How to properly mow a lawn with a lawn mower

How to properly mow grass with a lawn mower

Arrangement of green lawns at dachas and country estates is becoming a popular pastime. At first glance, it seems that everything is simple in this matter: you have allocated a place for a green lawn, sowed the area with grass seeds and you are waiting for the field to turn into a green lawn. And only later comes the understanding of the need for proper care, and it, first of all, consists in the skillful operation of the lawn mower. It turns out that mowing the lawn is necessary not only for beauty.

Mulching function in the lawn mower

In the care of beds and lawns, various methods are used to improve soil fertility. Mulching is essential to keep lawns healthy and prevent soil erosion. Mowed grass has proven itself well as a mulch. From time to time it is recommended to mow the grass and prepare compost from it, which is used as an organic fertilizer for the lawn in winter.

On sale there are wheel units in which the mulching function is already built. With the help of this additional feature, during mowing, the lawnmower mulches grass and uncleaned fallen leaves: the process consists in chopping and carefully throwing organic matter onto the mowed part of the lawn. The advantage of such models is obvious: the lawn is cleared of plant debris, which is recycled back to the soil surface and enriches it. But the cost of a lawn mower with additional features will be higher than the usual model.

Why and how often the lawn is cut

Usually lawns are sown with grasses of the family of cereals, and mowing prevents them from flowering and fruiting. This simple technique prolongs the growing season of plants, promotes good rooting, the growth of lateral green shoots and tillering. Regular mowing helps to compact the turf, and the densely growing “cultured” grass prevents weeds from growing and spreading. Throughout the warm period, as a result of timely mowing, the green color of the lawn remains.

There is no certainty about the frequency of mowing the lawn. This parameter depends on several objective factors:

• type of sown vegetation;
• type of soil and feeding;
• weather;
• seasonal characteristics of plant growth;
• purpose of the lawn.

The first lawn mowing activities begin in the spring, after the grass on the planned sown lawn rises to a height of 12-14 cm. It is recommended to mow the overwintered lawn when the greenery rises to 7-10 cm. Depending on the intended purpose of the green cover, the grass is mowed to a level 4-7 cm. Subsequent mowing is recommended every time the grass is pulled up to a height of 2-3 cm above the desired level.

In summer, it is not recommended to mow the lawn too short to avoid early drying of the plants.

Adjusting the cutting height on the lawn mower

The lawn mower constructively involves adjusting the cutting height of the grass. The range may vary from model to model. Equipment manufacturers indicate the minimum and maximum value of this parameter in the accompanying documentation. In inexpensive models of interchangeable positions, heights are most often 3, in more expensive and advanced ones, there may be 5-7 positions of the regulator.

For the care of bumpy lawns, a model with a wider height adjustment range is usually chosen.

The technical solution for choosing the cutting height may differ for different models. There are two types of regulation: manual and mechanical. The first involves stopping the engine and manually changing the governor position. The mechanical method allows you to change the cutting height by pressing a button on the control lever, without the need to interrupt the process.

Basic rules for mowing a lawn

With a trimmer, mowing a lawn in a neglected state is much faster, but after completing this work, you need to collect the mowed greens with a rake.

Hence the conclusion: lawn mower owners should not allow the grass to grow too high.

Also, the question is often raised whether it is possible to mow wet grass with a gasoline lawn mower. The rules state: it is not recommended to work with a lawn mower in the rain or after watering, since such mowing does not differ in quality, and there is a risk of getting ugly stripes on soggy soil.

In addition, there are other rules that must be followed when mowing a lawn.

• A hot summer day is not the best time to mow the grass. Fresh cuts dry out quickly, and their yellowness spoils the appearance of the lawn.
• It is recommended to mow the lawn in the morning or in the evening in dry weather, one day after rain or watering, when the soil and grass are dry.
• Make sure that the mower blade is sharpened. Working with blunt knives is fraught with troubles in the form of foliage jams and grass pulling out by the roots.
• Before starting mowing, you need to use a rake to collect fallen leaves, tree branches and other debris, level out the earth mounds that are formed as a result of the vital activity of earthworms, ants and other insects.
• You should decide on the direction of the haircut so that it is at an angle to the previous one. Otherwise, the appearance of the lawn will be associated with a washboard.
• When clipping, you must observe the parallelism of the following and do not leave narrow stripes, paying attention to the grass under the wheels.

Lawn mower problems

As with any gardening equipment used in gardening tools, wheeled lawn mowing equipment requires compliance with the rules of safe use. It is possible to operate motorized equipment only in good condition. this is an unshakable requirement. And before turning on an electric or gasoline unit, you must make sure that it is intact. When carrying out work, it is necessary to observe the general safety rules and the requirements of the instructions from the manufacturer.

There are five main problems when using a lawn mower:

• hitting an obstacle;
• leaked oil;
• the knives are clogged with grass;
• the unit rakes the ground together with the grass;
• rough cut.

All problems can be solved to one degree or another. In the first two situations, you will most likely have to seek help from specialists. And to prevent such problems, it is recommended to check the area before cutting for stones and other objects in the grass of the lawn, and also not to store the device upside down.

Young, soft and succulent grass can clog the ejection hole, and then unstable, ragged motor operation is observed. In this case, you need to periodically stop work to clean the hole from adhered grass segments using a thin sharp tool.

When the mower is powerfully picking up not only the stalks of grass, but also clods of soil, readjusting the cutting height so that the knife does not reach the soil will help correct the situation. If the unit with a normally working motor cuts the grass in uneven strips, shreds, then the problem is with the knife: either it is dull, or it is not installed quite correctly.

Referring to the manufacturer’s instructions will help clarify the correct location of the cutting tool. It is better to entrust knife sharpening to a specialist.

Remember to wear personal protective equipment when working with the mower. Check your work equipment regularly to identify defects in time and solve the problem before a serious breakdown occurs.

When to mow your first lawn?

The first lawn mow should be gentle. Usually it is carried out according to the following scheme: when the grass reaches a height of 12-14 cm, it is cut to 8-10 cm.Further, within 2 years on parterre lawns, you can mow the grass to a height of 4-5 cm, on functional and garden-parks. 5.7 cm. Usually the time of the first haircut falls on the end of April. mid-May.

How often to mow the lawn during the season?

In the spring, when the grass is actively growing, it has to be mowed on average 1-2 times a week, in the summer. once every 7-10 days. Closer to autumn, the grass is mowed once every 2 weeks.

If for some reason you have not mowed the lawn for a long time, and the height of the grass has significantly exceeded the norm, you need to bring it to the required level in several steps. Since, as you remember, the grass can only be shortened by 1/3.

Regular grass cutting

Mowing of an adult lawn is usually done once or twice a week, depending on the intensity of grass growth in different weather conditions. Regular and correct mowing strengthens the grass, makes it lush and prevents weeds from thriving. There are norms that establish the height of the grass stand based on their biological characteristics. The height of mowing of thin-leaved lawn grasses is not lower than 3 cm, for broad-leaved grasses 5 cm.

The most common lawn mowing tools: lawn mower, grass trimmer, cordless grass shears.

You need to mow in dry, cloudy weather. The “mow the scythe while the dew” rule can be a bad joke with modern lawn mowers. The fact is that wet grass sticks together, sticks to the plastic, which leads to a blockage and prevents the grass from freely falling into the grass catcher. However, mowing in the hot sun also negatively affects the green surface, the grass turns yellow, the tips dry out. In sunny weather, the best time to mow your lawn is in the evening. In case of prolonged drought, do not cut the lawn too short, try to maintain a height of about 5 cm of grass stand.This cutting height will protect the soil from drought, and the lawn will look well-groomed.

Lawn mowing: how to properly mow the grass

The presence of an emerald velvety lawn on the site will be the pride of every gardener, provided that it is properly cared for. Regular mowing is an important step in keeping your lawn in good condition.

Regular mowing of lawns promotes tillering of the grass, which subsequently leads to the formation of dense sod, as a result of which the number of weeds, which are literally displaced by young shoots, is reduced, and also prolongs the growing season and protects plants from exhaustion. Thus, thanks to the mowing procedure, you can solve several lawn care tasks at the same time.

Mowing the lawn: 9 essential questions

grass trimmer to help

Mowing a lawn with a trimmer is convenient when you need to get to hard-to-reach places on the lawn and there is no way to use a lawn mower. A motor built into the grass trimmer drives the line at a speed just enough to cut grass. grass trimmers are:

• Electric. That is, the grass trimmer works from an outlet and therefore you need to be careful with a cable that will always be dragged behind you. grass trimmer with electric motor type is light and convenient for small lawns;
• Petrol. It runs on gasoline and is therefore noisier and heavier. Successfully handle large areas.

a grass trimmer helps you get to hard-to-reach places

Mowing Tips For Beginners

Good old scissors are the most unpretentious tool for a good haircut. How to mow a lawn with scissors? Well, it is clear that we are talking about small areas, you can even say that lawn scissors are only suitable for the edges of the site.

