Lawnmower Basics

Lawn mowers come in such a variety of sizes, types, and price ranges that you should do some careful research before purchasing one. There are a whole range of things to consider, such as the kind and size of your lawn, what you can afford, how long the lawn mower will last, and even your mechanical abilities—all lawn mowers need some maintenance.

The best way to begin your research is by taking a careful look at your lawn. If you are replacing your old mower, you probably already have a good idea of what will work for you. If you have just moved into a home, you need to know how many square feet of lawn you have. This is important because recommendations for various mowers are partially based on lawn size measured in square feet.

Take these steps when you are preparing to purchase a lawnmower:

1. Carefully walk around your lawn. Is it smooth? Does it have shady spots that are always wet? Does it have a problem with surface roots from a tree? What kind of obstacles are on the lawn? Planter boxes, trees, bushes, patios, walls, and other obstacles can make maneuverability a very important factor. Is your lawn level, or is it on a slope? Since it is usually difficult to push a mower uphill, a self-propelled lawn mower may be the most prudent choice for a sloping lawn.

2. Take a realistic look at yourself. Do you really enjoy working in the yard? If not, you will probably hire a gardener in a month or two. If you do enjoy working in the yard, will you also feel comfortable cleaning the air filter, changing the oil, and checking spark plugs? A good quality mower will last for many years if it is maintained properly. A poorly maintained mower will soon have to be replaced.

3. The next thing to consider is your budget. What can you realistically afford? How long will you live in this home? Will you need your mower in two years? Five years?

Once you have answered these basic questions, you can begin your research.

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Kinds of Lawn Mowers

The two basic kinds of lawn mowers are reel mowers and rotary mowers. Lawns were usually cut with scythes until an English engineer, Edwin Budding, invented the first reel mower in 1830. The first reel mowers were heavy and awkward, but still much easier to use than a scythe. Engines and other innovations were gradually added. The rotary lawn mower was invented by Power Specialties of England in 1933.

Reel Mower Basics

Reel-type lawn mowers use blades on a revolving cylinder, called a reel, to cut grass. When the reel mower is pushed forward, either by muscle or by engine power, the reel moves.

As the mower moves forward, the rotating blades come in sliding contact with a stationary bar that is parallel to the ground. The stationary bar is called a bed knife. The grass is held up by the bed knife and is cut by the shearing action of the reel blades against the bed knife. The mower can be adjusted to various cutting heights.

Reel mowers can cut lawns shorter than rotary types because of their shearing action. That is why they are used on golf courses. The sheering action of reel mowers makes a cleaner cut than that of rotary mowers. Reel mowers also leave finer grass clippings than ordinary rotary mowers, but not quite as fine as mulching rotary mowers.

Blade adjustment is critical to a reel mower. The bed knife must be adjusted just right in order for the grass to be cut properly. If the bed knife is too close to the rotating blades, they will hang up on the bed knife. If the bed knife is too far away from the rotating blades, the grass will not be sheared properly. It typically only takes a few turns of a screw or bolt to keep the reel properly adjusted, depending on the reel mower model.

I am a firm believer in reel mowers. If you'd like more details about choosing and using one, please visit the comprehensive Reel Mower Guide site.

Rotary Lawn Mower Basics

Rotary mowers use a flat, horizontal, blade that turns at the speed of the engine. The engine sits on a housing, which is referred to as the deck. The engine shaft protrudes through the deck. The blade is bolted to the underside of the engine shaft. The underside of the deck provides a measure of safety from the blade and also acts as a vacuum chamber that lifts up the grass, thus making a better cut.

There are now many varieties of rotary mulching mowers. Rotary mulching mowers cut grass into finer pieces than traditional rotary mowers. Mulching ‘systems’ vary from a single blade with non-traditional configuration to two non-traditional blades with a tricked-out deck.

They are popular because leaving grass cuttings on the lawn is becoming more popular. In addition, some municipalities have regulations that encourage homeowners to leave clippings on the lawn. Only cheaper rotary mowers still have a single ‘old fashioned’ blade.

Rotary mowers are easier to use on long grass, but do not mow as cleanly and evenly as reel mowers. The spinning horizontal blade, even with a deck ‘vacuum chamber,’ tends to bend the grass as it cuts. Rotary mower blades must be kept sharp in order to do a decent job of cutting the grass. However, maintenance is easier. The horizontal blades are easy to remove and sharpen or replace.

There is so much competition in the industry that there are many models and varieties to choose from. The only way to get a feeling for the staggering number of options is to visit a few garden centers. Look at the choices. Ask questions. Go home and look at information on the Internet. Look at your yard again and then go back and look at more mowers.

You will gradually become familiar with the various features and which ones seem right for you. You might also go to a rental yard and see if you can rent a mower of the type that interests you. If you need a mower right away, perhaps you should rent one or borrow a neighbor's. There is no point in rushing into a buying decision before you are sure of what you need.

Even if you don’t think you need a riding mower, you should look at them. Every mower you look at and every sales person you talk to will give you more information on lawn mowers and lawns.

Each choice has its advantages and drawbacks. You should pick the attributes that are important to you.


Non-Self-Propelled

Manual Reel Mowers

These are the lightest and least expensive. Besides being much lighter and easier to use than the old push mowers, they are the most environmentally friendly. If you have a small lawn, a reel-type push mower might be ideal for you. For more information on push-type reel mowers, check the Reel Mower Guide.

