How to mow a lawn correctly: main rules and tips for summer residents

Category: Growing and care Reading time: 9 min · Views: 245

To decorate garden plots, special lawn grasses are increasingly sown, which grow like an emerald carpet along the entire perimeter. This allows you to get a neat and well-groomed area, as well as avoid the appearance of unwanted weeds and further control of them. To make everything look neat and pleasing to the eye, you will need not only to water and feed such a rug. Regular lawn mowing is also important and necessary.

How often to mow the lawn, with what and according to what rules? Answers to these and other important questions about lawn mowing can be found later in the article.

Rule one. When to mow your lawn for the first time

It is very important to start properly caring for your lawn from the very beginning - the first time after planting the grass. The time for the first mowing is when the grass reaches eight centimeters in height. The main thing is not to overdo it. Experts recommend removing no more than one and a half centimeters during the first haircut. The grass should become even more lush after this.

Important! Rolled lawn should be mowed for the first time seven days after you lay it.

Work on mistakes

Those who have just started creating their ideal lawn may encounter many difficulties along the way. If you know how to get around them, lawn care won't be too difficult.

Remove or leave grass clippings

After cutting the lawn grass, it should be removed. An exception can be made only during prolonged dry weather. In this case, a layer of mowed plants will help retain moisture in the soil.

Mown grass should be removed immediately Source pinterest.com

When wet, grass clippings left on the ground will encourage weed growth, loose soil and increase earthworm populations.

Brown color of grass

Sometimes after the lawn is mowed, the grass turns an unsightly brown color at the tips. This may be due to several reasons:

1. The grass was wet .
2. is not set .
3. Dull knives.
4. Physical damage or imperfections to moving parts of the mower.

Do I need to fertilize the soil?

Mowing the lawn is not everything to creating a beautiful lawn. Fertilizing and regular watering are a prerequisite for obtaining a good lawn surface. You may have to trim more often, but the quality of the coating will be much better.

Soil feeding Source friscosodgrass.com

Waves: how to deal with them

Another problem that you may encounter is fairly wide waves superimposed on the mown grass. This can happen when the mower is regularly passed in the same direction. To prevent such a defect, it is recommended to change the direction of passage of the mower each time.

How long should it take to cut a haircut: fast does not mean better

Even with modern models of lawn mowers, the cutting process does not go very quickly. On average, tidying up 10 acres of lawn will take at least 2 hours or even more.

10 acres of lawn can be completed in 2 hours Source remax.ca

Rule two. How to prepare your lawn for mowing

Before treating your lawn, you must do the following:

1. Remove any things that complicate the process - figurines and furniture.
2. Get rid of small stones and branches.
3. Get rid of weeds. Use herbicides if necessary.
4. The surface of the lawn should be combed with a fan rake. The process removes dry grass and moss. In addition, this procedure improves aeration - plant roots receive more oxygen.
5. If necessary, sharpen your lawn mower blades.
6. Use scissors when mowing your lawn to help trim the grass near the borders.

What to mow: choosing a working tool

To trim the grass you can use:

• regular braid ;
• trimmer;
• scissors;
• lawnmower.

Scythe

A hand braid requires skill and also produces an uneven effect. In this regard, such a tool is not suitable for caring for a classic, flat lawn. A scythe will be indispensable when cutting grass on uneven terrain, such as steep slopes.

Mechanical lawn mower

Even simple models of mechanical lawn mowers are equipped with a mechanism for adjusting the cutting height of the grass. The advantage of purchasing them is their affordability and noiselessness.

If the processing area is large, it is advisable to pay attention to devices with an electric drive or fuel-powered Source debroussaillez.fr

Electric lawn mower

The compactness and lightness of the device allows you to use the mower effortlessly. The downside is that the device is dependent on power.

Battery lawn mower

Such devices are considered a subtype of electrical devices. The lack of popularity is due to inefficiency and low convenience.

Petrol lawn mower

The advantage of such models is their independence from the power source. They are convenient for processing large areas of territory. Disadvantages of the models:

• high price ;
• noise during operation;
• heavy structure.

