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? I think part of my problem
is that I usually mow "clockwise" and probably should be mowing so I
blow the clippings where I have just mowed. The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch. ANy help
would be appreciated! No one ever showed me the proper way to mow.

By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
up finer? Any help is appreciated!

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? I think part of my problem
is that I usually mow "clockwise" and probably should be mowing so I
blow the clippings where I have just mowed. The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch. ANy help
would be appreciated! No one ever showed me the proper way to mow.

By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
up finer? Any help is appreciated!

Mowing 'longer' will reduce the amount of re-growth in a week. Are you being
liberal with the use of fertilizer or water? Execessive use of nitrogen will
result an 'emerald' green lawn and lots of growth. To maintain a 'formal'
lawn in this way requires mowing at *least* every three days.
Blocking the discharge will result in choking the whole show = bigger mess!
Vac cleaning systems are expensive, maintenance intensive and a general
PITA.
The way I see it, to keep the clippings light enough to eliminate the need
to 'rake' you have two choices. Mow more frequently or starve the lawn.
Ken.
--
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Return address supplied by 'spammotel'
http://www.spammotel.com

"Don" wrote in message
By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
up finer? Any help is appreciated!

I can't speak for Craftsman, but my John Deere has a block when using the
mulching blade. Keeps cuttings under the deck so they can get chopped up
into smaller pieces.

Don't mow too short. If you keep the grass longer, say 2 1/2 to 3", it
will be healthier, less weed, easier to care for.
Ed

Proper? Any technique that makes the grass shorter in the smallest amount
of time I would call "proper."

I try to mow a different direction each time to avoid creating ruts with my
mower - granted that would take a long time, but I've been mowing this yard
for 25 years. I mow the perimeter clockwise, blowing the clippings "in",
two or three times to give myself "turn" room. Then just straight lines
back and forth. I also cut fairly high: the grass looks thicker, and helps
to choke out weeds.

On the subject of mulching mowers: hate 'em. Hate the *******s. If the
grass if at all high they clog, and always make a mess in the garage when
they're put up. Either collect or discharge the clippings, and forget the
guilt.

- Wm

--
William Morris
Semster, Seamlyne reProductions
Visit our website, http://www.seamlyne.com, for the most comfortable
historically inspired clothing you can buy!


"Don" wrote in message
m...
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? I think part of my problem
is that I usually mow "clockwise" and probably should be mowing so I
blow the clippings where I have just mowed. The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch. ANy help
would be appreciated! No one ever showed me the proper way to mow.

By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
up finer? Any help is appreciated!

Don wrote:

.... The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch...


Clippings on the driveway/sidewalk will dry up and blow away. Clippings
in the mulch may be caught and not blow away, but they will turn brown
and blend in. Either way, it becomes a non-issue eventually.

Don't cut the grass too short: it will burn in the dry season. Longer
grass will withstand drought better. It also shades out weeds better.

Mulching mowers need to be used fairly frequently so that the clippings
are short and will fall into the grass. Longer clippings (more volume of
grass being cut) will clump up and leave clods of grass on the lawn.

If you have two acres, do you use it all? How about cutting a quarter or
half acre as a lawn and haying the rest? Then you only have to cut that
part twice a year.

If he has two acres he could make a beautiful natural area with all
kinds of native plants and trees.

Just because the area is natural does not mean that it requires no
maintenance. Just different.

There have been several times in my life when I have had a half acre or
more. This is the first time that it has all been in yard, and we are
working on that. Lots of flower beds, etc.




Dwight Sipler wrote:
Don wrote:

.... The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch...



Clippings on the driveway/sidewalk will dry up and blow away. Clippings
in the mulch may be caught and not blow away, but they will turn brown
and blend in. Either way, it becomes a non-issue eventually.

Don't cut the grass too short: it will burn in the dry season. Longer
grass will withstand drought better. It also shades out weeds better.

Mulching mowers need to be used fairly frequently so that the clippings
are short and will fall into the grass. Longer clippings (more volume of
grass being cut) will clump up and leave clods of grass on the lawn.

If you have two acres, do you use it all? How about cutting a quarter or
half acre as a lawn and haying the rest? Then you only have to cut that
part twice a year.

On 14 Apr 2004 08:19:50 -0700, (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.

Every grass variety has an optimum cutting height, so I can't just
reel off a number. But whatever grass variety you have, choose
a cutting height at the top of the range for that grass. This will
make the grass more drought resistant, reduce the need for
fertilizer, chokes out weeds, etc.

