Lawn Mower: Is Lawn Care What You Want?

Lawn mower: Just mentioning the word will evoke the memory of the love affairs you’d had with our lawns. Think about the happier time when you had a portion of your yard to make it a splendour display of lush green carpet of grass, to the envy of your neighbourhood. Your legacy lives on today. But how to care for your lawn to get this? The answer is the right choice of the lawn mower.

Technological Advances

But today with technological advances, your mow is much simpler and time-saving now yet you can still enjoy the same workout as before, albeit a lighter one. You still have to get behind the machine to push but with the self-propelled mover, you don’t have to exert energy and strain your body while moving.

Most lawn mover today, have developed new safety features to avoid spinal, back, muscle, wrists and joints injury. With that, they have made improvements to their designs to incorporate enhancements such as ergonomic grips, adjustable handles, larger wheels for easy manoeuvring and reduce bodyweight of the mover.

The Right Choice

So the right choice of mower will eventually whether you have a good experience using it without unnecessary muscle or joint injury. You don’t have to buy more than you required but a mower that can perform the job well.

Why mow your loan?

Do you want your lawn to look pristine all the time? Care for your lawn takes proper management of your time and effort and the end result is well worth it. Caring for your lawn starts with proper mowing techniques and the right equipment use. There are a host of benefits of caring for your lawn, the most obvious being it is neat and pleasant and it is a breath of fresh air. Lo and Behold!

Care for your lawn

Proper care for your lawn helps keeps it healthy and pest-free at the same time. That’s why mulching is important when mowing the lawn because it helps to bring the cut grass back to the soil. This matter composts quickly and it revitalizes the soil underneath it. Make sure your lawn is free from weeds if not mulching will not be beneficial as the mulched weeds will eventually go back to the soil resulting in more weeds festering.

The length of the grass cut in your lawn also plays an important role in soil management. It is found that the longer the grass is left uncut the longer its root will grow hence allowing proper drainage. If you mow your grass too short the roots will correspondingly grow short roots. If the grass is cut too short you are preventing the grass blade from growing.

Rule of one-third

Depending on the length of the grass, it is important to follow the Rule of one-third the next time you mow your lawn. Cut no more than ⅓ of the grass blade at one time. You don’t want to cut too much grass. It will keep your grass healthy and neat even though you’ve to mow your lawn every week.

Close mowing causes injury to the crown of the grass blade, where nutrients are generated and stored. When there is a reduction of the blade’s surface area, this will hinder the grass to produce food and grow.

Lawn Mover: Features To Look Out For Before You Buy

Before you consider looking for your perfect lawn mover, it’s important to look at the features and extras that it can do for you.

A: Power Types

Whether to drive the blades or move your lawn mowing machine you required raw energy. Even a reel cutter needs human strength to move it.

1. Battery power lawn mower
2. Electric lawn mower
3. Gas-powered lawn mower
4. Manual-powered lawn mower

1: Battery power lawn mower

Not long ago, the lawn mover is hand-powered, that is they are hand-push. How much grass you’d cut depends on your own effort. Today, most lawn movers are battery-driven and it makes hard work light. It is convenient and you don’t have to buy expensive fuel.

Batteries come in different voltages such as 36, 40 and 56 volts and even as high as 120 volts. It has a substantial weight to it and it is removable, and it doesn’t have to be permanently attached to the mover. That makes it very convenient when the time comes for recharging. Recharged batteries are eco-friendly and they have zero carbon emissions for cleaner air.

Stronger battery required

Choosing the right voltage to suit your mover moving capabilities is crucial. It needs a stronger battery to operate a self-propelled mover, especially in hilly terrains than if you mowing on flat ground.

Check each time before you begin to mow to ensure you have enough battery power to complete your job. The length of charge will depend on the model and definitely, it will need to be replaced when they are worn out.

Battery care

Removable lithium-ion batteries are used in most electric mowers now, and the ability to remove the batteries to be placed indoors while not in use will make them last longer. Alternatively, you can park your mower in the shade if you don’t want to remove the batteries.

