SolveYourProblem Lawn Care Article Series
Practical Tips For The Perfect Lawn

Cutting Your Lawn: Blade Basics

Cutting your lawn is one of the most important parts of maintaining a lawn. However, in order to prevent extra maintenance of your lawn, it’s important to remember that there are certain maintenance tips with both the lawn as well as the lawn mower blades. By remembering certain things about your lawn mower blade, as well as knowing when to care for the lawn blades, you will be able to have an easier time with maintaining the look of your lawn.

One of the things that must done in order for your lawn mower to be the most effective is by continuously sharpening the blades before you mow the lawn. Before you sharpen the blades, you should clean the blade with a wire brush. By doing this, it will be easier to sharpen the blades evenly. The blades can be sharpened by a grinding wheel and a file. It’s important to keep the blades all sharpened evenly, so they will be able to cut the grass evenly. You can tell if the blade is off balance by hanging it. If one side of the blade is leaning, then it needs to balance more through the sharpening. If the blade is not balanced, it can cause the crankshaft to damage, which will eventually ruin the engine.

The blade may also need replaced at certain times, in order to keep the blades working properly. It is recommended that the blade of the lawn mower be replaced at the beginning of every year. This is not only to keep the blade sharp, but also to make sure that it does not rust. If the grass clippings were wet at one time, or got stuck to the blade, then the blade can become bad quickly. You may also need to replace the blade if it has hit a rock or branch on your lawn, as this can cause dents or nicks in the blade, causing an uneven cut. To replace the blade in your lawn mower, make sure to empty the gas and oil from the lawn mower first, then take the blade off and replace it. Many will replace the blade before beginning a new season of mowing, making it easier to replace the blade.

One thing that may happen if you don’t sharpen or replace your lawn mower consistently is that it will tear the grass instead of cutting it evenly. The blades, instead of cutting, will get stuck in the grass and the dirt. This will cause more problems for the grass as well as for the mower in maintaining the grass. The grass may also come off in clumps instead of by the blades. It is also known that if you don’t sharpen the blades, it may cause diseases to spread over the grass, as the rip from the grass will cause the grass to not be as protected from the diseases. Your grass will not only be cut unevenly, but it may cause further problems with the grass remaining green and alive during the summer season.

When you are mowing, you should always know how much of the blade of grass to take off. It is known that you should never take off more than an inch from the blade of grass, as this will cause extra stress from the grass. The proper nutrients will also not be able to be received through the grass.

Another part of the lawn blades to keep in mind when mowing is what to do with the grass clippings after you have mowed your lawn. Some of the clippings can go back on the lawn, as this will provide protection as well as extra nutrients to the soil. However, it is better if most of the glass clippings are thrown out as it can prevent water and nutrients from going into the soil of the grass.

By knowing how to care for the lawn, as well as taking care of the blade in your lawn mower, you will be able to have a healthier lawn that is able to cut more evenly. You will also be able to prevent problems with your lawn mower that may be caused from the wrong blade being used. Maintenance to your lawn mower as well as your lawn will help with a healthier lawn, and more efficient lawn mower.

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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007

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