Cutting taller will also reduce the cutting frequency required since
a grass that isn't overcut won't have to grow as fast to get enough
green blade area in sunlight to survive. Don't over-fertilize and don't
over-water. Both will cause excessively rapid growth, and will promote
poor root systems.

What is the proper "technique" for mowing? I think part of my problem
is that I usually mow "clockwise" and probably should be mowing so I
blow the clippings where I have just mowed. The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch. ANy help
would be appreciated! No one ever showed me the proper way to mow.

By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
up finer? Any help is appreciated!

To convert a regular deck to a mulching deck, you have to block the
discharge chute. An old license plate will do if you don't have the
proper block off plate. Note that if the deck isn't designed to be
used as a mulcher, there may be some clogging problems, but it is
worth a shot. Every pound of grass clippings you remove from the
lawn requires you to replace those nutrients in another way.

Gary

I think the real key to grass care is keeping your blades razor sharp! I
sharpen the blade every three or four cuts and the mulching lawnmower works
best that way. For your size lawn, how about one of those solar powered
robotic mowers that cuts all the time the sun is out.

--
There are only 10 kinds of people...Those that understand binary and
those that don't.
"Don" wrote in message
m...
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? I think part of my problem
is that I usually mow "clockwise" and probably should be mowing so I
blow the clippings where I have just mowed. The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch. ANy help
would be appreciated! No one ever showed me the proper way to mow.

By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
up finer? Any help is appreciated!

On Wed, 14 Apr 2004 19:09:44 GMT, "Tom Gardner"
wrote:

||I think the real key to grass care is keeping your blades razor sharp! I
||sharpen the blade every three or four cuts and the mulching lawnmower works
||best that way. For your size lawn, how about one of those solar powered
||robotic mowers that cuts all the time the sun is out.

I like those things!
Check out the Husquvarna robotic on their website.
Rex in Fort Worth

Mulching blades have to be kept sharp. Most folks don't sharpen any
mower blade often enough. Do not block the dishcarge.
Set blade height at 2.5" mow before it reaches 3.5"

Don writes:

What is the proper "technique" for mowing?

Boustrophedonically.

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

On 14 Apr 2004 08:19:50 -0700, (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? I think part of my problem
is that I usually mow "clockwise" and probably should be mowing so I
blow the clippings where I have just mowed. The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch. ANy help
would be appreciated! No one ever showed me the proper way to mow.

By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
up finer? Any help is appreciated!

When mulching mow in a counterclockwise direction.

When bagging mow clockwise. This will leave the least amount of
clippings on the lawn.

On 14 Apr 2004 08:19:50 -0700, (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? I think part of my problem
===is that I usually mow "clockwise" and probably should be mowing so I
===blow the clippings where I have just mowed. The reason I dont do this
===is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch. ANy help
===would be appreciated! No one ever showed me the proper way to mow.
===
===By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
===from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
===clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
===up finer? Any help is appreciated!


And why would you cross post this topic to the metal working forum? Or
I assume the part about you making a plate is sufficient to qualify it
for a post in the metals forum, since evidently you would probably
make the plate out of metal!
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

On 14 Apr 2004 08:19:50 -0700, (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? I think part of my problem
is that I usually mow "clockwise" and probably should be mowing so I
blow the clippings where I have just mowed. The reason I dont do this
is it will blow clippings on my driveway/sidewalk/mulch. ANy help
would be appreciated! No one ever showed me the proper way to mow.

By the way I bought some blades that say mulching/discharge blades
from Sears for this mower. Should I make a plate to block the
clippings from being "shot" out? So the mulching blades will chop them
up finer? Any help is appreciated!

3" is the recommended length to cut the lawn to. Shorter is damaging
to most grasses.

Make a pass or two one way, then do the rest the other way. Bag the
first couple passes .. sounds like you're not bagging/collecting the
grass.. such a shame, what a compost pile you could have ;-)

If you want to mulch, then you gotta cut more frequently, and at that
3" height, shouldn't be cutting off more than 1/4 to 1/2 inch I'd
think if you truly want it to mulch, and have the cut off grass fall
to the ground between the grass blades decompose and feed the lawn.
Otherwise, you're just makin' thatch that will eventually kill off
some of the grass and leave openings for weed seed to grow.

Mow a bit each night instead of a big mow once a week.. or hire
someone else to do it if you don't have time.

Reduce your lawn area through landscaping. I'd imagine if you don't
have time to mow, you don't have time to vegetable garden.. although
that would give you a place to use grass clippings that aren't
contaminated with herbicides.

Janice