Curious About Grass

PODCAST 197: CURIOUS ABOUT GRASS

RELEASE DATE: SUNDAY, JULY 10TH, 2022

D:  HELLO, AND WELCOME BACK TO THE CURIOUS KID PODCAST.  OLIVIA AND I LOVE NATURE.  WE LOVE GOING ON WALKS OUTSIDE AND APPRECIATING ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS WE SEE… TREES, PINECONES, ACORNS, EVERYTHING.  NATURE IS BEAUTIFUL, AND ALSO VERY INTERESTING.  THERE IS A POPULAR PHRASE YOU MIGHT’VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY BEFORE.  SOMETIMES, WHEN SOMEONE THINKS SOMETHING IS REALLY BORING, THEY MIGHT SAY THAT IT’S LIKE WATCHING GRASS GROW.  IS GRASS GROWING REALLY SO BORING THAT IT’S WHAT OTHER BORING THINGS ARE COMPARED TO?  LET’S LEARN MORE.

O:  TRIPLE-MAILBAG!

D:  TRIPLE MAILBAG!

“HI.  I LOVE YOUR SHOW AND I LISTEN A LOT AND I AM CURIOUS ABOUT GRASS.  I’M LUCAS.  I AM 11 AND I AM FROM HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND.  BYE.  KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!”

“HI OLIVIA!  MY NAME IS AMELIA.  I LIVE IN HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.  I AM GETTING CURIOUS ABOUT GRASS.  HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRASS ARE THERE?  I LOVE YOUR PODCAST.  MY FAMILY LISTENS TO IT ON TRIPS IN THE CAR.  MY MOM AND DAD EVEN LEARN THINGS TOO!  THANK YOU.”

“DEAR OLIVIA AND JACOB, WE HAVE SO ENJOYED LISTENING TO SO MANY OF THE CURIOUS KID EPISODES LATELY!  EZRA’S FAVORITE ONE SO FAR WAS THE HELICOPTER EPISODE.  HE HAS AN IDEA FOR A FUTURE EPISODE - GRASS!  ONE OF HIS QUESTIONS IS:  DOES GRASS DIE IN THE WINTER?  KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!  

FROM EZRA OF WISCONSIN, AGE 3 1/2”

O:  GRASS IS SO BEAUTIFUL, AND INTERESTING, AND I CAN’T WAIT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.  THANK YOU LUCAS, AMELIA, AND EZRA FOR THE FANTASTIC EPISODE TOPIC SUGGESTION.

D:  THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT GRASS.  WE ARE TOTALLY GOING TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AMELIA AND EZRA HAVE, AND LEARN HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRASS THERE ARE, AND ALSO WHETHER GRASS DIES IN THE WINTER, BUT FIRST, LET’S GET TO THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK.

O:  THERE ARE LOTS OF PHRASES THAT INVOLVE GRASS.  WE ALREADY LEARNED THAT PEOPLE MIGHT COMPARE SOMETHING BORING TO WATCHING GRASS GROW.  HERE ARE THREE OTHER PHRASES… LET’S SEE IF YOU KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN.  HERE’S THE FIRST ONE - DON’T LET THE GRASS GROW UNDER YOUR FEET.  DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT PHRASE MEANS?  HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?  THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE.  THAT’S ONE I’VE DEFINITELY HEARD BEFORE.  HERE’S THE LAST ONE.  DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO SAY THAT SOMEONE IS A SNAKE IN THE GRASS?  

D:  OLIVIA JUST GAVE YOU 3 POPULAR PHRASES THAT INVOLVE GRASS.  HAVE YOU HEARD THEM BEFORE?  DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN?  WHILE YOU’RE THINKING, LET’S LEARN ALL ABOUT GRASS.  

O:  GRASSES ARE A TYPE OF FLOWERING PLANTS.  THERE ARE ABOUT 12,000 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF GRASS.  GRASS CAN BE FOUND ON EVERY CONTINENT, EVEN ANTARCTICA.  

D:  GRASS IS VERY PLENTIFUL ON EARTH.  IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 30% OF THE LAND ON EARTH IS COVERED IN GRASS.  

