Mowing the lawn isn’t too tough once you get the hang of it. Most parents teach their kids how to do it at a young age, and then it becomes the youngster’s weekly chore. However, are there some methods you might be doing that harm your lawn.
Professional lawn care services like Independent Lawn Services in Livonia can help you get your lawn, yard, and landscape looking great. For those who want to do the mowing yourself, keep reading for our top lawn mowing tips to protect your lawn and get it growing strong.
Lawn Mowing Tip #1: Sharpen Your Blades
Don’t let the extra mower maintenance slow you down. Keeping your lawn mower’s blades sharp will help save you time. With sharper blades, you won’t need to run over the same area twice. Sharpen your blades about once per season.
Lawn Mowing Tip #2: Keep the Tank Topped Off
Remember that time when you were mowing your lawn and about halfway through your mower sputtered out? We’ve all been there. It’s never fun to have to stop a chore halfway through - plus, refueling a hot mower can be bad. Keep a can of fuel around and make sure to fill before every other mowing.
Lawn Mowing Tip #3: Clear the Law of Debris
Branches, leaves, and all sorts of things can get in the path of your mower. Especially with summer storms, prevent any damage to your mower before it happens by giving your lawn a once over. Don’t forget any of the kids’ toys and watch out for rocks.
Lawn Mowing Tip #4: Mow Early in the Day
You want to aim for early but not too early in the day. Avoid the early morning dew (and irritating your neighbors). Once it starts to get hotter near midday and beyond, your grass can become more brittle.
Lawn Mowing Tip #5: Alternate Your Routes
Though routines and patterns can be good, for mowing your lawn, make sure to switch things up. Mowing the same direction for every run will create stripes and could even impact the growth patterns of your lawn. Alternate between vertical and horizontal patterns (or just go in a perpendicular direction as last time).
Lawn Mowing Tip #6: Cut and Not too Short
There is a rule with lawn care called the one-third rule. To keep your lawn healthy, only cut off the top of the grass blade. This rule might mean cutting your lawn more frequently then you do now. Similarly, aim for your lawn to be no less than 3 inches. This size will look great as well as help strengthen your root system which will keep out weeds.
Lawn Mowing Tip #7: Don’t Water All the Time, but Do it Deeply
Don’t soak your lawn every day, but make sure to give it a drink every once in a while. Most lawns in our area will need about 1 inch of water per week.
Mow like the Pros, and Leave the Rest to the Experts
There you have it, our tips for getting the best lawn mowing you can. Share this info with your kids so they can handle it for you! Speaking of which, when your yard or landscaping needs additional attention such as fertilization, consider Independent Lawn Services. We have been helping lawns and yards look great for more than 20 years!
