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THE HALTON HILLS Saturday July 14 1990Page Lawn trimmers used incorrectly by most ig or fishing line trimmers around some thinner bark mature wmir rh hi h i 1 String or line whether electric or gas powered are used by gardeners to trim around lawns flower beds and individual trees and shrubs 111 gardens both large and small Most people in eluding professionals us them incor For years garden communicators have been advising that during the summer months at least lawn mowers should be set high so the grass is at least centimetres or two inches high after the cutting is done This is not only a strong deterrent to weeds it also helps drought proof a lawn While some gardeners have caught on to this technique with the lawn mower the same cannot be about string trimmers Ac cording to the Canadian Garden Council most home gardeners as well as professionals use these machines to cut the grass around the lawn edges and flower beds and at the base of trees to within a millimetre of its life Often these closely cut edges burn brown due to scalping But 11 around trees that the Canadian Garden Council is em phasizing Use of any type of string trimmer around any young or newly planted trees and even around some thinner bark mature trees such as honey locusts can cause severe damage to the bark This damage can be so bad that in just a couple of years the tree or trees go into demise and die It is most important therefore absolute ly not have the fast spinning cord of any fishing line or string trimmer touch the bark of any tree The best way to prevent this is to cut just a small circle of sod away from the base of each tree and trim that edge rather than around the bark of the trees themselves The results weekly bombardment of thin tree bark by string trimmers should not be underemphasized as many gardeners do Once you notice damage it s usually too late as the bruising is around the entire Damage to the bark itself while not good is NOT he cause of to the trees What does cause a quick death is damage to the xylem and phloem tissues through which the trees conduct water up and down the trunk Without these vessels always located just below the bark surface the trees are unable to survive The damage from string trimmers amounts to the same as can be caus ed by rabbits chewing around the bark of newly planted trees during SAVE 20 On Home Improvements J3uilberS5Renobatorfi GOV MANAGEMENTCONSTRUCTION CONSULTANTS RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION Box Acton Ontario L7J2M4 519853 3401 NO JOB TOO BIG OR SMALL JUST ONE CALL DOES IT ALL Complete renovations Guaranteed services Your home deserves the best work done by highly skilled material AiMttlOfli Family room rooms Attics Roofing Gutters General repair Driveways TRUST YOUR HOME TO AN EXPERT Garages Swimming Pools Dormers Stone veneer Kitchens expert Installation Bathrooms the winter And the results are the same too death of the trees As mention older thin barked trees too can be fee lid as can mature trees with thick bark Urban have often witnessed semi mature maples or other thick bark trees severly damaged by regular use of a string trimmer The Cana Garden Council urges you to keep the apparently harmless string trimmers away from your trees The same applies to their use for tnmm the edge of your lawn along sidewalks or garden beds While you II not likely kill the turf you cer tainly will scalp it which means it will need additional moisture just to keep it green and there will be a greater chance of andor broadleaf weeds gaming a foothold in that part of the lawn As with all other tools the string trimmer can be a great aid to gardeners But used incor rectly it can also cause a great deal of damage And do not necessarily be guided by how you see the tool be ing used by professional gardeners Many such companies or in dividuals are not aware of the damage they can cause with these tools GIGANTIC FURNITURE 11 5 pm ONTARIO CHESTERFIELD WHOLESALERS BEHIND AUTO MALL 120126 MALCOLM 7634477 CASH SAT ON ALL SALE ITEMS HOURS ONLY IAYAUIAY GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES SATISFACTION