O:  GRASS IS AN IMPORTANT FOOD FOR ANIMALS.  BIG ANIMALS LIKE BUFFALO, COWS, AND DEER EAT GRASS.  EVEN SMALL ANIMALS LIKE CATERPILLARS AND GRASSHOPPERS FEAST ON GRASS.  

D:  GRASS IS CONSIDERED THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT FOOD SOURCE.  MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCTS COME FROM ANIMALS THAT EAT GRASS.  HUMANS ALSO RELY ON GRASS FOR CEREALS.  BARLEY, RYE, OATS, WHEAT, AND CORN ARE ALL GRASSES.  

O:  EVEN SUGAR COMES FROM GRASS, BECAUSE IT IS MADE FROM SUGAR CANE, WHICH IS IN THE GRASS FAMILY.       

D:  ABOUT 80% OF THE HOMES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE LAWNS OF GRASS.  PEOPLE OFTEN TRY TO KEEP THEIR LAWNS NICE AND CLEAN BY CUTTING THEIR GRASS.  THE LAWNMOWER WAS INVENTED IN 1830 AND DIDN’T BECOME POPULAR UNTIL THE LATE 1800S.  BEFORE THE LAWNMOWER, LAWNS WERE TRIMMED USING A SCYTHE.  CUTTING LAWNS THAT WAY WAS A LOT HARDER AND TOOK A LOT LONGER.  THAT’S WHY BEAUTIFULLY MANICURED LAWNS WERE NOT COMMON 200 YEARS AGO, AND ONLY THE WEALTHY HAD THE RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN THEIR LAWNS.  

O:  NOT ALL GRASS IS SHORT.  THERE IS A GRASS SPECIES CALLED THE GIANT BAMBOO, WHICH CAN GROW OVER 150 FEET TALL.  THAT’S INSANE.  PEOPLE OFTEN USE BAMBOO TO BUILD HOUSES, FURNITURE, AND OTHER THINGS TOO.  

D:  LAWN GRASS IS GREEN BECAUSE OF SOMETHING CALLED CHLOROPHYLL.  LIKE MANY OTHER PLANTS, GRASS MAKES A PIGMENT CALLED CHLOROPHYLL THAT ABSORBS BLUE AND RED LIGHT, BUT REFLECTS GREEN LIGHT, WHICH IS WHAT GIVES GRASS IT’S GREEN COLOR.  

O:  EZRA WANTED TO KNOW IF GRASS DIES IN THE WINTER.  THE ANSWER IS A LITTLE COMPLICATED.  GRASS CAN DIE, BUT IN MOST PLACES, GRASS KIND OF JUST GOES TO SLEEP IN THE WINTER.

D:  IF, LIKE US, YOU LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE THE TEMPERATURES OFTEN DROP BELOW 40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IN THE WINTER, YOUR GRASS WILL BECOME DORMANT.  THAT JUST MEANS THAT IT STOPS GROWING OR DOESN’T GROW AS QUICKLY.  THAT ALSO MEANS THAT THE LAWN DOESN’T HAVE TO BE CUT DURING THE WINTER WHERE WE LIVE… YAY!  

O:  BUT, THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT THE GRASS IS DEAD, IT’S JUST RESTING UNTIL CONDITIONS ARE MORE FAVORABLE FOR IT TO GROW.  WHEN THE TEMPERATURES WARM UP, THE GRASS STARTS GROWING AGAIN, SO IT’S DEFINITELY NOT DEAD.

D:  GRASS CAN DIE, AND IF IT DOES, IT WON’T COME BACK TO LIFE AND START GROWING IN BETTER CONDITIONS.  SO, HOW DO YOU KNOW IF GRASS IS DEAD OR JUST DORMANT (OR SLEEPING)?  

O:  THERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO TELL IF GRASS IS DEAD OR DORMANT.  ONE OF THE SIMPLEST IS TO GIVE IT A TUG.  IF YOU PULL ON SOME GRASS AND IT COMES OUT REALLY EASILY, IT’S PROBABLY DEAD.  IF YOU TRY PULLING ON GRASS, BUT IT’S VERY HARD TO PULL OUT OF THE GROUND, IT’S PROBABLY JUST SLEEPING.

