►►► Want to fix your lawn for the long haul but don't know where to start? I can help! Click here right now and get started today: turfmech.link/dont-know-where-to-start ◄◄◄
Last season I dropped my height of cut from 3" and 3.5" to 2" and 2.5" and I cut it every 4 days, and the lawn thickened up like it never has before. It is a mostly KBG mix of grasses, and I believe last years work really increased the percentage of KBG as it spreads faster than other types, and I really like KBG. This year I will likely cut every 5-6 days as it has thickened up enough for me, and it can't get much thicker. I rotate my direction of cut 45 degrees every mow just as the owners manual of my 1991 cast aluminum Recycler recommends. I also hand sharpen the blade with a file 4x/year, just as the manual recommends. The hand file removes so little material from the blade it is always in perfect balance, and that makes the mower last longer, and the grass look better.
It's amazing how much improvement a lawn can get in a single season of frequent mowing! It's one of those things new lawn care people have a hard time wrapping their heads around but everyone experienced knows it to be gospel! Well done on the regular directional changes. That's something I need to do more of myself. It's a goal of mine this year.
noted, I added the leveling bit to my main blade sharpening vid but you're right, not much dedicated info on leveling them out there. FWIW, I don't subscribe to the nail on the wall leveling technique, blade leveling pyramids (whatever you call them) cost only a few bucks at my local harbor freight, seems silly to not own one.
I find it handy to have a second blade, just seem like less of a task to swap it out and then sharpen it later on. Having a mower that can convert from bagger to side discharge to mulching is a game changer. Lots of people either scalp their lawn or mow too high. I was in the "mow too high" category before I really started getting into understanding lawn care.
a second blade certainly can be handy but if you have to take the time to swap the blade out I still think the sharpening process is just as easy if not more easy than taking the blade off to swap them out. You are totally right though, one mower than can either mulch or discharge or bag is crazy helpful.
@@TurfMechanic Do you sharpen it while it's still on the mower? I pull them off, sharpen and make sure it's still balanced. Honestly doesn't mater how it get down as long as it gets done. 👍
Hi, yesterday i just rake my yard to remove to moss and stuff, full of empty spot and everything. Put on turf builder top soil, than put on the seed on top and watered. But i forget to rake the seed with the top soil after putting it. Is it too late if i do it today (the next day)??
I'd like to get a few more mows in before Easter(I finally was just able to do the first clean-up rake mow and bag on my backyard KBG yesterday) but it really hasn't been warm enough to get hardly any growth; and the Fescue(front south full sun yard) and the KBG(back north yard) seem to like a little more heat before they get going .... so I guess I'm just kinda stuck, no matter how much I'd like to be doing yard work; but today will be the first time this year that it will get up into 60F, however in just a few days they are saying still some snow flurries for Iowa ....my worry is that suddenly the temps will just snap up to summer heat so my question is: _if mother nature decides to skip spring this year, going from winter dragging on directly to summer, what should I be doing to my lawn to prepare for that?_
just remember with days longer than nights this time of year your soil is a lot warmer now than it was two months ago; even with little top-growth the root systems are putting on growth underground. If you treat the lawn for maximum root development then even if Spring is short it should hold up well for summer. Get your K into the lawn this Spring with Minors if you need them. Splash a little mycorrhizae on the lawn (if you want to get fancy) along with some kelp and alfalfa meal for the cytokinins and triacontinol and come late Spring and summer your grass will be heat ready. Up in Iowa your grasses are accustomed to swinging spring temps so don't worry about the slow growth of this early Spring.
I'd wager to say you may be overthinking it. If temps are high enough to support breakdown of organic matter then just mulch those puppies in. It's hard to have too much organic matter in lawn soil; garden soil maybe, but lawn top soils are usually fairly shallow so have at it.
►►► Want to fix your lawn for the long haul but don't know where to start? I can help! Click here right now and get started today: turfmech.link/dont-know-where-to-start ◄◄◄
Last season I dropped my height of cut from 3" and 3.5" to 2" and 2.5" and I cut it every 4 days, and the lawn thickened up like it never has before. It is a mostly KBG mix of grasses, and I believe last years work really increased the percentage of KBG as it spreads faster than other types, and I really like KBG. This year I will likely cut every 5-6 days as it has thickened up enough for me, and it can't get much thicker.
