Mowing Your Lawn
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Lawn Mowing is Important
One of the most important aspects of lawn mowing is buying the correct mower for you and your garden.
I can remember when I was a young teenager being given the job of pushing the mower round the garden. My goodness, how I hated that job. Now there is a wide range of mowers to choose for the task - it doesn't have to be one you push.
When lawns in gardens first became fashionable in the 16th century, the only way to cut them was with a scythe, shears or with grazing sheep. The first lawn mower was invented in 1830 and began to be manufactured thirty years later.
Of course mowing your lawn keeps it looking good but it also encourages healthy growth. You need to choose the right height to cut your grass, depending on which variety you have and how you use your lawn. You should always choose the right weather conditions and the correct seasons for mowing.
Choosing a Mower
The first step is to choose the right mower. If you only have a small patch of grass, a manual mower would be sufficient. They cut well and a manual lawnmower with small built in roller will put stripes into your lawn.
If you don't fancy spending hot summer days pushing a lawn mower, a powered one, either electric or petrol (gas) driven, is the choice for you. A powered cylinder mower will still give you a striped lawn but will not cope well with long grass.
A powered hover mower uses a spinning rotary blade. It doesn't have an attached bin to collect grass clippings so they will need to be raked up afterwards. A hover lawnmower is easy to use, especially on uneven ground, but it won't give you a striped lawn.
Lastly there is a powered rotary mower. Again this uses a spinning blade but this kind will cut long and neglected grass but won't give you stripes.
When and How to Mow
Not only does mowing keep the lawn looking good, it helps the grass grow well and healthily. It should never be done when the grass is wet or covered in frost.
The best routine for mowing is little and often during the summer when the grass is growing vigorously. The first cut in spring should be done with the blades set high so that only the tips of the grass are removed. After that, lower the blades according to the use of the lawn. A showpiece lawn can be cut to as low as 1/4 inch in height while most of us would probably want to keep the grass at a height of between one and two inches. The more use your lawn gets, the longer you should have the grass so don't cut it too short if your kids use it for ball games. If you do, you will soon find bare patches.
Stripes
To get stripes in your lawn, you need a mower with an attached roller. First of all, mow along the edges of opposite ends of the lawn. After that, mow in straight lines from the two mown sides. Don't push and pull the mower. Keep going in a straight line. Slightly overlap each time so you don't miss any grass.
Grass Clippings
Generally speaking, these should be removed either by using a mower with grass collecting box attached or by raking afterwards. Leaving clippings on the grass can increase the amount of thatch, encourage weeds and decrease the aeration of the lawn.
Warnings
Wear strong shoes when mowing. Accidents can happen and you probably want to remain attached to your toes! If you are using an electric mower, make sure you don't cut the cable. In any case, never use it without having an automatic power cut out switch. If you have to mow a bank, be very careful. A hover mower is probably the best one for this job. If possible, mow along the bank rather than up and down it.
Garden Lawn
Learn to Mow like a Professional
Push or Reel Mower
This type of unpowered mower is really only suitable for small areas of lawn unless, of course, you enjoy the exercise or you have teenage children who need to earn money.
If you get the blades sharpened each year, this type of mower usually gives the best and cleanest cut without tearing at the grass at all. Like other mowers, you can adjust the height of the blades so you can cut the grass at the desired length.
Gilmour RM30 20-Inch Reel Mower with Grass Catcher
The Scott's classic reel mower is light, maneuverable, and economical. The business end of this push reel mower is solid, sharp, and everything a reel mower should be, with five heat-treated, knife-sharp steel blades that can be adjusted for nine grass heights with very easy wheel tabs. With its 10-inch wheels, radial tires, and 20-inch cutting width, this mower should enable you to cross whatever terrain and reach whatever hard-to-access rogue patches of grass you desire. There's no soft cushion on the handle, which is too bad, but otherwise, the Scotts Classic is a durable, well-constructed, simple device.
Electric Powered Reel Mower
This kind of mower gives you all the benefits of the old-fashioned push reel mower but with the added benefit of electric power, making it more practical for a larger garden or for anybody who can't or doesn't want to push a lawn mower.
Mantis 811103 15-Inch 24 Volt Cordless Electric Reel Mower with Folding Handle And Grass Catcher
Now you can enjoy the smell of fresh air, the pleasant mechanical sound of the blades cutting the grass, and the ease of pushing a lightweight mower around your yard. Even better, mowing with a Mantis Reel Mower is so quiet you can start mowing early in the day... and you won't disturb the neighbors.
Your lawn will benefit from reel mowing. Unlike rotary mowers which tear the grass blades, reel mowers shear each blade like a pair of scissors. A sheared cut yields a greener and healthier lawn, and is preferred by lawn care professionals.
Reel mowers are convenient and economical. You don't need gasoline, there's no spark plug to change, and the blades seldom require sharpening. The fold-down handle makes it easy to store the Mantis Reel Mower just about anywhere.
