Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Saturday - September 29, 2007

From: Dripping Springs, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Meadow Gardens
Title: Mowing equipment
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

My 10 acre property along a creek in N. Hays Co. includes roughly 7 acres that is a woodland / meadow mix. I want to find a mower that I can set to a 6" cutting height, yet anything smaller than a full blown tractor pulling a mowing attachment seems to be capable of a maximum 4 - 4 !/2" cutting height. Do you know of a machine capable of this sized for the small acreage homeowner?

ANSWER:

Sorry, anything that involves internal combustion is way out of our line. For us to research and recommend something like this would basically be equal to recommending a product or manufacturer, which Mr. Smarty Plants and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center do not do. We would suggest you go to any large home improvement store, or even a tractor supply company, look at the possibilities and ask them the question. Obviously, they're going to be trying to sell you their particular product, but that's their job, and you can make your decision based on the information you get. And you could start with an Internet search, just to get a feel for whether such a thing is even manufactured. Good luck on your search, and when you have a question about something with roots, we're here for you.
 

More Meadow Gardens Questions

Seeds to plant a short grass prairie near Houston
February 21, 2015 - I want to plant a prepared area 20x40 with strong midday sun in Houston. I would like a short prairie meadow with lots of flowers. Where do I get the seeds and is this the time to plant them as I wo...
view the full question and answer

Native flowers and plants for meadow in North Carolina
March 02, 2004 - I live in Rock Hill, SC, just south of Charlotte, NC. I would like to have recommendations for planting native flowers and plants in a small meadow in my backyard. Do you have any suggestions or kno...
view the full question and answer

Flowering plant for hillside in Brookings OR
April 16, 2009 - We live on the Chetco river and the bank in front of the house is on a hill. What would be a flowering plant that would maintain the integrity of the hill?
view the full question and answer

Making a pollinator garden
August 11, 2014 - Hello, I have a ditch right by my house and I want to turn it into a pollinator garden using native plants. My problem is, right now it's so full of weeds that we have to mow those down so soon. For ...
view the full question and answer

Restoring a native prairie
July 28, 2014 - Can you recommend a consultant to help my husband and me re-establish a native prairie on approximately 25 acres near Fredericksburg, TX? Does the Wildflower Center have such a consulting service? ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.