Whenever possible, allow adequate drying time, before mowing under these conditions. If grass has built up over time, you may find that a curved plastic scraper, such as those used in the kitchen, is useful to help remove dried, built up grass. Can you clarify how you bumped the tube? Recycle Your Grass Clippings. As I mentioned with the Troy-Bilt model above, I feel that if you have a bagging mower, it should pull hard from the lawn and bag effectively. Ditch the cord and gas, and cut the grass with MJ401C, the completely cordless counterpart of Sun Joe’s best-selling MJ401E electric mower. Grass clippings should be one inch or less in height. To bag, or not to bag, that is the (clichéd) question. What should I look for in a manual push mower. thanks guys sorry i am using a honda hrr 21" homeowner mower. Alternatively, you don’t even need to mow the grass. Ask MetaFilter is where thousands of life's little questions are answered. We wanted to see if there was a difference in cut quality between all of the single-blade mowers, and the two mowers that had unique blade configurations, [EGO and 25″ Greenworks] hoping to see a cut quality difference. You can add them to your compost pile as a nitrogen booster, letting them decompose with other compost materials, such as leaves, coffee grounds and kitchen waste, for two weeks to four months. This mower cuts it well, but only if I set the mower to bag the grass. The only time it's better to bag grass clippings is when your grass is extremely overgrown, meaning the blades are several inches tall. Also, wet grass clippings will clog the mower deck and collect in clumps on the lawn. More importantly, there are huge benefits to bagging your grass clippings including; the ability to cut grass in nearly all conditions, and best of all it can remove weed seeds from the lawn. It has a 21-inch steel mowing deck that provides enough speed for mulching, bagging, and side discharge of lawn. This is one of the main reasons for bagging because mulch can actually be helpful to your lawn. If grass has built up over time, you may find that a curved plastic scraper, such as those used in the kitchen, is useful to help remove dried, built up grass. This video covers using your Honda lawn mower to mow and maintain a good looking, healthy lawn while using the bagging feature. If dust is a problem, water your lawn the day before mowing. When you bag, you reduce your chances of old grass clippings with fungus or diseases infecting your lawn—those pieces will be dead and gone, not left to infect the rest of the landscape. It's a wide-blade grass with a fairly high moisture content. This reduces the amount of nitrogen fertilizer you need to apply every year, saving you money in the long run. Why is Grass Not Flowing into my Bagger Properly? If your lawnmower does not start, the first thing that should come into your mind is … University of Idaho: Don't Bag It! Wet grass is slippery and can make you lose your footing. Bags upon bags of heavy, sweating grass herded to the bottom of driveways to await the garbage man. ... the reason is that a small homeowner’s lawn mower is not gonna have a lot of horsepowers. You can always distribute your clippings with a lawn rake once you have finished mowing. grass was a overgrown- about 8 inches or so. I collect all my clippings for composting and have done so for 20+ years without detriment to my grass plots that are filled with clovers and other nice inhabitants. If you really want to be able to bag well, you should get a compatible high-rise blade. The 21-inch twin-blade design gives a cleaner cut for healthier grass and finer clippings for compact disposal or quicker composting. Common reasons for grass trailing is grass-bag or box not sitting on the mower deck correctly. This mower is the easiest thing to use. Most mowers should be capable of mulching. Mulching blades, also known as 3-in-1 blades, can be used to bag, discharge, or mulch grass clippings. I've googled and googled, and read the manual, and been completely and embarassingly unable to get the grass into the bag again. If the grass is too long, it puts too much grass into the bagging chute at one time. Because you should leave your grass about 2 1/2 to 3 inches tall - the proper height for optimal nutrient processing -- you should not let your grass grow more than 4 1/2 inches tall before mowing it. Bagging is also good for those who mow less often and have long grass clippings. Do not spray the underside of your EGO Power+ mower with water. Should I Bag the First Cut of New St. Augustine Sod? One of the primary reasons homeowners