Gasoline lawn mower Source storum.eu

Trimmers

A trimmer is a device that is equipped with a motor. The operating principle is based on cutting grass with a quickly rotating nylon line. Depending on the type of fuel used, trimmers are:

• gasoline;
• electric.

Lawn trimmer Source landshaft-saratov.ru
This device can be used for processing hard-to-reach places, for example, along the roadsides and near trees, and for mowing plants in a large area.

Scissors

This tool is one of the simplest. Scissors are convenient for cutting grass near benches and near bushes. But it is impossible to use scissors to process a large area.

Scissors for hard-to-reach areas Source seattlehelpers.org

Rule four. How often does the lawn need to be mowed?

The frequency of mowing is influenced by various factors:

• season,
• grass type,
• weather,
• soil fertility.

It is recommended to mow the lawn at the indicated frequency:

• In spring you need to cut your hair more often - twice a week;
• in the summer a little less often - once every week and a half;
• in the autumn season, when plants grow more slowly, one mowing every two weeks is enough.

If you notice that the grass grows up to 10 cm between mowings, cut it more often. But you shouldn’t overdo it either - frequent pruning is traumatic for plants.

Cleaning up grass clippings

Ideally, grass clippings should be collected in the lawnmower's storage bin or raked from the lawn and then composted. During dry periods, they can be left on the lawn to thereby reduce the evaporation of moisture from the ground, but at other times this should not be done.

There are two main reasons for this. First, as the clippings accumulate, they form a layer of rotting, dry grass or thatch into which new grass takes root instead of reaching out to the layer of soil below. As a result, your lawn will be at risk from drying out in the summer, waterlogging in the fall, and fungal infections that will benefit from reduced air flow to the soil.

The second reason is that leaving clippings on the lawn increases earthworm activity. If this were happening in a flowerbed, one could only rejoice at this, but their activity is detrimental to the lawn. The worms try to drag dead blades of grass into the ground and at the same time leave characteristic piles of earth on the surface. Not only do they spoil the appearance of the lawn, but they are also harmful - you will have to level them to the ground before mowing, otherwise they will damage and dull the lawn mower blades. And since these piles consist of soil brought to the surface from the depths, they often contain weed seeds.

Rule five. How tall should the lawn be?

It all depends on what type of lawn you have.

• The standard ground floor has a small height. In our climate, it is recommended to leave a height of three centimeters.
• The gardening plant is taller - its height ranges from 4 to 7 cm.
• The functional one, which is intended for relaxation, is cut in the same way - 4-7 cm remains.
• Sports turf. Designed for playing football. The height of the grass is 4 cm.

This is interesting. When it's hot outside, the height of the lawn should be increased by a few centimeters.

How to mow?

To achieve the best result, start cutting from the edge, and only then move on to the lawn itself, which should be cut in parallel strips. If your lawn mower runs on gasoline, be sure to refuel it away from the lawn, otherwise spilled gasoline will leave brown stains. If you have a corded electric lawn mower, start cutting from the point closest to the outlet - this will allow the cord to unwind gradually and not get in your way. When working with electricity, be sure to use a residual current device - there is no point in taking unnecessary risks.

Regularly empty the remaining grass from the storage tank. If it overflows, then, like an overfilled vacuum cleaner bag, it will reduce the power of pulling in cuttings.

Rule seven. Is it possible to get a haircut after it rains?

Many owners of summer cottages are wondering whether it is possible to cut the grass after rain. But this is not worth doing for various reasons:

1. Wet lawn sticks to the lawn mower, prevents the blades from moving, and can damage the equipment.
2. Blades become dull due to contact with moisture. Because of this, uneven edges emerge at the cut points.
3. Do not mow wet grass. You can accidentally slip, and this can cause health problems.
4. If the equipment is electric, then you should not cut your hair after it rains, as there is a possibility of getting an electric shock.

Rule 3. What to do with grass clippings after mowing the lawn

The first question that arises after mowing the lawn is whether to remove the mowed grass? There is no clear answer to this. Whether to leave the grass or remove it depends on the situation.

In dry and hot summers, it is better not to remove the grass after cutting. It will act as mulch, retain moisture in the soil and protect it from overheating. A layer of mulch will help the grass to withstand adverse weather conditions more easily.

