Mow Like A Pro: How To Avoid These Top 10 Lawn Mowing Mistakes
Most homeowners may not know it, but improper mowing is one of the most common causes of lawn problems. Luckily, its an easy problem to fix. Its much easier than trying to diagnose a disease or pest problem or remedy mold or weed issues. Custom Lawn and Landscape has put together some basic lawn mowing tips to keep your lawn healthy and looking its best.
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What Happens If A Lawn Is Not Mowed
A homeowner could be fined if their lawn is not mowed depending on the laws of the city or the regulations of an HOA.
Look up your citys ordinances and find out if lawn maintenance is enforced. It is likely that there is a certain length that grass can be and if it goes above this then that is grounds for being fined.
Speaking of grass, curious about how short to cut your grass before winter? Our blog post explains exactly how short to cut it so that you have a Spring ready yard when the snow melts.
What To Ask When Hiring A Lawn Mowing Company
When speaking with a lawn mowing service you should consider asking the following questions:
- How long will it take you?
- What are your hourly rates?
- Do you provide any additional services?
- Do you provide written quotes?
- Can I review your references?
In order to receive the most accurate quote, provide as much detail as possible, ask questions and have the job inspected.
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How To Make A Checkerboard Striping Pattern
Feeling creative? Once you know how to stripe your lawn with straight lines, try different mowing patterns, such as a checkerboard pattern.
- For checkerboard striping or cross pattern striping, first follow the directions to make a complete set of straight lawn stripes, as shown in Step 3.
- Once your straight rows are finished, lift the mower deck, and turn to mow a second set of stripes at right angles to the first.
- Finish by mowing a strip around the perimeter of the yard to help hide any turn marks.
How Long Until Burnt Grass Turns Green Again
The longer it takes for burnt grass to turn green depends on the season. Burnt grass in spring is usually easy to fix because all it needs is a few days of rain or watering.
On the other hand, burnt grass caused by prolonged summer heat could take weeks before it turns green again.
Other determinants are weather, temperature, type of soil, and grass.
You can fix burnt grass that was because of these causes. But youll have to wait for a few days or weeks because root dormancy takes time to wear off, so you must be patient.
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Sharpen Mowing Blades Regularly
If you cant remember the last time you sharpened your lawn mower blade, its time to do so. A dull blade is about the worse thing you can do to a lawn, Vaughn said, because where sharp blades cut cleanly, dull blades tear. When you tear the leaf, it opens it up for diseases to attack it. A clean cut helps it regenerate a lot faster and be a healthier plant in the long run.
How often you need to get your blade sharpened will depend largely on how many hours of mowing it does. Mowing a large lawn frequently will cause more wear and tear than occasional use on a small patch of turf.
Your lawn will tell you if you have a dull blade. Take a look at the evenness of the cut and whether the individual blades of grass have been neatly sheared. An uneven, tatty appearance and torn leaves are your cues that its time to sharpen the blade.
You can take the mower into a shop to have the blade professionally sharpened, or you can do it yourself. Lawn mower blade sharpening kits cost as little as $10.
Inspect your blade. If there are chips or gaps, it may be time for a new one. Replacing a blade isnt too tough and can be accomplished with tools most of us have around the house.
How To Get Burnt Grass Green Again In 5 Easy Ways
Has your lawn lost its green color? Is your grass browning and dying, and youre wondering how to restore it to its former beauty?
We all know the intense feelings of failure, disappointment, and loss when we see our plants turning brown, wilting, or dying without a logical reason.
This usually makes us go into a frantic search for an emergency remedy to help save our grass.
But we need to keep in mind that if we dont know the cause of the grass browning and wilting, we cant tell which remedy will work and which ones wont.
This article will provide you with a brief guide on how to get burnt grass green again.
Contents
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Neighbors Complaining About Grass
As a neighbor, you have the right to complain about someone elses grass if they are not maintaining it.
Lawn maintenance is typically a law implemented by your city or your HoA. If you have a neighbor who is being careless with their lawn, then you have the right to complain.
Having an overgrown lawn is not only an eyesore but also attracts dangerous insects like ticks and other unwanted creatures.
So What Is Gps Advice For Anyone Looking For A One Time Mow
You can take your chances on Craigslist but be warned that Craigslist can have several lawn care pros that claim to be professionals but you will never be certain until they arrive at your property to mow.
