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Sometimes Mow is Less

Here's a good reason to mow less of your lawn – pretty flowers may sprout up. Growing grass under trees is a losing proposition – the tree steals the sun and water the grass needs, while the tree roots don't appreciate being mowed over at all.

Not much grass ever grew around our old beech trees, but when we stopped mowing there, we were rewarded with pretty little flowers that multiply every year: native wood asters, light blue daisy-shapes on tall stems. Wood asters grow up through the summer and their heart-shaped leaves fill the area nicely, and then become a nursery where butterflies lay their babies. Now, in fall, when there's not much else blooming, the meadow of tiny wood asters puts on a show.

So, look around and see if you have any wood asters – or try to get some seeds to sprinkle around some of your trees next year - and instead of mowing, you'll have pretty flowers growing.

Reported By: Phran Novelli, KYW Newsradio

(Photo by Phran Novelli)

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