Mr. Stone, <br>A couple months ago I read on one of the forums about a letter that you used that aided you in landing an account. It dealt with mulching, grass recycling, blade sharpness, etc. I can't seem to find the letter again. Would you mind if I used some of the information in a letter of my own? I think it will be very effective in securing bids, especially ones where my price is a little higher. If you don't mind could you e-mail it to me or post it here. Thanks in advance.<p>----------<br>Bryan..Heartland Lawn Care<br>heartlandlawn@hotmail.com
Mowing And Its Importance in the Propagation of Quality Turfgrass<p>Mowing is the most important cultural practice in turf maintenance. I use a fleet of five Toro mid-size walk behind mowers with stand on sulkies. Although these machines are <br>neither the newest nor the most expensive mowers available. They are classic machines that have stood the test of time.<p>The beauty of these machines is in their simplicity. All the units are gear driven (not hydros) so they are all field serviceable. One advantage is that the machines are lightweight when compared to large tractors with mowing decks. This is better for the turf, for lightweight machines do not cause as much soil compaction as do heavy tractors.<p>My mower blades are sharpened with a professional quality blade grinder. Dull blades tear the leaf of the turf causing great stress and physical damage to the plant. The turf <br>recovers from mowing faster when cut with sharp blades. With dull blades<br>the new tip of the grass is now jagged and brown in color. This reduces the over all appearance of the turf. The jagged edge also makes the turf more susceptible to disease from invading pathogens. Once a mower has run for four hours the blades are changed<br>to another set of sharp blades.<p>All my mowers have at least three different styles of blades. A high lift blade is used to<br>pick up and remove the thatch when dethatching. A low lift blade is used in summer when the turf is dry. This keeps the dust down for operator comfort and helps in soil<br>conservation. Mulching or gator blades are used during periods of high turf growth.<br>In conjunction with the wind tunnel designed Toro mowing decks the teeth on the gator blades cut and re-cut the grass clippings into fine particles. The fine clippings filter down to the soil surface where they are decomposed by microorganisms in a few days. This also gives the turf the appearance of being bagged without the hassle and added expense of bagging, hauling, and dumping grass clippings.<p>Another benefit of grass recycling is that mowing cycles can be increased. Just the act of<br>mowing (with sharp blades) causes great stress on the plants therefore the less you mow the healthier the turf. Since the grass clippings are composed of 70% water when the grass clippings are recycled, this moisture is returned to the soil. This is critical in the<br>short periods of drought in the summer months. Since the fine clippings are laying on<br>top of the soil they dry out first helping to conserve water due to evaporation by the<br>sun, thus conserving the amount of the moisture in the soil.<p>In closing, grass recycling also adds to the fertility of the soil since the clippings are<br>made up of 30% nitrogen which is released directly back into the soil. As the fine clippings decompose the turf uses this nitrogen as a food source.<br>
Can you imagine if grass clippings were really made up of 30% nitrogen?<p>Let's say there 10 lbs. of clippings per 1000 sq. ft. when mowing a decent lawn. <p>That would be like 3 lbs. of N applied every week!<p>I hope it's slow release nitrogen in those clippings.
Hey lazer I "Whipped" that essay up in short<br>time. Do you actually want me to check<br>my facts?<p>I guess I must be a decimal point off or so<br>on the % of N in a clipping.
I don't know the percentage of N, I'm sure it varies based on many factors. Maybe leave the specific amount out.<p>It's a nice promo. The stuff about WB lightweight, sharp blades, clipping moisture and clipping nutitional value are all good. The part about mowing less for healthier turf is BS and maybe that line should be altered.<p>Back to the nitrogen/clippings: From what I found, mulching/discharging clippings is good for 1.5-2 lb. of N/1000 per season.
While we're arguing maybe I can get an answer to a question I have asked before. If there is 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of nitrogen value per season in grass clippings how much does this work out to in dollars and cents. Basically, what is 2 lbs of nitrogen worth?
on 6000 and under that's $100 retail plus saved dump,,,fuel,,,,hassle,,,,plus it enhances microbes, and we know how cool those are,huh?
