Trimmed Lawn |
Mowing the lawn is not always the easy job that you might think it will
be. If you think the hard part is switching on the machine, then you have a lot
to learn about keeping the lawn trim. Having said this, however, providing you
follow a few easy tips, you will notice a big difference and find that doing
the job properly and to a high standard is not the daunting prospect that you
were concerned about. Before actually setting up the mower it is important to
make sure the surface is clear and there are no stones that could damage the
mower.
Cutting on a Regular Basis
It can be tempting to leave the grass for a while before mowing it, but
that is not going to be doing you or the lawn any favors. If you want to have a
good looking lawn that is also in good condition, then you should be aiming to
mow it at least once a week. If you leave it much longer, it may be harder for
you to mow and you will also find that the lawn does not look too healthy.
Mowing the lawn will actually stimulate the grass to grow, so you will always
have fairly new grass on show. If there is a period when there is little rain
and you fear you are facing a drought, leave the mowing for a little while. If
you do mow when it is too dry, you will only end up stressing the lawn and it
will be hard to get it back to its former standard.
Trimming to the Right Height
Whenever you undertake a mowing session, you should be looking to take
about a third of the blade away. This can however be changed depending upon the
type of grass that you have growing. There are some that are going to look
better if they are left a little longer and others need to be taken down a little
bit more. It is also worth noting how quickly the grass grows as you could be
following the wrong rules for the wrong lawns. Getting the height right is easy
as it is simply a matter of changing the height at which the mower will mow.
Whatever type of grass there is, it is best to remember that it will be better
to leave the grass at a longer length than go too far and leave little grass
behind. Longer grass will fare better needing a cut than it will if there is
little left.
Maintain the Blades
The mower is the most important part of the procedure and it is for
this reason that looking after the blades is going to be the difference between
a stunning lawn and a threadbare mess that looks as if it is in need of a lot
of TLC. If the blades are not keep sharp enough, they will not be able to
perform well and the big risk is that they will tear at the grass. In order to
have a good, healthy lawn, there needs to be a blade that will clip the blades
of grass rather than drag at them and even risk pulling the roots out of the
ground. As well as looking a mess, the lawn can become damaged and diseases can
bed in. It will be worth-while testing
the blades every time you mow the lawn and while it is unlikely they will need
to be sharpened every time, it could be that every other session will be the
correct timescale for sharpening. You should soon learn to notice when the
blades are ready to be sharpened as the cut will not look as good as it has in
the past.
Change Direction
It is important that you mow in straight lines as other ways will lead
to an irregular design and may even cause certain areas to suffer. These areas
will begin to look worn and that will be hard to correct once the problem is
set in. It does not mean that you cannot change direction while you are mowing,
but just that once you have changed direction, you keep mowing that direction
in a straight line.