By the way, there is even some semblance of classification among scissors:

• Mechanical scissors. Here you need an accurate eye, non-shaking hands and a desire to constantly sharpen the blades.
• Cordless scissors. Despite the additional detail in the form of a battery, they are quite lightweight and mobile. The uniformity of the haircut, the load on the hand and the position of the handle can be adjusted individually. The charge can be controlled. Includes replaceable knives.

Cordless scissors

How to mow the lawn if there is only a scythe for grass in the house from the tool? Well, in fact, some craftsmen cope with this task. But the result is still relative. You will never be able to mow the lawn with a slant as it would with special equipment.

Adjusting and starting the lawn mower motor

Maintaining and adjusting the 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. The typical procedure for preparing a new motor for operation is approximately as follows:

• The mower 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 according to 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 through the 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 in 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 would be most correct to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, rather than follow the advice of the engine oil seller.

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 forcing.

The easiest way 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 at the moment the engine starts, the mower will start to move and mow on its own. 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 lawn mower engine 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 to park in order 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.

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, a lawn mower allows you to get a good quality lawn and mow successfully, 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 good knowledge of the terrain features.

Lawn Mower Control Basics

In fact, any of the lawn mowers is a motor with a pair of sharp knives mounted on the motor shaft. The entire structure of the motor shaft with the impeller is covered with a plastic or steel guard and fixed to the wheel cart. Despite the relatively large weight of the unit, in theory, any adult without special physical training can mow with a lawn mower. However, mowing grass is not as easy as it might look on an advertisement.

To operate the mower correctly and safely, you must:

• Correctly service the device, adjust and prepare the mower for work;
• It is good to navigate the terrain of the mowed area. Before starting work, inspect the area and remove stones, large branches, any debris that can break off the cutting edge, knife and engine;
• If there are flower beds or shrubs on the lawn, it is necessary to think in advance about the route of the mower and the place to unload the container with cut grass.

Handle adjustment

Modern lawn mowers make it possible to adjust the position of the handle for any height or features of the constitution and physique of a person. The easiest way to mow and steer the cart is if the hands on the handle are at the level of the center of gravity of the body or higher by 2-3 cm.

With a large mass of the lawn mower, the control handle requires a lot of effort, therefore, when choosing a model, choose a design with an aluminum or steel tubular frame.

This is especially true for front-wheel drive lawn mowers. Owners of front-end mowers like to hang the front axle, thereby reducing traction and adjusting the direction of travel of the machine by turning the body on the rear axle in the desired direction.

Lawn mower practice

Any complex technical device takes some time to get used to. If you have not had the experience of working with mowers of any design, the first step is to study the instructions in order to clearly understand which levers and knobs are used to control the lawn mower motor, and which ones are used to adjust the mowing parameters. In addition, you will need to learn how to set adjustments to the position of the cutting edge of the lawn mower so as to mow the grass in an even and neat layer, leaving the laid 3-4 cm of vegetation throughout the entire area.

How to mow without blunders

First of all, you need to mow without putting excessive unnecessary force on the control handle. The lawn mower was designed without taking into account this overload on the rear axle. For the front-drive version of the mower, this will impair the mowing quality. When working on a rear-wheel drive version, this “help” wears out the transmission and leads to the appearance of potholes in the lawn, it becomes more difficult to mow. In addition, it can easily damage the knife, motor or mow the grass on the ground.

The art of lawn mowing comes with practice. Most often, the direction of movement is corrected by moving the handle to the left or right. In particularly difficult cases, you can mow even on difficult paths by slightly tilting the mower body to the left or right, increasing the traction of the wheels on one side and loosening on the other. The controls are simple, but require practice and skill.

It is considered the most difficult to mow near a curb or fence. Such work requires accuracy and a good eye. Most often, damage to knives occurs when trying to mow in areas interspersed with gravel or under the edge of a stone blind area.

Models with a piano suspension of the front pair of wheels are best mowed in such difficult conditions. For complex edge configurations, mowing with such a lawn mower is much easier.

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 clearance, but also the angle of inclination of the lawn mower body.

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The forward tilt helps to compensate for tilting the windrower backward if you push too hard on the handle. Especially if the grass is wet. it is difficult to mow, the rear drive wheels can slip. For a front-wheel drive lawnmower, this tilt will only impair the performance of the mower, skips will appear and the surface will remain uneven.

The long tradition of mowing the grass early in the morning is not only associated with more comfortable working conditions. Vegetation moistened with morning dew is much easier and faster to cut even with a low-power motor. Less dust and pollen rises, which is especially important during the flowering period of ragweed or similar plants that emit allergenic particles. But in such conditions, you can only mow with gasoline models, electric lawn mowers should only be operated in a dry environment.

