When you think of mowing, spring might come to mind, but the grass doesn’t stop growing in the cool weather. That being said, there’s still plenty of mowing that needs to be done once autumn arrives, and it doesn’t stop until the first snowfall. With John Deere mowers, you can take on the task at hand without any problems.
Let’s take a look at some helpful tips you can take into consideration this autumn to ensure that your yard is fully prepared for the season ahead.
1. Check Your Mower Blade
Ideally, you should always be working with a sharp mower blade – don’t give your grass the hacking treatment delivered by a dull blade. If you use a dull blade, you also risk giving your yard a ragged-looking cut – the result will be more entry points for insects and disease. A clean-cut ensures healthier grass, and the end result is a nice look.
2. Install Your Blade Properly
Aside from ensuring that you’re working with a sharp blade, it’s critical to make sure your blade is properly installed. When a blade is installed upside down on a mower, it causes the blunt backside of the blade to be used as the cutting edge. Once again, this will result in a ragged cut, rendering your lawn prone to insects and disease.
3. Know Your Species of Grass
There is no universal mowing height for grass – each species thrives at different heights based on its physiology. For this reason, you’ll want to become familiar with your variety of grass before you take your John Deere mowers to it. Finer bladed grasses can be mowed shorter, for instance, while wide-leafed species tend to thrive with a little extra height.
4. Set the Mower Deck Height
Ideally, you should avoid removing more than one-third of the leaf tissue present in a single mowing. In addition, it’s best not to allow your grass to grow out and cut it back dramatically – this can potentially stress the grass, causing it to pull nutrients from the root system.
5. Plan Ahead for Your Clippings
Lawn clippings can be extremely beneficial when deposited back onto the lawn. If you’re staying on top of mowing so there are no big clumps of material left behind by the mower, there is no need to remove clippings. Leaves can be mulched and left to feed the soil as well.