How To Mow Your Lawn

Wait Before Mowing A New Lawn

Calm those itchy mower fingers, pal. After spreading grass seed, you’ve gotta wait for your new grass to get off to a great start before mowing. New grass seedlings can be cut for the first time when they’ve reached mowing height, which varies by grass type. No matter what type of grass you have, though, curb that enthusiasm and limit yourself to cutting just the top of the grass blades . A dramatic cutting can shock and stress new grass plants, slowing down the growth of your new lawntotal opposite of what you’re going for.

Heres how tall your grass should be before you mow for the first time:

Bahia: 2-2 ½ inches

How To Change Or Clean A Mower Air Filter

Before changing or cleaning the air filter, first, determine whether your lawn mower has a paper or foam filter. Paper air filters are replaced while foam ones are cleaned.

To change a paper air filter:

To clean a foam air filter:

Invest In A Good Lawn Mower

Heres the reality: if you buy a crappy lawn mower you wont get good results, at least long term. One of my former colleagues Ryan Jackson, owner of Ryans Lawn Mowing in Austin, TX used to always say, A good mower is worth its weight in gold. Youre s*** out of luck without one..

Or it will take you FAR too long do do a half-decent job. A good lawn mower will cut the grass fast and clean, and wont require a whole lot of maintenance. Here are my personal favorite lawn mowers:

Read our buying guides on the best push mowers, the best reel mowers, and the best riding lawn mowers for more info.

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Keep The Edges Of Your Lawn Looking Neat

Trimming the edges adds the perfect finishing touch to a lawn

There’s no point getting the main bulk of your lawn trimmed to perfection if messy edges let it down. If the edges are generally uneven, you may need to re-cut them with a half-moon edging iron or, if you don’t have one, a sharp spade.

Once you’ve got a neat shape, use the best strimmer or a pair of sharp, long shears to keep those rogue blades in check. And why not go the extra mile and install some of our modern edging ideas, too? They’re the perfect finishing touch to keep a plot looking neat.

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.

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Take Photos Of Your Craftsman Mower Carburetor

Most people have a cell phone available nearby. It probably has a camera on it making photo taking a quick easy process. If you have one of these, you should use it to document steps. Even if you have a great memory, I highly recommend you take multiple photos of your carburetor before and during the tear down process.

You will be working with many small parts. It will be good to have photos to reference to make sure you put your carburetor back together the correct way. Youre better off taking these photos and not needing them over not having photos at all.

How To Mow Your Lawn Well

When youre mowing your lawn correctly, you can help keep it healthy. But if youre working with a dull blade or cutting your grass too short, you could be damaging it. Take a look at our pro lawn care tips:

Set your mower height high. For great results, youve got to know how to set up your mower. And one key factor is setting your mower high. Adjust the wheels on the mower so theyre only clipping the top third of the grass. This will encourage your lawn to grow back fuller and thicker.

Only mow when the grass is dry. By waiting until the suns cooked off that morning dew, youll be saving yourself and your mower a lot of work. Wet grass is hard to cut. Aim for mowing in the early evening on days without rain.

Vary your mowing pattern. Thin wheel ruts can become permanent lines on the lawn if you mow the same way every time. By varying your mowing pattern, your grass will grow fuller in a few days. Help those grass blades stand up nice and tall by changing your path each time you mow.

Mow when necessary, not on a schedule. Grass thats cut regularly whether it needs it or not may not be benefiting from the trim. A better approach is to cut your lawn when its grown enough to justify the work. During periods of high rain, youll probably need to cut it more frequently than during a drought.

Keep your mower blade sharp. Dull blades shred the top of your lawn blade, and that can lead to disease. Sharpen the blades and prevent the grass from drying out.

