4 Tips to Sarasota Landscape Design (2 of 2)
This is the last part of a two part blog post covering how to mow your grass in Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida.
In our previous blog post we talked about the importance of the height your lawn mower is set at, and how short you should cut your grass. Additionally we elaborated on the frequency that you should cut your Sarasota/Bradenton lawn.
Let’s just jump right in to the next two final points.
3. Clipping Removal
A lot of people obsess about using a bag on their lawn mover, capturing all the clippings, and creating some kind of compost. While there are good reasons to have compost, since it serves as valuable food for your plants, most lawns grass clippings should be returned to the lawn to help recycle nutrients to the soil. If your lawn is mowed frequently enough, clippings will cause few problems, and the upside is much better than the downside. The biggest advantage for you is that you do not have to continually keep emptying your lawn mower basket throughout the process of cutting your lawn. After all, mowing your grass should have some element of pleasure and relaxation associated with it!
Many people believe that clippings contribute to thatch, but research has shown that clippings are readily decomposed by microbial action. Thatch is the intermingled layer of already dead and decomposing organic matter on top of the soil and below the leaf blades. Excessive thatch can cause many problems for lawns, including poor water infiltration, increased insect and disease infestation, and poor turf quality.
The main reason lawns suffer from hatch is when people do not mow their Sarasota & Bradenton lawn often enough, at which point excess clippings form in piles/clumps around your yard. If this situation occurs you can rake the clumps to distribute the grass more evenly across your lawn.
4. Mowing Equipment
Lawn mowers are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles and with many different features. The two basic types are the reel mower and the rotary mower. Variations of these include mulching, flail, and string mowers.
Most mowers can be obtained as push or self-propelled models. Front, side, and rear-clipping discharge models are also available. The choice of mower often depends on personal preference. Points to consider when purchasing a mower are lawn size, the type of grass you have in your Sarasota or Bradenton, FL yard, and level of lawn maintenance.
For people living in Florida rotary mowers are the most common for home lawn maintenance because of their low cost, easy maneuverability, and simple ongoing maintenance. Rotary mowers are most commonly found in all sorts of small and large hardware stores, from your regular push mowers, to full ride-on mowers generally used for larger yards.
With rotary mowers the grass blade is cut on impact with the mower blade, and it should be noted that rotary mowers can pose a safety problem if not used properly. Most rotary mowers cannot mow lower than 1 inch in height and are best used for higher mowing heights (which we discussed earlier as being a positive thing for your lawn). The blades on a rotary mower need to be sharpened and balanced frequently for the best possible cut, and once a year should be sufficient enough depending on how hard you have worked your mower year round.
Mulching mowers are modifications of rotary mowers. These are designed to cut leaf blades into very small pieces that decompose more quickly than leaf blades cut by conventional mowers. The mower blades are designed to create a mild vacuum in the mower deck until the leaf blades are cut into small pieces and distributed across your lawn as you mow. Mulching mowers do not have the traditional discharge chute like most rotary mowers, so you can not capture your clippings in order to make compost.
Here are some advantages and disadvantages of mulching mowers:
Advantages:
- Clippings are returned to the turf where they will be decomposed very rapidly. This reduces yard waste and recycles nutrients to your lawn.
- Mulching prevents yard waste from contributing to landfill overuse and eliminates clipping collection and disposal costs.
Disadvantages:
- They do not work well at all on wet or tall grass.
- Blades must be kept sharp.
- Current models are small and require higher horsepower.
Reel mowers are for highly maintained turf where appearance is important. Reel mowers cut with a scissor like action to produce a very clean, even cut. They are used at cutting heights of 2 inches or less, and are not recommended for use on St. Augustine grass.
Good Mowing Practices
Follow these procedures and precautions for safe, good mowing:
- Pick up all stones, sticks and other debris before mowing to avoid damaging the mower or injuring yourself or someone nearby with flying objects.
- Never mow wet grass with a rotary mower because clippings can clog the machine. Whatever lawn mower you are using, mow only when your grass is dry.
- Sharpen the mower blades frequently enough to prevent a ragged appearance to your lawn
- Mow in a different direction every time the lawn is cut. This helps prevent wear patterns, reduces the grain (grass lying over in the same direction), and reduces the possibility of scalping
- Do not remove clippings. If clumping occurs, distribute these by removing or by lightly raking. A leaf blower can also be used to distribute clippings.
- Check your mower every time it is used. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for service and adjustments.
- Adjust cutting height by setting the mower on a driveway or sidewalk and using a ruler to measure the distance between the ground and the blade.
- Never fill a hot mower with gasoline.
- Always wear heavy leather shoes, long pants, and sun/safety glasses when mowing your lawn.
- Always wash your mower after each use to reduce rusting and weed seed movement.
Here are some suggested mowing heights, frequency you should cut your grass, and the recommended type of lawn mower you should use when maintaining your Sarasota and Bradenton landscape.
Type: Bahia Grass
Suggested mowing height: 3” – 4”
How frequently you should mow: 7 – 17 days
Recommended lawn mower: Rotary/Flail
Type: St. Augustine Grass
Suggested mowing height: 2.5” – 4.0”*
How frequently you should mow: 5 – 14 days
Recommended lawn mower: Rotary
Type: Zoysia Grass
Suggested mowing height: 1” – 3”
How frequently you should mow: 10 – 14 days
Recommended lawn mower: Reel
* Dwarf varieties of St. Augustine Grass (Seville, Captiva, and Delmar) are the only cultivars of this species that should be mowed at less than 5″.
Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion below - we love hearing from our landscape design fans and value your feedback!