Or, you can also try thumbtack.com to hire a professional. But keep in mind that the vendors using that platform sometimes pay upwards of $10 just for the opportunity to speak to you about your needs. Needless to say, the lawn pros may be a little disappointed to learn that you only need a single cut.
You can also try GreenPal which allows you to audition your lawn pro, but after the first mow. Our system will require you to set up ongoing service with that vendor.
And then, there is always Facebook.
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What Should I Beware Of
One thing to be mindful of when comparing lawn-mowing prices is whether the quote youre getting seems reasonable.
Also, keep in mind that a lawn-mowing professional or company might try to bump up the price simply because you live in a fancy neighborhood. Why? Because they think you can afford it, Farley says.
Regardless of what sort of neighborhood you live in, there are some things you can do to avoid lawn care rip-offs. The Better Business Bureau, Better Homes & Gardens, HomeAdvisor and the National Association of Lawn Care Professionals offer these tips:
Choosing The Right Mower
One of the most important lawn mowing tips is that you have to choose the best equipment for the job. Lawncare equipment has developed a lot in the last couple of years, so you will have plenty of options to choose from.
Doing the research will help you narrow the list down.
First, you need to determine the size of your yard and the type of terrain you are working with. If you have a smaller yard, push lawnmowers are excellent because they will give you an even cut.
Not to forget these machines are quiet and cordless. Riding lawnmowers are more suitable for larger spaces. And if youre lucky enough to have a particularly huge garden, I would suggest checking out these commercial zero-turn lawnmowers instead.
Most lawns are not completely flat, but if you are dealing with bumpy terrain, riding lawnmowers can conquer them easily.
Rolling hills may look spectacular, but maintaining them can be a lot of work. Once again, a good riding lawn mower for hills can help you out with this problem.
But you dont have to spend outrageously when it comes to a grass cutting machine. Its a common misconception that you need an expensive, top-of-the-line model to achieve professional results.
With the right application, its possible to have a stunning finish even with one of these cheap lawnmowers so long as you follow the lawn mowing tips and tricks in our guide.
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Key to success in this industry is having the thoughtful reason for choosing lawn mowing as an industry. Many of the successful people I know say something like. I always saw myself doing this one day or I always wanted to leave the desk job and work outside People that explain their motivation in a related way are pursuing a dream and will often have the clarity to make this great business succeed.
Hopefully by sharing this list, it will make your start in the lawn mowing business a little bit easier. This list will apply to you if you join a Crewcut franchise or go it alone. Before you decide if you want to join a franchise or be an independent lawn mowing operator, be sure to read this blog 10 reasons lawn mowing franchises beat start-ups.
How To Stripe Your Lawn Around An Obstacle
Its not difficult to cut straight stripes in a lawn with a tree, flagpole, flowerbed or other unmovable obstacle. Just mow around it or make it a focal point.
- Make sure to keep your lines straight. Keep your eye on the area beyond the obstacle.
- When you turn around to cut in the opposite direction, mow over any unwanted turn marks to keep the stripes looking even.
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Cost Of Seeding Your Lawn
Lawn seeding is another great way to improve and/or maintain the long-term health and vibrancy of your lawn. It depends on how large of a lawn you have, but the average cost of seeding your lawn is between $850 $1,700. The more area you need seeded the higher the price because it will take longer, and you will need more seed to finish the job.
How To Stripe Your Lawn
A basic striping technique is to mow around the perimeter of your lawn and then turn making parallel lines. However, one of the easiest ways to stripe your lawn is with a lawn striper kit. You can also use a tow-behind or push lawn mower roller, sometimes called a yard roller. A tow-behind yard roller attaches to your riding lawn mower, lawn tractor or garden tractor.
Mow as often as needed to keep the grass 2 1/2 to 4 inches tall. When you mow, dont remove more than 1/3 the height of your grass. Cutting grass too short can kill it or weaken it, leaving it more susceptible to weeds. For a dramatic mowing pattern, mow on a higher setting to keep your grass on the tall side. Tall blades are softer than short ones and bend more easily. Mowing at a higher setting, even if its only one-half inch, can make a difference in the contrast between the grass striping.
After you use a lawn striper kit to mow in the same pattern for a couple of weeks, alternate between mowing patterns. You dont want the blades of grass to always bend in the same direction. If youve been using a mowing pattern that runs north to south, change it the next time you mow. Try one of the patterns in the steps below.
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Avoid Scalping Your Lawn
Grass can allocate energy to two functionsgrowing roots or growing new blades. Cutting grass too short can cause weak root systems, eventually causing the grass to die. Thats why its important to use proper lawn mowing habits to avoid scalping your lawn.
