Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Trends for June 17, 2002

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, June 17, 2002 | 9:27 a.m.

Splendor in the grass

Summer officially gets under way Friday. Though the toasty temperatures of late have likely been driving folks outdoors for a while now, it's time to kick back and relax in the coolness of the grass.

But do those summer lovers really appreciate what it takes to keep that lawn lush and inviting? The lawn-care gurus at Briggs & Stratton sure hope so. The lawn mower manufacturer is co-sponsoring (with Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse) its fifth annual All-American Lawn Contest. A $10,000 prize will go to the homeowner whose lawn best meets the standards of an "all-American" lawn.

For this "show and tell" contest, entrants must submit photos or video footage of their lawn and a written description of why it should be considered for the contest.

Entries will be judged in the following categories: overall appearance (the lawn's visual quality); creativity (why it stands apart from others and is original); best use of space (making the most of the grass, no matter how large or small an area it occupies); lawn-care program ("extra steps to ensure a lawn's vitality"); and functionality of the lawn (the area's role in the "everyday life of its owner and caretaker" you mean besides being forced to tend to it?).

Entries, due by July 31, are available at allamericanlawn.com.

The Doctor is in

But maybe your lawn isn't in pristine enough condition to win any contests. Briggs & Stratton has that angle covered, too.

Meet the company's "yard doctor," Dr. Terry Rogers, billed as "a nationally known turf grass expert."

Briggs & Stratton recently conducted a survey asking Americans what annoys them about their lawns. The biggest pet peeve of 49 percent of respondents is having too many weeds.

Rogers' diagnosis: "Weeds take advantage of poor lawn-care techniques, including mowing, watering and fertilizer application." His prescription (printed legibly, we hope) is a no-brainer: mow, water and fertilizer properly.

Twenty-eight percent of those polled say their lawn troubles are caused when it's cut too short or grows too long. The solution, according to Rogers, is to "follow the one-third rule." In other words, don't cut more than one-third of the grass blade when mowing.

Others (25 percent) are bugged by bugs. Easy enough: "Reduce thatch buildup by aerating (the) lawn" and "use chemicals to control specific types of insects." The list of ailments also includes under- and over-watering (25 percent); damage caused by small animals (24 percent) and domestic animals (18 percent); applying too little or too much fertilizer (17 percent); damage due to foot traffic (13 percent); and controlling disease (12 percent).

For more advice from the "Yard Doctor," visit briggsandstratton.com.

Bugging out

It's fitting that bugs qualify as a pet peeve. Summer is prime feasting time for mosquitos.

Chemical company 3M, maker of insect repellent, among other products, is offering some facts and figures about the warm-weather pests lest you think summer is all fun and games: