Have you ever looked at a professionally mowed lawn and marveled at just how good it looks? The grass on baseball fields and golf courses always seem to look so much better than you can ever get your front lawn looking.
Now, you can use the same trade secrets that experts use to achieve that professional look for your lawn mowing.
How to Get Those Stripes
The most striking feature of a professionally mowed lawn is the striping pattern that an expert groundskeeper can achieve. Those contrasting shades of green are simply the light reflecting off the blades of grass differently depending on the direction in which they have been bent. Blades that have been bent leaning away from you appear lighter in color than those that have been bent toward you.
To achieve a good stripe when mowing, you may want to consider purchasing a striping kit or a roller attachment for your mower.
Set Your Mower Blade Height
To get a more pronounced bend, we recommend setting your blade fairly high. We suggest between 2 ½ inches and 3 ½ inches, making sure that you never cut more than one-third of the total length of your blades of grass.
Mow in Straight Lines
Start by mowing the perimeter of your lawn first, and then fill in the center with stripes. Keep your lines as straight as possible, alternating direction with each row to create contrasting bends. For a cleaner stripe, it’s a good idea to raise the deck as you turn your mower at the end of each row.
Other Patterns
Once you’ve mastered striping your lawn, you can try different patterns, such as a checkerboard or diamond pattern. For a checkerboard effect, mow in perpendicular rows instead of parallel ones, and for a diamond pattern, move in opposing diagonal directions.
Reduce the Stress on Your Grass
Repeating the same pattern with every lawn mowing and constantly bending the blades of grass in the same direction can be hard on your grass. It’s a good idea to alternate directions or patterns at least every three weeks to prevent this from happening.
Now, with these pro tips, you can have your Tulsa, OK home’s lawn looking like it has been mowed by a professional groundskeeper. For more great landscaping ideas and to get a free quote, contact Proactive Landscaping today.
