MOWING YOUR LAWN EVERY WEEK
19
You’ll save time—and your garden
will benefit—if you cut the grass
every other week instead. That’s be-
cause bees feed on the wildflowers
that flourish in a less manicured
lawn and then buzz off to pollinate the flowers and
other plants in your garden. Another good reason to
mow less often: Too-short grass tends to dry out and
turn brown, which can lead to extra watering. Mow
grass to a height of about three inches, say the ex-
perts at Consumer Reports. Also, grass grows fastest
in late spring and early summer, says Family Handy-
man turf pro Joe Churchill, so skip fertilizing then.PLUGGING INTO
POWER STRIPS20
Many are simply
extension cords
with multiple sockets.
What you want is a surge
protector, which looks
like a power strip
but is designed
to shut off if
it’s overloaded
or if the current exceeds
a certain level. Look for
the label UL 1449 to
make sure you are buying
a model certified safe
by Underwriters
Laboratories. Or an
electrician can install a
whole-house surge
protector device in your
electrical panel. RDHow Now, Cow?
Dairy scientists in Connecticut have begun using a robotic
system that allows cows to decide for themselves when they want to be
milked. When a cow is good and ready, she walks into the milking stall.
A robotic arm attaches a cup to her teat and begins milking. Sound weird?
Maybe. But there’s another advantage: Old-fashioned milking
procedures can take three to five hours a day to get the job done.
The robots do it in less than an hour.
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