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jayge
Sat, 9 Feb 2008 16:46:00 GMT
Mowing your lawn & caring for your grass

CUTTING THE GRASS … LOOKING AFTER THE LAWN

MOWING AND COLLECTING:

This is the best solution for good maintenance of any area of grass, with excellent results even if the grass is long, wet or uneven.

There are different types of collection system:

a) a) SIDE PIPE COLLECTION: an old-fashioned, bulky, inefficient system. In general, it is found on mowers or cutting decks designed to discharge the grass to the side, which are retrofitted with optional external conveyors, pipes and throwers. Unfortunately, this type of solution almost always generates big grass collection problems, especially if the grass is long, damp and/or wet. SINGLE-BLADE mowers or cutting decks, on the other hand, do not have this problem, especially if the collection pipe is straight and wide and works at a tangent.

b) a) CENTRAL LOADING with counter-turning blades; THIS IS STILL CURRENTLY THE ONLY GRASS COLLECTION SYSTEM that gives good results in all situations, with high hourly productivity.

MOWING WITHOUT COLLECTION:

When the grass is not growing fast (hot summer weather) and there is no need to leave the lawn "clean", mowing without collection is an option, by fitting the relative kits to lawnmowers with collection system, or using cutting decks specially designed to discharge the grass onto the ground or to the side. Generally, the side discharge system is more widely used because it gives better distribution of the cuttings on the lawn or at its edge, with no risk of heap formation, especially if the grass is long, damp or wet.

MULCHING MOWING:

The system which chops, pulverises the grass, makes it disappear, etc.. This is a FAIRLY DEMANDING METHOD with advantages and drawbacks, generally suitable for small/medium lawns and at specific times of year. With the mulching method it is ESSENTIAL to mow a little and often, and no more than one third of the grass's total length can be cut as otherwise too much residue is left on the lawn.

MULCHING FOR HAYMAKING:

This is only carried out with mower bars or rotary mower implements, which can be installed on MOTOR MOWERS or WALKING TRACTORS.