23
When and How Often to Mow
The time of day and condition of the grass greatly
affect the results you’ll get when mowing. For the
best results, follow these guidelines:
1. Mow when the grass is between three and five
inches high.
2. Mow with sharp blades. Short clippings of grass
one inch or shorter decompose more quickly than
longer blades. Sharp mower blades cut grass
cleanly and efficiently, preventing frayed edges
which harm the grass.
3. Mow at time of day when the grass is cool and
dry. Late afternoon or early evening often provide
these ideal mowing conditions.
4. Avoid mowing after rain or even heavy dew.
Never mulch when the grass is wet (moist grass
does not mulch well and clumps beneath the
mower deck).
Mowing Patterns
Always start mowing on a smooth, level area.
The size and type of area to be mowed will determine
the best mowing pattern to use. Obstructions such
as trees, fences, buildings, and conditions such as
slopes and grades must also be considered.
1. Cut long straight strips overlapping slightly.
2. Whenever possible, change patterns to eliminate
matting, graining, or a corrugated appearance.
3. For a truly professional cut, mow across the lawn
in one direction, then recut the lawn by mowing
perpendicular to the previous cut.
Mowing Methods
Proper Broadcast Mowing
Broadcasting (side discharging), disperses fine
clippings evenly over the entire lawn. Many golf
courses use this method. Your mower has a deep
dish deck to allow freer circulation of clippings so they
are broadcast evenly over the lawn.
ENGINE SPEED & GROUND SPEED FOR
BROADCASTING
ALWAYS operate the engine at full throttle when
mowing.
ALWAYS use an appropriate ground speed for the
thickness and height of the grass you are cutting (3rd
gear or slower for manual gear models). If you hear
the engine slowing down, you are mowing too fast,
using a slower ground speed will improve the cutting
efficiency of the blades and prevents many common
cutting problems.
HOW MUCH GRASS TO CUT OFF WHEN
BROADCASTING
Mow when the grass is 3-5 inches long. Do NOT cut
the grass shorter than 2 to 2-1/2 inches. Do NOT cut
off more that 1 inch of grass in a single pass.
Where possible, make one or two passes around the
outside of the area discharging the grass INTO the
lawn to keep the cut grass off fences and walks.
The remainder of the mowing should be done in the
opposite direction so that the clippings are dispersed
OUT onto the area of lawn previously cut.
Operation
Not
for
Reproduction