D:  GRASS THAT’S ALIVE AND HEALTHY SHOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE GROUND EASILY BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE STRONG ROOTS.

O:  THE ROOTS OF GRASS GROW DOWN INTO THE EARTH.  THE ROOTS ARE LIKE THREADS THAT REACH DOWN INTO THE SOIL.  THE ROOTS COLLECT WATER AND NUTRIENTS AND HELP SECURE THE GRASS TO THE GROUND.

D:  THE BASE OF THE GRASS THAT CAN BE FOUND AT SOIL LEVEL IS CALLED THE CROWN.  NARROW LEAVES EXTEND FROM THE GROUND.  THE BOTTOM OF THE LEAF IS CALLED A SHEATH, AND THE TOP IS CALLED A BLADE, AS IN A BLADE OF GRASS.  

O:  IN ORDER TO HAVE HEALTHY GRASS, THREE THINGS ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY… SUNLIGHT, WATER, AND NUTRIENTS.  

D:  THERE ARE ALSO THREE THINGS THAT COULD BE VERY BAD FOR GRASS… BUGS, DISEASE, AND WEEDS.  

O:  AS MY PARENTS HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY, GETTING A BEAUTIFUL, GREEN LAWN MIGHT BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR SOME PEOPLE.  

D:  WE’VE DONE A FEW THINGS TO TRY AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OUR LAWN, WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS.  PROPER LAWN MAINTENANCE REQUIRES LOTS OF STEPS, INCLUDING FERTILIZING, MOWING, WATERING, AERATING, DE-THATCHING, AND FIGHTING DISEASE, PESTS, AND WEEDS.  

O:  LAWN MAINTENANCE HAS AN INTERESTING HISTORY.  BEFORE LAWN CARE WAS A BIG DEAL IN THE UNITED STATES, THE TREND STARTED IN EUROPE.  

D:  THE CLIMATE IN EUROPE MAKES LAWN CARE MUCH EASIER THAN IN MANY PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES.  AS LONG AGO AS THE 16TH CENTURY, WEALTHY FAMILIES IN ENGLAND AND FRANCE TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN THEIR BEAUTIFUL LAWNS.  

O:  LAWN CARE WAS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT IS TODAY, SO LOTS OF PEOPLE COULDN’T AFFORD TO HAVE BEAUTIFUL LAWNS.  

D:  IMMIGRANTS FROM NORTHERN EUROPE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES WITH GRASS SEEDS IN AN EFFORT TO BRING BEAUTIFUL LAWNS TO THE UNITED STATES.  AS WAS THE CASE IN EUROPE, ONLY THE WEALTHY WERE ABLE TO AFFORD SUCH LUXURIES.  

O:  LAWN CARE DIDN’T BECOME AFFORDABLE UNTIL THE MASS PRODUCTION OF LAWNMOWERS IN THE 1890’S.  

D:  EVEN THEN, IT WOULD STILL BE DIFFICULT TO GET A GREAT LAWN UNLESS YOU LIVED IN THE RIGHT PLACE.  MORE RECENTLY, OTHER ADVANCEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE AT A REASONABLE PRICE, MAKING PROPER LAWN CARE AVAILABLE FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE.  

O:  FOR EXAMPLE, IRRIGATION ALLOWS PEOPLE WITH VERY DRY LAND TO STILL HAVE A NICE LAWN.  IRRIGATION IS JUST A METHOD OF WATERING YOUR LAWN USING SOMETHING LIKE A SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

D:  OTHER THINGS THAT HELP PEOPLE CARE FOR THEIR OWN LAWNS INCLUDE FERTILIZER AND WEED CONTROL PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS PESTICIDES THAT HELP GET RID OF PESTS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO HEALTHY GRASS.  

O:  BUT, EVEN WITH ALL OF THE GADGETS AND GIZMOS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR LAWNS, IT’S STILL HARD TO GET A LAWN LOOKING BEAUTIFUL LIKE A PROFESSIONAL GOLF COURSE.  

