IPM-Based Landscape Design
Mowing Strips & Underlayment
The term "mowing strip" refers to a hard surface
(e. g., concrete, brick) installed along the interface between a mown area
and another landscape feature such as a shrub bed or a building wall).
"Underlayment" refers to the use of a hard surface underneath or surrounding
the base of a landscape feature located in a turf area (e.g., benches,
tables, signs, bicycle racks, fencelines).
In the case of walls, fencelines, tables, benches,
and other objects located within a lawn, mowing strips and underlayments
eliminate the need to spray or trim the grass and/or weeds that grow where
mowers cannot reach. When placed along the interface between shrub beds
and mown areas, mowing strips serve as a barrier to roots and underground
rhizomes, reducing the need for edging treatments. This translates
into less need for herbicides as well as significantly less labor required
for routine maintenance needs, regardless of the method chosen (i.e., weed
trimmers, herbicide). See the discussion
of life-cycle costing for general information about how increased capital
costs in building or retrofitting features such as mowing strips and underlayment
into the landscape can not only be recovered but actually save considerable
resources over the life of the facility while also decreasing the routine
need for pesticides.
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All places where
lawn interfaces with a landscape element have been sprayed on this typical
small urban single family lot, a common practice that, in total, contributes
significantly to the volume of herbicides used in urban areas. Water quality
and other environmental and human health issues have prompted many states
to restrict pesticide use such as this, even on private property in urban
areas. |
Sprayed
areas around all features located in lawns in city parks - around a trash
can and light pole next to a playground, and around a light pole and trees.
Use of underlayment and mulch would have entirely eliminated both the
need for herbicides and trimming. |
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This park has numerous landscape
features (e.g., benches, picnic tables, light posts, trees) that are placed
within or adjacent to a mowed area. The grass growing around or underneath
each one of these must be addressed in some manner. In this case,
herbicides are used periodically. The use of an underlayment would
have eliminated the need for maintenance around these features. |
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The
placement of these signs within a turf area without any underlayment translates
into the requirement for greater labor resources than would otherwise be
necessary if they had been included. The grass in the left photo
is sprayed and in the right photo it is trimmed mechanically. |
The following sections illustrate
various opportunities and applications for mowing strips and underlayment:
Shrub
Bed/Turf Interface
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Poured
concrete mowing strip retrofitted after initial construction.
Note need for extension of pad for bench - should have been sufficiently
large enough when built to provide a mowing strip to protect bench from
mower and to facilitate maintenance of turf. Note also how timbers
have been added around tree to form tree well with landscape fabric and
mulch. |
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Poured exposed
aggregate concrete installed at time of initial construction. Note
how mowing strip is integrated into the design (i.e., in left photo exposed
aggregate finish extends across sidewalk, which is part of larger patterning
of alternating finishes at various widths; in right photo mowing strip
blends nicely into sidwalk. |
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Mortared brick
mowing strips along stepped entryway and at interface of lawn and shrub
bed. |
Wall/Turf
Interface
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Mowing strip
built into wall during initial construction - avoiding seams prevents weed
problems, such as in the right photo where morning-glory is growing in
seam between wall & mowing strip that was retrofitted after initial
construction; seam should be sealed to avoid further weed growth. |
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These brick steps were designed
so that the lowest tread mathes the grade of the lawn and also serves as
a mowing strip. |
Parking
Lots and Driveways Next to Turf
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Demonstrates
need for barrier between parking lot/driveway and turf area to prevent
cars from rutting and destroying the turf. |
Barrier has been added to
prevent cars but has been placed on turf, causing added maintenance and
potential setting for routine herbicide treatment. |
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 |
Properly placed curb inset
from edge of pavement keeps vehicles off turf while also serving as a mowing
strip that eliminates the need for trimming or spraying of tall grass next
to curb. |
Mowing strip
has been added where lawn interfaces with curb to aid mowing and keep traffic
off lawn. Note underlayment of sign in background. |
Objects
Within and Next to Turf
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All three of
these photos were taken from the same site. The two left photos illustrate
how the design placed objects on turf that require maintenance to keep
the grass from growing tall around the objects; conversely, the objects
in the right photo were placed within the concrete, which is far more preferrable
from a maintenance and life-cycle costing perspective. |
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Picnic tables
in lawns without underlayment add significantly to the labor required in
maintaining these areas. The tall grass that grows underneath the tables
must be removed either manually mechanically, or chemically. |
This table has
been provided with a concrete pad that eliminates the need for any type
of maintenance underneath it. |
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A concrete pad
was provided for this bench along a riverfront park sidewalk. If
the pad was slightly larger it would have better accommodated large scale
mowing equipment. |
Likewise, a pad
was put here for bicycle parking but the structure itself should have been
placed farther away from the edge to prevent any potential mowing conflicts. |
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This drinking
fountain has been built with a wide concrete pad surrounding it that serves
as a mowing strip and also provides a surface that stays stable and clean
during times of heavy use. |
A
pillar for an overpass in an urban park that was built with a wide concrete
mowing strip that allows for the effective use of large-scale mowing equipment.
(Note the quality of the turf is poor due to the shady conditions created
by the road above.) |
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A sign post located
in a turf area just off the curb that creates a situation where the grass
must be either trimmed, sprayed, or allowed to grow tall. |
A similar situation
as the photo at left; the sign has been retrofitted with concrete underlayment
to eliminate the need for any maintenance around the sign. |
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These posts
were set in concrete at the time of construction but do not serve an adequate
benefit for maintenance. At left, the small strip of grass must still
be trimmed, and at right, the pad is not large enough for riding mowers
to maneuver around easily. |
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The concrete of the sidewalk
should have flared at the bridge to connect to the bridge abutment, which
would have eliminated the need for trimming and also improve the appearance. |
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A set of bleachers that
have no underlayment. Note how the Himalayan blackberries are growing
from underneath into the seats. |
Bleachers with
concrete underlayment.
No maintenance is required! |
Portable bleachers
that are easily relocated for mowing underneath and to other areas as needed. |
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Areas
of bike racks at schools that were once gravel and have now been paved.
This eliminates tracking the gravel into the school as well as the growth
of weeds in the gravel. |
Fencelines
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Fencelines
without underlayment where the grass is either allowed to grow tall or
periodically removed with herbicides. |
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A fence without underlayment
where the grass is mechanically trimmed each time the turf is mowed. |
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A fence with concrete underlayment.
The grass is trimmed with each mowing and no further maintenance is necessary. |
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Last modified: October 8, 1999
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