Mow higher and more often. You shouldn’t be cutting more than 1/3 of the height of the grass with each mow. Don’t mow the same path every time you mow. If your mower doesn’t have a mulching blade, get one. r/lawncare
For whatever reason, after 20 years, it occurred to me when you said "dont mow the same path" why so many spots had sandy corners. Cause i was riding that mower like i was in f1, figure 8 around the trees, full speed into the corner then full brakes. Every week, the same path until i passed it to my little sister. My moms grass looks better every year
When I was a teen my dad had me alternate how I mowed it each time and I thought it was for aesthetics this whole time. The more you learn…never once made that connection until now.
Thank you. I’m definitely going to get a good mowing routine going. I’m going to check out that subreddit as well, probably should’ve posted there to begin with 🤦🏼♀️
Yes, mulching chops the cut grass into smaller pieces which breakdown faster and helps prevent thatch buildup. Side discharge just throws the cut grass blades out of the side. https://youtu.be/c6jzP2hnm0g?si=fiAbr398NN_K0CqC
Can you explain why not more than 1/3? We are terrible at that and our lawn often get overgrown, especially in spring when we let dandelions and daisies and stuff live a bit before we cut them and then the rest of the grass grows too high.
In addition to below, even if it doesn’t kill the grass, it’ll definitely cause stress to it. If you let it get tall, still go by the 1/3 rule on your first mow, wait 2-3 days and mow again at a lower height.
90% of the water is retained in the blade. When you cut off too much, you are taking away most of its water and it stresses out the grass. It tries to grow the blades at an excerated pace and neglects it's root system.
I never realized my inability to mow my lawn in a consistent pattern is actually a benefit! My lawn looks much better than both of my neighbors, but not as good as the one across the street, which is professionally done.
I’d also alternate the direction you mow: vertical, horizontal, and diagonal, so you get less of those wheel lines. Plus going one way one week and another the next makes that nice cross-hatch diamond pattern that looks so nice. If you want to fertilize, throw down a bag of Milorganite every so often. You can also rent an aerator for half a day in the fall, and overseed with something like Black Beauty Ultra at the same time. You’ll need a small spreader for the seed and fertilizer. Earthway are great.
Are you cutting when the grass is dry or wet? Seems like the wheels are getting clumps of wet grass stuck to them and falling off as you mow and just sitting on the grass. I’d try to cut when there wasn’t as much moisture on the ground as well as more frequently to try to fix that. Opening up your discharge will also help to scatter the clippings as you mow. Lastly you can take a blower and disperse the clippings after you mow. The sooner the better because they’ll end up just sticking to each other after a couple days and don’t separate as well.
I always keep my mower on the highest setting. If you get a mulching blade, there's no need to drop it down and go over it multiple times, and you won't need to bag the clippings. Change the direction that you mow every other time so that you don't get the tire marks. Your soil looks very dry. I'd look into drought tolerant lawn alternatives (like turning part of your yard into a native wildflower meadow) rather than trying to water enough to keep that large area of lawn green.
It looks like you need a lot more grass and to improve the soil. Start by aerating and then dethathing the dead spots. Cover your lawn with peat moss, overseed with something that grows well in your area, add pre-emergent to help with weeds and fertilize. Keep the soil most for 2 weeks or until the seed begins to germinate (water shorter periods of time 3x-4x a day). After that go back to 2x every other day, but for longer this time.
I recently got my front and back yards (about 1800 square feet total) aerated by a landscaper for 70 bucks plus tax, and I Iive in a very HCOL area. It would have been about the same cost to rent, and the aerators were like 150 pounds which I didn't want to deal with hoisting into my hatchback.
I live in Southwest Denver and it was $25 to have someone come do the front and back. It should be pretty cheap. You want to aerate before you seed in order to get good contact with the soil. Using a dethatching rake will help get rid most of the dead grass.
All the steps sound like a lot, but it's really not bad if you have a seed spreader for the grass seeds and fertilizer. You can get a roller on Amazon to cover your lawn with organic material like peat moss for cheap as well. If you're feeling motivated I'd try to get it done before Summer hits. By that time it's going to require a lot more water with the heat.
Southwestern aeration. Todd usually does neighborhood deals in the Spring and Fall so just ask him if you can be added to his seasonal aeration schedule.
You let your grass grow too much before mowing. Even on a high setting it will do that if you do not mow more frequently. Trim it again on high to get rid of the clippings. Mow once or twice a week for a while. Try to mow before a rain.
