New Home Owner

Mow Right Your Mowing Checklist

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Posted in Yard Care 101

Sure, you mowed lawns back in high school. Maybe even picked up a few dollars doing it. But now it's your lawn. And that makes it different. You want your new lawn and yard to look great, so you want to mow right.

There's more to mowing than pulling the starter cord and cutting the grass. First, there are safety tips to protect you and your family from things that can happen when a sharp mower blade meets things other than your lawn. And there also are ways to help keep your lawn mower in good condition so you won't have to face repair bills. And there's the most important thing: mowing to make your lawn look great and increase its chances of remaining healthy and green.

Here's the checklist:

  • Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence of children. Children are often attracted to the unit and the mowing activity. Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them.
  • Keep children out of the mowing area and under the watchful care of another responsible adult.
  • On riding mowers, never carry children, even with the blade(s) off. They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere with safe unit operation. Children who have been given rides in the past may suddenly appear in the mowing area for another ride and be run over or backed over by the machine.
  • Do the walk through. Check your yard for kids' toys (or the dog's), branches and debris and clear it all out of the way before you start.
  • Wear shoes that will actually protect your feet - no, sandals won't do. Nor will sneakers. Wear something sturdy with non-slip soles.
  • Start your mower outdoors, not in the garage or garden shed. Remember: carbon monoxide is a byproduct of burning gasoline - only operate your mower where there's plenty of fresh air.
  • Add fuel outdoors, with mower engine turned off. Use gasoline with at least an 87 minimum octane.
  • Prime the engine (look for the primer bulb to see if yours has one) like it says in your manual. Then set the choke and pull the starter cord.
  • Mow when the lawn is dry and you have plenty of daylight to see what you're doing.
  • Use extra care when approaching blind corners, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure vision.
  • Cut only one-third the length of the grass each time you mow. That means if your grass is three inches tall, one inch is all you want to cut off. This keeps your lawn healthy. You adjust the cut by adjusting your mower deck (with the engine turned off).
  • If you have to mow a hill with a walk behind mower, mow across it. Don't mow up and down the hill, and never pull the lawn mower backwards toward your feet.
  • Mowing a hill with a riding mower is just the opposite. Mow up and down the hill because you could tip the mower if you mow across it.
  • Mow in a different pattern each week. Change it up. Go north and south one week, east and west the next, even on an angle. This helps you get a cleaner cut and prevents compacting the soil with your mower's wheels.
  • Have fun! It's your yard. And you're making it look great!
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