Before you mow your lawn, remember these essential care tips.
If you have a lawn to maintain, mowing the grass is an essential part of that maintenance. It not only keeps your property looking attractive but helps preserve the health of your turf. When it’s time to mow your lawn, there is a right and wrong way to go about this process. When you take care of your mower and follow a smart mowing process, you can ensure that your lawn remains beautiful and healthy.
Essential Lawn Mower Tips
Before mowing your lawn, you should always follow the lawn mower manufacturer’s operating and safety instructions and wear proper safety gear. It is best to familiarize yourself with operating procedures before you start the mower. Remember these essential tips before you start mowing:
- Learn how to handle your mower before you take it to the lawn
- Clear debris from the area you will be mowing
- Keep children, pets, and others securely away from the mowing area
- Wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Wear hearing and eye protection or other safety gear specified by your manufacturer
- Don’t refuel a hot engine
- Keep hands and feet away from moving parts
- If your mower is equipped with a key, always remove it when not in use
Conquer Edges First
As you start to mow, first take care of your yard’s edges. To do this, you may take two passes around the outside edges. By doing this, you should have more room to turn the mower around, which can make the job go faster with less hassle.
Pick a Mowing Pattern
One of the easiest patterns to mow is stripes. To mow your lawn in this pattern, make one pass, then make a 180-degree turn to make the next pass. Do this until the lawn is complete. You may also alternate directions every time you mow. So, for instance, if you mow vertically one week, go in a horizontal pattern the next time.
However, circling may be the easiest and most efficient pattern when mowing your lawn. To create this pattern, keep making passes in a circular pattern after mowing your edges until you reach the middle of the yard.
Regardless of which pattern you choose, you should mix it up each week. This prevents grass from growing in one direction, which can make mowing more difficult and decrease the beauty of your lawn.
A Few Helpful Reminders
When you are ready to mow your lawn, you should only cut off the top 1/3 of the grass blades at one time. Doing so helps the grass develop a deeper root system to find water and nutrients in the soil.
Additionally, the best time of day to mow is when the lawn is dry. This could be later in the morning after the dew wears off or early in the evening. This prevents clumps of clippings forming as well. Finally, make sure your mower blades stay sharp and leave grass clippings behind on your lawn to release nutrients into the soil.
Scientific Plant Service Is Your Go-To Source In Landscape Healthcare
Scientific Plant Service, located in Baltimore, is a privately owned corporation, chartered in Maryland in 1957 by Frank J. Burke. We started as a full-service Arborists specializing in the care of shade trees and ornamental shrubs, but today we are a Lawn Care company that is a huge part of the community. From aquatic environments and snow management to deer and mole control, SPS has services tailored specifically for your lawn and landscape.
We offer services in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia, including: Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Calvert counties in MD, as well as Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church in VA. For more information, contact us online, or call us at 410-321-0970. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.