How To Set Mower Height

Understanding your backyard mower height settings and how to arrange your mower deck properly will help you lot become the near from your lawn. Mowing your backyard at the correct acme improves your lawn's health and appearance. Proper mowing can also helps prevent weeds from germinating.

In this article, I'll explore how you can find the right mower height for your mower (and grass blazon), and provide some basic instructions on how to change your mower deck height for different kinds of mowers. I'll also explain why different top settings be on mowers (and when you might need them). Finally, I'll tell yous exactly how to use your mower deck settings effectively to get the best results when using your lawn mower.

Permit's start with the absolute basics.

three Inches or Taller is (Usually) the Best Setting

When choosing the right height for your mower, the time of year is one of the biggest factors that will decide the mower pinnacle setting you should use.

I recommend that most people increase the mower peak to a minimum of 3-inches from the middle of April through September. Depending on your mower, this might be its highest setting.

Why would you keep your mower setting at 3-inches, which is oftentimes the tallest setting?

Keeping your mower set this high will:

• Help the lawn conserve water
• Promote the evolution of deep earthworks roots
• Boost turf density
• Better turf color

The only times when you shouldn't use this high setting is when y'all are doing the first and the terminal mow of the season. At these times, a two.five-inch mowing elevation is best for about absurd-season lawns (though at the stop of the year I'll sometimes go lower because of how I clean up my leaves).

Many homeowners imagine that the middle setting is best for their lawn, merely this isn't the case. In most cases, information technology's too short. Y'all should almost e'er go with the highest setting.

Tall Grass Promotes Deep Roots

When your grass is allowed to grow taller, the plant will develop deeper roots. The roots of your grass will commonly grow approximately three times as deep equally how tall information technology is.

When grass is mown to one inch high, the roots will normally only extend to about 3-inches deep. At 2 inches high, the roots dig to most 6-inches deep. At three inches high, the grass roots tin can dig as deep as 9-inches.

Deep roots are the key to a dense and healthy lawn. Your grass will be able to admission water deep in the soil between rainstorms, will retain its green colour longer during the dog days of summertime, and by and large be more healthy and resilient.

Mowing Schedule for a Lawn Kept Tall

Information technology'southward best to mow your lawn once weekly and never accept off more than than 33% (or one-third) the height of the grass blade.

If you mow less frequently, you might find yourself taking off more and this, which is bad for the lawn.

Too, taking off only a footling a time is practiced if you want to leave the clippings on your lawn for extra nutrition. If yous leave too thick a layer of clippings on your lawn y'all tin end up with thatch buildup, or even smother and suffocate your lawn.

Why Have You Seen And so Many Short Lawns?

Given how important it is to proceed your lawn relatively long, you may wonder why so many people go the reverse route and cut their lawns short. In that location are a few different reasons:

Appearance

Some people call up a lawn that is cut on a brusk setting has improve aesthetics than a taller lawn. Of course that's subjective, and what's attractive to one homeowner isn't to the side by side.

Only what's universally true is that the preference for a brusk backyard will oftentimes negatively affect the health of that lawn.

When a lawn is cutting brusque, it is thinner, needs more water, is more prone to weeds, and will have shorter roots. It will also probably not have that ideal dark-green color we all want.

Defoliation Over Lawn Mower Height Settings

Every bit mentioned earlier, many homeowners assume that the middle height setting on their lawn mower must exist best. If you don't know the proper height setting, go with something average, right?

Wrong. The highest setting is often the best one for your grass. And think that the numbers y'all encounter on the settings (if your mower has numbers) don't link with the backyard cut meridian.

E'er remember to put your mower on the highest setting or to cut your grass at a minimum of iii″ to ensure your lawn stays healthy.

Golf Courses

Many people adore the look of greenish golf grade grass and assume that if they cut their lawns the same way, they will have the same wonderful light-green color.

This is a mistake, as golf courses actually use special kinds of grass that allow them to go along their courses cutting so brusque.

Most homes take lawns with grass that cannot thrive when mowed so close to the ground.

How to Change the Tiptop Settings on Your Mower

The kickoff step when you want to change your mower's height settings is to consult with the manual.

The manufacturer'southward manual will have data on how to increment and lower the setting of your mower. The fashion to conform the mower and what the different adjustments hateful vary from brand to brand of lawn mower.

