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 5 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 best time to sharpen your blades and prepare your lawn for the start of spring maintenance. 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.
Lawn mowing comes with certain concerns that must be addressed for a safe lawn maintenance experience. These 6 mistakes can make or mar the health of a lawn; therefore they must be taken into serious consideration by homeowners who have lawn yards. Hiring a lawn mowing service is the recommended practice for quality lawn mowing for both residential and commercial areas.
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 Teas.
Learn more about GOMOW Lawn Care Service here – https://gomow.com/lawn-mowing/