I rotate my direction of cut 45 degrees every mow just as the owners manual of my 1991 cast aluminum Recycler recommends. I also hand sharpen the blade with a file 4x/year, just as the manual recommends. The hand file removes so little material from the blade it is always in perfect balance, and that makes the mower last longer, and the grass look better.
It's amazing how much improvement a lawn can get in a single season of frequent mowing! It's one of those things new lawn care people have a hard time wrapping their heads around but everyone experienced knows it to be gospel! Well done on the regular directional changes. That's something I need to do more of myself. It's a goal of mine this year.
Leveling blades is just as important as sharpening them. Wish more people talked aboit that.
noted, I added the leveling bit to my main blade sharpening vid but you're right, not much dedicated info on leveling them out there. FWIW, I don't subscribe to the nail on the wall leveling technique, blade leveling pyramids (whatever you call them) cost only a few bucks at my local harbor freight, seems silly to not own one.
Great tips. Thanks
No prob! Thanks for the watch and glad to help!
Don’t forget to balance the blade after it is sharpened. A blade out of balance will put wear on the lawn mower engine.
Just so you know, I draw the line at mowing in my slippers. It’s not that I don’t want to, but that I’d not likely be successful.
I find it handy to have a second blade, just seem like less of a task to swap it out and then sharpen it later on. Having a mower that can convert from bagger to side discharge to mulching is a game changer. Lots of people either scalp their lawn or mow too high. I was in the "mow too high" category before I really started getting into understanding lawn care.
a second blade certainly can be handy but if you have to take the time to swap the blade out I still think the sharpening process is just as easy if not more easy than taking the blade off to swap them out. You are totally right though, one mower than can either mulch or discharge or bag is crazy helpful.
@@TurfMechanic Do you sharpen it while it's still on the mower? I pull them off, sharpen and make sure it's still balanced. Honestly doesn't mater how it get down as long as it gets done. 👍
Hi, yesterday i just rake my yard to remove to moss and stuff, full of empty spot and everything. Put on turf builder top soil, than put on the seed on top and watered. But i forget to rake the seed with the top soil after putting it. Is it too late if i do it today (the next day)??
How high do you cut your grass?
I'd like to get a few more mows in before Easter(I finally was just able to do the first clean-up rake mow and bag on my backyard KBG yesterday) but it really hasn't been warm enough to get hardly any growth; and the Fescue(front south full sun yard) and the KBG(back north yard) seem to like a little more heat before they get going .... so I guess I'm just kinda stuck, no matter how much I'd like to be doing yard work; but today will be the first time this year that it will get up into 60F, however in just a few days they are saying still some snow flurries for Iowa ....my worry is that suddenly the temps will just snap up to summer heat
so my question is: _if mother nature decides to skip spring this year, going from winter dragging on directly to summer, what should I be doing to my lawn to prepare for that?_
just remember with days longer than nights this time of year your soil is a lot warmer now than it was two months ago; even with little top-growth the root systems are putting on growth underground. If you treat the lawn for maximum root development then even if Spring is short it should hold up well for summer. Get your K into the lawn this Spring with Minors if you need them. Splash a little mycorrhizae on the lawn (if you want to get fancy) along with some kelp and alfalfa meal for the cytokinins and triacontinol and come late Spring and summer your grass will be heat ready. Up in Iowa your grasses are accustomed to swinging spring temps so don't worry about the slow growth of this early Spring.
Hey Brian, I have 7.5% organic matter in my soil. Is it a good idea for me to always bag my clippings, or am I over thinking it?
I'd wager to say you may be overthinking it. If temps are high enough to support breakdown of organic matter then just mulch those puppies in. It's hard to have too much organic matter in lawn soil; garden soil maybe, but lawn top soils are usually fairly shallow so have at it.
@Turf Mechanic K thanks!
Like now I shave my head has to be done every 2 days :)