they quickly decompose. > > Mulching mowers are available as dedicated machines, new multitask units > or > even as retro-fit kits that convert your side-discharge mower into a > mulching > unit by adding mulching blades and a cover for the discharge chute. > > Simply operate your mulching mower as you would a conventional unit but > pay > close attention to the cutting height. "Follow the One-Third Rule when > mowing," > notes Decio. "Only cut off one-third the length of the grass blade during > any one cutting. If you're only cutting a third of the grass, you're > obviously > producing very short clippings. The shorter the clippings, the faster they > decompose. Plus, if you cut more than one-third the length, you're cutting > off > the food-producing tissue of the turf, which causes the lawn to weaken and > thin." And a thinning lawn encourages weed invasion and makes the turf > more > susceptible to pests. > > Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Decio provides the example > of > someone who has gone on vacation for a few weeks. On returning the > homeowner > finds his lawn overgrown, flourishing at 5 inches while he prefers only 2. > The CIWMB recommends cutting the lawn down to 4 inches. A week later, cut > it > from 4 inches to 3, and then from 3 to 2, gradually lowering the lawn's > height. Shearing it down directly from 5 to 2 inches greatly stresses the > lawn, > as well as results in unsightly mounds of grass clippings. > > What about Thatch? > "One of the issues that cause people to initially oppose the idea of > grasscycling is the issue of thatch," says Decio. "That's something that > seems to have > been passed down from generation to generation the idea that if you leave > grass clippings on the lawn it will cause thatch buildup and turf > problems." > > However, research has shown that grass roots are the primary cause of > thatch, rather than grass clippings. Thatch is composed primarily of > roots, > stems, > rhizomes, crowns and stolons, the woody parts of grass that contain > lignin. > Lignin doesn't decompose very quickly. Grass clippings, on the other hand, > are composed of 80 to 85 percent water with only small amounts of lignin > and > they decompose rapidly. > > 5192003102451_grscyc2.jpg > > Using mulching blades, finely cut about 1/3 the length of the grass > blades, > allowing the clippings to remain on the lawn and return nutrients to the > soil. > > Decio notes that certain types of grass, such as Bermuda, Kikuyu and > Kentucky bluegrass, have higher amounts of lignin than typical cool-season > grasses, > making them a bit more thatch-prone. "But from the research we've > gathered," > he adds, "grasscycling affects thatch buildup by such a minimal amount > that > the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages." The CIWMB reports that a > small amount of thatch (approximately 1/2 inch) is actually beneficial to > the > lawn, providing insulation to roots while serving as a mulch to prevent > excessive water evaporation and soil compaction. It may even help create a > cushioning > effect on the lawn. > > Cut to the Chase > The bottom line is simple: Grasscycling can benefit your pocketbook, your > lawn and your environment. However, a proper turf-management program is > key > to > achieving these results. > > "Grasscycling is not only the act of leaving clippings on the lawn. To > make > it work, you also have to water, fertilize and mow properly," says Decio. > He > points out that many homeowners in Southern California have a tendency to > overwater and overfertilize, due in part to a flat billing fee for their > water > consumption, neutralizing the incentive to conserve. As a result, their > lawns grow very quickly, producing a lot of green material. Naturally, if > the grass > is growing extraordinarily fast and you continue to leave the clippings on > the lawn, the results can be an unhealthy mess for the turf. Thus, a > proper > turf-management regimen involves setting an appropriate pace for lawn > care. > > "Grasscycling does produce a healthier soil by returning organic matter," > says Decio. "But if you add so much water that the grass clippings are > floating, > the process isn't doing you a whole lot of good." > > : For more information on grasscycling, visit the California Integrated > Waste Management Board online at > www.ciwmb.ca.gov/organics/gardening > or call (916) 341-6000. > > > > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html > or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. > http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml > > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various > List Members At The Following address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ > > Visit the new archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.17.18/662 - Release Date: 1/31/2007 > 3:16 PM > To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! 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