Mower Up

I went to a minor league baseball game this evening. For me, there are just two reasons to go to a baseball game, maybe three. The first is you get to see some of the best lawn in town. They really take grass growing seriously at the ball diamond, using lots of technology and techniques developed at Purdue University.

The second reason to go is because of the skyline view of Indianapolis. It’s pretty good from this location southwest of downtown, and if you can get tickets, it is also a good place to view fireworks from on the 4th of July or on Labor Day Weekend.

And the third reason is because you have no choice but to just sit and relax when you are there because there is nothing else to do. And sometimes you should just sit and relax. It’s good for you. Yes there was a baseball game going on which was nice and the home team won. But I’m not a big baseball fan, I go for the grass viewing and because the tickets were free.

Speaking of grass and lawns, I had posted a few days ago that I was very pleased with my lawn this year, given that I’ve not had to water it.

What I am not pleased about is how my next door neighbor is moving his lawn and part of my lawn. He is making the number one mistake people who don’t know better make when mowing their grass. As you can see from the picture, he is mowing the grass way too short. Way, way too short. His lawn is on the right, mine is on the left.

He uses a riding mower, though I don’t think his yard is big enough to justify it. He has the mower blade set too low, and then he zips along at top speed, and as he rounds the corners, I think he must lean over and throw his weight to one side so that the mower dips down, and it cuts the lawn to nearly ground level. Shears it to the ground!

I wouldn’t care about this normally. It’s his yard, he can do what he wants, right? But I do care because one of the corners he goes around is by my yard and he generally overshoots his own yard, and cuts right into mine! At least a foot of that sheared lawn in the picture is mine! Dog gone it, I don’t like that. I want to go out there and dig up this 1 foot that is in my yard, re-seed it, and cover it with straw, basically do the whole lawn repair bit to let him know I noticed he tore into my lawn.

He does manage to zag back over into his own lawn as his mows up the property line, but he still regularly mows 6 inches too far into my yard. I don’t want to be the kind of neighbor who nags over 6 inches, but the difference is so striking between how he mows and how I mow, I just might have to discuss this with him, or his wife. Then she can talk to him.

This coming spring my neighbor is going to wonder what became of his lawn. He is creating the perfect environment for early spring weeds like chickweed and dandelion to take over, along with crabgrass, plaintain, and later knotweed. His lawn is going to be a mess of weeds before he knows it. I think he cares, because I saw him out yesterday digging up some of the late season weedy grasses, but can he really think he is doing the right thing mowing the grass that short? I mean, come on, every single article and book about lawn care says the same thing. Mow high!!

I’m done now. I feel better now. Thanks for reading and letting my vent.