You must be hearing that you need to sharpen your lawn mower blades to have a clean lawn. Chances are that you have wondered what would happen if you don’t sharpen your blades, right?

Well, there are plenty of things that can go wrong when you mow your lawn with dull blades.

You have an ugly lawn.

For one, you get to shred your grass blades, which leads to the grass losing a lot of moisture, which leads to an ugly lawn.

You can relate mowing the yard to shaving.

Using an outdated razor with a dull blade makes your skin more prone to nicks and cuts. These cuts can generate dissatisfaction and even feelings of nervousness.

On the other hand, a sharper and cleaner appearance indicates a confident and well-groomed individual.

With a sharp razor, you receive a clean, fresh shave that will make you look more appealing.

The same logic applies to lawn mower blades.

If your lawn mower blade is dull, it will tear off the top portion of your grass leaves rather than provide a clean, smooth cut.

This tearing movement causes unneeded stress on your grass, making it more likely to seem dull, dry, and lifeless.

Alternatively, if you use a sharp mower blade, your grass will be clean-cut, demonstrating to your neighbors and yourself that you care about the appearance of your yard.

You have a hard time mowing.

The same thing with a blunt knife, a dull mower blade gives you a hard time mowing the grass. This is simply because the blade isn’t sharp enough.

A sharp mower blade cuts easier and generates less engine drag, resulting in faster grass cutting and a longer-lasting lawn mower.

Dull mower blades are more likely to produce rigid cuts and inconsistent grass length, making mowing increasingly difficult.

If you have a grinder or a metal file, you can sharpen the mower blade yourself.

However, if you don’t enjoy DIY, you can:

• Disconnect the spark plug.
• Remove the mower blade.
• Take it to a hardware shop or mower dealer to get sharpened.

If you frequently run over sticks, pebbles, or other materials while mowing, you may need to sharpen the mower blades more often.

Remember that sharp mower blades are a tiny but significant step toward faster, easier, and healthier lawn management in all seasons, regardless of the weather.

You have an unhealthy lawn.

As mentioned above, a dull mower blade “rips” the top layer of grass. The jagged edges’ greater surface area and the stress they bring to the turf grass make your lawn more vulnerable to some infections and pest insects.

As you can tell, this exposes your lawn to plenty of lawn diseases.

A sharp mower blade makes a clean cut, which helps prevent fungal diseases from attacking your grass, and this is possibly the most important reason to keep them in good shape.

If you’re already concerned about the health of your grass, there are several strategies you can use to your advantage. To help you out, here are tricks to maintain your lawn healthy, regardless of the season:

“Grass-cycle” your lawn cuttings. Leave grass clippings in the yard rather than tossing them away. Grass clippings disintegrate quickly and return necessary nutrients to the soil. Grass-cycling not only improves your lawn, but it also saves you time when caring for it.

Use natural lawn fertilizer. Natural fertilizers are better for your grass, the environment, and have been shown to be more effective than synthetics.

There are numerous natural lawn fertilizers to choose from. When buying, buy from a reputable company with a proven record.

Aerate your grass. Over time, the soil beneath your lawn may get compacted. Even the weekly activity of mowing your lawn might result in soil compaction. Grass aeration is simply the process of drilling holes in your grass approximately 3 inches deep.

Regular lawn aeration can provide your grass with a proper medium to thrive in, loosening the soil and improving air circulation.

Water your lawn deeply and less frequently. Turning on your sprinkler for a few minutes a few times a week will not significantly benefit your lawn.

If you water seldom and deeply, your grass roots will grow deeper into the earth. This keeps your grass green during seasons of drought or hot weather.

How to sharpen lawn mower blades

Sharpening your blade is quite simple by following a handful of basic tips:

• Refer to your owner’s manual for instructions for your mower’s make and model.
• Wear protective equipment, such as safety glasses and cut-resistant gloves.
• Disconnect the spark plug (unless you own an electric mower).
• Remove the blade according to the directions in your owner’s manual.
• Sharpen the blade with a grinder and smooth any nicks with a metal file.

When sharpening or smoothing, work in only one direction. Blades are typically angled at 45 degrees.

When sharpening, keep the blades sharp like scissors, not like knives, because a knife edge will dull faster.

Eventually, you’ll need to replace your mower blade. The typical lifespan is one to three years, depending on how much it is utilized.

While generic blades are less expensive, replace your blade with the make/model mentioned in your owner’s manual because it is specially built for your equipment and should provide the best wear and cut quality.

Parting shot

Dull mower blades do more than just generate a jagged cut; they also damage your turf. Dull blades tear rather than cut grass blades, harming them and most likely causing the ends to turn white within a few days.

This not only gives your lawn an ugly look but also exposes your grass to lawn diseases.

The cool thing is that you can avoid the dangers of dull blades as all you need to do is sharpen the blades. You can sharpen the blades yourself, or have an expert do it.