2: Electric Power lawn mower

Unlike battery-operated lawnmower, an electric-powered mower required no charging to use. They are two types of electric-powdered mowers, and they are either corded or cordless.

The corded mower must be plugged in to use, while cordless mowers are free to go wherever you like. The corded mover coverage, however, is limited to the length of the electric cord. Occasionally you are caught in an awkward position when your legs and machine are caught entangled with the cord.

Manoeuvre tip

Always work away from an outlet and hold the cord at whatever side that is facing the electric outlet, then you mow along, keeping the cord in your hand on the same side of the outlet. When you’ve reached the end (of course, within cord length) of your lawn, you would take two steps back, then step over the cord and grab the cord with your other hand facing the outlet. That way you will never get caught in the entangled mess again.

The cordless-powered mower uses a rechargeable battery like other battery-operated ones. mower. It will deplete while mowing and how long it can go depends on the capacity of the battery itself.

3: Gas Powered lawn mower

The gas-powered lawn mower is much more powerful than that of their battery-powered cousins. While occasionally those tough weeds may get caught in your less-powered machine, this gas-powered beast chomp away effortlessly.

Gas-powered has lots of momentum and because of the design of the motor, you have the crankshaft with a counter-balance, flyweight and a heavier blade. A lot of things is rotating to keep thing moving. There are a lot of moving parts, thus creating more power.

Though they consumed gas today, the high-end gas-powered mower is environment-friendly, and you will not smell anything because they do not emit any discharge or smoke, however, on the other end of the scale, the cheaper ones produce emissions and smell.

Gas movers tend to be a bit noisy and the use of ear protection is recommended. It’s not surprising gas-powered mowers emit more than 85 decibels, They required frequent maintenance like oil changes, blade sharpening and frequent tune-ups.

4: Manual Powered lawn mower

Whether it’s a reel mower or a push mower you have to push it to get it moving. While the push mover does have an engine, it is not self-propelling and still pushing is required to get the mowing done. You can control the speed in a self-propelled mower but still, you have to provide the momentum and steering.

Safety first

In the reel mower, the power, momentum and speed are guided by you. There are, however, some safety precautions when using a reel mower. Even though no motor is used, the rotating blades are exposed and are not contained like in all other mowers. When they spin they can cause serious injuries when hands, fingers and feet are placed inside. Keep away from children when you are operating the machine. The spinning wheels attract their attention and their curiosity might they prompt them to stick their hands into it.

B: Drive Type

Just like a car, the lawn mower needs certain mechanics to propel the machine forward. Learn about each type of drive that is suitable for the type of mowing and terrain you’ll be working at.

1. Manual
2. All-wheel Drive
3. Front-wheel Drive
4. Rear-wheel drive

1: Manual

If you don’t mind the excess physical exertion, a manual reel mover will make an invaluable tool for smaller lawns. They are environmentally friendly because they do not use gas. It will be pure raw human strength to power a reel mower. The senior citizen would have to take special precautions to avoid injury especially mowing uneven terrain.

A manual push reel mower does not have a safety deck to contain the blades, therefore the exposed blades can cause serious injury to the user as well any bystander.

2: All-wheel Drive

Going up and down in a hilly environment is easy on an all-wheel-drive lawn mover. It uses all four wheels to grip the sloppy ground.

3: Front-wheel Drive

They provide better traction when mowing up a slope or on hilly and slippery ground. During the sudden surge of power, a front-wheel-drive mower tends to veer from side to side because of “torque steer”. However, it has bad acceleration power as compared to a rear-wheel drive.

4: Rear-wheel Drive

Handling your mover in the rear-wheel-drive is much easier due to “load transfer” to acceleration and even weight distribution. You won’t experience the “torque steer” as in the front-wheel drive. Rear-wheel drive makes your mower change direction easier. You just lift the front wheels off the ground by applying pressure down on the rear and steer towards your new direction and at the same time let the rear wheels help to propel it through.

