Lawn Tips “Mowing”

Proper mowing will not only help ensure a beautiful lawn, but it also increases the density of your grass, decreases weeds and helps your lawns overall health. 

Choosing The Right Mower

Manual Reel Mower: These mowers are going to be the quietest and most environmental friendly.  They are best used for small flat lawns since there is no motor.

Electric Mowers:  Battery or corded electric mowers are much more quiet than a standard mower with a motor. These mowers are better suited for smaller lawns since the corded mower is required to be plugged into an electrical outlet and a battery powered mower may require a recharge mid mow.

Gas Powered Push Mower: Gas powered mowers are ideal for small and medium size lawns. They typically need to be started by pulling the recoil rope to start the machine. They are more powerful than an electric or manual mower. 

Riding Mower/Tractor:  Riding mowers are the best suited for larger lawns. They are the most expensive of all the discussed mowers. They typically have a battery and have an electric start with a key or switch. 

Choosing The Right Type Of Mower

Lawn mowing is typically broken down into two categories: mulching and bagging mowers.  Most newer mowers give the user the option to switch between 2 depending on the mower. 

Mulching Mowers (recycling): The mulching mower is designed to cut the lawn and chop up the grass clippings into fine pieces at the same time.  Mulching mowers are ideal for regular lawn maintenance.  The mulched grass helps provide the grass added nutrients and moisture to the lawn.  Mulching is not ideal when the grass is very long or wet.  Mulching mowers are typically messier than bagging mowers.

Bagging Mowers:   Bagging lawn mowers are mowers that disperse the grass clippings into a grass catcher or bag. Bagging mowers are ideal for smaller lawns as the operator may need to empty the bag many times depending on the length of the grass and the cutting height. Bagging mowers are great for helping pick up leaves and other debris while cutting the lawn. 

When And How To Mow

The 1/3 Rule: The typical rule of thumb for mowing is you never want to cut more than 1/3 of the blade of grass at once.  Cutting more than 1/3 of the blade could weaken the grass causing the lawn to become more susceptible to heat stress, disease and weeds.  

Mowing Frequency: It is much more important to cut your lawn based on grass growth than schedule dates. In spring months lawns may need to be cut 2 times a week compared to dry summer months when the grass grows at a much slower rate.

Mowing Height: While many lawns are made up from different types of grass, cutting the lawn at 3.5 – 4 inches is a good rule of thumb. 

Mowing Patterns: The direction you mow your grass should be changed every time you mow the lawn. This helps ensure the grass doesn’t get matted down in one direction.

Maintaining Your Mower

Sharp Blades: Maintaining sharp blades is important to having a healthy lawn. Sharp blades cut the grass. Dull blades rip the grass which can put your lawn at risk to pests and disease.  The frequency on how often to sharpen your blades depends on the size of your mower, the size of your lawn and how thick your grass is.  If you are unsure if you need to sharpen your blades, look at a blade of grass after you mow. If the grass looks ripped or brown at the tip, it may be time to sharpen your blades.  See image

We hope this helps any lawn question you may have about mowing.