If you own a lawn yard, there will be occasions when you may have to do the lawn mowing yourself without the help of a lawn mowing service. Perhaps, your lawn needs a quick lawn mowing before your emergency guests arrive or some other unexpected incident. Knowing what to do and how to do it becomes very important in such circumstances. Mowing your lawn right is beyond turning the lawn mower on and moving it about all over the yard. Proper lawn mowing comes from having the right knowledge of how to mow, when to mow and what to avoid.
In our experience as a lawn mowing service, there are several mistakes that can expose the lawn to risk if you do not know about them. In this post, we have listed these 10 common mistakes when mowing a lawn. Avoid them and your lawn will be safe.
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Mowing only in one direction
Lawn mowing in one direction is a mistake that can end up hurting the lawn in the long run if not corrected early. This practice conditions the grass to start growing in one direction from the forward pressure of the lawn mower. When a lawn is cut in a particular direction, over time, it bends towards that direction. According to observation, risks of soil compaction and thatch buildup also increase with this mistake.
The way out is to change directions from time to time. Cut forward, from front to back, then coming back, cut from back to front. A common way to mix it up is to cut diagonally, in a crisscrossing motion. If you alternate by changing directions during lawn mowing, this particular mistake and its dangers can be avoided.
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Do not mow with dull mower blades
It’s important to always keep your lawn mower blades sharp. When mower blades are dull rather than sharp, you will discover that it will tear and pull on the grass leaving a rough cut. This is dangerous for your lawn because this mangled tear or cut can easily get contaminated by disease-causing agents.
Sharp blades on the other hand, cut cleanly leaving a paper-thin exposure that is less exposed. A simple observation can easily help with knowing if lawn mower blades are cutting properly. In addition to this, your lawn mower will struggle to mow the lawn if the blades have become blunt.
The solution of this issue is to either sharpen the mower blades through a DIY process or visit a lawn care tool shop for assistance. Sharp lawn mower blades are the recommended standard for every lawn mowing session. It protects your lawns and saves you money long term. Winter is the ideal time to sharpen those blades while getting ready for spring season lawn care to begin. Hiring a lawn mowing service like GOMOW Lawn Care Service can save lawn owners the trouble of maintaining a lawn mower.
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Don’t scalp your turf
Cutting the lawn short may sound like a good idea on paper, but in reality, it’s a bad mistake. There’s a recommended height for lawn mowing for each type of grass. Generally, lawn shouldn’t be cut lower than 2 inches to avoid the dangers of scalping. The rule of thumb is not to cut more than one-third the length of a grass leaf.
Without fully grown leaf blades, carrying out photosynthesis will be a challenge for your grass and it will struggle to make food. This process is how plants make their daily nutrients to stay alive. Do not mow too low. The resultant effects will impact the metabolic activities of the plant, expose it to the elements, cause patchy, unsightly growth and give room for invasion by weeds.
Do a bit of research or check with a lawn care service in your area to know the acceptable height for the species of grass on your lawn. Mow less frequently to accommodate the rate of growth of your lawn. Following the guidance of your lawn service, mowing can be regulated so that the risk of cutting too low can be avoided.
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Avoid mowing when grass is wet
Mowing wet grass can be messy. The grass clippings are likely to clog up the mower blades and motor system affecting its cutting efficiency. When there’s a lot of moisture, moving the lawn mower about can be more difficult. The wet soil and wet grass combination are a nightmare for any lawn mowing personnel attempting grass cutting in such conditions.
Cutting a wet lawn is a mistake that comes with several outcomes. Clogged up blades won’t cut properly thereby pulling and tearing the lawn grass. The wet environment can cause slipping and falling on the grass which could lead to injury. Moisture and poor cutting action can trigger disease conditions to fester and turn into an outbreak on the lawn.
To avoid this mistake, simply do not cut the lawn when the conditions are wet. Dry lawn is easier to cut and involves less risk all round. Even in wet climate, exercise patience until the environment is sufficiently dried up before commencing lawn care.
