Mowing The Yard Properly

Mowing the yard properly begins by checking all of your equipment to ensure that fluid levels are full and that cutting blades are sharp. Grass can be traumatized by cutting it with a dull blade and doing so can be hard on your lawn. Blades should be sharpened twice a year. You can hire a professional to do it for you or you can sharpen them yourself. Always dress appropriately while using a lawn mower, avoid wearing sandals, shorts, loose fitting clothing or any dangling items.

Always cut grass when it is dry, never when it is wet. You should always mow your lawn a little bit tall. This helps to reduce watering requirements and it saves on fertilizer. This is especially true in hotter months. In cooler months you can cut the grass a little shorter. Grass clippings can be removed, but they provide a significant amount of nitrogen and will reduce the need for fertilizer. Clippings also contain 75 percent water, so leaving them will ensure that you have to water less often.

When physically mowing the yard it is important to keep your rows and columns even, starting at the outer edges of the lawn. Pick a target point at the end of your row or column and aim straight for it to help you keep a straight line. Lining up the inside of the front wheel of your mower with your cut line will greatly reduce missed spots. Always check for missed spots before putting your equipment away. Always rinse your mower off before putting it away in the garage or shed to keep it in optimum condition.