Your Lawn Mower Misses You

During icy Indiana winters and tasked with the challenges we face from snow removal and management , we rarely spend time thinking about that mountain of work that will need to be done to our lawns in the Spring. Instead, we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed with that ever-growing list of tasks, once the weather breaks. This year, let’s do what we can to reduce those unnecessary moments of stress, before they start.

As we slowly count down the remaining days until Spring, there is a simple task that can help you move a step ahead of the neighbors.

Your lawn mower is currently sitting in a dark corner of the garage, like an abandoned puppy, wondering if you were ever going to come back. Take that little (or gigantic) fellow

in to be serviced! This is the perfect time of year to have the entire mower tuned up, oil changed, and most important of all, the blades sharpened. If you continue to wait until the warm weather arrives, you and your mower are going to be placed on a long waiting list, behind everyone else who didn’t come in until the beginning of April. By the time you get your serviced mower home, the grass will be several inches too tall, and mowing will become a daunting task.

Why is sharpening the blade(s) the most important part of servicing your mower?  Great question – let me explain.  If the mower engine dies, your lawn will live – believe it or not. However, if you mow with a dull blade, the future of your grass is not so certain.

Things to understand about the danger of dull blades:

• When your lawn is cut with a dull blade, the tips of the grass plants become torn and frayed.  A few days after the cut, the lawn will appear brown. This is due to the dead tissue along the tops of the plants.  When the tips of the grass plants are damaged in this way, the lawn begins to use it’s resources to repair the damage. This takes energy away from normal root and shoot development.
• The damage is done.  While attempting to repair the damage caused by a bad mowing, your lawn will become more susceptible to disease, fungus, and even insect damage.
• Repeatedly cutting with a dull blade will also lead to a thinning of the turf.  When this happens, the weeds will begin to take over.

Good mowing practices are important to the overall health of the turf. A few points to remember:

1. Height is important. Your lawn should never be cut less than three inches tall during the cooler part of the growing season, and no less than three and a half inches tall during times of drought.

      2. Never remove more than a third of the height in any one mowing. Removing more than this will result in significant color loss, and leave your lawn as susceptible to disease and insects as a dull mower blade. Should your lawn experience too much growth between mowings, remove a third with one mow, and then cut it down to the desired height a few days later.

      3. Always stagger your mowing patterns. Mowing in the same direction every week will compact the soil beneath your mower tires. This will lead to reduced health in your lawn.

Don’t Have the Time to Maintain Your Lawn? We’re Here to Help

We know that life can get hectic, and we’re always a quick phone call away to provide resources, information, or residential lawn maintenance services for all of your lawn care needs. As we prepare for the arrival of Spring, we look forward to working with you for your lawn care needs. Contact us today for more information, and happy mowing!