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THE ART OF LAWN CUTTING - How to Cut your Lawn Properly
from:Are you an artist? You don't have to be like Leonardo Da Vinci to be an artist. Many homeowners have an artistic talent that I'll bet they didn't even know. Everyday things you do around your home may require you to have that artistic touch. Don't believe me? Go vist your friends and neighbors. Most homes you'll see have that particular flare or artistic design that will be different than their neighbor. The interior color, the choice of drapes and flooring all require an eye for art.
If you are buying a new home or deciding to renovate, you will undoubtably put a lot of thought into it so you can do it right. What if there was no cost to the renovation? Would you still do it right. Mowing your lawn incorrectly can make that beautiful home of yours look not so beautiful. Yes, it will grow back again and you can just start over again. Mother nature can be very forgiving in this way. If this is you, let your grass grow back a little and begin again. You want your lawn to look good so you can show it off with the rest of your home. If your home is nice, your yard should be nice, too.
Your lawn takes up a good size portion of your property. It's there for all to see. It's there for all to appreciate, so the next time you decide to mow your lawn, don't just mow. Put some thought into it and apply some flare; that artistic touch you knew you've always had.
You wouldn't think mowing the lawn in your yard as an art form, and for most people I guess it isn't. It's just a chore, something you have to do. Some people can mow their lawn in just a few minutes if they have a small yard. Others take hours to cut. I have seen some large front yards with the most beautiful lawn. There was this one yard where the lawn looked like a giant chess board except it wasn't square, but rather diamond shaped. That lawn took a long time to cut, but the owner took pride in his yard and put just a little more effort into doing a fantistic job. His front lawn really was a piece of art.
It's easy to do, but to be on the safe side try it in an out of the way area. If you make a mistake, it will grow back by next week. Adjust your mower about one half inch or one level higher than normal. Start mowing the lawn at a far corner of your property and cut at an angle to the road. When you cut the grass the wheels of the mower will flatten the grass blades creating a line (like an artist sketching on his canvas). Follow the lines the wheels make until you reach the opposite corner of the yard. Next, lower the blades to the normal height and mow the lawn at an opposite angle to the original cut.
Having said this, it's a good idea not to cut your lawn the same way all the time. Do you mow your lawn in the same pattern and direction every time? If you do, you could be creating streaks and striped lines that may grow back irregularly and look unappealing. It's recommended to change your mowing direction each time you mow. One time go side to side, the next time go from top to bottom. After that try the diamond cut mentioned above. This cross cutting helps your lawn to grow better and won’t be as matted down or trampled in the same place each time you mow.
What happens if you've been away from home and your lawn is overgrown by the time you return. The worst possible thing you could do is to get your mower out and cut it down to the standard height you normally mow it to. Instead mow only about one third of the height of the lawn at a time. At least, adjust the height of your mower to it's highest setting so the blade is as high as possible off the ground. Never mind about the fancy artistic stuff at this point.
When you're done, leave the lawn alone for a couple of days to let the lawn recover. Cut it again after enough recovery time and then you can get fancy if you like. If you do cut your lawn too short, watch closely for weeds and give it plenty of water and maybe some fertilizer mixed with weed killer. Weeds will crop up faster in a scalped lawn because now there is room for it to grow.
If you want your lawn to look like a masterfull piece of art, you must think of your lawns needs - the things you must do to keep your grass green and thick. This article only touches on this subject not so much because of health aspects of your lawn but rather the asthetic appleal you bring to your yard SO YOU CAN SHOW IT OFF!!!
One quick factor is the correct time to mow. It seems simple enough? However if you mow when you shouln't be mowing you could stress your lawn to the point of damaging it. You should never mow when your lawn is wet. Grass doesn’t bag or mulch properly and clumping can result. Schedule your lawn mowing for late afternoon or evening, not only will it be cooler but it will have had plenty of time to dry from the morning dew or after early morning watering. Another drawback to mowing while damp is that mold can develop and spread lawn fungus very quickly. You can also develop mold when the lawn isn't wet but is much more likely to happen when mowing a wet lawn.
Here's another trick. Mulch. Grass mulch is when the mower re-cuts the grass blades over again into smaller length pieces and deposits back onto the lawn. You will need to have a lawn mower that will mulch with plenty of horsepower to cut and essentially re-cut the grass to drop back into the lawn. These grass clippings are a perfectly balanced, slow release, natural non toxic lawn fertilizer. Best of all, it will reduce your need for commercial fertilizer by 50 percent. The best part is it's free.
Mulching your lawn does increase the risk of developing thatch in your lawn. Thatch build up can be harmful to your lawn. Make sure that your blades are sharp. Try to sharpen them at least twice during the mowing season. This will keep your mulching mower working more efficiently. If you aren’t keeping your blades sharp, then you are tearing the blades of grass rather than cutting them. this can cause your lawn to look ragged and increase its susceptibility to disease.
If you notice thatch is building up you may want to bag your clippings occasionally. Mulching is recommended during heat waves, after fertilization and during times of drought. Mulch will provide the soil with increased cover to hold in what moisture it does receive. Clippings can contain as much as 80% water and 5% nitrogen along with other nutrients found in small quantities and will be a continual source of fertiler for your lawn.
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