Mowing the lawn too short leaves your grass more susceptible to the high temperatures and drought. Scalping your lawn in the heat of summer will seriously hinder the grasss ability to recover. Since hot weather already stresses lawns, scalping will most definitely make matters worse.
Additionally, cutting grass too short will limit the grasss nutrient supply, giving weeds free reign. The sunlight will also reach the weeds providing photosynthesis for growth.
Not sure if youre scalping your lawn? If your grass is so short that its stem is exposed, its too short. This stem is usually brown in color. Typically, most warm-season grasses should be at least 1 inch high and most cool-season grasses should be at least 2.5 inches high.
Why Should I Apply A Winter Fertilizer To My Lawn
A final fertilizer application of nitrogen and potassium in the winter can kickstart your lawn the following spring. The nitrogen applied late in the season is stored in the soil over winter and utilized in the spring as outside and soil temps rise. It helps promote greening, growing, and thickening faster in the spring than if you skipped winter fertilizer. This winter fertilizer application is often considered the most important feeding of the season.
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How To Get Lawn Mowing Customers
The success of your lawn mowing business depends on an adequate number of customers available to support the business. Although many people mow their own lawns, there are still many other people who simply don’t have the time or want to mow their lawn themselves. You need to reach as many people as possible from this market who will benefit from your service. There are several traditional and unique methods you can employ to acquire new customers for your lawn mowing business.
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Create a website. Many people use online search engines to find products and services. A website can help those people to find your business. For example, if someone performs a local search, such as “Lawn Care in Rockville, Maryland,” your website will appear in the list of search results. Enter information about your lawn care business on the website, such as your contact information, service area, price points and testimonials if available.
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Advertise in local publications. Take out ads in your local newspaper, community paper and specialty papers. Offer coupons and free services to help encourage potential customers to try your lawn mowing service.
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Hold contests and free lawn care giveaways. Hang up posters on community boards and advertise your contests and giveaways on local radio stations if you have the capital to do so. The contest and giveaways can drum up interest in your lawn mowing business.
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References
Vary Your Mowing Pattern
Repetition is boring, right? So mix things up a bit. Each time you mow, do it in a different direction. If you always cut your lawn using the same pattern, not only will you end up sending your brain straight to snoozeville, but your grass will start to lean in the direction you mow and you may even end up with ruts in the lawn. Need another reason to vary your mowing pattern? Grass will stand up nice and tall since it will be mowed from all different directions.
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Cost Of Winterizing Your Lawn
Depending on where you live, you may need to winterize your lawn for the harsh winter weather. Winterizing your lawn will ensure the lawn your worked so hard to keep healthy and beautiful does not die from the first snow, and can also prevent dead spots or the unappealing brown spots that we all see too often at the beginning of spring.
The average cost for winterizing a lawn is about $400, but the price can vary drastically depending on where you live and the size of your lawn. If you have a lawn care provider you can ask them about their winterizing process and what your lawn would need, or you can find a lawn care professional today to take on the job.
Leave Your Clippings On The Lawn
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Leaving clippings on your lawn improves carbon sequestration.
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If your clippings are too long, mulch by mowing several times or rake them off.
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If you have used herbicides on your lawn, leave clippings after you mow dont use as mulch on other plants or add to compost.
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Read more about the benefits of mulching lawn clippings.
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Pro Lawn Mowing Techniques Include Changing Directions
When it comes to pro lawn mowing techniques, some people might go all out and buy and attachment for lawn striping. Luckily, you dont need to go this far to get a nice looking lawn. However, you should take measures to get an even surface.
Instead of following the same path every time you mow, you should alternate directions. If you mowed going up and back creating lines in one direction last time, mow perpendicular to those lines next time. This will prevent the grass from being pushed in one direction and help you create a more even surface on your yard. Its also one of the best ways to mow your lawn like a professional.
Keep Your Mower Blade Sharp
When you mow your lawn, you want to cut the grass, not tear it. The next time you mow, take a look at the grass afterward. If it looks torn and frayed, your mower blade needs sharpening. Tearing can make your grass more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Proper lawn mower maintenance, like sharpening your mowers blade, will ensure even mowing and healthier clipping distribution. A blade sharpener can be bought at most home and garden centers. You should sharpen a blade every few weeks throughout the mowing seasons. You can also keep a spare mower blade on hand to alternate using.
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