The prominence of lawn care has transformed over the years, beginning as a luxury expense for only the wealthiest homeowners that could afford groundkeepers to maintain their property and has become a billion dollar industry in the United States.
For this reason, U.S. homeowners are constantly searching for mowing tips and tricks to preserve the youth of their lawn. With the right lawn and garden equipment and a few handy tricks, homeowners will be able to achieve the lawn of their dreams.
We are here to provide a variety of tips related to bagging, mulching and aftercare, for lawn caregivers to consider throughout the grooming process. Let’s take a look at some mowing tips to help you get that perfectly manicured lawn that most so desperately long for.
Mowing Tips
- Make sure deck is leveled before mowing.
- Travel slow and cut high when mowing an area for the first time.
- Learn the terrain, best pattern and avoid hitting unknown/hidden objects.
- Mow grass only when it is dry because wet grass can plug mowers and leave scattered clumps of grass across the lawn.
- Mow often, as short grass clippings will quickly decay.
- Mow at full throttle for best results.
- Make sure travel speed is suitable with conditions.
- Travel slowly when mowing thick or tall areas of grass.
- Travel at moderate speeds when mowing a thing area of grass.
- Mow frequently to cut only 1/3 of grass blade in one mowing, as cutting too short will kill grass and give weeds the chance to grow.
- Find the best-fit blades by visiting your John Deere dealer.
- Aerate lawn to encourage soil organisms and root development.
Bagging Tips
- Make sure the catcher has good airflow for best results.
- Clean underside of deck and chute often.
- Cut grass high.
- Mow at full throttle.
- Avoid any damage or fire hazards.
- Remove clippings from catcher.
- Avoid moisture and damp clippings.
- Clean catcher with water from hose (outside to inside).
- Let catcher fully dry before using it again.
- Check the amount of clippings in the catcher to see when catcher is at capacity to avoid leaving a trail of clippings or blowing them to the side.
Note: Bagging and composting grass clippings and leaves is recommended because many communities no longer haul lawn clippings and leaves to landfills for proper disposal. Clippings can also be used as mulch and sheet compost to keep weeds from growing, help soil hold moisture, provide nutrients to soil and cool soil temperatures during hot weather.
Mulching Tips
- Mulch only when the grass and leaves are dry.
- Take precaution when mulching leaves during the fall season.
- Grass needs sun exposure in the fall to help store food for winter.
- Patches of thick-mulched leaves can stop sunlight from reaching an area of grass and eventually kill it.
- Mow with a grass bag to prevent this from happening.
- Cut only 1/3 grass at time.
- Alternate mowing patterns.
- Mow with power, not speed.
- Check blade often and make sure that they are kept sharp.
There are many advantages, including the following:
- Raking and bagging grass or leaves is not necessary.
- Lawns tend to hold moisture better in dry weather conditions.
- Soil temperatures are kept down during warmer weather conditions.
- Mulch provides nutrients to soil and reduces the need for fertilizer.
Mulching wet grass or leaves may lead to the following issues:
- Build up on the underside of the mower deck
- Clumps of cut grass and leaves
- Engine may need to work harder and burn more fuel
After Mowing
- Make sure that the engine is turned off and give it enough time to cool down.
- This will help prevent a fire when storing the mower.
- Close fuel shutoff valve.
- Preserve the bag and prevent fire by removing all grass clippings.
- Clean top of deck, engine, transmission and chute with brush or compressed air.
- Spray underneath the deck with pressured water to remove harsh lawn chemicals and other buildup.
- Do NOT spray transmission with water
- Install new bag and put the mower in a safe area to be stored.
There are many mowing tips to consider when aiming for a well-groomed lawn. As there are always ways to improve ones grooming game, please let us know if you have any other mowing tips that we can add to our list. Happy grooming!
If you enjoyed this post or want to read others, feel free to connect with us on Facebook!