A Raging Debate

[Peter Parker]

Over the years I have witnessed a lot of raging debates about subjects I did not think merited much emotion but others clearly did. ( Gas vs. Charcoal, whether you need to cut your pancake into small pieces before taking your first bite, mashed vs whipped potatoes and even whether vegans can eat mushrooms and breads with yeast) but today two neighbors arguing sbout whther a lawn needs to be cut on the diagonal or whether you can alternate Side to side with front to back.

personally I like the look of the diagonal but it iks alot of work. Where do the rest of you stand on this controversial subject?

 

[DWS44]

I think diagonal vs. side to side and/or front to back is strictly an aesthetic preference. I, too, like the look of diagonal and usually do it that way, alternating the diagonal perpendicularly each time I mow it.

Personally, I think it's more important to alternate which way you do. I have one neighbor who mows front to back, every time, following the exact same tire tracks. Literally. It comes off looking odd to me in that the tire tracks have this almost permanent "etched" look to them. That said, it's his yard, and he keeps it neat, so more power to him.

 

[Bobby]

As long as the lawn gets mown, it's ok with me. I can't stand long grass that goes to seed.... I have neighbors that do that and it is just plain unsightly.... I will say that the person that takes the time to diagonally mow takes a lot of pride in the look their lawn.

 

[mdonnelly]

I use my ZTR to cut my lawn in ever-diminishing rectangles.

 

[osu1991]

I used to alternate each week, but now as the temps and humidity inch closer to 100F plus, its whatever gets it done quickest

 

[klang]

I usually alternate between side to side and diagonal.

 

[primestar31]

I just finished mowing my 1/2 acre lot, and this week was West to East. Last week was South to North.

So, I alternate directions every other week. If you do it consistently, it looks better, grows better, and the mower leaves nice consistent stripes.

I also mow it fairly high, at an average of 3.5 inches, no lower.

 

[TheKrell]

I like the look of the diagonal but it iks alot of work. Where do the rest of you stand on this controversial subject?

I contour mow like a farmer on hilly terrain.

I use my ZTR to cut my lawn in ever-diminishing rectangles.

Like a crop "circle"? I like it.

 

[harshness]

The point of changing directions in parallel mowing centered around trying to make sure the lawn remained more or less level when reel-type mowers were popular. Reels had only two wheels and could fall into a pattern of rising and falling along the direction of mowing if you didn't change the compass direction of the pattern each time out. Golf courses still use reel mowers as the cut uniformity can't be matched by a rotary; reel mowers shear the grass between the "blades" and an anvil rather than trying to sneak up on it as a rotary mower must. Reel mowers are also much easier to sharpen as you need only adjust the anvil closer to the blades.

When using a rotary walk-behind, you should endeavor to move over part of a swath or so at each mowing to avoid creating wheel ruts (crass, as DWS44 notes). Doing the parallel path can create a faux reel pattern so some still favor it but there isn't really a practical reason to do it versus the spiraling inward method.

 

[navychop]

We’re supposed to CUT it?


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[harshness]

We’re supposed to CUT it?

Only if it grows. If your grass never gets more than 3" tall (standing up), I wouldn't mess with it.

 

[navychop]

Actually, I pay a teenager to cut what little we have. He doesn’t do a good job, is unreliable, but he’s cheap. Compared to what a business would charge.

If I go back to mowing it myself, I’d prefer to buy an electric. Corded. But there’s a bit of a slope so I don’t know if an electric would work. I’d need powered wheels too. Haven’t seen an electric with anything but small wheels.


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[klang]

Actually, I pay a teenager to cut what little we have. He doesn’t do a good job, is unreliable, but he’s cheap. Compared to what a business would charge.

If I go back to mowing it myself, I’d prefer to buy an electric. Corded. But there’s a bit of a slope so I don’t know if an electric would work. I’d need powered wheels too. Haven’t seen an electric with anything but small wheels.


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I've been using a corded electric for the 5 years I've lived here, Lowes store brand. If I had to do it again I would buy cordless. Dragging around the cord is a pain.

 

[navychop]

I once had a small battery electric mower for the back yard. Battery died after 1-2 years and was too expensive to replace. Tossed it, after a vocabulary review about the product. We just use a weed whacker in the back now.


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[NYDutch]

Our granddaughter and her husband had a Husqvarna Automower installed a couple of weeks ago. It mows a random pattern similar to the way a Roomba works, and they have it scheduled to only mow during the night. If you're more than a few feet away from it, it's so quiet you wouldn't know it's running if it wasn't moving. And yes, they have a Roomba too...

 

[navychop]

I have two Roombas and a Scooba. Stopped using them because they chewed up batteries fiercely. And they don’t do corners or edges well.


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[Ronnie-]

Ive seen a couple of battery powered push mowers, but I have never seen a corded one. Im guessing they may be more prevalent in areas with smaller yards? Not practical at all for most around here.

 

[harshness]

Corded mowers were popular as they could be stored anywhere without dripping or stinking up the place and they were typically very light and the cheapest to operate (unless you cut a lot of cords). The new battery-powered units require you to keep after your lawn or you'll only be able to do part of the lawn on a charge.

The batteries on the new units are insanely expensive to replace and they take quite a while to charge but the mowers are strong and about the same weight as a good gas mower without the self-propelled option.

If it takes more than an hour to mow with a conventional mower, cordless probably isn't your friend unless you're willing to mow 2-3 times a week (again, assuming that your grass grows).

 

[NYDutch]

I have two Roombas and a Scooba. Stopped using them because they chewed up batteries fiercely. And they don’t do corners or edges well.

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They haven't mentioned any problems with the Roomba battery, but she did say she has to hand vacuum the edges and corners from time to time. She expects to be hand trimming parts of the lawn as needed too. For them, the time savings is the big issue. She has a full time job and he's an 80% disabled veteran that works from home.

 

[Dished Off]

The first bite into cotton candy is about the weirdest you will ever experience. Especially as a toddler.