How to properly mow grass with a manual scythe About the technique of mowing grass with a manual scythe: when to mow, how to properly mow the grass and sharpen the tool. Technique for working with a hand scythe.
Where and when they mow the grass
The grass must be cut as it grows. Intensive growth of vegetation occurs at the end of April and May, especially after rains.
The cut grass must be immediately removed from the site, as unharvested parts of the plants can grow on wet ground. Then you can mow once every 2-3 weeks, depending on the growth of the vegetation.
If you do not start growing, then you can mow small shoots with a trimmer as they appear.
In hot weather, plant growth slows down and you need to mow less often. In the heat, you cannot mow the lawn too low, the grass will start to burn out.
The last mowing on the lawns is in October.
Why mow the grass
Weed grass has good adaptability to any growing conditions and grows everywhere. If the weeds are not destroyed, then in a couple of years they will turn any area into a wild field.
Weeds reproduce not only by seeds, but also by rhizomes. Thus, it will take a lot of time to remove some types of vegetation.
Growing weeds quickly develop the useful area of the site, intensively use nutrients and moisture from the soil. It is impossible to destroy uninvited flora that grows next to useful plants using chemical means.
This will lead to the death of all vegetation. It is for these reasons that it is imperative to mow the grass. To use your time rationally, you need to choose the right mowing tool:
- You need to mow with a lawn mower on a flat large area of a lawn or a recreation area;
- It is convenient to work with a trimmer in any area if the height of the grass is from 5 to 10 cm.
- Sidelong mow tall grass or vegetation on uneven ground.
When choosing a tool, it must be remembered that the older the braid, the better metal was used to make it.
Modern braids are significantly inferior in quality to Soviet ones. The size of the tool is indicated by a number from 3 to 9. The number determines the length of the blade: the larger the number, the longer the braid.
How to sharpen a braid with a bar
Sharpening a braid with a bar can be difficult for a beginner. Here, as in any other business, there is its own instruction:
- Rest the braid on the ground, while the blade and block should be in your hands;
- The tool in this position has two planes: upper and lower;
- The upper one is sharpened with a sliding motion along the blade from itself to the side;
- The lower plane is sharpened by moving the bar with an effort upward from itself forward.
Bar for sharpening braids
How to operate a lawn mower
Any advertisement presents a modern lawn mower as a versatile tool capable of doing the work of a dozen mowers in an hour. In addition to high productivity, the lawn mower allows you to get a good quality lawn and successfully mow, regardless of skill, with relatively little physical activity. But working with a lawn mower is not so easy, it requires a certain skill in operating the machine and a good knowledge of the terrain features.
Lawn Mower Blade Adjustments
Before mowing, adjust the height of the blades above the ground. Most often, the lift of the mower body above the grass is set with one handle, less often with two for each pair of wheels, this helps to mow lawns with very dense and heavy grass.
The heavier the mower body, the lower the cutting edges can be. Most often this is a value of 20-25 mm. It is good to mow soft grass with a low position of the cutting plane, for hard and high one it is necessary to adjust not only the ground clearance, but also the angle of inclination of the mower body.
The forward tilt helps compensate for the backward tilt of the windrower if the handle is pushed too hard. Especially if the grass is wet, it is difficult to mow, the rear drive wheels may slip. For a front-drive lawnmower, this tilt will only impair the performance of the mower, it will skip and the surface will remain uneven.
Adjusting and starting the lawn mower motor
Maintaining and adjusting engine speed is considered to be the most difficult stage in preparing a lawn mower for work. Therefore, before engaging in the struggle with complex equipment, even with some experience, be sure to read and re-read the operating instructions. A typical procedure for preparing a new motor for operation looks like this:
- The lawnmower must be placed on a firm, level surface, and all folding elements and handles must be screwed into position. The wheel drive engaging lever must be switched off. If the mower is equipped with a spark cut-off system, be sure to turn it off;
- It is only necessary to mow with an absolutely serviceable lawn mower, therefore, before starting the engine, it is necessary to inspect it and make sure that there is no oil and fuel leakage. With a gloved hand, check the tightness of the chip on the candle and proceed to refueling with fuel and oil;
- The filling of liquids is carried out using the dipsticks; for the oil sump of the motor, it will be necessary to fill in the lubricant according to the average measure, no more. If overflowed, liquid may squeeze out of the vent or gasket;
- Be sure to change the oil after running in. If you decide to use semi-synthetics, do not switch to mineral water, and vice versa. For about the first 20-30 hours after running in the engine, it is necessary to mow the grass at medium and low speeds. The performance will be low, but in the end you will significantly benefit from the resource of the motor, after a couple of mows it will be possible to mow in normal mode.