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Removing Grass Clippings
Lawns benefit a great deal from grass clippings which are known as a good source of organic nitrogen. Grass clippings are the left-over cut and mulched grass. When decomposed, grass clippings enrich the soil with essential nutrients. It’s advisable to leave your grass clippings on the lawn surface after mowing to improve the nutrient content of the soil.
Removing grass clippings means robbing your lawn of extra nutrients that are beneficial to its health. Unlike certain claims have stated, grass clippings are completely safe; it poses no risk of causing thatch buildup on the lawn as long as the clippings are finely-cut.
To collect and disperse grass clippings is as easy as using a mulch-mower or bagging lawn mower for mowing. As you move the mulch-mower forward, the machine will evenly spread out the grass clippings behind the lawn mower, leaving a clean trail. If a bagging lawn mower is being used, ensure that the grass clippings are left on the lawn. Leaving them elsewhere can cause contamination or pollution of the environment.
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Hurried Mowing
As busy as your schedule may be, it’s important not to rush lawn mowing. If you have time constraints, hire a lawn care services to do the job properly. Save time, energy and resources by leaving lawn mowing to professionals whose business it is to care for lawns. Hurried lawn mowing can leave your lawn untidy and unhealthy over time.
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Blowing grass onto walkways and sidewalks
When mowing, ensure that grass clippings are not blown onto the walkways and sidewalks, littering it. Remove or bag grass clippings for use as mulch on the lawn. Mulch-mowers can be used effectively to control grass clippings. For quality lawn mowing, hire a tested professional service that saves you lawn mowing cost as well.
Related Blog: Budgeting for Lawn Mowing Services: Determining Affordable Lawn Mowing Cost in Texas
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Irregular lawn mowing
Consistent lawn mowing is important to keep the lawn green and healthy for long periods of time. The mowing frequency recommended for mowing should be once or twice weekly depending on how fast the grass grows. Hire lawn mowing online to be able to keep up with your lawn’s needs. Warm-season grass like the types found in Texas requires once a week mowing to keep them in check. Know your grass type and manage it accordingly.
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Applying the wrong fertilizer to the lawn
As grass species are different, their nutrients requirements can also vary. Using the wrong feed can do more harm than good to your lawn. Wrong fertilizers will cause an imbalance in the nutrient capacity of the lawn. Only use recommended fertilizers designed specifically for your lawn grass species. By hiring lawn mowing services near me, your yard can receive personalized care tailored specifically to its needs.
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Not watering enough
Lawns like all plants need adequate water to grow optimally. Neglecting the watering needs of your lawn is a common mistake that lawn owners might make. A lot of lawns are not watered enough due to negligence. The solution for this is to either hire residential lawn mowing service for your lawn or install automated sprinkler systems.
Keeping your lawn beautiful involves intentional effort towards your lawn’s needs. If you can avoid making these 10 common mistakes when it comes to lawn mowing, your yard will be the better for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do most people charge to mow a lawn?
The typical charge for lawn mowing ranges between $29 and $40 for many lawn care services in Texas. Pricing is often determined by the size of the lawn, the location and several other factors.
How to Mow a Lawn the Right Way in Texas?
The best way to mow a lawn in Texas is by ensuring the lower blade is set correctly, cutting only one-third of the length of the grass leaf. Mowing should also be done once or twice weekly using a mower with sharp blades.
How often should I mow my lawn?
Lawn mowing should be done once or twice a week depending on how fast the grass grows. Fast-growing lawns will perform better with more frequent compared to slow-growing lawns like Zoysia grass. It’s also ideal to mow the lawn when it looks overgrown.
What is the ideal time of day for mowing lawns?
Mowing is better done in the morning before the heat of the sun picks up. All mowing activity should be completed no later than 10 a.m. From noon, the environment is likely to be too hot & uncomfortable for mowing; cool days can be an exception to this recommendation.
When it comes to a delightful lawn mowing experience, GOMOW Lawn Care Service offers safe lawn mowing, affordable pricing and a supportive lawn service in Texas.
