How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro

  • June 27, 2008
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natewood from Nate Wood (and 5 others)

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Get the neighborhood association off your back—or just do yourself proud—by learning to mow like a pro.

You Will Need

  • An edger or trimmer
  • A lawn mower in good condition
  • Sharp mowing blades
  • Dry grass
  • Hand-operated shears

Clear away any debris before mowing, and always wear ear and eye protection, plus sturdy closed-toe shoes. Do not allow children to operate or ride on mowers.

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Trim the edge

Step 1: Trim the edge

Cut the edges of your lawn with a special edger or a regular trimmer before you begin mowing. If your lawn is very small, hand-operated shears will do.

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Have your lawn mower serviced

Step 2: Have your lawn mower serviced

If you can’t remember the last time you had your lawn mower serviced, take it in for a checkup and blade sharpening. It may be time to replace the oil, air filter, and spark plugs. Consult your owner’s manual to schedule future maintenance.

A dull blade shreds your lawn, instead of cutting it, leaving it open to disease; it also makes your mower use more fuel—and a gas-powered push mower pollutes as much as 11 cars!

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Know your grass

Step 3: Know your grass

Find out your grass’s optimum cutting height, which depends on what type of grass you have. If you don’t know, bag up a few blades and bring them to your local garden center.

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Wait until grass is ready

Step 4: Wait until grass is ready

Make sure the grass is completely dry and between three and four inches tall before mowing.

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Set the cutting height

Step 5: Set the cutting height

Set the cutting height on your mower for the correct height for your grass.

Plan to finish mowing by 6 p.m., because dew begins to settle as the sun sets.

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Cut up and down

Step 6: Cut up and down

Cut your lawn up and down, as opposed to round and round. When you begin each new row, have the mower overlap half the row you just cut.

If you’re pushing a manual mower, keep your back straight and your elbows bent, and walk at a steady pace.

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Adjust for slopes

Step 7: Adjust for slopes

If you come to a slope, mow from side to side, rather than up and down.

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Leave grass clippings

Step 8: Leave grass clippings

Leave the grass clippings on the lawn. Raking them up taxes your lawn and, besides, they return nutrients to the soil.

How To Mow Your Lawn Like a Pro: Change directions

Step 9: Change directions

Change directions the next time you mow. In the meantime, enjoy your manicured lawn!

Thirty-one percent of gardeners said that the sorry state of their neighbor’s lawn makes them angry.

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Comments (2)

deckard1

Wow, looked like crap even after being mowed. You are a pro!

over 3 years ago by deckard1

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Henry_Biz

Great video--very detailed!

over 2 years ago by Henry_Biz

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