bag in to reduce yard waste tailed into your home by pets and family members. However, make sure your unraked clippings are an appropriate size; otherwise, bagging your clippings can be a smarter option for your lawn's health. It took a few uses to get used to driving a zero turn. The grass clumps together and sticks to the underside of the deck, causing circulation issues and leaving small piles of grass all over the yard. You can try to adjust the mower at the top height position and see how well it goes. But – if the grass is taller than the frame of the mower you can get the job done if you follow this procedure. Keep Your Blades Sharp. You can do that fairly effectively with just a garden hose sprayer, but every now and then, a pressure washer set for fairly low pressure, or a trip to the car wash with the mesh bags, really pays off in getting out stubborn buildup of clippings and dirt in the bag mesh. Many lawn care professionals prefer to bag grass clippings during mowing for a crisp, clean look. Wrong blades or they’re fitted incorrectly Snapper’s Hi Vac series is designed to have better airflow that pulls grass clippings up and delivers them to the bag, making it our top choice as the best self-propelled lawn mower for bagging. I bought a new house recently, and with it came a John Deere L110 tractor that the previous owner had kept in great condition even though it's 8 years old. part of the problem is the discharge on the mower is not good. How Often Should Grass Be Watered After it Is Fertilized? Only remove one-third the height of grass at a time when mowing to avoid stressing your lawn. Clippings also act as a natural mulch that's not too thick, which helps conserve soil moisture to prevent your lawn from suffering drought stress. The compost is ready when it smells earthy and crumbles like rich dirt between your fingers. The mower immediately showed me it had no problem with longer grass leaving no trail of clippings while mulching. Then there's the aftermath. Raise the deck up all the way. You won’t damage the mower but the grass may wrap around the spindles underneath the mower deck. Check for gaps around the bag / deck interface and holes in the bag. They encourage earthworms and microorganisms that break them down over the course of just a … So, the next time you mow a lawn, consider leaving the grass clippings behind, and mulching them into the yard. The same airflow also leaves a clean cut and makes it a good mulcher as well. My fears were that the mower wouldn't have enough power to get through longer grass and that the battery charging would be a hassle. Also, with the lawn and soil wet, it's very easy to make ruts in the lawn and compact the soil. You might also need to wash the collection bags, if they're made of the typical mesh fabric that so many grass catcher bags are. Bagging offers a more beautiful end result, however, the drawbacks are that it's more labor-intensive, takes more time, and if the lawn waste is not recycled then it goes right into the landfill. I bumped the tube that transports the grass into the catcher-bags last week, and now it doesn't bag any more. Are all of the catches to secure the tube intact? Over-grown grass can clog under the mower deck and leave unsightly clumps of grass on the freshly mowed lawn. April 26, 20050found this helpful Always wait to cut your grass until the dew has dried. As long as you mow your lawn regularly so that clippings are no more than 1 inch long, you can safely let them lie where they fall on the grass. Neither are good for a perfect lawn or strong grass. This is why I would recommend doing a second cut slightly lower the next day. It's a 6.5 Horsepower Craftsman, about 3 years old. They encourage earthworms and microorganisms that break them down over the course of just a few weeks. What causes it? Mow your lawn when it's dry to prevent the clippings from matting, which could cause them to block sunlight and water from the soil. Tip the mower on its side and clean the underside of the deck with a bristle brush and/or cloth. Install a bagging system on your mower, and all you need to do is find a place to dump the clippings. So while Cub Cadet may not make my list of lawn mower brands to avoid, this model is one I don’t recommend. This causes the grass to slow down as it goes into the chute and, instead of going into the bag, it just bogs down and drops back down to the ground. leave clumps of grass on the lawn, will rust out the deck and leads to messy and slow cutting due to reduced air flow. Nature's autumn bounty of fallen leaves isn't usually a problem for lawns