The Mantis Cordless Reel Mower easy to use. Just push the button, and begin mowing. Quiet, battery-powered reel mowing will shear your lawn as precisely as if you were using a pair of scissors. Mows up to 2,500 square feet on a single charge. Plus, it's still mows as a hand-powered push mower even if the battery runs low.
You can see the stripes cut into the grass in this Lawn Bowls Court
where the grass is cut very short and is looked after most carefully.
Gas Powered Hover Mower
My best friend uses a hover mower and she is a very small, thin person without a lot of strength. Even she finds it easy to use.
This kind of mower is ideal for small to medium sized lawns and is particularly good for sloping areas.
Allen 418H 4.5 18-Inch 135cc 4-1/2 HP 4-Cycle Honda GCV-135 Gas-Powered Hover Lawn Mower
Allen has teamed up with Honda to offer hover mowers powered by Honda's GCV and GXV E-spec 4-stroke engines, specifically designed for continuous inclined operation. Honda's Dual Lube dipper-and-cam-belt oil transport system maintains positive lubrication on the most demanding slopes. A high-performance fuel pump ensures constant fuel delivery regardless of degree of incline.
These low-emission engines have been developed to conform to today's CARB Tier 2 requirements and the even more stringent EPA Phase 2 requirements. Allen 4-stroke hover mowers offer CARB compliance with high performance: Stable high-torque power for capable cutting in the densest growth, Low mechanical noise due to Honda's innovative Uniblock combined bore and head design.
Along with excellent fuel efficiency, the heavy-duty handle mounts with nylon bushings, makes these units nearly indestructible and provide smooth, vibration-free operation, extra-long, rear-mounted handle with comfort grip provides longer reach, better control and greater stability in extreme conditions and difficult cutting areas.
Powered Rotary Mower
If you have taken over a medium to large lawn with very long grass or you just don't mow very often, then you need a powered rotary mower. This will cut long grass and weeds and it will collect the grass clippings as well, unlike a hover mower.
Husqvarna 7021R 21-Inch 160cc Honda GCV160 3-In-1 RWD Self-Propelled Lawn Mower (CARB Compliant)
The Husqvarna 7021R walk-behind mower is powered by the innovative Honda GCV 160 engine. Its Auto Return Choke engineering means less opportunity for flooding and easier starting. A 21" deck that is capable of mulching, side discharge, or bagging gives you the versatility to change the mowing technique based on conditions or desires. AutoWalk self-propelled rear wheel drive system is activated by simply squeezing the trigger on the handlebar.
The White House Lawn
Copyright © Daniel Schwen - Creative Commons License
Riding Lawn Mower
If you have a very large garden lawn, like the one at the White House pictured above, then a riding mower is the one for you.
Yard-Man 13BX605G755 42-Inch 19 HP Kohler Gas-Powered Riding Lawn Mower
You want quality lawn equipment that gets the job done right but you don't want to spend all your money to get it. You want a Yard-Man. We offer a wide variety of walk-behind mowers, lawn tractors, snow throwers, string trimmers and blowers. So you can get your yard work done, with time and money left to do the things that you really like. As the Official Lawn Mowers of NASCAR, you'll get your yard work done really fast when you drive your mower. So you can drive through your yard work and get on to the fun things in life.
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What do you think about garden lawns?
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Reply
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nycelady13
Jan 10, 2011 @ 2:40 am | delete
- great lense! thanks for posting infos to learn about lawn mowing. I cater lawn care services too!
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Reply
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JaguarJulie
Jun 15, 2010 @ 7:05 am | delete
- I think your lawn and garden lawn can reflect a lot about your personality and the personality of your home to give it great curb appeal.
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Reply
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0ctavias0fferings
Jun 14, 2009 @ 12:45 pm | delete
- Very helpful lens, even though I don't have a lawn, I know people who do 5*
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Cordless Tool for Edging and Trimming
It's Much Better Than Using Scissors on Your Lawn!
Black & Decker NST2018 Grass Hog 12-Inch 18-Volt Cordless Electric String Trimmer with 2 Batteries
Amazon Price: $82.99 (as of 02/15/2012)
About ten years ago, I was staying with my bestfriend when she was cutting the grass. She used a lawnmower, as you might expect, then she went and got a pair of scissors. I watched in amazement as she got down on her hands and knees to trim the edges of the lawn with scissors. I just wished I'd got a camera. Now I'm glad to say, she's moved into the modern age and got a cordless edger and trimmer for the job.
Black & Decker is well known for its great products. Because it's cordless, it's quieter and doesn't give off fumes like gas-driven ones. There are no cords that could be accidentally cut and it does an excellent job on your lawn.
Keep Forgetting your Trowel?
This Handy Caddy Will Help You
Fiskars 9424 Garden Bucket Caddy
Amazon Price: $13.76 (as of 02/15/2012)
If you're like me, when you are gardening, you find you've forgotten one thing after another. Using this caddy means you can put everything you're going to need in it and cut out all that walking backwards and forwards fetching things. Of course, you do need to remember to put them in the caddy!
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