C: Start Type

Go figure yourself repeatedly jerking a cord to start the mower and then it stalled again. Perhaps there must be a better way to get the mover to start operating without lifting a sweat.

How about the key start? It would be nice to start the machine with a flip of your key. If tweaking your key is still hard work for you, why not have a mower with a push button? They are not only found in electric-powered lawn movers but also in gas and electric-engine lawn mover as well.

D: Features

Among the many features which you need to know, these features will make or break whether you have made the right choice.

1. Discharge Location
2. Cut Width
3. Adjustable Height
4. Baggage Capable
5. Speed Control

1: Discharge Location

Mowing up and down your lawn could be an exhilarating experience for all but picking up the grass discharge is a chore everyone wants to avoid. Most lawn mover comes either you can bag the clippings or let them lie on the grass.

Bagging helps you with the hard work of raking up the cut grass and bagging it during mowing all at once. You can empty the bag once it is full and it can be reused over and over again.

When you let the cut grass lie on your lawn, that means you’re mulching. This layer of fine grass left behind helps in the conservation of soil moisture. It improves the fertility and health of the soil and It reduces weed growth.

Rear and Side Discharge

One of the benefits of rear discharge is that it makes it easy for your lawn mover to manoeuvre corners especially when you are trying to mow the side fence without any chute protruding on its sides.

Both the Rear and side

Normally, you’ll discharge off your grass clippings If you don’t want to bag it. Most moving machines will have a cutter to ensure the grass was cut into a finer piece before it can be mulched. Most models nowadays come with an option whether to bag or to mulch or a combination of both with varying degrees.

2: Cut Width

The cut width is the length of the blade of the lawn mower to cut grass. It ranges from 20 inches to over 60 inches and over in the case of a very big mower. A larger cut width is suitable for large lawns with large grassy ground whereas narrower cut widths are suited for a smaller area with a lot of obstacles.

3: Adjustable Height

How long you cut your grass is the determining factor of whether you’d have a good and healthy lawn or not. It’s a relationship that goes hand-in-hand with the roots in the ground on one hand and the grass on the surface. on the other. If you have 2 inches of grass, you’ll have 2 inches of roots; if you have 3 inches of grass then you’ll have 3 inches of roots and so on.

Why is it so important to have longer roots?

The longer roots are it helps your lawn to retain water, thus making it drought-resistant because these roots collect water and make it disease-resistant. The thicker root mass makes it more difficult for weeds to grow and the higher canopy of grass makes the weeds difficult to get sunlight and grow.

All these make sense if you know how to adjust the mowing height of your lawn mower. You will notice how easy is it if you can find the levers placed beside its four wheels. They are numbered from 1 being the lowest to 5 or 6 being the highest.

Set to the highest

One tip you can take away is to set the lever to the highest number when your mover is straight out of the box. Measured the height of the grass when you have mowed for the first time. Make adjustments to the mower’s height as you mowed until you got the height required. Remember to cut no more than one-third of the length of the grass blade.

4: Bagger Capable

Having a bagger as in the rear-discharge lawn mower helps you to prevent the projectiles onslaught from the bits of grass, sharp objects and stones from flying at high speed at you. Mowing can be fun and exhilarating but when it’s time to rake the cut grass it becomes a chore. Nobody like the hard work but you can leave the job to the bagger. It collects the pieces of cut grass automatically nice and clean, and you can dispose of them once it is full but not the bagger.

5: Speed Control

Being able to control the speed of your lawn mower is key to a cleaner cut. Mower uses a lever which is connected to the throttle control cable which lets you control the speed as you mow along. Some have a single-speed mode, while others have variable speed control to facilitate better control in your mowing.

Vital tips for buying your mover

Don’t buy what you don’t need. If you have a small garden, you don’t need an army of lawn mower to compete with your neighbour.