and gardens, and mulching the ground with them actually helps to feed the soil for a healthier yard. When your mower isn't filling the grass bag, first try cleaning the bag, if … Cut as high as possible. And "air" leak at that seal kills the "push up the tube power" which isn't much to start with. This uncut grass is going to be sticking up again by the next day. If you’re using a bagging mower, you’re in for more work. When mulching, if you find that your mower is leaving behind large clumps of grass, turn off your mower and adjust your blade height. Step #10: Test The Lawn Mower. Mulching equipment. Grass not going into the lawn mower bag? Leaving your grass clippings on the ground flushes nitrogen back into the soil. Were you mowing at the time? Bagging is a great choice for folks who mow less frequently because mulching will require smaller, chopped up pieces of grass to work better. If the bag is too full, there's not enough wind velocity from the blades to carry the grass cuttings to the bag. But giving into the temptation to leave grass clippings on your lawn could be the best thing you do for your grass. While you are cutting the grass, your mower will also be picking up the leaves off the ground and bagging them. Nitrogen encourages green growth, which makes it the most important nutrient for grass. Once the weather begins to heat up, lawns put on their bright green coats, and the familiar sound of the lawn mower fills neighborhoods across the land. The mower cuts beautifully, much better than my old lawn tractor. Why bag clippings? Leaving grass clippings in place is an easy way to recycle their nutrients back into your lawn. All of the above and also make sure it completely encloses the discharge opening on the deck. Failure to start. Wet grass will clump up and not suck into the bag. Spring is the time to get your lawn in optimal shape and ready for the summer season. I am also finding that the batteries last long enough to mow for about 1-1/2 hours. If you are continuing to experience a trail of grass clumps, attach your bag and proceed mowing. The part of the blade that is bent, or turned up, behind the sharpened edge is much higher than on a low-rise blade. If I use the mower in mulching mode (where the mower is set up to blow my clippings out its side and back onto my lawn) the mower can barely manage to cut my lawn without clogging. Turn on the power of the mower. Wet Grass. When you are able to move the mower easily into the reverse position, then the bypass of the safety switch is successful. Wrong Mower Blades. Many people believe that bagging creates better curb appeal due to the lack of visible grass clumps. When you mow frequently enough, mulching mowers chop up those clippings and don’t even allow them to be seen. … I have a 3/4ths acre yard. Common grass catcher problems like, clumping, clogging, uncut grass and a grass bag that won't fill are caused by: Grass Too Tall/Wet; Deck Too Low; Dull/Damaged Blade; Deck Grass Build-up; Throttle Too Low; Moving Too Fast; Poor Engine Performance ; Damage To Deck; Deck Belt Slip (Tractor) PTO Slip (Tractor) Wrong Blade As the growing season begins, your grass will be in prime condition to thrive come spring – if taken care of properly with correct spring lawn maintenance. Recent rains, foggy or damp conditions may result in grass that may appear to be dry but actually is very moist. Thanks! A faulty grass bagger can be a real nightmare, especially given the price of ride-on mowers. I never fertilize or water the grasses but they come back solid green and beefy every year. Besides being unpleasant to work in, too much dust will clog the air filter. Only thing I wanted on a new mower that this one does not have is where you can keep the engine running and have the blade stop so you can empty bag without mower turning off. For convenience, the mower can be switched for bagging, mulching, or discharging the clippings with no extra accessories needed. blades havent ever sharpened in 2.5 months ive used the mower probably 20 times for 1/4 acre lawns. Now, take your position in the mower seat and place the key in the ignition switch. My lawn is St Augustine grass. If the mower wheels become obviously damp or wet when the mower travels across the lawn the lawn is too wet to move the clippings properly. Leaving grass clippings in place is an easy way to recycle their nutrients back into your lawn. Gives a fine cut. This Cub Cadet lawn mower is a gas self-propelled mower which has difficulties with bagging. There are three models in the series. 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