subject: Gardening - Lawn Mowing Rules [print this page] In the hotter months grass may go brown due to a lack of water; this can be overcome by informing clients that when turf is cut short the roots stay close to the surface. If grass is not cut so short the roots will grow down deeper and find any available water there may be. This may also mean you make some extra money as instead of cutting once a week it may, due to the longer length, have to be cut twice.
Longer grass also reduces weed growth as the weeds cannot compete. Unfortunately, many people have a preference for the close shaved look. In the end, you can give advice and show your knowledge which is a good thing anyway, but the customer's wishes must come first.
The first rule when using any equipment is to carry out pre-start checks. Check all the fluids and air filters. You should check and clean the filters everyday. Make sure the mower will start but also that in an emergency it will stop. Remember before you check the blades to remove the spark plug cap.
When using a rotary mower ensure that the blade or blades are in good order, including making sure the curved back wing is not worn. Blunt blades leave an inferior look and will fail to pick up grass properly.
Always clean the underside of the mower to remove grass deposits at the end of each day, this will stop rust forming with moisture. Cleaning will also provide better grass catchment for the next lawn mowed.
Keep the grass collection area clear at all times. NEVER PUT YOUR HAND IN THE COLLECTION SHUTE TO CLEAR A BLOCKAGE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. ALWAYS TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND REMOVE THE SPARK PLUG COVER. A good hose down / clean out at the end of every day is recommended.
Keep your machine well maintained. As the old saying goes 'a stitch in time saves nine'.
Always cut clockwise around the perimeter of the lawn first, mowing out small cravats. This gives you turning room when mowing the strips.
Then select a starting point - best place is a straight edge parallel with the longest length of lawn. If there is no straight edge you can create one with the first strip mowed. Now you can mow neat stripes up and down the lawn.
Slightly overlap the edge of each strip to ensure no grass is missed. Running the inside wheels along the outside edge of the previous strip usually gives the best results. The straighter the lines the better the finish, particularly with the roller mower which makes the lines more obvious.
Do not try to force the mower to cut faster than it can cut. So the thicker the grass, the slower you push or the higher you set the cutting height. The catcher must be emptied frequently, or at least shaken down as grass collects in the neck of the catcher (may happen when wet). It is important to check that the air vent holes are clear.
Never push the mower across a recently mowed section - this will leave a terrible looking line diagonally across your good work. You need to consider your start and finish points before commencing.
In thick, long grass you need to push the mower forward and then pull it backward in short strokes. This is one of the ways the mower will be able to cope with the amount of grass coming off the lawn. As you pull the mower back the motor has time to pick up the revs.
In this situation lines are not a concern, the main aim is to get the grass to a manageable height which could take 2 - 3 cuts starting on the highest setting and lowering it each time. If the grass is very long and rough you may find the hire of a 'Rough Cutter machine' saves a lot of time and wear to your machine.
When mowing new grass, cut it with the blade at a high setting, then over successive cuts reduce blade height. Too drastic a cut can damage fragile turf.
