For most folks, mowing the lawn is just a matter of revving up the mower and doing laps around the yard until the grass looks a little less like a jungle. It’s kind of like vacuuming, but outdoors and with more sweat. However, just like there’s a right way to vacuum (yes, really), there’s a smarter way to mow.
With a little strategy and a few easy tips, you can turn your lawn from meh to marvelous — and do it in less time! So grab your mower and check out these pro tips on when to mow, how to mow, and how to keep your mower happy. Before you know it, you’ll be sipping something cold in a lounge chair, admiring your freshly manicured masterpiece.
1. Wait until the grass is dry
Cicada chimneys look kind of like anthills.
It may seem obvious during the summer when it reaches unbearable temps during the day to try and get started mowing early in the cool morning hours. But if there’s still dew on the ground, you can lose time and damage your lawn. This is due to the high likelihood that wet grass will clump up in the discharge chute (that flappy thing on the side), requiring you to stop and remove the clog. Plus, your mower tires won’t get great traction either and could put tracks in your yard.
Instead, wait until later in the morning when the dew dries, or mow the lawn late in the day before the evening dew. Also, time your sprinklers to start up in the late evening or at night so there isn’t extra moisture on the grass when you mow. Here are some more watering tips for your lawn.
Read more: The gardening tips everyone needs to know.
2. Keep it long
Keep your speeds low to make mowing go fast.
Short on time or just want to get the chore over faster? Then going fast makes the most sense, right? But while it’s tempting to go fast while mowing, it can actually create more work for you. By not taking your time and letting the mower do its job properly, there’s a good chance it will leave some areas uncut and give the lawn an uneven, sloppy look. This means you’ll have to take more time to re-mow it to make the lawn look correct.
Instead, take the path of the turtle — slow and steady. A slower, mid-speed mowing session is faster and better for your lawn than zooming around the grass and ultimately needing to re-mow it later. Also, remember that the choke needs to be lower for slower speeds to run properly.
