Having a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood will take more than jumping on a lawn mower for a couple hours each week. Fortunately, it also doesn't take an extensive amount of time or a degree in landscaping to get ideal results. All you need for a beautiful and healthy lawn are a few lawn-mowing basics, including these seven tips.
Your lawn mower
A good lawn mower that is well-maintained is key to a healthy and attractive lawn. Lawn mower blades should be sharp, since dull blades can cause uneven cutting and ragged grass ends. The blades should also be regularly cleaned. This will extend the life of expensive lawn mower blades and help prevent the spread of grass-type diseases.
Grass type and height
It may be surprising, but you must factor your grass variety into your lawn-care strategy. Hobby Lawn Care explains that certain types of grass have optimal heights: Bermuda grass should average 1 to 1.5 inches, while Kentucky Bluegrass has an optimal height of 3 inches. For best results, mow to the height recommended for your variety of grass.
Frequency
How often you mow primarily depends on the season and your climate. Many people mow weekly during the main growing season and bi-weekly during the slow-growing season. Weekend Gardener offers this rule of thumb: "Never remove more than a third of the grass blade at any one time." Mowing frequency also falls back on your grass type; each variety has specific needs.
Environmental factors
Grass should not be mowed when it is wet or when the outside temperatures are extremely hot. Cutting the grass when it is wet leads to uneven cutting and will clump and clog the lawn mower blades. RgreenLawn.com recommends mowing your grass in the evening, when "the sun is not as hot, the grass is dry and after the stress of being mowed, it will have time to heal overnight without additional stress from heat."
Technique
Alternating the direction in which you mow your lawn creates a cleaner, more even appearance. Alternating means cutting the grass horizontally, then vertically, or mixing up the direction, rather than going in the same direction all the way around the yard.
After mowing
It is a common myth that leaving the grass cuttings on the lawn leads to thatch buildup. When cut properly, the grass clippings are safe to leave on the lawn. American-Lawns adds that the clippings will "quickly decompose and add nutrients back into the soil."
Safety
Don't forget the most important factor of lawn-mowing basics -- safety. When mowing, children and pets should not be in the yard. All debris and toys need to be picked up before mowing. A walk around the yard before mowing is the best way to see things that you may miss while mowing. Never mow if it is raining or if you see lightning. Children should not be permitted to ride the mower while it is in operation.
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