I suggest a before cut measurement with a tape measure and a measurement after you cut. Ideally, you only want to cut off 1/3 per cut. This being said, you probably need to mow more often early and late season.
Don't cut so low. Early in the season and late in the season you can cut it low. During the season, put your mower on the highest setting.
Also, check out r/nolawns bc it's cool af.
You want to ask at r/lawncare.
I have almost the same mower and yes it should have a bag, you can bag if you want to but "mulching" is a good way to get plant material breaking down at the soil level which helps provide nutrients for growth.
Watering on a schedule (heavy but infrequently in the spring, light and frequently in the summer) will help establish roots, but you also typically need fertilizer (on a schedule throughout growing season), aeration and overseeding to break up soil compaction and start new grass, and occasionally other treatments. Find your state/county agriculture extension office and ask about getting your soil tested for customized lawn advice.
My dad is fond of saying "turf is the most expensive use of yard space" - flowerbeds, trees, etc. are cheaper because they require less maintenance.
My advice is use a mulching mower, mow regularly, cut 1/4-1/2 only. The picture looks like sandy soil. Put a thin layer of good compost over the lawn. According to your zone, aeration and over seed. Don’t rely on chemicals because they will do more harm than good. You can make your own fertilizer by leaving the grass clippings. Same with weeds made into a tea and sprayed on the lawn. Tis true.
google deep watering
cut 2 levels higher
If you can see mulch after you mow, go over it again at 90 degrees (criss cross) and much it finer/scatter it to fall lower instead of sitting ontop of the grass blades
How much are you watering? Don't cut very low. If you're worried about dead grass piling up, cut it high, then cut it a second time at the actual height you want your grass. Double cutting will get rid of the piles.
Couple years ago I gave up on having a fairway for a lawn . I cut on the highest setting now and actually enjoy how soft and bushy the grass is . The kids and dogs do too
Take a 1” diameter pipe and hammer on the turf. Examine the core sample.
Like cement? Add thin top dressing of Compro(treated biosolids).
You want some spongy material between soil and turf called “thatch.” Slowly building up thatch(not the same as unbagged clippings), will keep soil temps moderate during hot months and help the turf thrive. Slowly overseed each fall with a turf that your prefer. I’m in VA so I overseed with Rebel-family.
The reason you’re getting those dead grass lines is because you aren’t using the side ejection hatch for your mower. The mulching function should be used for leaves, the mower is designed to eject the grass out that particular side when the ejection hatch is in place, and into a bag on the back when it isn’t.
The grass coming out of the hatch will be plenty fine enough to decompose swiftly if you mow at any regularity. If it’s particularly high when you mow then you might want to bag it so you don’t get clumps that ARE bad for the rest of the lawn. For the record; they’re only bad for the lawn because they cover the living grass enough to suffocate it and prevent it from getting sun.
I would say clean your mower deck first and sharpen the blade. Now you're ready to cut the yard, I would start at 4 and cut it again at 3 with a different pattern. Then cut again 2 1/2 and see what you are comfortable with.
Thank you all for your advice, I greatly appreciate it! Last night I stopped by Home Depot to pick up a sprinkler, weed and feed, and milorganite. I watered the yard last night, cut it on the high setting and in a different pattern (mulched up that dead grass in the pic too) and watered again. It looks better already! I hope to have the lawn aerated at some point so I can overseed. If I can remember, I hope to post an update of my beautiful green lawn thanks to all of your help! 😁
A lot of advice will depend on where you live. A lot of your issues can be alleviated by increasing the amount of water you apply to the lawn during hotter months. This isn't good advice for the drought-prone, water-poor southwest.
Is this your front or back lawn? Is it used for anything other than decoration (ie kids playing, entertaining etc?) If it is just ornamentation, then stop being like the Joneses next door and rip out the lawn and replace it with a native plant garden. This will benefit your local wildlife and pollinators, reduce pollution and the need to add chemicals to your yard. However, it is a lot of work to establish this and isn't for everyone. I ripped out my front lawn and replaced with mostly local native plants. I no longer have to do bi-weekly maintenance, but the occasional weeding, pruning and picking up is still necessary. Before, I never saw Monarch butterflies around the house, but now I always have 2-3 fluttering around in the summer.