D:  I WOULD SETTLE FOR AN AMATEUR GOLF COURSE.  OKAY OLIVIA, LET’S ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK AND FIND OUT THE MEANING OF THOSE 3 PHRASES YOU MENTIONED EARLIER.  FIRST UP, WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF SOMEONE SAYS “DON’T LET THE GRASS GROW UNDER YOUR FEET?

O:  SAYING THIS IS ENCOURAGEMENT TO DO SOMETHING, AND NOT JUST STAND THERE.  IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR GRASS TO GROW, SO IF YOU LET GRASS GROW UNDER YOUR FEET, IT SUGGESTS THAT YOU’RE JUST STANDING THERE AND MISSING OUT ON AN OPPORTUNITY.

D:  THAT’S A FUN ONE.  HOW ABOUT PHRASE NUMBER 2 - THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE?

O:  THIS IS JUST THE FEELING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVE IT BETTER THAN YOU.  

D:  THAT MUST BE A TERRIBLE WAY TO FEEL, AND OF COURSE IT’S ALSO IMPRACTICAL TO THINK THAT OTHERS ALWAYS HAVE IT BETTER THAN YOU.  FINALLY, THE LAST PHRASE WAS A SNAKE IN THE GRASS.  WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY THAT SOMEONE IS A SNAKE IN THE GRASS?

O:  THAT JUST MEANS THAT SOMEONE IS SNEAKY, PRETENDING TO BE YOUR FRIEND WHEN THEY ARE ACTUALLY UP TO NO GOOD.

D:  IT’S DEFINITELY NOT A COMPLEMENT.  INTERESTINGLY, THE PHRASE ACTUALLY USED TO BE PAD IN THE STRAW.  HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO, PAD WAS A TERM FOR A TOAD THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE POISONOUS.

WELL, THAT’S A WRAP FOR THIS WEEK’S EPISODE.

O:  197 - GRASS.

D:  GREAT JOB OLIVIA, AND GREAT JOB LUCAS, AMELIA, AND EZRA FOR THE EVERGREEN EPISODE TOPIC SUGGESTION.  WE HOPE YOU DIDN’T THINK IT WAS AS BORING AS WATCHING GRASS GROW, OR WATCHING PAINT DRY, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT’S BORING FOR THAT MATTER.  WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SUPER PEOPLE TO THANK BEFORE WE SAY GOODBYE.

O:  THANK YOU TO OUR NEWEST PATREON SUPPORTERS, RHEA D. AND ADELIA F.

D:  A BIG THANK TO RHEA AND ADELIA FOR YOUR SUPPORT.  WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME AMAZING FEEDBACK FROM OUR PATREON SUPPORTERS.  THEY LOVE ALL OF THE EXTRA CONTENT THEY GET FROM THE PODCAST, INCLUDING MONTHLY CURRENT EVENTS EPISODES, EARLY ACCESS TO OUR REGULAR EPISODES, AND UPDATES ON WHAT WE’RE GOING TO BE GETTING CURIOUS ABOUT MONTHS FROM NOW.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT. 

O:  WE ALSO WANT TO THANK LUKE FOR THE 5 STAR REVIEW.

D:  IT SAYS “HEY GUYS!  WE LOOOOOOOOOOVE YOUR PODCAST!  MY NAME IS LUKE.  I AM 8 YEARS OLD AND I LIVE IN ROCKVALE, TENNESSEE!”

O:  THAT’S AWESOME.  ONLY 3 WEEKS LEFT UNTIL EPISODE NUMBER 200.  THAT’S A BIG ONE, AND I’M GOING TO PICK THE TOPIC FOR THAT EPISODE.

D:  IT’S ACTUALLY THE FIRST TIME SINCE EPISODE 100 THAT YOU ARE GOING TO PICK THE EPISODE TOPIC.  I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT YOU PICK.  NEXT WEEK, WE WILL GET CURIOUS ABOUT CHICKENS FOR LISTENERS IN NEW JERSEY, OREGON, AND TORONTO.  AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND GETTING CURIOUS WITH US.