Organizing Your Turf

Welcome back to our guest contributor C. 

Hello again you loyal readers of You, More Organized your go to source for all the happenings of the Modern Green Acres.  I wanted to give a brief primer on how to mow your lawn because I know that it hasn’t rained since the “oughts” and your grass is probably “prickly dirt.”

I took a class my last semester in college titled “Turf Grass Management.”  As the name would suggest the primary focus was how to keep your yard, or putting green or multi-million dollar football field perfectly green all the time.  I learned an interesting fact in that class – don’t ask a guy wearing a Super Bowl ring if he actually played for the team because he did!  That is a different story though.  The real fact that is pertinent to this post is grass requires not only water and light it also requires temps below 70 overnight to really grow. 

So, with that lesson in mind and cooler temperatures around the corner - in December- let us begin our refresher course on the basics of lawn care.

Step one locate a large expanse of grass that needs to be mowed.  I neglected to take a picture of our yard so this picture will have to do.

Step two find a pair of shoes that are at least a decade past their prime.  I purchased these from Academy in 2003.  (Editor’s note, if it was 2003, I believe I was still the one purchasing the shoes)

You will also need a lawn mower.  The size of your yard, bank account and willingness to spend time outside in the heat will dictate which lawn mower you use.

As you can see my lawn mower is proportionately small for the amount of grass I have to mow.  However it is proportionate to the amount of time I have to actually mow grass.

The proper attire is also necessary.  Some people like shorts and an old t-shirt.  Perhaps you like to class the neighborhood up and mow in a pair of old chinos and a short sleeve button down.  Whatever floats your boat.  Here is what I wore the most recent time I mowed the grass.

Yep, I am a blood donor.  (Children are impressionable that way, thanks Pops)  Ohhh, you might have noticed that those are long sleeves.  You are probably asking why in the world would you mow grass in long sleeves in September.  Well…

This picture… well…. This picture speaks for itself.  The top number is outside.  Let me tell you it was a bit chilly in the shade and when the breeze was blowing.

I hope that this post was helpful to you in your endeavors to maintain your yard.

*Afterword – to be read in the tone of a loving wife – I too, took the aforementioned “Turf Grass Management” class.  (Proud member of the Fightin’ Aggie Class of 2004!)  I however, took away a lesson much more related to academia.  I learned that you can skip a class called “Turf Grass Management” several times, still make a very good grade, and have a nice looking yard to boot!  The secret?  Marry a man who doesn’t mind mowing the lawn.