But in a normal summer, especially in rainy weather, it is recommended to immediately rake the grass from the lawn after mowing. Otherwise, it will prevent evaporation, which will lead to the formation of moss and contribute to the appearance of mold.

• Where to put the grass after mowing the lawn

  Disposal of mowed grass at a summer cottage is a serious issue.

Maintaining a mowed lawn

And I would also like to say a few words about what is included in high-quality care for a mowed lawn. This, of course, is timely watering. You can try to purchase the most modern gardening tools, the highest quality fertilizers, but if all this is not supported by watering, then you should not expect an excellent result. A thick cover of lawn grass is formed with regular watering. Better, because of the required amount of moisture, you will cut the grass more often, but there will not be a single bald spot on the lawn.

Basic rules for mowing the lawn (video)

What can we say at the end? In this article we discussed how to mow a lawn correctly, what is the best way to do it and how to care for it afterwards. We really hope that the recommendations from it will help you cope with your intended tasks.

Article source: https://lanshaft.com/ozelenenie/kak-strich-gazon.html

When should you last mow the grass?

The last mowing of the lawn in the fall is an essential part of preparing the lawn for winter. If you leave the grass high, it will fall down and in the spring will interfere with the growth of young vegetation.

The last mowing should be done around mid to late September if the fall is cold enough. If the temperature stays above +10 degrees Celsius, then the last haircut can be done in mid-October.

All of these tips will help you keep your lawn in good condition for many years to come. If you neglect them, then no matter how high-quality the grass mixture is, the lawn covering will quickly lose its original appearance and decorativeness.

Practical advice

Now I would like to add a few words about how to mow the lawn:

• In order not to spoil the appearance of your lawn, do not forget to check the height of the blades on both sides of the equipment;
• Before starting work, make sure the area is clean;
• Use a rake to fluff up the grass and smooth out small uneven spots in the ground;
• Change the direction of the stripes for each subsequent haircut;
• Try not to delay the last cutting of the year until windy, cold weather to protect the ends of the grass from freezing;
• Do not cut wet grass to prevent the grass tips from turning brown;
• Regularity in such a matter as mowing will not allow the grass to simply increase in volume, but rather to grow, compacting the turf.

Do not rush to dispose of clipped grass, because it may come in handy. For what:

• Mulching. Dry the cut grass and scatter it on the flower bed or bed. From time to time, so that the mulch does not have time to dry out, it needs to be updated.
• Compost. Collect grass in the compost bin along with other organic waste and add water to the pit from time to time. Mix rotted waste with manure, dissolve with water and use as fertilizer.
• Feeding. Just leave the mowed lawn and, as it decomposes, useful elements will flow directly into the ground.

A trimmed lawn with a trimmer, lawn mower or scissors will look neat if you also provide it with proper care.

Mulching function in a lawn mower

In caring for beds and lawns, various methods are used to improve soil fertility. Mulching is a necessary measure to improve the health of lawns and also prevent soil erosion. Mown grass has proven itself well as mulch. It is recommended to periodically mow the grass and prepare compost from it, which is used as organic lawn fertilizer in winter.

There are wheeled units on sale that already have a built-in mulching function. With this additional feature, during mowing, the lawn mower mulches grass and uncollected fallen leaves: the process consists of chopping and carefully discarding organic matter onto the mowed part of the lawn. The advantage of such models is obvious: the lawn is cleared of plant debris, which, in a processed form, returns to the soil surface and enriches it. But the cost of a lawn mower with additional features will be higher than a regular model.

The perfect striped lawn

Are you dreaming of a striped lawn? This means that you need to buy a lawn mower with a roller, because it is the strips of grass that are crushed in opposite directions that look like they are different colors.

If your lawn is rectangular or square, cut strips along two opposite edges first, and then, starting at one of the other two edges, cut the lawn in parallel strips, driving the mower in opposite directions and turning it each time on the already cut strip. If your lawn is of irregular shape, first mow all the edges, then cut the first strip in the middle of the lawn, and then, moving in one direction from it and making the same parallel stripes in opposite directions, reach the edge of the lawn; then return to the middle and repeat everything, moving in the other direction.