Lawn mowing comes naturally to some people , while others just ca n’t skip it . You do n’t call for a light-green thumb to have the unadulterated lawn , but you do necessitate to know the right mowing technique .
1.Choose the Best Mower for Your Yard Size
Lawn mowers come in in a “ Gunter Grass ” of their own . rid mowers are best for larger K , but they do n’t fall cheap . Consumer Reportsprices the average disembarrass mower at $ 2,000 to $ 5,000 . That ’s not exactly crybaby provender .
If you have more than an acre to cut down , however , it ’s well worth the price and you ’ll be saving a lot of time .
Push mower are actually the better option for smaller lawn . They ’re easier to turn and maneuver around trees and corners . If your yard is splosh or has a number of crocked spaces , a smaller push mower is the direction to go .
Push mowers will also lay aside you a sight of green . The average one cost about $ 420 .
If you desire to do work off some pounds , an old - fashioned push reel mower only cost about $ 75 . A Harvard University study estimates the fair person burn off about 350 calories an hr using a Scottish reel mower .
A gas or galvanic push lawn mower only burns about 280 calories an hour .
mwesselsphotography/Shutterstock
2.Mower Maintenance Is Critical
Before you bug out your railway locomotive , make indisputable your lawn mower is in good shape . irksome lawn mower blade can harm your lawn by tearing the grass vane and leaving it vulnerable to disease and fungi .
“ You ’ll bang your mower blade is leaden within two day after mowing your lawn , ” says University of Illinois filename extension agent Richard Hentschel . “ Shredded forage turns brown and strawlike . The sliced steel ca n’t bring around , invite disease to invade the plants . ”
A sportsmanlike gash is skillful for the lawn and encourages the grass to rise back thicker and healthier . Hentschel point out that sharp blade speed up the mowing and are good for the mower engine .
mwesselsphotography/Shutterstock
you may buy a mower steel taper outfit for about $ 10 or take your mower to a maintenance shop where they can clean it , sharpen your blades and change the Dame Muriel Spark plug .
Proper mower sustenance should be done every year .
Read more : Does your lawn mower ask new blades ? Here ’s how to check ( and what to do ) .
3.Check the Lawn for Dangerous Items Before Mowing
Now that you ’ve get your lawn mower in tip - top Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe , the last thing you require to do is tend over a heavy stick or stone . More than 6,000 people are injured every year in lawn lawn mower fortuity . More than half of those accidental injury are due to fly projectiles .
Those wing rocks and toys can also break your window and damage your mower blades.mwesselsphotography/Shutterstock
4. Where toStart Mowing Your Lawn
It ’s best to start by pout around theperimeter of your yard . Take two passes around the edge , which will make the job go faster .
Next , hit the gradient . The uneven parts of your 1000 are the toughest , so it ’s good to harness them first . If using a riding mower , you want to position the lawn mower horizontally to avoid tipping over . It ’s good to position a energy lawn mower parallel to the contour of the slope .
stave off mowing too penny-pinching to tree , flowerbeds and playground equipment . you may always go back with a line pruner later .
Courtesy Grasshopper
5.Don’t Cut Too Short!
Yes , cutting your lawn unretentive means you’re able to cut down it less often . But you do n’t want to give your lawn a hayloft - hawk .
The principle of ovolo is to only polish off one - third of your grass in one mow . Even if you ’ve neglected your lawn and let it grow too long , taking any more than one - third off the top at a time will stress the leaf blade .
The accurate best elevation of your grass depends on the grass type .
6.Leave the Leaves &Grass Clippings
Do n’t scourge your time raking and bagging those foliage and sens clippings . Today ’s mowers will mulch the leaves and newspaper clipping , which is best for your lawn . The nutrient from the clippings return N to the grunge and help verify widow’s weeds of course .
You ’ll save yourself some work . And you ’ll save the surroundings by observe the yard waste out of the landfill and not have to use fertilizer .
7.Get the Creative Juices Growing
Nothing say you have to pout in a square line . By bind a lawn roll , you could stripe or mow a checkerboard pattern into your lawn . Give your yard an athletic - subject field look or fancy design by letting the grass grow a little mo longer and employ the turf as your sail .
Even if you ’re not looking to create an artistic chef-d’oeuvre , vary the direction with each hayloft . That way , you do n’t wear grooves in your grand , and you wedge the steel to attain up toward the sun instead of bending .
Read more : Not into lawn mowing ? Here ’s how you could trench the forage and plant a garden alternatively .
8. When IsBest Time to Mow?
You need to ward off the heat of the sidereal day , without irritate your neighbor . mow after 10 a.m. ensures the dew on the grass will have evaporated .
Mowing too early while the ground is wet could displume the eatage blades . And mowing when it ’s too hot could strain the grass . Courtesy Grasshopper
9.Safety Matters
Lawn mowing is not tike ’s play . You ’re working with a muscular bit of machinery with sharp blades . More than half the injuries we talked about in the beginning involve young children , so keep minor and pets inside while you mow .
Also , check that you ’re wearing close - toed shoe .
10.Consider Alternatives (Like Goats!)
Do n’t mop yourself in a corner . You do n’t have to apply a machine to trim your lawn .
Consider “ hiring ” a four - legged squad to nosh on your grass . A ruck of Capricorn can get the job done slowly . Spanish caprine animal make excellent forager . Sheep can also facilitate you manipulate weeds . You just have to be careful the animals do n’t have access to toxic weeds .
This clause originally appeared in the May / June 2021 egress ofHobby Farmsmagazine .
