Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
From: Cibolo, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pruning, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: What is a lawn broom from Cibolo TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
It's basically a rake, but it has a triangular-shaped group of thin, long tines, usually with a bend near the bottom. I may be the only person in the Free World to use that term, but it just always seemed to suit. I tried searching on that term but came up empty. Then I found an article from Popular Mechanics and Item No. 3 on that page is what I was describing. I think you can get the same kind of tool in different shapes. I would suggest a Home Depot or Loew's. You might not find the exact same thing but think of it as a comb. The long somewhat flexible tines will pull out the dead stalks of the grass without breaking the new stalks. Remember to prune the grass down some and then get the prunings out of the plant. Some companies refer to "rake teeth" instead of "tines," but these are not teeth, more like metal or plastic brooms, thus the term I use.
Possibility of root rot in Praire flame-leaf sumac
July 08, 2004 - I bought a prairie sumac two years ago and it was fine until recently when we had a lot of rain in Austin. Now the leaves are all brown and it appears to be dying. Is there something I can do? I reall...
view the full question and answer
Source for nitrates and phosphorus (P205) for lawn care
July 04, 2008 - I recently supplied soil samples from my back yard to my local extension here in Austin. I have a hybrid Bermuda turf grass (TIF 419) that has had its share of ups and downs, and wanted to assess the ...
view the full question and answer
Eliminating crabgrass in Middletown MO
September 28, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I am having trouble with my lawn, specifically with the crabgrass in it. It now covers over 1/3 of it. I started using corn gluten meal this year, with limited tangible succ...
view the full question and answer
Erosion control in Spicewood TX
March 20, 2013 - I am from a small community along the Colorado River a few miles East of Marble Falls. We are looking for a ground cover/grass to prevent erosion on on our beach front. We had planned to use Bermuda G...
view the full question and answer
Erosion control from Lakeland FL
November 03, 2012 - What native Ground cover is best for erosion control on slope of lake-front? Prefer not too invasive for this northern facing area behind a seawall and near large Oak tree.
view the full question and answer
![]() |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |