On Wed, 14 Apr 2004 10:03:24 -0600, "Ken Davey"
shouted from the rooftop:

Don wrote:
I have about two acres and a 48 inch cut Craftsman lawn mower. Every
time I mow I leave tons of grass clippings. I cut it very short I
think. I only have time to mow once a week.

What is the proper "technique" for mowing?

1) Set the height of cut at 2.5 to 3 inches.
2) Run the engine at full throttle.
3) Use a slow speed- first or second gear only.
4) Cut no more than a 36" swath AT THE MOST! Yes, the deck is 48"
wide, but most garden tractor decks are not able to make a full width
cut. They clog.
5) Mow in a pattern such that you are not going through the fresh
clippings- they will severely overload the decks' cutting ability.
6) With two acres of land, any 48" garden tractor is too small. You
need to move up to a 62" zero turn mower or a used 72" commercial
out-front deck machine.

-Carl
"An honest man doesn't need a long memory"- Jesse Ventura