1. Lawn Size and Terrain type
2. Nature of your climate and your grass

1: Lawn Size and Terrain type

You have to consider the size of your lawn to determine what type of mower is suitable for you. You may need a gas-propelled mower for a larger yard, while push mowers (whether it is electric or gas-operated) will be more suitable for smaller yards.

Generally, most lawn mower can work on all terrains, except you have to put special effort and precaution in order for it to operate efficiently, Be mindful when you have to mow on undulating land, uphill or downhill, rough and uneven lawn.

2: Nature of your climate and your grass

Not all lawn mowers are suitable for all climates. During the hot summer months, you might not want to exert yourself too much. You may then consider a self-propelled mower.

Mulching works best when the soil is wet, and this helps to seal in the moisture. Rain will penetrate through if your mulch is too dry.

Types of Lawn Mowers

Personal preferences and lawn care needs, that what you make your choice of one of these wonderful machines:

1. Self-Propelled Mower
2. Push Mower
3. Reel Mower (Better known as a cylinder Mower)
4. Hower Mower
5. Robotic Lawn Mower
6. Riding Lawn Mower

1: Self-Propelled Mower

You get what you paid for. This motorized lawn mover helps you to propel forward as you mow. Of course, depending on the nature of the turf and the terrain, a certain amount of physical strength to stir and direct the machine is required.

2: Push Mover

Unlike a self-propelled mover, a push mover has a motor but does not propel you forward when you mow, but the power is directed in rotating the blades. You don’t have the luxury of self-propel despite having a fully motorized machine. Sun Joe MJ-HVR12E Electric Hover Mower | 11-Inch | 10-AMP Shop at Walmart

Powerful 10-amp eco-friendly electric motor means no gas, fumes, or costly tune-ups! 3 rotating cutting blades provide a crisp, 11-inch wide, wheel-free cutting path. in any direction

3: Reel Mower (Better known as a cylinder mower)

Good for the environment

Its simplicity of use and the nostalgic feel makes many people go back to the reel mover. It appeals to those who like to go experience again mowing a lawn like pushing a pram without the help of a motor. Lawn fanatics, environment-loving and exercise enthusiasts will attest to it. Suitable for a small lawn or garden, and it is good for the environment because it is noise and air-pollution-free.

Mulch better

The reel mover moves when you start to push forward, no gas or battery to worry, about, no rope pulling to get it started and certainly no key to kick start. Actually, manual mowing gives a better cut – it didn’t rip or tear. It disperses its fine spray of natural mulch that composites quickly. If left in the lawn it will help to revitalize and provide nutrients for the grass. American Lawn Mower 1304-14 14-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower Shop at Walmart

The American Lawn Mower 1304-14 is a 5-blade reel mower that provides a clean, precise, scissor-like cut for your lawn, no fuel or oil needed. 

Very little maintenance required

Very little maintenance is required because there’s no motor to care about. The only thing to care about is the blade. Brush the blade off once in a while with some degreaser for the removal of oil and grease. It also protects the blade from corrosion and rust and helps lubricates the blade for that perfect cut every time.

Not a stroll in the park

It may sound fun and easy to push the reel lawn mower for the uninitiated, but those with cardiovascular problems should stay away from it. It is such a physical demand job and indefinitely it is not a stroll in the park.

4: Hover Mower

If this is the first time you see this, you might think that it is something out of science fiction. Nothing like it, it is an innovative lawn mover that hovers in a cushion of air, almost gravity-defying.

A hover mover draws air from the vent located outside of the mover as soon the blade starts rotating, the air is drawn in producing pressure inside the machine thus causing a lift.

