As the old saying goes, “the grass is always healthier when you mow it from different sides.”
Well, OK. That’s not really how the cliché goes. But it is a good mantra to keep in mind before you mow your lawn.
Read about why you absolutely should change up the route each time you mow. And, get tips on the best mowing patterns for your machine.
Yes! Why? Because when grass is mowed in the same direction over and over, it’s trained to lean one way. Also, going over the same tracks each time can cause rutting and soil compaction, which is essentially when soil particles get packed too tightly, making it hard for water and air to reach lawn roots.
Also, mowing in just one direction makes the lawn look worn out over time. Ideally, grass stems should grow straight up and stand tall. Mowing in different directions helps make that happen.
With lawn striping, you weave your mower vertically, horizontally or diagonally throughout the lawn to make a striped pattern. Here’s how:
The key is to start with one direction one week, let’s say horizontal, and then use this same technique to mow the lawn vertically the next week, and diagonally the week after that.
Since a riding mower can’t turn quite as quickly as a push mower, opt for an easier pattern. You can simply roll around the perimeter of your yard once or twice, close in a bit to make a smaller perimeter cut and then make smaller and smaller squares until you reach the middle of the lawn.
Or, mow the lawn like a pro with the Zamboni pattern. Yes, think big machine used to smooth over an ice rink. Here’s what to do:
Want more tips to cut grass like a pro?