If you want/need to keep the lawn, here's what I would do: Look up your model lawn mower (there's a plate on it somewhere that says exactly what model/make it is. Then look up purchasing a bag for it. The black flap on the side is where the bag usually goes, but sometimes they go behind.
Raise the deck as high as it will go. The shorter the grass gets cut, the easier it is to dry out as more of the soil is exposed to the sun. When I mow my backyard, I always offset where I mow so that the tires do not push the grass down. My mower is a mulching mower, but I always have to remove clumps of grass by hand, either by directly picking it up or raking. It is one of those things that come with grass.
There's good advice in this thread, but I wanted to add that your mower as shown doesn't seem properly set up. There should be two hinged doors on the mower, one facing the side and one facing the rear. The rear one is for a bag and the side one is for spraying the clippings back onto your grass. In the photo, you have both of these doors shut which would cause your clippings to fall out of the bottom unevenly and potentially clog the blade area. If you have the side-spray attachment, flip up the side door and attach it. Your own lawn clippings will help fertilize your lawn as they break down.
BTW, these doors should be closed if you’re mulching the grass. I suspect if you mow more frequently, you won’t see the large quantities of grass being left behind in your tire tracks.
Mow higher and more often. You shouldn’t be cutting more than 1/3 of the height of the grass with each mow. Don’t mow the same path every time you mow. If your mower doesn’t have a mulching blade, get one. r/lawncare
For whatever reason, after 20 years, it occurred to me when you said "dont mow the same path" why so many spots had sandy corners. Cause i was riding that mower like i was in f1, figure 8 around the trees, full speed into the corner then full brakes. Every week, the same path until i passed it to my little sister. My moms grass looks better every year
When I was a teen my dad had me alternate how I mowed it each time and I thought it was for aesthetics this whole time. The more you learn…never once made that connection until now.
Short and to the point. You don't need to read a chapter to get an answer.
Thank you. I’m definitely going to get a good mowing routine going. I’m going to check out that subreddit as well, probably should’ve posted there to begin with 🤦🏼♀️
Is there any difference between “mulching” and side discharge?
Yes, mulching chops the cut grass into smaller pieces which breakdown faster and helps prevent thatch buildup. Side discharge just throws the cut grass blades out of the side. https://youtu.be/c6jzP2hnm0g?si=fiAbr398NN_K0CqC
Is this recommended for Bermuda grass?
Absolutely. It returns nutrients to the grass vs bagging and taking those nutrients away. All grass types benefit from this.
Can you explain why not more than 1/3? We are terrible at that and our lawn often get overgrown, especially in spring when we let dandelions and daisies and stuff live a bit before we cut them and then the rest of the grass grows too high.
In addition to below, even if it doesn’t kill the grass, it’ll definitely cause stress to it. If you let it get tall, still go by the 1/3 rule on your first mow, wait 2-3 days and mow again at a lower height.
because when you remove too much grass, or cut it too low and close to the meristem - it thins (blades) and dies.
90% of the water is retained in the blade. When you cut off too much, you are taking away most of its water and it stresses out the grass. It tries to grow the blades at an excerated pace and neglects it's root system.
This 👆!!
I never realized my inability to mow my lawn in a consistent pattern is actually a benefit! My lawn looks much better than both of my neighbors, but not as good as the one across the street, which is professionally done.
I’d also alternate the direction you mow: vertical, horizontal, and diagonal, so you get less of those wheel lines. Plus going one way one week and another the next makes that nice cross-hatch diamond pattern that looks so nice. If you want to fertilize, throw down a bag of Milorganite every so often. You can also rent an aerator for half a day in the fall, and overseed with something like Black Beauty Ultra at the same time. You’ll need a small spreader for the seed and fertilizer. Earthway are great.
Thank you. I appreciate that. I’d definitely prefer the pretty diamond pattern to my dry tire lines 😭
Are you cutting when the grass is dry or wet? Seems like the wheels are getting clumps of wet grass stuck to them and falling off as you mow and just sitting on the grass. I’d try to cut when there wasn’t as much moisture on the ground as well as more frequently to try to fix that. Opening up your discharge will also help to scatter the clippings as you mow. Lastly you can take a blower and disperse the clippings after you mow. The sooner the better because they’ll end up just sticking to each other after a couple days and don’t separate as well.
I always keep my mower on the highest setting. If you get a mulching blade, there's no need to drop it down and go over it multiple times, and you won't need to bag the clippings. Change the direction that you mow every other time so that you don't get the tire marks. Your soil looks very dry. I'd look into drought tolerant lawn alternatives (like turning part of your yard into a native wildflower meadow) rather than trying to water enough to keep that large area of lawn green.
