Mowing the lawn is almost like a sacred American tradition. Just the sound of the mower can inspire memories of warm spring and summer weekends, dads in shorts and tube socks and that unmistakably yummy smell of fresh-cut grass. In fact, for many of us, mowing the lawn was one of our very first “grown up” chores. The question is: Did you learn how to mow the lawn correctly? Without the right equipment, sharpened blades or attention to the right time of day, you can do more harm than good to grass blades as well as the turf below.
5 Tips to Mowing Your Lawn Like a Pro
The following lawn care tips will ensure you mow your lawn using best practices and techniques. Not only will this keep your lawn looking its best, it will also help to keep the underlying grass and turf healthy, which reduces the need for reseeding and increased lawn maintenance.
1. Use the right lawn mowing equipment.
While you don’t have to purchase the most expensive lawn mower money can buy, we do recommend buying high-quality lawn equipment – which may require a bit more of investment than you would like. The good news? Higher-quality equipment will do a better job in the end, require less maintenance and will have blades that can be maintained and sharpened regularly – without requiring replacement more often than necessary. All in all, investing in quality equipment now will save you money in the long run.
2. Mow at the right time.
One of the most common questions we get from our lawn care clients is, “When is the best time to mow the lawn?” Most lawn professionals will agree that mid-morning is the best time to mow a lawn. This is great news for your family and neighbors, who may not appreciate your 7 a.m., Saturday lawn mower wake up calls! By mid-morning, most the dew has evaporated from the grass blades, which means your grass has the remainder of the day to “heal” and that makes it less susceptible to fungus and other diseases.
3. Don’t mow in overly-moist conditions.
If your soil is moist – due to recent rains or a leaky sprinkler line or valve – you’ll want to skip mowing altogether for a while. Mowing in overly moist conditions will leave ruts in your lawn and can cause significant damage to the turf. Damaged turf results in damaged roots, and this will eventually show up in dead patches, uneven terrain and patches of yellowed or brown grass. It also leaves your lawn susceptible to fungus, diseases and other pests.
4. Keep your blades sharpened and balanced.
Cutting your grass isn’t all that different than cutting a body part. The cleaner the cut, the easier it is to heal. Thus, sharpened and balanced lawn mower blades are important to your lawn’s ability to heal and thrive after the mower has been returned to the garage. Again, the slower your grass blades heal, the more susceptible they are to disease. You can follow these instructions on How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades, or take your blades in to your local home and garden store and they’ll be able to do it for you. Keep in mind that most stores won’t have time to sharpen your blades on site, so be proactive and take them in ahead of time so the blades are sharpened in time for your next lawn mowing date.
5. Change your mowing pattern
Don’t get into a lawn mowing rut, literally or figuratively. Your lawn will develop a “grain pattern” as a result of the direction you mow. If you mow the same way every time, your lawn will begin to grow in that direction. Instead, mow in different directions each time, which will encourage more upright growth. Changing your mowing pattern will also reduce your chances of developing ruts that damage the turf underneath.
If you’d like to learn about our three lawn care program options so that your lawn can receive the best possible care, contact us for a free consultation or give us a call at 610-365-2200 so that we can answer any questions.