Because hover mover floats in a cushion of air they are ideal for moving around flower beds, down slopes, and along the edges of paths. They are light and when finished mowing, it can be carried and stored away. Sun Joe MJ-HVR12E Electric Hover Mower | 11-Inch | 10-AMP Shop at Walmart

• CUTTING BLADES: 3 rotating cutting blades provide a crisp, 11-inch wide, wheel-free cutting path – in any direction
• Versatile: ideal for sloped lawns, and Small yards

5: Robotic Lawn mower

Not surprisingly, our robotic vacuum cleaner whom we endear so much has a close cousin in a lawn mower. Very much like its vacuum counterpart, it is fully automatic. Its innovative design is programmed to learn about your lawn and even suggests a schedule based on your lawn size.

Though not made for heavy work like that powerful gas-propelled mower to cut thick dense foliage, they cut a little grass at a time. One advantage over the other bigger mower is that they can mow the grass more closely to the lawn’s border, leaving less trimming left to be done.

You can adjust the mowing schedule and control it remotely with the convenience of a mobile app. It keeps you connected at all times and kept you informed if it deviates from its predetermined lawn’s border. Most come with a recharging dock where the robotic lawn mower comes back automatically if it runs low in battery.

How long can it mow depends on how much power it got on a single charge, Quietly moving along, its sensors can detect obstacles along the way but they are only suitable for even terrains. MowRo Robot Lawn Mower with Install Kit, by Redback – RM18 Shop at Walmart

6: Riding Lawn mower

The riding lawn mower is the most comfortable among the arrays of lawn movers around. While manicuring the lawn moving, you sit back and relax as you steer it along the way. Not that you’re physically unable to withstand the rigorous job but ride-and-cut seems fun.

They are 3 types of riding lawn mower in the market are:

1. Rear engine riding mower
2. Lawn & Garden Tractors
3. Zero-turning radius lawn mower

1: Rear Engine Riding Mower

They are the smallest among the three and they are suitable for roaming the narrow passes like fence gates because of their smaller cutting decks. They move considerably slower and are not capable of pulling any attachments. Their small size makes them store in your shed and garage easily.

2: Lawn & Garden Tractors

Made to do the heavy work, these workhorses are equipped with powerful engines that could haul heavy attachments. Not very agile and if your lawn has too many obstacles that may be a problem to overcome. Murray 42 in. 17.5 HP Riding Lawn Mower with Briggs and Stratton Engine Shop at Walmart

42″ deck size, best for medium-to-large-sized yards up to 2 acres with flat or hilly terrain

3: Zero Turn Mowers

Speed and agility are their forte. It can zip around to a maximum speed of over 6 mph and it can turn around without any problem. Poulan Pro 54″ 24HP Briggs & Stratton Zero-Turn Riding Mower Shop at Walmart

Robust 54″ reinforced steel deck with three premium cutting blades, and rugged steel frame

Making The Right Choice?

With price comes quality, a good quality lawn mower that will last for years to come, and will often make the tedious chore more enjoyable.

The Best Cordless Lawn Mower

• DigiPro brushless motor with G MAX 40V Li-Ion Battery for durability and longer run time battery not included
• 7 position single lever height adjustment offers range from 1 to 1/4 inch to 3 to 1/2 inch cut height
• 19-inch steel deck offers with 3 in 1 design offers rear bagging, side discharge and mulching capability
• Greenworks 19-Inch 40V Cordless Lawn Mower, Battery Not Included Shop at Walmart

The Best Corded Lawn Mover

Greenworks 16-Inch 10 Amp Corded Electric Lawn Mower 

Key Features:

• 10 Amp Electric Motor delivers enough power to cut through tough grass. Assembled Product Weight: 48.0 Pounds
• A durable 16-Inch cutting deck gets the job done quicker and more efficiently
• The 2-in-1 feature provides mulching and rear discharge capabilities
• 5 position height adjustment offers a range of cutting height from 5/8-inch to 2-5/8-Inch for the perfect cut on all types of grass
• 7-Inch rear wheel and 6-Inch front wheels.Maximum extension cord length:150 feet.Maximum extension cord length:150 feet
• Shop at Walmart

Best Robotic Lawn Mower

Worx WR140 Landroid M 20V 7 Inch Electric Cordless Robotic Lawn Mower

Key Features:

