Sod will not take if laid ontop of grass that is already there, it has to be given a fresh planting site. So if you have dead areas, that should be cleared of grass and the ground prepared for the new sod. You don't need to dig down any specific depth, just make the ground want to accept the new sod piece. How much water is needed for new sod can depend on how much rain is customary in your region but if you accept the usual --1" per week can feed normal grass roots sufficient moiture to grow on. The trouble with this is, ground has all manner of drainage issues. What water you put on a lawn may run off quickly to other areas, or, it could lay on the ground if good drainage is not there. Drainage must be looked at. At the same time, the ability of the ground to absorb what moisture it is given is important. Too much causes short roots and the roots drown, stopping eventually taking up further moisture. Too little, the roots dry up, grow short and stop taking up moisture. Only by experiencing what the ground is doing can the home gardener be assured he is doing right by the lawn. A summer is usually enough time to tell if your grass needs more or less. Fertilizer is important. But, the time of fertilizing is just as important. Ground should be given food when it can use it. If 2 lbs of fertilizer per 1000 square feet is the required amount, then putting down 4 lbs is not the thing to do. Too much fertilizer causes all kinds of problems which you can read about by doing research on the subject--when to fertilizer. Plants use fertilizer when they are actively growing....so that means spring/summer/fall. A regular schedule of a fertilizer program is one way to ensure the lawn receives adequate food. The type of fertilizer depends on the type of grass you have and the amount is easily discerned by dividing the 1st number (nitrogen) into 100. Thus a bag that is 24/6/12...24 nitrogen, 6 phosphurus and 12 potash (potassium) is recommending that 4 lbs per 1000 square feed be given of that material. 100 divided by 24. This is usually spread in a north/south direction half the amount, then in a east/west direction the other half of the amount. A forty pound bag of fertilizer in this case would inform the buyer he will obtain 40 divided by 4 lbs = 10 X 1000 square feet....= 10,000 square feet of coverage for that bag. Keep lawn fertilizer away from flowering plants--the high dose of nitrogen could cause the flowering to be cut or even prevented. Nitrogen does that, causes great growing of green, but tells the plant to do that instead of making bloom. For areas next to garden plots, hand spread the fertilizer. One of the most popular garden fertilizers on the market is "Miracle Gro"...it has a ratio of elements 15/30/15 the '30' is the amount of phosphurus which aids in flowering. Kentucky Bluegrass is one of the most put down types of sod for northern areas--its a cool season grass that takes well the heat of summer and average amounts of moisture. You might look into overseeding areas instead of laying sod over the entire area and a combo of Bluegrass/perennial ryegrass and fescue can help a lawn stand up to most conditions including drought and heat of summer.

I have found by my experience with fixing Craftsman lawn mowers, that there are several types of baggers on them. One type when looking at the side of it where it fits against the mower deck opening, is straight in the wire frame vertical section. The other type, when viewed from the side, the upper 3 inches is bent back at 45d. All of the ones i have seen have the wire frame made right into the bagger. And there are 2 types of metal cover flaps. One type of bag won't fit where the other type attaches. And, you must make sure the hook tabs are already installed, or made right into the vertical plate, where the bag hangs on. Best bet is to go to a lawn mower repair shop, and see if they might have a used mower deck, and bagger that you can make fit. By that, i mean without anything more than just hanging it on. Its hard to tell you just how to do it, but i think, if you first looked at repair shops, you just might find a pile of old mowers that you could find just what you need. Let me say this: I'd just go out and buy the mower you need. It'll be a lot less trouble that way, than trying to refit something onto your mower!

Hi scottspond, some how didn't think she would, Florida vs Manchester, no contest really ;-) The area I live in is New Mills, in High Peak in Derbyhsire. If it doesn't ring a bell, it's just past Lyme park, Buxton is about 2 miles away, Stockport 9 miles and Manchester 20 miles (all via road) Handily the railway station is about 5 mins away from my home, so trips to Manchester are pleasent through the countyside and don't require I use the car ;-) And in summer I get to hop on the odd steam trian, every boys dream. My Mancunian mates reckon I've gone "all posh" living here, as I was born and grew up in Fallowfield and went to school in Rusholme. Regards ChrisC.

I knew about pillow cases , but when I tried wrining one out , to squeeze the juice out to the last drop ,the pillow case ripped. So muchy for those .. My nyon ( bought new at dollarama ) worked great.. Another thing I found is when I dumped the 16 cups of nanking cherries that were boiled etc. into the nylon, I only got a bit of juice , but the next 16 cups I scooped into a sieve and caught the juice below , then set the pulp aside , I poured all the juice that had come trhough the sieve ( pulp removed ) into a nylon and got at least 4 times the juice. I think the pulp when not first strained , is to much mass for the inside juices to find their way out of the bag.. Anyway it seems that way.. I have let the juice sit for a few days and the sediment settled at the bottom. nice and clear on top.. I'm thinking of drawing the clear off with a turkey baster thing..