Electric Mowers

     

Electric mowers are a step up from reel-type push mowers. They are easier to use and friendlier to the environment than gas-powered models. They are available in both reel and rotary types. Electric mowers come with battery power, cord power, or a combination.

They are quiet and work well on lawns up to 3000 sq. ft. Prices range from $125 to $600. For more information on electric mowers, check this page.

Rotary Non-Self-Propelled Mowers

All rotary mowers have engines because the blade is bolted to the engine shaft, but not all rotary mowers are self-propelled. Rotary push mowers are fine for smooth lawns that are flat and not too large. They are the most common type of mower.

They can be purchased with side or rear discharge; as mulching mowers; or as convertibles that can quickly be adapted to side discharge, rear discharge, or mulching mowers.

Five and a half horsepower engines or bigger are common on these lawnmowers. They are available with either push button starters or pull starters. Purchase the features you are likely to need and the biggest engine you can afford. Bigger engines have the power to cut through denser material.

Prices range from $100 to $700.

Self-Propelled

Self-Propelled Rotary Power Mowers

Self-propelled rotary mowers offer all the bells and whistles of push rotary mowers, plus power to pull themselves up slopes. Some models also come with large rear wheels that make uneven lawns much easier to mow.

Some of these models even use a transmission. It is especially important to purchase one with a powerful enough engine. The engine has to provide enough power to cut the grass and to propel the mower up inclines.

You should also check the speed settings. If the mower moves too fast, you may soon hate it.

Prices range from $200 to $700.

Self Propelled Reel Mowers

This type of mower is typically only used for golf greens and is prohibitively expensive. They are not designed for home use.

Riding Mowers

Riding lawn mowers come in many varieties. They vary from a tractor that tows a reel mower for golf courses and park use to small riding mowers with a zero turning radius.

A riding mower may be the best choice if you have a large lawn and a place to store the mower. Some models can pull a mini trailer. There are even models that have an aerator attachment. The only way to get a sense of these mowers is to look at them and try them out. You will probably need to go to a professional gardening shop to get a feel for the range of possibilities.

Prices range from $1100 to $6500 so look carefully before making a decision.

Tips on Maintaining Your Lawn

Regardless of the condition of your lawn, you will be better off to think ‘organic lawn.’ There has been a lot of publicity about the damage that chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides do to the environment. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough publicity about why plants, including lawns, are healthier and more disease resistant without man-made chemicals. If you have been brought up with a typical chemical lawn and garden mentality, you may think this idea preposterous. It is not. Understanding how grass actually grows may surprise you. For more information, look at How Grass Grows or Organic Lawn Care Tips.

Even if your lawn has been doused with chemicals for years, you can convert it into an organic lawn. Some basic practices of organic lawns are still good advice for improving the health of any lawn even if you also use chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

I am a fan of organic solutions, but I also recognize that some people prefer chemically treated lawns and gardens. If you do use a chemical fertilizer or pesticide in your yard, please make sure to carefully follow the directions and avoid overuse, which can do serious harm to your lawn.

Here are some tips that will improve any lawn.

1. Water less frequently, but deeply. Most experts agree that an inch of water once a week is about right for most lawns. This will vary with climate, soil composition, and time of year. To find the best watering cycle for your lawn, distribute several cans or other containers around your lawn and water the lawn. When the containers have one inch of water, turn off the water. Note how long it took to fill the containers to the one-inch mark. Now you know how long to water. You also know which areas don’t get as much water and may need a sprinkler adjustment or change. It is time to water again when the lawn soil surface is dry to the touch. This insures that roots will grow deep. Exactly how deep the roots grow depends on the soil and type of grass. Here is more information on how much to water your grass.

2. Cut your grass to its recommended cutting height. Some people recommend setting your lawnmower to the highest setting, but I do not agree with this method. Different types of grasses have different cutting height requirements, so it is best to stay within the cutting range recommended for your type of grass. You can look up recommended cutting heights here.

3. Aerate your lawn. If you aren’t familiar with lawn aeration, it is simply poking holes in the lawn. This is done with a machine that pulls little round pieces of soil, called plugs, out of the lawn. These plugs are deposited on top of the lawn. Although unsightly, they break down and disappear in a couple of weeks. Aeration allows water, air, and nutrients into the soil and prevents soil compaction. Your lawn should be aerated about once a year.

 Aerating tool.

4. Leave lawn clippings on the lawn. Your lawn needs the organic material they supply. Because the grass clippings will be pulled into the soil and decomposed by soil organisms, you will need much less fertilizer. The best kind of mower for this job is a mulching or reel lawn mower because they both leave finer clippings than regular rotary mowers. We’ll talk more about this in the lawnmower section. It is a myth that grass clippings cause thatch. However, if you already have thatch, you'll want to collect your clippings until you have solved the problem because clippings can make it worse.

5. The best fertilizer for your lawn is an organic fertilizer with a ration of approximately N-P-K: 3-1-2 (3 % nitrogen, 1% phosphorous, and 2% potassium). Follow directions when applying any kind of fertilizer. As an alternative, organic fish emulsion or compost tea will be a healthy treat for your lawn because they both add live microforms to your soil. You can find fish emulsion at your local gardening center, but may have to purchase compost tea on the Internet or make your own. Compost tea is water that has been soaked in compost.

For more information about organic lawn care, check Organiclawncaretips.com.