smnoel
10-14-2003, 03:20 PM
Last week we introduced the different types of lawnmowers out there. This week, we'll discuss how to properly use your mower, no matter what type you decided upon. Using correct mowing techniques can make or break the health and look of your lawn no matter what type equipment you are using. You could have the brand new state-of-the-art Mower Extraordinaire, but if you don't use it correctly, you can end up scalping your lawn just as easily as if you had a Cheap-o Brand mower from the thrift store.
One of the most important general mowing practices is also one of the least followed ones: mow often. It is much better on your lawn to mow more often and cut less of the grass blades than to mow more infrequently and cut down the grass hard. Every time you mow your grass you are causing stress to the grass plants. Now I bet you're thinking, "Then why would you want me to mow more often?!" Well, if your grass had it it's way, it wouldn't be mowed at all, but allowed to grow freely. However, grass that is one to two feet tall and teeming with bugs, snakes, and other critters is not how most of us envision our landscape. We imagine our lawns to have a nice, healthy green look to it that invites all who see it to run across it barefooted; therefore, we must mow.
So why is mowing more frequently less stressful on the grass than mowing less often? Well, the main fact that you have to keep in mind is grass plants use their leaf blades to produce their food for energy. Therefore, the more energy-producing blades you remove, the less blades the plant has left to continue to produce food. This is why it is recommended not to remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade when mowing. So if you mow your lawn more often, you can afford to remove less of the grass blade per mow, and your lawn will be left with more of it's grass blades to continue to utilize to produce food.
Mowing more often allows you to mow higher, which brings us to the next mowing technique: mow high. By mowing higher, you remove less of the grass blades, which is less stressful to the plant. So exactly how high is high? As mentioned above, it is a general rule to mow no more than 1/3 of your grass' present height. For an example, if the height of your lawn is 3", set your mower to 2", which will remove the top 1/3, or 1", from your lawn. To maintain your lawn at the height that is recommended for your lawn variety, let it grow until it is 1/3 over that recommended height. By using the mow high and mow often techniques together with each other, your lawn will be less stressed, and therefore will be able to perform better for you.
There is a third mowing technique that also is rarely followed: mow in different directions each time you mow. When you follow the same mowing path each and every time you mow, you begin to compact the soil where the mower tires roll by and where you feet constantly walk. Soil compaction impedes water and nutrients migrating down to the roots for plant absorption, and it also can impede root growth. This in turn leads to a decline in plant health and performance. To prevent this 'beating down of the path,' mow your lawn in a different direction with every mowing session. You can go perpendicular or even diagonally from your last mowing pattern. There are at least four different directions in which you can mow. And if you're feeling creative, you can also try out some decorative mowing patterns on your lawn, similar to the ones accomplished at Fenway Park in Boston.
Whether you mow star-design patterns in your lawn or stick to the more basic striping pattern, your lawn will stay and look healthier if you stick to these three mowing practices. Once you get yourself into the habit of mowing often, mowing high, and changing your mowing pattern regularly, you will soon be applying these techniques without really thinking about it. What you will be thinking about, however, is how nice and green your lawn looks.
Carrie Paulk is the author of "Lawnmower Man I: I Need A Lawnmower,"which is part of the Tip of the Week program with Turf Tamer, Inc. She has written many informative landscaping articles. To learn more about landscaping tips and tricks, you can find the rest of her articles at http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm (http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm)
One of the most important general mowing practices is also one of the least followed ones: mow often. It is much better on your lawn to mow more often and cut less of the grass blades than to mow more infrequently and cut down the grass hard. Every time you mow your grass you are causing stress to the grass plants. Now I bet you're thinking, "Then why would you want me to mow more often?!" Well, if your grass had it it's way, it wouldn't be mowed at all, but allowed to grow freely. However, grass that is one to two feet tall and teeming with bugs, snakes, and other critters is not how most of us envision our landscape. We imagine our lawns to have a nice, healthy green look to it that invites all who see it to run across it barefooted; therefore, we must mow.
So why is mowing more frequently less stressful on the grass than mowing less often? Well, the main fact that you have to keep in mind is grass plants use their leaf blades to produce their food for energy. Therefore, the more energy-producing blades you remove, the less blades the plant has left to continue to produce food. This is why it is recommended not to remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade when mowing. So if you mow your lawn more often, you can afford to remove less of the grass blade per mow, and your lawn will be left with more of it's grass blades to continue to utilize to produce food.
Mowing more often allows you to mow higher, which brings us to the next mowing technique: mow high. By mowing higher, you remove less of the grass blades, which is less stressful to the plant. So exactly how high is high? As mentioned above, it is a general rule to mow no more than 1/3 of your grass' present height. For an example, if the height of your lawn is 3", set your mower to 2", which will remove the top 1/3, or 1", from your lawn. To maintain your lawn at the height that is recommended for your lawn variety, let it grow until it is 1/3 over that recommended height. By using the mow high and mow often techniques together with each other, your lawn will be less stressed, and therefore will be able to perform better for you.
There is a third mowing technique that also is rarely followed: mow in different directions each time you mow. When you follow the same mowing path each and every time you mow, you begin to compact the soil where the mower tires roll by and where you feet constantly walk. Soil compaction impedes water and nutrients migrating down to the roots for plant absorption, and it also can impede root growth. This in turn leads to a decline in plant health and performance. To prevent this 'beating down of the path,' mow your lawn in a different direction with every mowing session. You can go perpendicular or even diagonally from your last mowing pattern. There are at least four different directions in which you can mow. And if you're feeling creative, you can also try out some decorative mowing patterns on your lawn, similar to the ones accomplished at Fenway Park in Boston.
Whether you mow star-design patterns in your lawn or stick to the more basic striping pattern, your lawn will stay and look healthier if you stick to these three mowing practices. Once you get yourself into the habit of mowing often, mowing high, and changing your mowing pattern regularly, you will soon be applying these techniques without really thinking about it. What you will be thinking about, however, is how nice and green your lawn looks.
Carrie Paulk is the author of "Lawnmower Man I: I Need A Lawnmower,"which is part of the Tip of the Week program with Turf Tamer, Inc. She has written many informative landscaping articles. To learn more about landscaping tips and tricks, you can find the rest of her articles at http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm (http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm)