Know What You Need Before Choosing A Lawn Mower
You’ve been putting it off for a year or more, but after last weekends foray into the yard you have finally decided you need a new mower. So now you begin the difficult task of choosing a lawn mower that will make cutting your grass a little easier.
There are a lot of choices you’ll have to make, but start by looking at these three important factors. How big is your yard and what is the terrain like? What features do you want and do you really need them? What type of engine will your yard require?
Do you need a riding lawn mower, or is a walk behind mower good enough. Use this rule as a starting point. If your yard is over three-quarters of an acre, then look at riding mowers. If not, a walk behind mower is likely all you need. The walk behind mower is by far the most popular. And if your yard is small, smooth, and doesn’t have a lot of hills, there’s no need to spend extra money on a lot of fancy features. However is your yard is over 1/2 an acre, then one thing you should definitely look at is a self propelled model. These mowers will move forward without any help from you. All you need to do is guide it in the right direction. This make mowing the yard a breeze.
Whether you need a self propelled or push mower, you need to carefully consider the engine power and the mower deck. The wider the deck, the more grass you’ll be able to cut at one time. That means fewer trips back and forth. Combine a large deck with a powerful motor and mowing will be fast and easy. And while that sound great you don’t want to get more than you need or you’ll essentially be giving money away. Just match the yard with the mower for good results.
The size of the rear wheels is also an important option. Standard wheels are more than adequate in most cases. However if your yard is rough with lots of slopes and hills, consider large rear wheels to make mowing easier.
Larger yards, those over 3/4 of an acre, may require a riding mower. Once again you’ll need to choose the deck size and engine power. Only consider higher end options if you will be mowing several acres. You’ll be saving money this way.
If you have lots of trees, shrubs and other landscape features, then consider a zero turn radius mower. With these you can basically cut in a circle without moving or leaving a space in the middle. They’re ideal for going around trees. But if you don’t have much landscaping, then save your money or use it on features you will need.
Whether you are using a riding mower or a walk behind, you’ll also need to decide if you want the mower to mulch. A mulching mower will continually cut the grass into tiny fragments by using specially designed blades. These small particles simply drop back down into the yard where they decompose and become a natural fertilizer. If you don’t mulch, you’ll have to bag and dispose of the clippings. These means having a mower with a bag or raking up the grass when you finish mowing.
Naturally there are plenty of other choices to make. Do you want an electric mower, one with a cord or without? Do you want one of the new solar powered or robotic mowers? Start by answering the basic questions first, then when you head to the dealer or look online, choosing a lawn mower will be a much easier task.