Lawn mowing is a necessary evil for many homeowners. It can be time-consuming and difficult to do, but it doesn’t have to be as hard as you may think. Check out these five tips for safe, efficient lawn mowing!
Choose the Right Mower
There are a variety of lawn mowers to choose from, so it’s important that you know what your needs are before deciding on which type will best suit them. For example, if you have an expansive acreage or lots of tall grasses and weeds, then the riding mower may be more your style whereas for those with only small yards, a push reeler would probably suffice.
The first rule in choosing your right mowing method is to not spend too much money than necessary; this can lead some folks towards overspending on features they don’t need or neglecting safety precautions because they won’t use them often enough (e.g., using a gas-powered engine when all their power requirements are met by an electric one).
Stay Safe While Mowing
Whether gas, electric or battery powered, the most important safety measure you can take when using any mower is to wear protective eyewear. There are plenty of options out there from goggles and masks to full welding helmets that will keep debris away from your face and eyes while also protecting them against UV rays. Be sure not only to choose protection for yourself but also make sure everyone else around wears something too (especially kids!).
The next step is to make sure that your mower has a well-maintained blade. Dull blades can lead to rocks and other debris being thrown around the area you’re cutting so it’s important to have sharp, clean edges. It’s also important not only for safety reasons but also because of the long-term destruction dull blades will cause in your yard; they’ll tear up plants instead of cutting them off neatly at the surface level.
In addition, be sure when using gasoline powered machines (or any gas engine) that you never use one near an open flame or turn on anything else with an ignition while working with fuel powered equipment as this could result in serious injury or death from fire or explosion due to accidental spark discharge.
Also, always wear safety gear including shoes with steel toes and heavy-duty gloves when cutting your lawn. Lawnmowers can be dangerous to the user if not handled properly or used carelessly so it’s important that you’re dressed appropriately for a safe experience. Safety glasses are also good protection against any debris thrown up from the blades while they whirl around in the air – which is another reason why it’s best to use gasoline powered machines only on dry ground; wet grass could create extra resistance and make mowing more difficult.
Use the Correct Mowing Pattern
Mow in a diagonal pattern so that you’re only cutting off one third of each blade at a time instead of trying to get them all in one fell swoop as this leads to less buildup on the lawnmower blades (which means they’ll last longer) + results in more even looking yards than if everything was just straight lines because there are fewer uneven patches where taller bits grow back faster due to being shaded by other plants.
Try not to push your lawn mower up hills, and instead hold onto the side with one hand while using the other to push.
Mow away from walls and sidewalks as you’ll likely be bumping them up against the lawnmower blades.
If you have a side yard, mow in one direction first then go back across it to cut off any bits that got missed on your second pass.
Mow Early and Often
It’s best to mow your lawn as soon after a rainstorm as you can. This way, the blades don’t have to push through all of the extra moisture before cutting down those tall grasses and weeds that are taking up most of your garden space. Plus, you’ll be left with less work when it does inevitably come time for another cut.
Mowing early in the season will also help prevent winter damage by making sure everything is nice and trimmed back in order to get more sun on the ground where freezing temperatures could potentially kill off plants that were previously shaded out from their neighbors during warmer months. Leaving some taller patches around provides protection from snowdrifts so there won’t be any pesky white spots showing up in the spring.
If you’re looking for safe alternatives to mowing, consider using a weed less string trimmer instead of a lawnmower blade which can cut through any and all types of vegetation thanks to its spinning action on contact with soil or ground coverings like grasses. String trimming will also require less power than mowing because it just needs enough force to keep the string from snapping in half when pushing against thick plant growths as opposed to trying to push down an entire patch of taller plants at once during one pass by the lawnmower’s blades.
The last tip is making sure your safety equipment is up-to-date so that if anything goes wrong while out there on those rows, you’ll be able to get help as soon as possible.
Finally, keep in mind the time and space of your yard to plan out an efficient route for cutting it so that you don’t waste any more time than necessary or end up running over a spot you already cut just because it’s not obvious from where you stand what’s been done and what hasn’t yet.
Set Wheel Height Correctly
One of the most important things you can do to make mowing easier and safer is setting your wheel height correctly. You should set it as low as possible while still being able to cut over thick plant growths without bending or breaking them, but not so that you have too much blade close to the ground unless it’s an obstacle course like field where every inch count because there’ll be a ton of grass clippings whenever we’re done with our job. The last tip in this post will cover safety equipment for lawnmowers; right now, just focus on how best prepare for safe, efficient lawn cutting by using appropriate wheel heights!
The lower your wheels are off the ground, the more difficult it becomes when pushing against taller grass or bushes. However, the higher your wheels are off the ground, your blades will cut cleaner and it’ll be easier to get underneath low-lying plants that have thick growths of leaves.
Keep the Mower in Good Condition
Maintain the lawnmower so it doesn’t cause injury. Keep your blades sharp and replace damaged parts before they pose a risk to you or others!
The engine should be in good working order, free from leaks, with gaskets replaced as needed. If there is any sign of oil leakage, keep an eye out for drips on the ground that could potentially lead to a fire hazard. Check all hose fittings regularly and tighten where necessary but avoid overtightening which can loosen other areas. Replace cracked tires at once if you notice them; it only takes one punctured tire for complete disaster! Lastly, inspect the underside of your mower deck often by lifting up whichever part allows access and checking for debris that may have accumulated.
Other Tips
- Mowing with a reeler may leave clippings behind as it cuts through grasses. To avoid this problem, opt instead for mulching blades if possible; these cut up the grass so finely that they’re easy enough just to walk over like regular ground without leaving a trace of clippings.
- An hour is the ideal amount of time to mow a lawn for most homeowners, but this can vary depending on how much grass there is and if you’re using an automatic or manual push reeler. If you find yourself taking more than an hour then either look at your equipment first (is it broken?) or try out a different technique like cutting in strips instead of straight lines so that you don’t have to go over each patch twice.
- When storing gas powered machines, be sure they are turned off completely before draining any fuel into storage containers (don’t wait until they run out!). This will help prevent accidents where fuel leaks create potentially dangerous fumes around the machine as well as avoid getting gasoline all over the ground.
- When using a push reel mower, make sure you don’t have to push it uphill or against any barriers (like flowerbeds), which can stop the blade from spinning and cause clumps of grass that will need to be cut again later.
- Always wear long pants or at least knee-high boots when cutting your lawn with power equipment like weed whackers as blades always spin just inches past your feet! It may also help to invest in some protective gear such as gloves, goggles, ear plugs etc. if you typically do yard work outside where there are lots of bugs flying around since they’re attracted by sweat on bare skin + loud noise created by engines = bad combination for outdoor workers.
- Most importantly, don’t cut your grass when it’s wet! Wet grass can build up around the blades and cause clumps which will need to be trimmed or could end up damaging the engine of your lawn mower.
- Mow in a diagonal pattern so that you’re only cutting off one third of each blade at a time instead of trying to get them all in one fell swoop as this leads to less buildup on the lawnmower blades (which means they’ll last longer) + results in more even looking yards than if everything was just straight lines because there are fewer uneven patches where taller bits grow back faster due to being shaded by other plants.
- Try to avoid pushing your lawn mower up hills, and instead hold onto the side of it with one hand while you use the other to push.