What kind of oil should I put in the mower? High quality mineral or semi-synthetics. It is most appropriate to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, rather than follow the advice of the seller of motor oils.
Do not believe the fables of sellers and advertising slogans about preliminary running-in of motors at the enterprise. This procedure is carried out in full at the enterprise only for powerful high-speed motors with a high degree of boost.
It is easiest to mow with high-octane unleaded fuel, but only if you are 100% confident in the quality of the gasoline. The engine of the lawn mower keeps the revs well and practically does not get warm. American and Chinese engines work fine on the A-92, European versions may be more capricious in the choice of gasoline. For two-stroke engines, gasoline is mixed with a special oil in a 50: 1 ratio.
We start the motor in the following sequence:
- Before starting, check the position of the lawn mower motion control knob, the transmission must be turned off, otherwise the mower will start moving and mowing on its own when the engine starts. We turn off the power to the magneto or the ignition system and turn the motor shaft several times with a starter cord or with a starter.
- We turn on the ignition, close the air damper and try to start the engine.
- If the start fails, turn off the ignition, open the air damper and, turning the shaft with the starter for a few seconds, blow through the combustion chamber.
- After successfully starting the engine, move the throttle control lever to the position corresponding to the rpm between medium and lowest.
Start the mower motor only if there is no fuel leakage at the pipe connections.
Almost all models have the ability to mow and dump the grass into the grass catcher, so we choose a convenient place for the lawn mower parking to remove and unload the grass box and convert the machine or simply inspect it if necessary. There will also be fuel, tools and spare candles.
Can wet grass be cut with a trimmer and lawn mower and how do I do it?
Arrangement of a suburban area (and even a local area in a city) is a very complicated matter. Especially because you have to look after the farm all the time. Many people also have questions about how to do this or that work, for example, is it possible to mow wet grass with a trimmer.
Features of the situation
Of course, such a question will not arise for those who live in the immediate vicinity of the lawn. Then you can wait a while and work when the grass dries up. But the need to remove wet grass arises immediately, if you can visit the site only occasionally. What to do if you have to mow the lawn on weekends, on another day with rainy weather, that’s the subtlety. The opinions of the summer residents themselves differ, therefore it makes little sense to be guided by their position. You need to figure out the nuances yourself.
The role of equipment
It should be pointed out at the outset that there are two main types of trimmers that relate differently to wet vegetation. Some devices are equipped with a gasoline engine, others are set in motion by connecting to the mains or installing a battery. In turn, electric mowers are divided into two subgroups: with the location of the motor in the lower or upper part of the machine. Safe enough for the user to remove wet grass can only be gasoline trimmers or hand scythes.
In this case, it is strongly undesirable to use an electric lawn mower. Sometimes you can find statements that this requirement applies only to devices with a lower motor placement. Such an electric motor comes into direct contact with water. Because of this contact, you can be afraid of a short circuit.
If water does get inside the power plant, there is a risk not only of a short circuit, but also of an electric shock. It is worth noting that these restrictions apply not only to trimmers, but also to full-fledged lawn mowers. The assurances of manufacturers and marketers about safety should not be taken into account. To minimize the risk to yourself and your equipment, you should use a lawn mower. But there are a few more subtleties that must be taken into account.
Even if the mower does not fail and its owner is not electrocuted (let’s say such a favorable situation for a minute), you still cannot mow wet grass with a trimmer. This is a deliberately abnormal mode of operation, due to which the equipment wears out too quickly. Wet vegetation is much more resistant to cutting elements than it should be. Therefore, even very well insulated motors are overloaded.
Due to the sticking of wet grass to the knives and to the spindle, the load on them will necessarily increase. This cannot be avoided, and no skill of mowers, no methods and schemes of lawn clearing help. Not only the motor suffers, but also the shaft, which sometimes turns.