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Grass Cutting Tips And Tricks

Lawn mowing neednt be a chore if you follow a few simple rules:

This Is The Most Efficient Way To Mow The Grass

You want your lawn to look good, but you dont want to spend a lot of time mowing. When it comes to lawn care, there is a right and wrong way to mow the grass.

kurhan/Shutterstock

You want your lawn to look good, but you dont want to spend a lot of time mowing. When it comes to lawn care, there is a right and wrong way to mow the grass. Here our some of our expert tips for the most efficient way to mow your grass:

• Helpful Reminders

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Pick The Right Mowing Height

Mowing at the proper height encourages root growth and contributes to a healthy and flourishing lawn. Most lawn mowers come with multiple height settings. The optimal setting will usually be somewhere in the middle depending on the height of your grass.

Its better for your lawn to be too long than too short. People often believe that if they cut their grass short, they wont have to mow it as often. However, when you repeatedly cut the grass too short, you risk weakening or killing the lawn. Aim to keep your grass about three inches long throughout the growing season.

How To Choose The Ideal Mower

Choosing the right lawn mower for the job provides a smooth, clean cut, and makes the most of your mowing time. Choose from these common lawn mower types:

• Manual reel mower Environmentally friendly and quiet, manual push mowers rely on your strength and energy to mow. They’re a good choice for small, flat lawns.
• Electric mower Available in corded and cordless models, electric lawn mowers are less noisy than gas mowers and great for small yards. Corded mowers stay plugged into electrical outlets as you mow. Rechargeable cordless models offer more freedom, but they may need a recharge mid-mow.
• Gas-powered push mower Walk-behind, gas-powered mowers have more power and maneuver more easily than manual and electric types, especially when they’re self-propelled. They are ideal for medium-sized lawns.
• Riding mower or lawn tractor For large or sloped lawns, a riding mower or lawn tractor is the best option, allowing you to get a big job done fast.
• Mulching mower Designed to chop up grass clippings as you mow, mulching mowers leave small clippings on your lawn. Mulched grass clippings left on healthy lawns add nutrients and encourage beneficial microorganisms in the soil.1

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When Should You Mow The Lawn For The First Time That Year

In 2021, ‘First Cut Sunday’ a term coined by Flymo as a good date to cut your lawn for the first time since winter falls on Sunday 28th March. However, due to current lockdown restrictions and some early spring weather, it’s likely lots of Brits will have mowed their lawns already.

With pandemic restrictions easing on Monday 29th March to allow up to six people or two households to meet outside, including in private gardens, people want to get their gardens in tip-top shape for hosting outdoors. Read our guide on everything you need to host a perfect rule of six garden gathering, from lights to fire pits.

Mulch Your Grass Clippings

Mulching is a great way to improve your lawns health. When you mulch your grass clippings, they are recycled back into the soil.

This helps to improve the soil quality and encourages healthy growth.

Additionally, mulching your grass clippings helps to reduce the amount of time you spend mowing your lawn.

No wonder its one of the most common lawn maintenance tips.

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Clean Or Replace The Carburetor

When deciding between these two options it really comes down to a couple of things: your experience with small engine work, and the price and availability of a new carburetor.

If youre comfortable doing work on your lawn mower it actually isnt too difficult to clean a carburetor. Youll need to remove the carburetor and disassemble it. Just be sure to remember how it goes back together. Sometimes you only need to spray carb cleaner through the jets and around the inside of the bowl. But, if your carburetor has a ton of varnished gas residue, you may need to soak the parts in the carburetor cleaner for a few hours. Afterward, you just have to put the carburetor back together and reinstall it into the mower.

With that being said, if you have a carburetor that has rusted or is extremely gummed up, and you find an affordable new carburetor, you may be saving yourself a ton of time by going with a new part. If you have any doubts, you can get some good advice at your local small engine mechanics shop.

How To Sharpen A Mower Blade

Sharpen your mower blade every month or two. Dull blades have a tendency to rip grass instead of making clean cuts, which leaves the grass damaged.

Here are the general steps to take to sharpen a lawnmower blade:

If your blade is bent or nicked, sharpening won’t be adequate. You will need to replace it with a new one. Consult your owner’s manual to ensure that you purchase a suitable replacement.

