Knowing how to mow your lawn properly is as important as establishing a sound fertilization and irrigation regimen for your grass. There are benefits to proper mowing beyond mere appearance.
But to do the job right, you need to know how to treat grass clippings, how high to cut the grass, and what time of day is best for mowing.
Learn how to mow your lawn properly to keep your yard looking sharp and your grass in optimal health.
When Is the Best Time to Mow Your Lawn?
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A cloudy day with no rain forecasted is the ideal day to mow the lawn. Avoid mowing wet grass, as the moist clumps can clog your motor and leave behind uneven patches on your lawn.
In terms of time of day, mid-morning is the best time to mow. It allows you to avoid the two things you don't want when mowing: moisture and heat.
In terms of how high grass should get before mowing, cut cool-season grasses at 4 to 6 inches and warm-season grasses at 3 to 4 inches.
Before You Begin
To avoid damaging your hardscape, don't mow too close to trees, shrubs, mailboxes, arbors, or fences. If your aim is off just a bit, you could cause damage.
Instead, use a string trimmer to trim around such objects before you mow. Investing in a string trimmer is great for getting into tight spots where it would be difficult to maneuver your mower.
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
- Lawn mower
- String trimmer
- Eye protection
Materials
- Gasoline (if you own a gas-powered mower)
- Oil (if you own a gas-powered mower)
Instructions
Check the Lawn for Debris
Before mowing, walk the area to check it for objects that could dull your mower if the blade picks them up. Keep an eye out for branches, rocks, or bottles. Even after checking, wear eye protection just in case.
Ready Your Power Source
If you have a gas mower, make sure the fuel tank is full and check the oil. If you have a corded, electric mower, plug it into an outlet. If you have a battery-powered mower, ensure that the battery is charged.
Check the Mower Blade
Inspect the blade to ensure it's sharp—dull blades tear the grass rather than giving you a clean cut. If your lawn mower blade is dull, be sure to sharpen it before you start.
Start Your Mower
Start-up is automatic for electric mowers. However, you occasionally might encounter difficulties with a gas mower. If it isn't starting immediately, try giving your mower a tune-up.
Mow the Edges First
Follow up on your string trimming by mowing the edges first. Establish straight, outer rows to serve as guidelines. This makes it easier visually to keep track of the imaginary "rows" you'll be creating in the center of the lawn with each pass of the mower.
Choose a Direction
Mowing in the same rows every session compacts the soil. To avoid this, make horizontal passes in one session, then vertical ones in the next. Either way, push the mower in as straight a line as you can and overlap each pass slightly.
Cut at the Right Height
If you haven't already done so in past sessions, adjust the wheel height on your mower so that you'll be cutting the grass down to height of 3 to 4 inches (for a cool-season grass) or 2 to 2.5 inches (for a warm-season grass).
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Gas vs. Electric Mowers: Which Is for You?
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The main drawback of corded electric mowers is dragging the cord around. If you want to go electric, you can buy a battery-powered mower to avoid this problem. The electric vs. gas mower comparison you make when buying a lawn mower should focus on gas vs. battery-powered mowers:
- Gas mowers must be tuned up more often, otherwise they may fail to start. But they're powerful enough to cut through tall grass, and it's a lot faster to refill a fuel tank than to recharge a battery (an important consideration for large lawns).
- Battery-powered mowers tend to have a narrower cutting swath, meaning you have to make more passes (and spend more time) to mow the lawn. But the other objections against them are easily answered. Buy a spare battery so you can have one charging while you mow, then swap it out for the other when the latter loses its charge—and never let the grass get so tall that it becomes difficult to cut.
What to Do With Leftover Grass Clippings
The grass clippings left behind by the mower serve as a fertilizer for your lawn if they're fine enough. But if they're too bulky, they'll cause your lawn problems.
One solution is to use a mulching mower. This type of mower shreds the grass clippings up into fine particles so that you can leave them in place.
If you don't have a mulching mower and end up with big clumps of grass clippings on the lawn (which is bound to happen if you're cutting tall grass), you could rake them off. However, to save yourself the work, you could mow with a bag attachment that captures the clippings.
The Benefits of Proper Mowing
The reasons to mow grass go beyond appearance. Properly trimmed grass is less inviting to pests and diseases. And just as annual flowers become more compact if you pinch them, mowing a lawn makes it thicker, helping it crowd out weeds.
FAQ
What is the best pattern to mow a lawn?
If you choose to create a pattern, it can be basic or intricate, depending on your goals and time constraints. For an intricate pattern, try mowing diagonally. Enthusiasts should buy alawn rollerto bend the grass further, which accentuates the stripe.
Should you mow or edge first?
Edge with a string trimmer first. That will take the guesswork out of figuring out how close you should come to objects while mowing.
How many directions should you mow?
Two. Alternate direction each session to avoid creating ruts. Mow horizontally in one session, then switch to a vertical direction in the next session. Record the direction you took each time so that you can refer to it later (rather than having to remember).
