As summer comes, most of us want to soak under the sunshine and stay in the garden. And take care of yard duties like mowing our lawns. And there are risks or injuries associated with riding or pushing lawnmowers. 

Whether you have a green thumb or not, it’s not difficult to keep a blissful and barefoot-worthy backyard. 

But safety is also the priority. For tips to keep you safe as you mow your lawn and to excellently do it, read on! 

Safety Tips before You Mow

Before cranking up and heading out, be then reminded of these safety tips:

Check if there is debris on the lawn

Before mowing, have a quick check of the lawn for any debris. Check and remove large sticks, stones, toys, trash or other objects. These things can ruin your mower blades. 

Mow when grass is dry

Cutting wet grass can be dangerous. This is because you could slip and fall if you’re using a push mower. So, it’s best to wait until the lawn is clear of moisture before you cut them.

Wear your protective gear

It’s ideal to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. This is because they are more protective than a shirt with short sleeves and shorts. For your feet, wear closed-toe shoes or boots to prevent foot-related injuries. 

Also, consider wearing protective goggles, headphones, and gloves. This is to keep grass and dust out of your eyes and protect your ears from damaging sounds.

Keep the kids away

Your kids might want to help but it could not be safe for them. It’s quite dangerous for them to ride on the mower with you or play in the yard while you’re mowing. Rocks and sticks can cause injury to children.

When moving on a hill, be careful

If your yard has a hill or incline, move from top-to-bottom if your landscape permits. But if the incline is too steep, consider weed-eating. When you mow on an incline from left-to-right with a riding mower, tipping can be a problem.

If you will use a push mower on an incline, it’s better to move from side-to-side than from top-to-bottom. It is to prevent the mower from rolling back on you.

Be careful when you mow near the road

Keep an eye out for cars if you have to mow near the road or a highway. Drivers may not notice that someone is mowing until they’re very close.

Turn off the blades when passing through the gravel

Don’t forget to turn off the blades when you’re crossing gravel. You might end up throwing rocks and hitting a window. It can also damage a nearby car.

More Reminders and Tips

Mowing seems easy. But each time you cut your grass, you’re paving the way for the success or failure of your lawn.

If you mow it right, you will have a lawn that’s healthy, and drought-tolerant. It is also thick enough to prevent weeds from growing. If you mow it the wrong way, your lawn will struggle to survive.

Avoid scalping grass

Do not cut the grass too short. A scalped lawn is prone to diseases and weed infestation. It tends to be weak and exposes the soil. Also, a sparse lawn allows sunlight to reach weed seedlings and give them a boost. 

If the grass is always cut short, it will have a poorly developed root system. This makes your lawn to be more prone to serious damage from high temperatures.

Sharpen your mower blade

To get the best results from each mowing, keep your mower blade sharp.

When the blade is sharp, it cuts the grass clean. If you mow with a dull blade, it tears grass and creates a jagged and uneven edge. These tears create an opening for pests. 

A lawn that has been then cut with a dull blade will develop a whitish brown hue. This is because the tips of individual grass blades die back.

So, sharpen the blades at least a few times during the mowing season. Also, consider buying an extra mower blade.

Adjust the height of the mower

Adjust mower height during the growing season. You can shift the cutting deck higher during summer. And allow grass to grow taller. Longer grass helps shade soil.

It prevents weed growth and slows water evaporation from the soil. Also, taller grass develops deeper roots. It helps the lawn survive the drought better. 

Mow in shade

Pruning a plant causes stress to them. It is the same with grass. Mowing creates tremendous stress on grass plants. If you mow during the heat of the day, they lose more water.

And they recover more slowly than mowing during the cooler time of the day. You can wait until the shade is on the lawn.

Mowing pattern

Do not mow in the same direction or pattern each time you mow. Doing this can risk compacting soil and create ruts. Compacted soil and ruts lead to grass that’s less healthy. And weeds thrive in compacted soil.

You may refer to this video for more mowing tips.

Takeaway

Lawn mowing keeps your grass healthy and looking good. But if it’s done wrong, your green grass could turn brown and less attractive or worse, unattractive.

So, it’s important that we also do it right. It may look easy to do, but keep in mind these tips and reminders to successfully mow your lawn.