The Golden Rules of Mowing

A carefully designed garden – with trees, plants and shrubs, water features, pathways and a pool – adds serenity and beauty to a home and increases the value of the whole property. It can be used for relaxation, meditation and exercise; it provides a place where children and parents can have fun together, and it is the perfect place for entertaining. The ‘glue’ that holds the components of most gardens together, that provides the space for all these activities and that contributes a beauty of its own, is the lawn and if it is a lush, green, weed-free lawn, so much the better. The perfect lawn does not need to cost a fortune, neither does it require hours of maintenance. The four basics for a good lawn are fertilising, mowing, watering and aerating.

Following these guidelines will create a healthy, beautiful lawn and help to keep the environment clean and healthy as well.

Mowing
When you mow it is most important to wear protective shoes, and goggles or glasses to protect your eyes (even a pair of sunglasses is better than nothing).

 Mowing is the process of periodically removing a portion off the top of each blade of grass. It is best to mow a lawn often and to remove small amounts of the leaf blade each time, rather than cutting too much off and leaving the lawn looking like it has been 'scalped'. Cutting it too short can also expose the lawn to being burnt by the sun, which will cause unsightly brown patches.

 It is best if the grass is dry when you mow, as this prevents the spread of disease and avoids the problem of wet grass blocking the discharge chute of your mower. Especially avoid mowing the lawn with an electric mower when the grass is wet or damp as this is potentially dangerous.

 Allow the grass to remain a little higher in the summer so that it can develop a deeper root system. This also helps the grass out-compete the weeds and overshadow them.

 If your lawn has been allowed to grow too long then cut it in stages, doing multiple passes and gradually lowering the height of the mower.

 Mower blades should be sharpened or replaced regularly. Grass mowed with sharp blades recovers faster than grass cut with dull or worn mower blades. Always balance your blades when sharpening, as unbalanced blades will cause vibrations and damage to your mower.

Lawnmowers
Investing in a quality mower will cost you more in the beginning, but a good mower will last longer and give fewer problems, ultimately saving you money and time.

 The main types of mowers are reel or cylinder mowers, and rotary mowers. Cylinder mowers use a scissor-like motion to cut blades of grass, while rotary mowers use a pulling and tearing action. The direction in which you mow should be varied with successive mowing to encourage upright growth of the grass shoots.

 For safety, always switch a petrol-driven mower off when filling it with fuel, and use a funnel or a can with a spout. Fuel deteriorates when exposed to air or light, so store your mower fuel in a dark area and preferably use a fuel stabilizer additive. Shake the can before filling the mower.

 Clean the mower and blades frequently to remove any grass build-up. Using a hard-bristled paintbrush will help to get grass out of the difficult-to-reach places.

 It is important to service your mower, as this extends its life. Regular servicing of petrol-driven mowers also reduces their fuel consumption and emissions. Always use a reputable person to do the servicing, preferably an expert belonging to a recognised association.

 Do not mow excessively steep slopes! Avoid slopes greater than 15 degrees, and any slopes where footing is unsure – if a slope is difficult to stand on, it is probably too steep to mow, and in that case, it may be best to establish a ground cover on it that doesn't require mowing. Do not mow on slopes when the ground is wet. Mow across the face of slopes, never up and down.

 Sharp turns may produce an uneven cut or deposit clippings at the turning point. If possible, follow natural ground contours or use gentle, sweeping turns for a better looking lawn.

 Instead of collecting grass clippings every time the grass is mowed they should be left on the ground at least every third cut. Clippings return water to the lawn, thus decreasing your watering needs and use. They also return nutrients back to the lawn, including about 60% of the nitrogen, 100% of the phosphorus, and potassium, this alone can reduce your fertiliser use by up to 75%.

 Use pesticides only if absolutely necessary. Choose your sprays carefully, trying to use organic products wherever possible. Most pest problems are minor and temporary and do not require a pesticide.

 Never use fertilisers or pesticides on your lawn when heavy rainfall is expected. Rainwater will wash the chemicals away before they’ve had a chance to soak in, thus necessitating reapplication of the product. Save time and money and protect the environment by only treating your lawn during dry conditions.

 The best time to water your lawn is either in the morning or evening hours. These times allow water to soak into the ground with little evaporation. It is best to water slowly or multiple times to prevent water runoff. For best results, watering should be done less frequently, but more deeply. Allow the water to seep down and let it dry between each watering.

 De-thatching – removing the build-up of excessive dead grass and leaves from your lawn – allows nutrients and water to penetrate through to the soil. This build-up occurs naturally, but can be aggravated significantly by poor mowing practices. One indication of a ‘thatch’ problem is water running off the lawn onto walkways after just a few minutes of watering. The water is unable to penetrate the thatch quickly enough and this results in shallow watering and compacted soil.

 Aeration is the process of punching holes in the soil to loosen it, create space for root expansion and allow water, nutrients and air to penetrate deeper into the soil thus promoting deeper roots. The 'plugs' that result from the aeration process should be raked back into the lawn where they become a natural source of nutrients for the lawn. It is recommended that a lawn be aerated at least once a year. After aerating, compost can be applied to supply nutrients.

Information supplied by Rudi Kruger, Chairman of the Lawnmower Association of South Africa.

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We supplied this article to The Gardener magazine for the November 2006 edition.

Please follow this link for the article

http://www.thegardener.co.za/features/mowing.htm