How To Cut Your Lawn for Best Possible Results
Maintaining your own lawn takes some work, but with some helpful tips, it doesn’t have to be so hard to do. While time consuming, looking after your yard can be very rewarding.
When it comes to yard work, it’s generally preferable to do it yourself, though, rather than hire mowing or landscaping services. However tedious it may be, doing the mowing on your own has two prime benefits.
• It can save you cash.
• It acts as great, free exercise.
If you don’t mow at all, grass will grow too tall, and your yard could end up more like a prairie than a lawn. In order to have a healthy and attractive lawn, there are some important points of which you should be aware:
• Mowing height and mowing frequency need to be observed (sample heights are outlined below).
• Cutting a lawn can be highly stressful for the grass. The leaves produce food for the roots, so you don’t want to cut too deep.
• Weekly mowing is necessary from spring to fall seasons. The grass grows faster during these times (especially during summer). During these seasons, with the proper conditions, the grass uses most of its energy for growing, making it doubly tough to maintain a neat lawn.
When cutting your grass, consider:
• Before starting to mow, be sure the mower blades are sharp. Replace them when necessary.
• Find out first what type of grass is in your lawn before you start cutting. Each type has a recommended mowing height to follow (see below).
• Correct mowing makes the lawn denser. This will not only result in a lush yard, it will also lessen the weeds.
• Be very careful not to cut off more than a third of the grass blade height at any time. This leaves sufficient leaf tissue meaning the grass can continue producing its own food.
• Do not mow when the grass is wet. This will maintain an even cut. Wet leaves tend to cling to the blades.
• In every run up, the stroke of the mower should overlap the previous one. Put a mark on every side of the mower to serve as your overlap marker to avoid repeated grass cutting in the same track.
• Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to mow as it’s not too hot during these windows of time. Mowing at the hottest point of the day will cause the grass undue stress and may overexert you as well.
• Mower blades should be always balanced and sharp. Dull blades will produce ragged cuts and a silver sheen or frayed looking lawn.
• Cutting all the grass at the edges of the lawn is perfectly okay. The end bits will add a professional look to your lawn mowing efforts.
• When grass is freshly-seeded, it needs a month after germination to let it grow and get fixed into the ground before mowing it. The blades of grass are still very soft and tender when young. They can be subjected to easy damage (particularly if the soil is wet).
• Mow the fresh grass when it is about an inch taller than its preferred standard mowing height.
Recommended mowing grass height:
• Bahia: 2 to 2.5 inches
• Bentgrass: 0.5 to 1 inch
• Bermuda: 1.5 to 2 inches
• Bluegrass: 2 to 2.5 inches
• Buffalo grass: 2 to 3 inches
• Centipede: 1.5 to 2 inches
• Fescue: 2 to 3 inches
• Kentucky Blue Grass:1.75 to 2.5 inches
• Perennial R Bahia: 2 to 2.5 inches Ryegrass: 2 to 3 inches
• St. Augustine: 2 to 3 inches
• Zoysia:1 to 2 inches
Finally, finish the lawn mowing by trimming and edging the grass: It’s like giving yourself a shave after having a haircut. Bring out your weed eater and finish the job off nicely. Avoid bagging the clippings though. Let them remain on the lawn to rot and thus fertilize the soil. If it’s too much, spread them using a rake.
What is the right mower for your lawn
• Electric mowers: These have an electric motor which pushes a rotating blade. They are environmentally-friendly since they don’t emit any exhaust fumes. If you have a lawn which is level then an electric mower is the smartest choice. A cordless type of electric mower has a bag on either the side or rear. This catches the clippings if you choose to bag. Another type is the one that cuts the grass so that it’s fine enough to let clippings fall on the ground and settle.
• Gas-powered mowers or lawn tractors: For larger yards, these are the most practical solution. One of the issues with regards to this type of mower is the exhaust emissions it produces while mowing which is very harmful not just to the environment but to humans as well, so try opting for a newer model. These are designed to produce fewer emissions. Whether old or new, gas mowers also require regular maintenance.
• Manual-reel mowers: These manually-powered mowers truly are multi-purpose .They are a smart choice for the environment, but they do require a lot of manpower. This type of mower leads to a need to cut the grass more often to keep it short. They also come in handy since they are very easy to store. They’re perfect for those lacking garage space and for those with small lawn areas.
Paying attention to these tips and implementing them can keep your lawn looking great year-round. By educating yourself on exactly what your grass needs and getting the right lawn mower (hint: read reviews before buying), you’ll be able to put the neighbor’s yards to shame. Know as much as possible about your grass and how often it needs cutting. Check out the different types of grasses along with their recommended cutting height. Also remember: The job isn’t done properly until you use your weed eater to finish it off in style!
The above article is a guest post by author Kara Westlake, Editor of the Gardening Supplies Guide. Kara is a product reviewer, blogger and gardening enthusiast.