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Proper Height To Cut Grass

The proper height for your grass will depend on its species. See the chart below for details. But over the years, turfgrass specialists have created one important rule: The 1/3 rule, which states that you should never remove more than 1/3 of your grass on any cutting. If youve been out of town or just got a little backed up with other chores, no matter how tempting it is to whack it all down to size at once, dont do it. Adhere to the 1/3 rule, and cut your grass down in increments. This will reduce the amount of stress you put on the grass.

The 1/3 rule is critical, said Campbell Vaughn, agriculture and natural resources agent for the University of Georgia-Augusta Richmond County Extension. Virtually all mowers have a height adjustment, so use yours. To adjust your mower, dont just eyeball it. Get out a tape measure and park your mower on a hard, even surface. Measure from that surface up to the blade. To adjust your mower to the right height, place it on a hard, even surface and measure from the blade to the hard surface. In many cases, you will find that the highest mower setting is the preferred cutting height.

Tip : How To Cut Grass Properly

For the perfect cut, the general rule of thumb implies that you should adhere to the one-third rule. This means that you should never remove more than one-third of the grass blade at one time. Going too low can potentially damage your lawn. The ideal grass length is between 2 and 5 cm. Grass that has been cut the right height encourages a deeper root system and helps prevent the weeds from invading.

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How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn

During summer, trim your lawn as often as it needs. So, although it might be tempting, don’t make mowing every Sunday be a concrete part of your routine. Instead, mow when the grass is long enough for you to need to trim it down by a third. This will usually be once a week.

Always avoid mowing on really hot, dry days as you’ll expose the roots of the grass to the sun and cause more damage than good.

Want to make life easier? Consider investing in one of our best robot lawn mowers.

Keep The Grass Green On Your Side Of The Fence

Use these helpful tips to keep your lawn looking luscious, and healthy all summer long. With the proper upkeep, your lawn is sure to be the envy of the neighborhood.

For more tips on how to mow a lawn, check out this Lawn Mowing video by the experts at Lawn Doctor: Lawn Mowing Tips. If you are interested in hiring one of our specialized lawn care teams, give your local Lawn Doctor a call today.

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Buying A Push Lawn Mower

If you have an inclined lawn, buying a push lawnmower is not a good idea. Im telling you, you will hate mowing for the rest of your life if you do so. Self-propelled lawn mowers should be your number 1 option. They are equipped with a wide variety of drives, theres the 1-speed drive and the multiple gears with reverse.

How Often Should I Cut The Grass

For a perfect lawn, you should mow at least once a week possibly even more in spring. If your lawn is growing more than 2.5 cm per week, youll need to mow it twice a week.Lawn type is also a factor in how often you need to mow: a durable recreational lawn is fine with a weekly cut during the growing season, while you may need to mow an ornamental lawn every four to seven days if it grows quickly. Lawns in shade grow more slowly, so once a week should be fine.

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How To Mow A New Lawn

If youve recently sown seeds for a new lawn, you are no doubt eager to see a lush green expanse of perfect grass. Youll need to be patient, though: while the grass is germinating, it needs watering and rest more than anything else. Wait until the new grass has reached a height of 8 to 10 cm before attempting the first cut this means the grass has the energy to bulk out a bit and ensures dense growth. For the first mowing of a new lawn, cut the grass to 5 to 6 cm a bit longer than a mature lawn. You should generally avoid cutting more than a third of the grasss length. Always ensure your lawn mower blades are sufficiently sharp, as blunt lawn mower blades can rip out the delicate young blades of grass.

Set Your Blade To The Right Height

Before you start mowing, make sure your blade is sharp and set between 3.5 to 4.5. Our crews cut to 3.75 in the spring and fall and 4.25 in the summertime. Weve seen great success with these mowing heights.

Some people like to cut really short so they dont have to mow as often, but this stresses the grass, leaving it open to disease, pests, thinning, and any number of things you want to avoid.

When mowing, you should cut about a third of the length off and have to mow every seven days. If youve waited too long and have overgrown grass, cut about a third of it off, wait a few days, then cut another third until you’re down to about 3.5 to 4.5.

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