In simple words, a lawn is the large and major portion of a garden. Many gardeners dream of having a beautiful green lawn. In Australia, lawns have historically served as symbols of wealth and elegance. Continuing the same feel, Australians nowadays too put a great effort into maintaining the best-looking and healthy lawns. For this reason, Australians search for an excellent lawn mower that fits their lawn mowing needs. However, buying the best lawn mower from a pool of options can be intimidating. So, we have come up with this blog to cover the overall aspects of lawn mower use in Australia.
TYPES OF LAWN MOWERS
On the Basis of Appearance and Work
Cylinder lawn mowers
Cylinder lawn mowers have a cylinder-shaped blade that can rotate vertically at the front. They are powered by either petrol or electricity. Cylinder lawnmowers work best for flat lawns as they give a good cut for such lawns.
Hover lawn mowers
Hover mowers are rotating mowers that float on an air cushion rather than being supported by wheels. The Hover mower is simple to operate and easy to use and move around. With a hover mower, an unusually shaped lawn, a steep slope, a water edge, a rough and weeded region, or a sanded surface can be easily mowed.
Although professional hover mowers are frequently used in commercial landscaping and golf courses, larger gardens may not necessarily be a good fit for them.
Rotary lawn mowers
A blade that is horizontally positioned and propelled across the grass creates the cutting action in rotary lawn mowers. A grass bag is left behind after the grass is chopped using rotating blades below the rotary lawn mower. Moreover, the majority of grass kinds may be handled by rotary lawn mowers, which are the most adaptable form. When cutting longer and rougher grass, they perform better than cylinder mowers.
Push lawn mowers
Typically, push lawn mowers are compact cylinder lawnmowers. Push lawn mowers work best for small to medium-sized yards. They make no noise and are also best suited for smaller or flatter lawns. However, for larger gardens, sloped gardens, or persons who have trouble pushing may not find push lawn mowers to be best for them.
Read Also: How to cut the lawn: A step-by-step guide
On the Basis of Use of fuel/battery
Electric Lawn Mowers
These lawn mowers are often fuelled by electricity. These mowers are more portable, easier to store, and smaller in size. Both corded and cordless versions of electric lawn mowers are available. As a matter of fact, people use them more frequently than anything else because they are quiet, environmentally beneficial, and never bother the neighbours.
Petrol Lawn Mowers
Compared to electric lawn mowers, petrol mowers are more powerful and offer a precise and clean cut. For vast lawns, these petrol mowers are the best option. Similar to car engines, petrol lawnmowers require maintenance, including checking and topping off the oil.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A LAWN MOWER
Cutting Width
The cutting width of a lawn mower describes how wide it can cut. Your time spent mowing the lawn will be cut down if you use a wider cutting width. For a small lawn, a mower with a 300mm cutting width works best, while a 350mm to 400mm cutting width works well for a medium-sized lawn. The optimum option for a large lawn is a lawn mower with cutting width of more than 400mm.
Cutting Height
The cutting height of a lawn mower is the height that the blades reach above the soil line. The majority of lawn mowers have adjustable cutting heights. This is frequently adjustable, enabling you to alter the deck’s height to fit your preferences, environmental factors, the type of grass, or the time of year. The standard cutting height typically ranges from 20 mm to 60 mm.
Mulching
Mulching is the practice of reusing grass clippings by repeatedly and finely cutting the grass. Mulching produces fine shredding that hastens the breakdown of grass clippings and replenishes the nutrients lost in the process. If you don’t have a place to dispose of grass clippings, you can choose to use a mulching mower.
Rear roller
A lawnmower with a rear roller can give your lawn the surfaces of football fields. The assistance of the rear rollers allows you to cut straight up to the edge of the lawn. Moreover, the stripes made by a heavier mower and roller give you last longer cuts.
Self-propelled
A self-propelled lawnmower has a drive and can be moved without your help, but since it is not an autonomous robot, you must still control it. Some self-propelled lawnmowers use petrol or electricity. Time and energy can be saved by using self-propelled mowers because they make mowing considerably simpler. You may set some self-propelled devices to move at a reasonable walking pace because they have speed-adjustable features.
Grass Box
A grass box is a container that is connected to a lawn mower and is used to collect grass and grass clippings instead of leaving them on the lawn. Most lawn mowers have a box at the back where the clippings are collected. When looking for a lawn mower with a grass box, you should make sure the machine is made to last for many years and has a high-quality grass box. A high-capacity grass box can be found for a medium or big lawn.
TIPS TO GIVE THE BEST MOW TO YOUR LAWN
- Always use sharpened blades when mowing for consistent, effective results.
- The grass should never be cut too short. Keep the grass at a height of 5 cm. You can set the grass height as low as 2.5 cm for decorative lawns that are rarely utilised.
- After mowing the lawn, always pick up the grass cuttings and leaves, and fertilise the lawn with specialised fertiliser in the spring and fall.
- Mid-morning, between 8 and 10 a.m., or after 4 p.m. are the finest times of day to mow your lawn. Avoid mowing between 6 and 8 in the morning since the grass can be moist.
- Decide on a mowing plan; again, do what works best for you and your grass, whether that be straight rows or circles. Changing your mowing technique is preferable, especially if your mower is hefty.
- Warm-season and cool-season grass types have different growth patterns. Thus, you must mow as per the weather/ climate conditions.