While many homeowners may view the regular task of mowing and edging the lawn with a deep sense of loathing, having a structured plan on how to finish the job can help ease the perceived pain.
The Best Time to Mow The Lawn
First, ditch the weekly schedule. Mow the lawn on its schedule, not yours. While it may seem to make sense to fire up the lawnmower every Sunday at noon so the lawn looks good the rest of the week, the reality is it's better to mow it based on the height of the grass. Often, when the spring months bring rainy weather in many parts of the country, weekly mowing is needed. However, in later summer months when rain may not be as regular, mowing every 10 to 14 days may be all that's needed.
When mowing the lawn, a good guideline to follow is the "one-third" rule: don’t mow down more than a third of the total height of your grass each mowing. So, if your grass is 3" tall, don't take any more than an inch off and keep it at a nicely trimmed 2" height. Regularly following this guideline will leave you with a neatly trimmed, healthy-looking lawn.
A Few Things to Consider Before Starting
Before starting any lawn mowing, it's important to keep a few things in mind for safety reasons and to ensure you're mowing the lawn in the most efficient and effective manner. You'll want to check the weather forecast; mow when it's dry, and it's better to mow near the evening rather than in the middle of the day. Walk around your lawn and pick up any lawn furniture, rocks, toys, pet waste, branches, or other debris that could damage your mower or make a mess.
Wear protective safety glasses to shield yourself from potential flying debris, and use hearing protection to muffle the sound of the mower engine. Also, be sure to wear closed-toe, sturdy footwear along with long pants to protect your feet and legs.
Frequently, and wrongly, many people will mow their lawns too short to reduce how often they need to mow. This can lead to additional weeds in the lawn and brown, burnt-looking grass. So, before getting started and based on your climate and grass type, set the mowing height on your lawnmower—typically 2" to 3". Once the height is set, check the oil and fuel levels. Never add fuel to a warm lawn mower engine, so be sure to top it off while the engine is cold.
Mowing the Lawn
Now with the mower ready, get it started easily and safely by starting it only on the sidewalk, in the driveway, or any other firm, sturdy surface. Start mowing by working around the perimeter of your lawn first. Unless your lawn is already rectangular or square, the plan is to mow to achieve a squared-off mowing area. Now work around trees and curved plant and flower beds, then mow creating straight lines and angles within these areas. By first mowing around the perimeter and turning your lawn into rectangles or squares, it makes it easier to mow in rows back and forth the length of the remaining unmowed lawn.
As you mow in rows, slightly overlap each adjacent row as you mow from one direction to the next. Make sure that any clippings discharged by the mower land in the previous mowed row. These finely chopped clippings help to serve as a mulch that decomposes and further nourishes and enriches your lawn. Conversely, if clippings are left in clumps behind the mower as it moves from row to adjacent row, be sure to rake and remove this excess grass as it can impede the growth of a healthy lawn.
Finish the Job with Trimming or Edging
Now that the lawn is carefully and nicely mowed, it's time to edge or trim the lawn to get that final finished look for all your hard work. Edgers are designed to trim the lawn along a hard surface like a driveway or sidewalk and cut a nice clean edge.
Line trimmers, on the other hand, can trim anywhere—in tight spaces, next to flower beds, along a hard surface, and more. To use a line trimmer to edge a lawn, turn the trimmer head 180 degrees so that it’s vertical. Be sure to keep the deflector shield toward your body to avoid getting hit by any flying debris. If you're edging along a driveway or sidewalk, always walk on the hard surface of the driveway or sidewalk as you edge for maximum safety and support. Be sure the trim line stays within the small space between the grass and hard surface. If the grass is too long and has overgrown the driveway or sidewalk, work methodically and cut it back a little at a time until it has a nice finished edge.
Keeping the line trimmer level and in the same position while you trim will result in the straightest edge. To do this, focus on keeping your arms steady and move your body deliberately and slowly. Since most trimmers spin line clockwise, use this to your advantage by moving left to right while trimming. By doing it this way, you'll have less cleanup to do since the trimmings will eject away from walkways and beds and back onto the lawn.
When done trimming or edging, use a brush to clean the tool right after using it, before grass and dirt can dry and harden. Now your equipment is ready to use the next time you're ready to make your lawn the envy of the block.
Product Compliance and Suitability
The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand and follow all manufacturer instructions.