• The innovative fully automated 20-volt robotic lawn mower will do the work for you
• Can cut up to 0.25 acres
• Wi-Fi and cellular controlled with automatic software updates
• APP capable of instant operation and control
• AIA cutting technology ensures it can pass through narrow paths with ease
• Intuitive layered interface for customized working schedules
• Shop at Walmart

Best Reel Lawn Mower

Fiskars 17″ Staysharp Push Reel Lawn Mower

Key Features:

• The lawn mowing is enjoyable with an advanced reel mower that’s 30 per cent easier to push than other reel mowers
• InertiaDrive reel is designed for all grass types, delivering twice the cutting power to glide through tough spots and StaySharp cutting system cuts without unwanted contact, greatly reducing wear for long-lasting performance
• A new reversible grass chute can be positioned to direct clippings forward, away from your feet, or backward and downward
• Inset wheels allow the blades to extend across the mower’s full 17-inch cut width and cut height can be easily adjusted from 1.5-3.5 inch
• Shop at Walmart

Best gas-propelled lawn mower

Husqvarna HV-WB-961450036 Walk Behind 21 Inch Self-Propelled Gas  Shop at Walmart

Key Features:

• The gas-powered Honda GCV-160-engine is powerful and easy to start
• Self-propelled variable front-wheel-drive that allows you to adjust your speed
• Heavy-duty steel cutting deck capable of bagging, mulching, and rear discharge
• Ergonomic foldable handle allows for easy storage, transportation, and bag removal
• 21-inch cutting width covers more lawn

Best Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower

Husqvarna Z254 54 in. 26 HP Kohler Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower Source: Amazon

Key Features:

• 26 HP Kohler engine provides reliable startups and a max speed of 6.5 MPH
• A patent-pending park brake system automatically activates or deactivates as the steering levers are moved outward or inward
• Air induction mowing technology draws air from the top and bottom of the deck, improving grass and delivering a superior cut
• The reinforced steel stamped cutting deck is made of heavy flat-stock steel for maximum durability
• Clippings can be discharged, mulched or bagged (mulching kit and bagger attachment sold separately)

Best Self-propelled Battery-operated Lawn Mower

Snapper XD 82V MAX Electric Cordless 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawnmower Kit with (2) 2.0 Batteries & (1) Rapid Charger Source: Amazon

Snapper 1687982 82V Max 21 in. StepSense Electric Lawn Mower Kit Shop at Walmart

Key Features:

• Self-propelled transmission with variable speed
• Up to 45 minutes run time with the Briggs & Stratton 82V Lithium-ion 2.0Ah Battery kit comes with (2) 2Ah lithium-ion batteries and rapid charger
• 21 inches Steel mowing deck with 3 in 1 design mulch, bag or side discharge grass clippings easily
• Smart, efficient load-sensing technology power adjusts to meet the demands of the cutting blades
• Push-button start and a single lever, 7-position height of cut adjustment

Best Rear-engine Lawn Mower

Snapper 2911525BVE Classic RER 28 inch 11.5 HP 344cc Rear Engine Riding Mower Source: Amazon

Key Features:

• 11.5 hp Briggs & Stratton Power Built 4-Cycle OHV Engine
• Vertical Stand-on-Edge Capability

Best For Small Yard Electric Lawn Mower

Sun Joe MJ401E Electric Lawn Mower | 14 inch | 12 Amp

Key Features:

• POWERFUL: 13-amp motor cuts a 14-inch wide path
• Adjustable deck: tailor cutting Height with 3-position Height Control
• STEEL BLADES: Durable 14-Inch steel blade cuts with precision
• Accessories: includes 10. 6-Gal bag
• Shop at Walmart

“A Beautiful Lawn Doesn’t Happen By Itself”

Source: Anonymous

Is Your Purchase Worth It?

Author’s Bio

WAS THIS ARTICLE HELPFUL? PASS IT ON