The Proper Way to Mow Your Lawn

A great lawn is the result of proper watering and proper mowing. When it's time to mow your lawn, check your lawn mower settings before starting your mower. You should only mow one to two inches of the grass blade. This allows your lawn to retain more natural moisture and requires less manual watering. Check your mower's blade to be sure it's sharp and free of debris and nicks both for safety and an even cut. Then check your lawn. Remove any debris, which may have fallen from trees, and any obstructions left by people. The last thing you want to be doing is reaching in front of or under your mower while it's running to clear branches and toys.

Decide on a pattern that best suits your yard space and allows the longest columns. If you have trees or shrubs in your yard mow around them first at a radius that is wide enough so that you can avoid circling them during the later mow. Once you've mowed around trees and shrubs, turn off your mower and bring it to a corner of the yard. Restart your mower and mow in a continuous column to the far end of the yard. Turn the mower around when the column is complete. Always avoid pulling the mower backwards for safety reasons.

Overlap the first pass by at least and inch to avoid missing any areas during the next pass. If the lawn is longer than usual, set your deck on its higher setting (about 4 inches). Mowing tall grass too quickly can impede the blade and cause you to have to pull back and this interrupts the pattern. Continue the pattern without changing direction until you reach the far side of the lawn.