Problems when mowing wet grass can also arise with gasoline machines. Yes, they are more powerful than their electrical counterparts, but the load still exceeds normal values. Piston pairs and other moving parts are most likely to be hit. If there is no way out other than using a gasoline mower, you need to take care of it. When mowing raw grass, the machine is periodically switched to idle mode without load. 30 seconds is enough to remove excess heat, as well as save the trimmer resource.
And more about different situations
When talking about mowing wet grass, you need to distinguish between the following possible situations:
- It is wet after rain;
- It is raining;
- The reason for the moisture is a damp area (lowland or soil water).
In the first case, it is quite possible to take a chance and try to put things in order with a lawn mower. In the second, mowing is impractical. In the third, you will first have to solve something with moisture and only then put the lawn or lawn in order. If you often have to mow wet grass after rain or dew in a small area, then it is better to use not a trimmer or a lawn mower, but a simple hand scythe. You need to look not only at the grass that is being removed, but also at the one where the power cable is placed.
Moisturizing it can be a very serious risk factor. To mow the grass after rain, you need to wait a little. A few minutes, even with a very big rush, will not noticeably reduce the time that can be set aside for mowing.
As for mowing raw grass, there are still the following objections to it:
- It is more difficult to walk with a trimmer or lawn mower in such conditions, you can easily fall and get injured;
- You will have to spend more time on work;
- After mowing, it will be necessary to thoroughly clean the machine itself;
- Wet chlorophyll will leave more stains on clothes, leather, shoes.
Now you need to figure out exactly how to act if you still decide to use a gasoline trimmer to clean your lawn or lawn in wet weather. An important rule is to keep the grass at the optimum length. By overly shortening it, especially in the summer, summer residents run the risk of provoking early drying of plants. It is unlikely that this will contribute to a good appearance.
Sure, wear durable, waterproof footwear. Use headphones or earplugs only when working with a two-stroke petrol trimmer. On a large clearing with flat grass, mowing is carried out along imaginary squares, conventionally dividing the entire territory into them. They first move along the perimeter of each square, then mow it from the inside and move on to the next part of the lawn. Regardless of the weather, before starting work, you should do the following:
- Check the serviceability of the equipment;
- Remove all debris and foreign objects from the site;
- Replace, if necessary, worn cutting elements;
- Are determined with the direction of the mow so that the lawn does not resemble a washboard.
For how to cut wet grass with a trimmer and lawn mower, see the following.
ENGINE MAINTENANCE
PRINCIPLE # 1: PROPER USE
- When operating, strictly follow the instructions for the lawnmower, especially pay attention when you need to take a break from work. For example, taking a break from work with the lawn mower at the wrong time can lead to overheating of the motor and subsequent troubles in this regard.
- After you finish mowing your lawn, remember to remove any grass residue from the deck and the blades each time.
- Be sure to store your lawnmower in a heated and dry room, and do not expose it to rainfall.
- After work, do not forget to turn off the equipment, because its spontaneous movement can lead not only to damage to the lawn, but also become a threat to you and your family members. Never inspect or repair the unit while the engine is running.
- If damage is found (cracks, chips, dents), you must contact a specialized service center for diagnosis. A problem detected in time will not lead to serious damage and therefore save money.
- If the lawn is heavily neglected and the grass is tall, do not cut it in one pass from the mower. This will put a lot of stress on the engine and the knives will work less efficiently, it is better to walk several times, removing the grass gradually.
- In order to avoid dullness of the knives from touching the soil, it is necessary to level the unevenness of the soil before mowing.
- For a high-quality mow, drive the mower slowly and only forward (the knife device is designed with an eye on mowing in one direction only).
- To avoid possible injury, only use footwear on the mower and preferably have no exposed areas of your body. Since a stone can hit the knife and bounce back at you.
- It is advisable not to use the lawn mower near trees, poles, curbs, it is very easy to blunt and break knives there. In such places, garden shears or a trimmer will be more effective.
- If you want to have a striped lawn (stripes on the lawn alternate between bright and dark grass), you should mow, constantly changing direction, and a special roller should be installed on the mower.