INC NEWS - your parks' grass

[scjdurham at aol.com]

Randy,
 
I don't know who your subcontractor for the mowing is but we actually seem to have gotten a company that knows what they're doing. Occassionaly we do have some small piles of grass in areas that hold more moisture, but for the most part, our mowed areas look pretty good.  Mike and I remarked during our walk last night that the Northgate Park looks the best now that it has in years.
 
It sounds to me like they are mowing too seldom and I'd check the mow height too.  They should be mowing to 3 or 3 1/2" for fescue and about 2" for bermuda or zoysia.  They shouldn't be letting it get to 6 or 8" in length before they mow and then scalping it although from your description, that sounds like what they're doing.
 
By the way, are they actually contracted to mow or to bushhog?
 
Cheryl Shiflett
 
-----Original Message-----
From: RW Pickle <randy at 27beverly.com>
To: inc-list at durhaminc.org
Sent: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 03:02:58 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: INC NEWS - your parks' grass


We were told by email today by :

"From: "Rodriguez, Guillermo" <Guillermo.Rodriguez at durhamnc.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 3:05 PM
Subject: RE: caring for the grass fields in Forest Hills

We know what it looks like. It is like this throughout our park
system. Tom Sternloff regularly inspects all parks mowed the day after.
Forest Hills is not unique and I don't feel this is a serious concern at
this time. We will continue to monitor all park mowing and take
appropriate action if necessary."

This is relative to the hay field after the Park was mowed. We have large
clumps of dead grass (some 8-10 inches high) from being mowed the last 2
times. Grass is a large part of our park surface. When looking at the
park, this is what you see. When the grass looks bad, the Park looks bad.
He says all the parks in the system look this bad. I can't believe it.

Tell me, does your grass that is mowed in your park look like a newly
mowed hay field from all of the dead grass left from mowing? If the whole
park system looks this bad as he states, we all need to get together and
get this fixed. Our Park looks the worst as I can remember it in 9 years.
It's the first time the mowing has been contracted out to a subcontractor.

Please let me know the condition of the grass in your park. Ours is
covered in disease from the fungus caused by the growing piles of dead
grass on top of dead grass. Brown patch disease is running wild!

Randy Pickle
27 Beverly Drive.
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