How to properly mow the grass on the site and avoid mistakes

The last haircut in autumn should not be done in a cold wind, otherwise the tips of the blades of grass will be frostbitten.

Here are a few rules to keep in mind when mowing your lawn:

• first of all, make sure that the height is the same on both sides of the mower drum, otherwise you risk ruining the lawn;
• clear the area of ​​stones, sticks, wire and other debris that could harm the mower;
• sweep the surface of the lawn with a broom or rake to level the piles of earth after earthworms and raise the grass towards the blades;
• mentally outline the direction of the haircut. adjacent stripes should be obtained at a certain angle to each other;
• change the direction of the stripes with each mowing to perpendicular, then ribbed stripes will not turn out on the lawn;
• the last haircut in autumn should not be done in a cold wind, otherwise the tips of the blades of grass will be frostbitten, which will negatively affect the quality of the lawn next year.

Mowing grass with a lawnmower is not as easy as it sounds. Of course, you will need to learn how to operate the mower first before you start mowing your lawn. However, in the process of work, you can accidentally make mistakes that will noticeably worsen the appearance of the lawn. The most common mistakes are:

The tips of the grass turn brown after shearing

This effect can be caused by blunt blades near the rotary mower (blades of grass are jammed, not cut off), damage to the bottom plate of the cylindrical plate or its incorrect adjustment. Also, the grass can turn brown if it was wet during mowing.

The grass on the bumps is shaved bald

If your area is prone to bumps, it is worth increasing the cutting height and adding mulch to level the surface of the lawn. When mowing, try not to push or jerk the mower handle back and forth.

When mowing, try not to push or jerk the mower handle back and forth.

The lawn looks ribbed

If, when mowing, narrow stripes of long and short grass appear perpendicular to the movement of the mower, this means that the blades in the cylindrical mower rotate very slowly. The reason for resistance to knives can be dew on the blades of grass (therefore, the lawn must be swept before mowing), too low or too high cutting height.

Beveled stripes along the entire length cross wide waves

A similar “washboard effect” occurs when the grass is cut in the same direction every time. The same vibration during lawn mowing results in waves on the soil surface, which is why it is so important to change the direction of the stripes with each mow. To level the soil relief in the fall, you can add mulch.

From the first to the last lawn mow

The first mowing of the lawn should not be delayed due to the fact that the sprouting blades of grass still look very weak. it is scary to trample. In fact, trampling and rolling the lawn will only benefit him, the grass from this will begin to bush more, creating a dense sod. Yes, and you will step on the already mown grass, moving the lawn mower in front of you, so this will not cause any harm to the young lawn.

Let’s figure out when to start mowing the first seedlings, how often to mow during the season, and when is the last time to mow the lawn? Also from the article you will learn how to mow correctly in order to avoid common problems that beginners often face.

How do you know when it’s time to mow your lawn for the first time? Usually the first lawn mow is in mid-May. Look at how much the blades of grass have grown: if they have stretched up to 10 cm, then there is nowhere to put it further. Try to choose dry weather so that the grass is not wet (the mower will clog up), but the ground should remain slightly damp. Plants will uproot from dry soil, and it is not recommended to mow on wet soil because the lawn mower will damage the surface of the lawn when moving.

Before mowing the grass for the first time, make sure the mower blades are perfectly sharp so that weak blades of grass are not pulled out of the ground by the mower. You will only need to cut the very tops of the plants, so set the knives to their maximum height immediately.

Before mowing the grass for the first time, make sure the mower blades are perfectly sharp.

In the future, mowing the grass should be carried out at least once a week in warm, humid weather, and on cold or dry days, it will be enough to mow the lawn once every two weeks. Focus, first of all, on the height of the grass: the lawn looks neat at a height of five centimeters, if the grass has grown two centimeters higher, then it’s time to mow it. It is advisable to keep your lawn at about the same height throughout the season, but cutting your lawn too short is not recommended during the summer months as the plants can dry out quickly.

The last mowing of the lawn should be carried out before frost, too high or low grass will not overwinter well. Look according to the circumstances. perhaps the last time you cut the grass in mid-September, and in the case of a warm autumn, you may need to trim again in October.

From the first lawn mow to the last. how often and how to mow the lawn correctly

Even though very little time has passed since the lawn was planted, and the grass is still difficult to compare with a dense green carpet, it is time to take care of the first mowing of the lawn. If the right moment is missed, some seedlings will outgrow or fall from the rain and then not rise. It is the mowing of the lawn that allows you to form a beautiful grass cover of optimal density, therefore it is so important to cut the grass on time and do it regularly.