Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:52 pm
Have you just returned from vacation and the lawn is much higher than you expected? Or has a friend asked you to help out with the lawn and it turns out to be more of a high meadow?
Then you can quickly reach your limits with your conventional lawn mowing skills. Because a normal lawn mower is not necessarily designed to cut grass that has already grown waist-high in height.
But how can you mow tall grass and what do you need to pay attention to so that the lawn does not take any damage from it?
Contents
Mowing tall grass with a lawn mower
As the owner of a garden, you will probably own a lawn mower. But unfortunately, you have not been able to use it lately and now you are faced with the problem that the grass is already quite a considerable length. Quite naturally, you try to cut the grass with the lawn mower. But can this lead to the desired success?
Adjust the height
If you are optimistic that the lawn mower might be able to handle the tall grass, then the first step you should take is to adjust the height of the lawn mower. Even older models often offer the ability to adjust the height so that even longer grass can be mowed this way.
Safety always comes first. When adjusting the height, take steps to prevent the lawn mower from accidentally starting. To do this, for a gasoline lawn mower, disconnect the spark plug connection and unplug it. In the case of an electric lawn mower, disconnect the power connection and only after adjusting the height, reconnect the plug to the socket.
Of course, exactly how the height is adjusted depends on your model of lawn mower. Many models offer height adjustment for each individual wheel. Here, you should now select the highest setting for each wheel.
Increase power
After you have adjusted the height of the lawn mower to the maximum setting, it makes sense if you maximize the power of the lawn mower. Because, if you want to cut high grass, this is a big challenge for the lawn mower.
This only has a chance to cut the high grass if you transfer the full power. However, watch out if the lawn mower could be overloaded by the tall grass.
If you demand the maximum power from the lawn mower, check if it runs too hot or faces other problems. After all, full power means a greater risk of failure.
Empty clippings
Another thing to keep in mind when mowing the tall lawn is that, of course, there will be a lot more clippings.
In order to prevent this from affecting the lawn mower, the clippings need to be emptied regularly.
Before you start mowing the lawn, you should already have designed a plan where the clippings will be disposed of or how you will process them further.
If you have a wooden composter, you can of course dispose of the cuttings on it. But only put in the organic plant residues that are healthy and not infested with pests, for example.
If you have the option of shredding the clippings with a fine composter, you can also use them as mulch in your garden. The mulch layer keeps moisture at the soil. It also releases nutrients and keeps weeds out.
Thus, the clippings can still be a real benefit to your garden and it doesn’t have to go straight into the organic waste garbage can.
The use of the brush cutter
If the grass is too high to cut with a normal lawn mower, then you can use a power scythe as a suitable tool. The power scythe is a professional gardening tool that is exactly suitable for such purposes.
If you do not have such a device, in many cases, you can borrow it from a specialized dealer. In any case, before using it, you should seek advice from the dealer. Because the handling of the brush cutter wants to be learned. This is a potentially very dangerous garden tool.
What kind of brush cutter for the high grass
Similar to many other garden tools, there are different varieties of brushcutters. If you want to cut high grass, then you may still be unsure about choosing the best tool.
The brush cutter is the most powerful device in this category. With this device, you can not only trim the lawn, but also work on shrubs and even small branches. They are often applied in the professional field. As a home user, the brush cutter will not be the best tool to cut tall grass. These devices are relatively expensive to buy and are more for professional use.
The exact opposite is lawn shears. These devices are designed to trim unsightly lawn edges to the right length. They are used where the lawn mower can no longer reach. Lawn trimmers are very precise, but they are unsuitable for cutting large lawns. Especially in tall grass, lawn trimmers will quickly reach their limit.
The brushcutter is a good compromise between the brushcutter and the lawn trimmer. These devices are slightly more powerful than the lawn trimmers and cope well with the longer lawn. Small brush or branches that are either on the lawn or next to it are no problem for the power scythe. In most cases, the power scythe is powered by gasoline. However, there are also electric power scythes that you can use for a smaller garden.
If you want to cut high grass, your choice should be the power scythe. This device is sized just right for the job and is easy for you to learn.
Protective equipment
For normal mowing the lawn, you probably will not put on protective equipment. After all, there is no danger here. The blades are located below the lawn mower and to come into contact with them is already very unlikely.
With the brush cutter, however, the situation is different. Here the cutting edges are relatively open and to come into contact with them is not only painful, but not so unlikely.
Before you start working with the brush cutter, you should make sure that you have the right clothing. Ideally, this consists of cut-resistant pants.
The rest of the clothing should be tight and fit closely to the body. Operating a brushcutter in a skirt or with a billowing scarf can lead to accidents.
To ensure that you have a good footing, sturdy footwear is also a basic requirement, for working with a power scythe.
A gasoline brush cutter can reach high volumes. Damage to hearing is to be expected if you wear appropriate protection. The eyes must also be protected, because in addition to the grass, smaller objects can always be whirled up by the brush cutter. A safety helmet with visor provides sufficient safety.
Handling the brush cutter
In the garden, it should be the exception that you use a power scythe to cut tall grass. Even inexperienced gardeners can quickly learn how to use the power scythe.
For better handling, the power scythe is carried on your body with a sturdy carrying strap. You can use it to cut the tall grass with both hands and guide the brushcutter.
The cutting blade should hang directly above the ground. If this is not the case, you will need to adjust the riser.
Avoid guiding the brushcutter closer to the lawn by bending over. It should be possible to work with relatively little effort. If this is not possible, the harness will probably need to be adjusted.
Once the harness has been adjusted for your height, you can now begin the actual cutting motions. To do this, move the cutting tool slightly to the left and right.
This reciprocating motion is very efficient and easy on the back. Carry out the movement in such a way that you always maintain a secure footing.
Mowing is done from right to left. This allows the clippings to fall onto the already mowed area and you can easily pick them up.
Conclusion
Mowing the tall grass can be particularly challenging for your equipment. However, when you arrive back home after a long vacation, you don’t have to despair about the longer lawn right away.
First, you can try adjusting your lawn mower to full power and the highest setting. If the lawn mower copes with the grass, then you just need to remember to empty the clippings frequently.
If your lawn mower is no longer sufficient for the lawn and it resembles more of an unkempt meadow, then you need to resort to other means. This is where the brush cutter will help you. With it you can mow higher grass and even small bushes.
But in this case, you must be sure to follow the safety instructions.
And now high grass should no longer be an unmanageable problem, but you can conjure up a well-groomed lawn in no time.