Whenever possible, avoid the outdoor use of power tools on Sunday. A few decades ago, lawn clippings were thought to contribute to thatching, so the common practice when mowing your lawn was to bag lawn clippings and discard them. His articles have appeared in "Outside Missoula, Outside Bozeman," "Hello Chengdu" and online at GoNomad.com and various other websites. Only Mow 1/3 of the Grass Blade The standard wisdom has changed in the past few decades about grass clippings. Whether you are a first-time homeowner or an individual used to lawn mowing, you likely aspire to invest in a faster and durable tool for a smoother experience. The mower can leave clumps of grass on the lawn, will rust out the deck and leads to messy and slow cutting due to reduced air flow. “Remove any rocks, debris, toys, etc., that might damage your mower or that might be thrown by your mower and hurt someone or damage something. They happily move around a garden, cutting grass to an equal length and navigating most tricky terrain while you kick back and relax. So if you don’t want to learn the fine art of lawn care, see if we provide service to your area. Your 2.5- or 3-inch lawn will need to be mowed once a week during the growing season, but contrary to popular belief, it will not cause you more work. mulching — leaving clippings in the lawn — is the better choice, Don’t Bag: Mulch Your Grass Clippings for a Healthy Lawn, Natural Lawn Pesticides That Work (Hint: They’re Not Homemade Recipes), How Earthworms Help Your Lawn, Grass and Soil. Examine your blade checking for loose bolts, damaged, misaligned, bent or broken blade tips. Using your lawn mower properly increases the density of the lawn, which decreases weeds. This will reduce the amount of stress you put on the grass. Don’t get your mower too close to trees, the curb, flower beds, rocks, playground equipment, your shed or anything else, he said. Avoid mowing at mid-day — it’s just too hot. You can take the mower into a shop to have the blade professionally sharpened, or you can do it yourself. If you wait till the end, you may rush these parts, potentially damaging your lawn mower.”. Each type of grass has a recommended mowing height. Pushing a motorized mower was less strenuous, the study found, burning off 167 calories in a half hour — the same as a good half-hour game of badminton. How often you need to get your blade sharpened will depend largely on how many hours of mowing it does. Pace yourself. To adjust your mower, don’t just eyeball it. “We always recommend starting at the places that will take the most time: around rocks, shrubs, buildings or other features in your lawn,” he said. Purchasing the correct mower for your needs really comes down to the size of your yard, your budget, and your personal preference. Your lawn will tell you if you have a dull blade. How you mow, when you mow and what you mow with will all make a difference in the keeping your lawn looking and feeling its best. All robotic mowers cut the grass into a fine, almost sawdust-like state that works its way into the soil as mulch that fertilizes your lawn. Find out which type of grass is in your lawn (you may have more than one) and how to mow a lawn to the proper height. Cutting width. Over the years, he has developed his own mowing technique, which he still practices on the large lawn surrounding his historic house north of Austin, Texas. Grass buildup under a lawn mower deck is a pain to deal with. A shorter spring cut rids your lawn of any winter-burned strands and preps it for a fresh growing season. Measure from that surface up to the blade. “When you tear the leaf, it opens it up for diseases to attack it. “Each type of grass has its own characteristics that determine when it grows, when it grows and when it may go dormant according to the climate,” he said. The air filter traps these particles before they enter, so you'll need to clean your lawn mower's air filter according to the manufacturer's recommendations. But over the years, turfgrass specialists have created one important rule: The 1/3 rule, which states that you should never remove more than 1/3 of your grass on any cutting. Adhere to the 1/3 rule, and cut your grass down in increments. Wait until that dew has dried and then have at it. Still, I wouldn’t recommend one for anyone with larger than 1/2 an acre (and that’s pushing it really if you are cutting the entire lot). Be careful with a mower on newly sodded grass or new lawns grown from seed. A service professional should also perform any carburetor cleaning, however, make sure he also installs a carb kit before reinstalling the carburetor. High Wheel Front Wheel Drive Variable Speed Self-Propelled Gas Lawn Mower with a Briggs and Stratton Engine. Husqvarna Zero-Turn Riding Mower (MZ61) This Lawn Mower has to be on this list as it delivers … Cost — Lawn mowers can be a very expensive purchase for an individual, so cost is a very important factor to be weighed before purchasing a tool. What Height Should New Grass be Cut? Letting your mower chop the grass blades returns nitrogen to the soil and does not contribute to thatching. Lawn Mowers Construction & Building Equipment Engines-Diesel-Fuel Injection Parts … If you’ve recently fertilized, your grass will undergo a growth spurt, and you can increase the frequency to prevent excess accumulation of clippings. Electric and gas push mowers can range from $100 to $400 and riding mowers can be as much as $14,000. Now 71, he is a renowned “green designer” who chooses his grasses carefully. A larger lawn or mowing lots of tall grass can strain the battery. Walk-behind push mowers are best for smaller yards, usually half an acre or less in size. The crankshaft that the mower blade is attached to can only rotate in one direction, so the blade must be installed correctly so that the sharpened cutting edge of the blade is facing the right way. As the name suggests, robotic lawn mowers are just that. A lawn mower (also known as mower, grass cutter or lawnmower) is a machine utilizing one or more revolving blades to cut a grass surface to an even height. This will prevent the grass from clogging into the mower and provide better results. Fiskars 18 Inch Staysharp Max Reel Mower. They are also better for flat lawns, because they do not offer help mowing uphill. “A dull blade is about the worse thing you can do to a lawn,” Vaughn said, because where sharp blades cut cleanly, dull blades tear. This increase in fuel allows the piston to keep firing and the blades to keep turning. He and other experts advise that when riding a power mower, your ride up and down the slopes horizontally so that the mower is never tilted to one side. “By trying to get too close to stuff you rin the risk of damaging the stuff, the mower and/or yourself,” he said. Lawnstarter.com is in the business of helping consumers find qualified lawn professionals. Personal Preference — Personal preferences depending on the individual can consist of choosing an electric versus a gas push mower or choosing to go completely low-tech with a standard reel mower. It's worth the extra effort to mow a lawn frequently enough to maintain the ideal height. On the other hand, during a prolonged dry spell, your lawn would be best served by setting the mowing height higher and reducing mowing frequency so the grass plants can retain more moisture. Lawn mower blade sharpening kits cost as little as $10. Cordless electric mowers run on rechargeable batteries. Done wrong, and your green expanse could turn brown and unattractive. Once the grass reaches that uniform height, you will still be cutting off the same amount of grass with each mowing. Establish a schedule for motorized outdoor lawn and garden work with your neighbors (e.g., even number days only). If you can’t remember the last time you sharpened your lawn mower blade, it’s time to do so. Troubleshooting mowing issues is the same for all lawn mower brands. When you try to mow on overgrown lawn, you end up clogging the air filter and shutting off air to the engine. “Get references and if people are qualified and reasonable I think it’s a fair tradeoff,” Vaughn said. When the blades on a lawn mower come under full load, such as when cutting thick or tall grasses, the carburetor responds by increasing the amount of fuel flowing into the cylinder. It’s fine to run your mulching blade over leaves to add them to the mulch mix. A clean cut helps it regenerate a lot faster and be a healthier plant in the long run.”. And no fun at all to play on. Mowers can also be personalized with features that include a mulching blade that chops up the grass into tiny bits and distributes it across the yard, or a grass bag that collects the grass clippings as you go to make for easier disposal. “Once you finish mowing around any features and move on to mowing the open lawn, I suggest homeowners establish a mowing pattern, whether that’s straight rows or circles; again, whatever works best for you and your lawn,” says Leahy. “The 1/3 rule is critical,” said Campbell Vaughn, agriculture and natural resources agent for the University of Georgia-Augusta Richmond County Extension. When the blades on a lawn mower come under full load, such as when cutting thick or tall grasses, the carburetor responds by increasing the amount of fuel flowing into the cylinder. There are several different types of mowers that you can use in your lawn maintenance. But allow yourself to be a bit less compulsive when you run the risk of a heat stroke or heart attack.”, Leahy agrees. “I know that people that care about having their lawns perfect can be somewhat neurotic at times. It features an InertiaDrive reel for cutting all grass … You are doing your lawn a favor when you mow it. Avoid the use of power lawn equipment if your neighbors are in their yards. A grass plant’s purpose in life is photosynthesis — that is, pulling in carbon in the air, energy from the sun and water from the earth to grow roots and blades of grass. Check For Blade Damage. That means you might be cutting twice a week when the grass is in its peak growing season, but the payoff will be a healthier, better-looking lawn. Equally important, there's no bagging involved. A 155-pound person pushing a manual push (reel) mower would burn 205 calories in a half hour — the same caloric output as someone doing a half hour of low-impact aerobics or square dancing. You finally get around to cutting the lawn, you get about halfway down the length of your yard, and BAM! In many cases, you will find that the highest mower setting is the preferred cutting height. Regarding the use of lawn equipment, the policy suggests that people: If courtesy isn’t enough of an incentive for you, be aware that more than 500 local governments have passed noise pollution legislation, violations of which could force you to pay a hefty fine. However, if the engine dies when it comes under load, the likely problem is due to a drop in the fuel supply. If your lawn is large, break up the job into smaller pieces, Solomon advises. With a broader blade, you will only take a few passes to complete. Reasons Why Your Riding Lawn Mower Isn’t Cutting Evenly 1. Riding mowers are recommended for larger yards, while push mowers can handle small to medium jobs. Riding mowers are recommended for larger yards, while push mowers can handle small to medium jobs. Find the best Lawn Cutting Services near you on Yelp - see all Lawn Cutting Services open now. When you cut off the tips of the grass plants, they are stimulated to grow more. If there are chips or gaps, it may be time for a new one. If you've ruled out other potential issues, the problem just might be your carburetor. A Low Tire Can Cause an Uneven Cut. Your other choice is to forgo the lawn mower purchase and instead hire a lawn service. An uneven, tatty appearance and torn leaves are your cues that it’s time to sharpen the blade. See the chart below for details.