SPRING HAS SPRUNG, THE GRASS IS RIZ

Ah yes, that time of year again. Spring! the glorious season when the weather warms up, the birds migrate back from the south, and flowers start to poke their heads above the ground. It is also the time of year when we look to our lawns.

Usually the grass is brown at this time of year, having lain dormant under the snow for the last 6months. Sometimes there is snow mold to rake off, depending on the type of winter you have had. Sometimes there are leaves to rake if they have not all been collected in the fall. AH yes! SPRING! Time to start making that lawn green again.

Out comes the rake and fertilizer. You will spend hours outside working on the lawn. Rake out all the old dead grass. Maybe even power rake with your lawn mower. Put water to the lawn to make it grow.Add fertilizer if necessary. Make sure you get the kind that will make the grass greener and the roots hardier. While the lawn is wet , you might want to go to the nearest rental place and get an aerator. This will help your lawn stay healthy. It will also leave small plugs of dirt all over your lawn making it look black instead of brown. Not to worry. They will eventually break down and just become part of your lawn again.

Sometimes it is necessary to throw down some new seed where the neighbour's dog or cat has decided your lawn will make a good bathroom. With tenderness and affection, you will look after this spot so that it will match perfectly to the rest of your grass. You also have to find a way to keep the birds from eating this buffet that you have so generously provided. It will all be worth it.

In no time at all that grass will be growing like there is no tomorrow. What to do? Buy a goat? No, too smelly. Buy a sheep?. No, too many pellets left. A horse? Not enough room. The only logical thing left is to cut it. That is the reason you went and purchased that $1200.00 dollar mower in the first place. It is not only self-propelled but will slice, dice and chop that grass into little bits. In some cases you may even collect these little pieces in the attached bag and put them in the compost bin that the city has provided to you. You will continue to do this all summer long, well into the fall. Grow the grass,fertilize the grass, cut the grass and kill it for compost. The city will collect your compost bin every week faithfully for you. For a charge of course.

The best part is if you have a small garden. After you have given the city your grass for composting, they will, in the true spirit of politicians everywhere, SELL it back to you for use in your garden. They will even allow you to put the material you don't use from your garden back into the compost bin so they can charge you to take it away and sell it back to you.

Maybe I'll just put rocks in my yard.

Yes, spring has sprung, the grass is riz.

Happy Summer Everyone!