In an online demonstration a Timecutter, which can can reach ground speeds of seven miles per hour, makes quick work of a field of grass, cutting around several obstacles along the way. But the mowing testers at Consumer Reports say, not so fast. Mowing at a slower speed typically gets better results.
Operate your mower at a safe operating speed. Usually 3 to 5 MPH. This will cut the grass cleanly and thoroughly. Mowing height – When you mow turfgrass too short you can get weeds, diseases, and a thin canopy.
Mowing too fast can cause clippings to stop efficiently flowing through the cutting deck. “Once clippings stop flowing evenly through the deck, cut quality typically suffers as the clogged deck produces less vacuum effect and blade tip speed slows,” Walters says.
In general, once the air temperature consistently stays below 60 degrees around warm-season grasses and 50 degrees around cool-season grasses, then it's good to consider putting away that mower.
Mowing high provides five valuable services: It makes scalping (turf damage from mowing too short) much less likely to happen. It allows you to clip about 30 percent of the leaf blade each time you mow (the optimum proportion). It promotes establishment of a larger root system, which is more drought tolerant.
Experts are fairly sure that mowing your lawn too early could be pretty bad – for a number of reasons. Mowing before 8 AM can make you have to deal with the wet, dewy grass, and your mower will definitely not enjoy that.
Mowing every 6 to 7 days should be a good rhythm to keep your lawn healthy, attractive, and at a manageable length.
Yes, you absolutely can cut grass when it's wet. Furthermore, if you cut grass for a living as part of your lawn mowing business, you'd better get used to cutting grass in the wet. Regardless of the season, if you are running a well-organised, pre-planned diary, you will have limited options for delaying jobs.
Double cutting can help give your lawn a cleaner and higher quality cut. If your grass has grown just a little bit too tall, mowing once—even if you're following the one-third rule—can rip the blades of grass and cause damage to your lawn.
As a general rule, your lawn should never look worse after you mow it, then it did before you mowed it. If it does look worse after mowing, like the left side of the picture below, chances are you're either cutting too much off at once, or mowing with a dull blade. Mowing properly can help your lawn look terrific.
Each time you mow, do it in a different direction. If you always cut your lawn using the same pattern, your grass learns which direction it's being cut from and begins to lean in the direction you mow. By varying the mowing pattern, you help avoid forming ruts in the lawn.
If you maintain a beautifully manicured lawn at a low height, mowing frequently sometimes more than once a week, then you are likely to mow first. You give the lawn a haircut and then you give it that crisp edge to finish it off.
Factors That Determine How Long It Takes to Mow a Lawn
The type of lawnmower: The average, common lawn mower speed is 3 mph for a push mower, 3–5 mph for a lawn tractor, and 7–13 mph for a commercial stand-on mower.
It is never as simple as just pushing the lawnmower over it, as you risk damaging your lawn or even your lawn mower; if grass is too long, the lawn mower can get clogged or overheated, and you also risk tearing the grass, which can affect the overall health of the lawn.
Mowing your lawn will vary from season to season and your location, but generally mowing every second week in summer and every 2–5 weeks from autumn through winter will be enough. Spring mowing will vary due to rainfall levels and sunny days, so watch it closely and cut as required.
Lawn clippings usually do not need to be bagged. Recycling lawn clippings can reduce your fertilizer needs and improve your soil. Recycling clippings to the lawn does not contribute to thatch. If you must remove clippings, they can be composted or used as mulch.
If you love your lawn and want it to look like a bowling green then mowing 2-3 times per week could be in order. For a manicured look, keep it cut at about 8mm, preferably using a reel type roller mower. For those who are not as hard core, then mowing less frequently would be in order – say every 7-10 days.
For a healthy, beautiful lawn, it's important to mow properly. That means mowing before rain, so that the clippings can act as a mulch to protect the soil; and after rain, so that the blades are less likely to tear. It also means avoiding scalping, which can damage the grass and leave it vulnerable to disease.
For a typical residential Midwest lawn, maintain a height of 3 inches or higher. Taller grass shades out weed seeds and keeps soil cooler. Taller grass means longer roots and greater ability to withstand drought and reach nutrients.
The best time to mow is when grass is dry. When moisture from rain or the morning dew weighs grass down, the blades bend, making a straight cut difficult. You also can slip on wet grass, and the clippings tend to clump and not spread evenly. In addition, disease can spread quickly when you mow wet grass.
Additionally, when mowing perpendicular to the hillside, always mow downhill if you have the option. It's always better to go the long-way around and circle around a hill if it means you can avoid mowing uphill. Mowing up a slope puts far greater strain on equipment, and increases the risk of losing traction.
Lawn experts note circling is probably the easiest and most efficient pattern when mowing your lawn. After mowing the edges, just keep making passes in a circular pattern until you make your way to the middle of the yard.