A common error is to just assume that you understand all the ins and outs of your mower. Yous'd be surprised at the features and nuances you lot can learn when you take a few minutes to read the manual.

In one case you understand the instructions in the manual about how to modify the settings, do the adjustments on a apartment surface. Yous volition need to put the mower on a apartment surface to see how low or loftier the mower is. A flat pavement surface (driveway) or a garage is a great place to do this.

And don't make the mistake of thinking that the bottom of your mowing deck is the height at which your grass will be cut … your mower's blade is usually higher.

Pick Settings Based On Your Grass

As we've already mentioned, almost types of grass grow all-time with the highest setting on near mowers.

If you aren't sure, or are unhappy with the results at this setting, I recommend starting loftier and and then adjusting the deck lower one setting at a fourth dimension until you get to a mowing deck height you're happy with.

Before you start making your adjustments, ensure the mower is completely turned off and volition non turn dorsum on. That is an essential safety precaution and crucial for preventing injury.

If you have a gas mower, you will observe a safety catch to hold downwards for the mower to run. Ensure that this is not beingness pressed past any kind of object. It'south best to remove the spark plug from the mower so that there's absolutely no possibility information technology tin can showtime.

Many modern push mowers (and fifty-fifty some reel mowers) can make height adjustments merely by moving a lever. Some types of mower may require adjustment of each cycle one at a time. If you have this kind of mower, ensure that you lot don't inadvertently adjust each to a unlike height. If yous do yous'll become an uneven mow job (or just become in circles).

You may need a wrench, screwdriver, and maybe other tools to adjust cycle elevation.

Adjusting Height Settings on a Rotary Mower

Equally we mentioned earlier, the exact procedure for irresolute the setting on your mower will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model.

However, in that location are certain things you can keep in listen if you have a rotary mower, be it a push button mower or self propelled.

If you have a very inexpensive or entry-level mower, it will probably accept a very basic procedure for peak adjustment. If you have an expensive model, it will be easier and faster to arrange.

Axel Adjustment

One of the almost basic kinds of height adjustment is axle adjustment. Using this method, you volition physically have off the wheels and put them at a college setting. This will usually involve a snap-in system. If y'all take a very inexpensive or entry-level mower, this is probably the system you will use for adjusting height.

Individual Bicycle Levers

Another blazon of method some rotary mowers employ involves individual levers.

Using this method, each of the mower'south wheels has an individual lever. You'll utilise these to heighten or lower the height. In order to level the mower, you will have to adjust each private wheel to a compatible setting.

This is the type of mower deck adjustment my Honda cocky propelled mower has, and I find it very piece of cake to employ.

Single Lever System

If you accept a high-end model or a riding mower, you might observe it uses a single lever arrangement.

This is like shooting fish in a barrel to use and involves using ane lever to raise the deck. You'll notice the lever to i side of the machine, often close to the axle.

The name of this organisation is frequently the "central single lever elevation aligning organisation."

Riding Mowers are Usually More than Complicated

Adjusting the height settings on a riding lawn mower is usually more complex and can vary considerably from model to model. My best advice is to thoroughly read the owner'south manual that came with the riding mower to make sure you know what you are doing.

If you tin't find your manual but have the manufacturer and model number of your mower yous tin can find and download the manual with a quick Google search.

When in Doubt, Set up Your Blade High for a Salubrious Lawn

Many experts explain that keeping your backyard taller (three inches or higher) is best for grass health, and I agree with them.

Mowing loftier volition put your grass in a better position for dealing with conditions such as drought or hot weather. It is also helpful if your backyard has to deal with shady weather condition.

When the weather condition gets a little cooler, you can normally cut the grass a little bit shorter if y'all want to. If y'all don't know what kind of grass y'all have, a good rule of pollex is to cut it at three inches or down to a minimum of 2 ½", never removing more one third of the grass blade at a fourth dimension.

Understanding your model of backyard mower and how your backyard mower height settings piece of work is important if you want to use it properly. Read the transmission that came with your mower to sympathise how its height settings piece of work and how to accommodate them.

One time you understand what to practise and how to practice it, yous will know how to customize your mower for the healthiest lawn.

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Source: https://lawnchick.com/lawn-mower-height-settings/

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