{"id":153,"date":"2020-07-27T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-27T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/?p=153"},"modified":"2020-10-17T17:36:35","modified_gmt":"2020-10-17T21:36:35","slug":"mo-and-the-milkweed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/2020\/07\/27\/mo-and-the-milkweed\/","title":{"rendered":"Mo and the milkweed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1715-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Robotic mower drives up a milkweed plant\" class=\"wp-image-147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1715-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1715-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1715-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1715-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1715-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption><span class=\"has-inline-color has-luminous-vivid-orange-color\">Mo had a run-in with a large milkweed.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_5930-copy-Dory-and-Mo-750x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a dog and a robotic mower.\" class=\"wp-image-116\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_5930-copy-Dory-and-Mo-750x1024.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_5930-copy-Dory-and-Mo-220x300.jpg 220w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_5930-copy-Dory-and-Mo-768x1048.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_5930-copy-Dory-and-Mo.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Last Mo Monday, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"I mentioned some small milkweeds in a photo comparing our yard to our neighbors (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/?p=122\" target=\"_blank\">I mentioned some small milkweeds in a photo comparing our yard to our neighbors<\/a>. One thing we have observed is that Mo isn&#8217;t great at mowing things that are not grass. That&#8217;s good in some cases (e.g., my sister&#8217;s dog didn&#8217;t seem to mind when Mo bounced off of her during his workday while she was visiting &#8211; his blades shut off immediately if he hits anything, so she wasn&#8217;t at risk).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It is not-so-good in other cases. Case in point, Mo seems to simply pass over milkweed, leaving it untouched by his blades. This might be a lesson to us that it is time to replace his blades. It&#8217;s also good for monarch butterflies, of course, but not always the look one wants in their yard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3130-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"WORX Landroid upside down, getting ready for a blade change.\" class=\"wp-image-168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3130-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3130-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3130-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3130-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3130-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">So, here is a quick lesson in changing Mo&#8217;s blades; it&#8217;s quite simple, really. First, unplug the system, so there&#8217;s no chance you will turn it on accidentally while changing the blades. Then, flip the unit upside down to expose its three blades.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3133-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Screwing in a new blade to a WORX Landroid robotic mower.\" class=\"wp-image-171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3133-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3133-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3133-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3133-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3133-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Next, carefully unscrew each blade, and either turn it around to use an unused cutting edge of the blade (though, notice that the new style replacement blades are not set up for this) or change to a new blade. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3135-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Three new mower blades on the WORX Landroid.\" class=\"wp-image-173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3135-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3135-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3135-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3135-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_3135-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">And, voila, you&#8217;re done! Flip him upright, plug the system back in, and off he goes. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1716-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Robotic mower hung up on a large milkweed plant\" class=\"wp-image-146\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1716-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1716-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1716-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1716-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/files\/2020\/07\/IMG_1716-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">About that giant milkweed that Mo tangled with above&#8230;that occurred after we had shut Mo down for several weeks last summer. The milkweed grew along his boundary wire. When he didn&#8217;t show up back at his base station on the day we set him back out in the yard to mow, we went looking for him. We found him almost entirely vertical, having driven up the milkweed stem while diligently trying to make his way home. Or maybe he was trying to do the Mobot?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last Mo Monday, I mentioned some small milkweeds in a photo comparing our yard to our neighbors. One thing we have observed is that Mo isn&#8217;t great at mowing things that are not grass. That&#8217;s good in some cases (e.g., my sister&#8217;s dog didn&#8217;t seem to mind when Mo bounced off of her during his &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/2020\/07\/27\/mo-and-the-milkweed\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Mo and the milkweed<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[645865,646594],"tags":[650114,76908,649785],"class_list":["post-153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lawn-care","category-robotic-mower","tag-changing-blades","tag-milkweed","tag-worx-blades"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=153"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":254,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153\/revisions\/254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/kstepenu-mo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}