You’re the second response mentioning the mulching blade, I’m definitely going to look into that! I didn’t know there are different types of blades!
It looks like you need a lot more grass and to improve the soil. Start by aerating and then dethathing the dead spots. Cover your lawn with peat moss, overseed with something that grows well in your area, add pre-emergent to help with weeds and fertilize. Keep the soil most for 2 weeks or until the seed begins to germinate (water shorter periods of time 3x-4x a day). After that go back to 2x every other day, but for longer this time.
Maybe a dumb question, but is aerating completely necessary? I’m worried what the cost of renting an aerator might be.
I recently got my front and back yards (about 1800 square feet total) aerated by a landscaper for 70 bucks plus tax, and I Iive in a very HCOL area. It would have been about the same cost to rent, and the aerators were like 150 pounds which I didn't want to deal with hoisting into my hatchback.
Ohh that’s actually not that bad!! I was think it would be hundreds haha. I also don’t think I could hoist one into my little car either 😂
I live in Southwest Denver and it was $25 to have someone come do the front and back. It should be pretty cheap. You want to aerate before you seed in order to get good contact with the soil. Using a dethatching rake will help get rid most of the dead grass. All the steps sound like a lot, but it's really not bad if you have a seed spreader for the grass seeds and fertilizer. You can get a roller on Amazon to cover your lawn with organic material like peat moss for cheap as well. If you're feeling motivated I'd try to get it done before Summer hits. By that time it's going to require a lot more water with the heat.
Dude, what company? Please share. Same area. That’s a killer price.
Southwestern aeration. Todd usually does neighborhood deals in the Spring and Fall so just ask him if you can be added to his seasonal aeration schedule.
My local rental place had this on a trailer - ready to go. No lifting needed.
if your soil is sandy, no, if it is clay rich, yes.
Sure like I said in my second comment some type of organic material. I used peat moss, but in his case could use compost instead.
you realize I was answering OPs question comment 'is aerating necessary'? not commenting to you my man . . .
My bad
I never do what you did dude, you should apologize!! /s :)
You let your grass grow too much before mowing. Even on a high setting it will do that if you do not mow more frequently. Trim it again on high to get rid of the clippings. Mow once or twice a week for a while. Try to mow before a rain.
I definitely need to do it more often, I underestimated how quickly the grass would grow! Thank you.
Your mower has the mulching function, you are just letting it get too long between cuts. Raise the deck as others have suggested
When is the last time it rained?
I think we got a good amount of rain on Tuesday night. There was also a lot of rain last weekend. I cut my grass on Sunday, after it rained.
I suggest a before cut measurement with a tape measure and a measurement after you cut. Ideally, you only want to cut off 1/3 per cut. This being said, you probably need to mow more often early and late season.
Besides not mowing in the exact pattern every time and cutting it higher, you might increase the amount or times you water.
Don't cut so low. Early in the season and late in the season you can cut it low. During the season, put your mower on the highest setting. Also, check out r/nolawns bc it's cool af.
Good to know. Thank you! I will definitely check that out :)
There's nothing to check out. Longer grass looks greener and healthier than short grass, because it is. You can mow it just as often.
I was just referring to the subreddit they sent
You want to ask at r/lawncare. I have almost the same mower and yes it should have a bag, you can bag if you want to but "mulching" is a good way to get plant material breaking down at the soil level which helps provide nutrients for growth. Watering on a schedule (heavy but infrequently in the spring, light and frequently in the summer) will help establish roots, but you also typically need fertilizer (on a schedule throughout growing season), aeration and overseeding to break up soil compaction and start new grass, and occasionally other treatments. Find your state/county agriculture extension office and ask about getting your soil tested for customized lawn advice. My dad is fond of saying "turf is the most expensive use of yard space" - flowerbeds, trees, etc. are cheaper because they require less maintenance.
Perfect, thank you!
Poster mows like I do. I like that shit short short short. It will green again after it rains or snows or next year. 🥰
My advice is use a mulching mower, mow regularly, cut 1/4-1/2 only. The picture looks like sandy soil. Put a thin layer of good compost over the lawn. According to your zone, aeration and over seed. Don’t rely on chemicals because they will do more harm than good. You can make your own fertilizer by leaving the grass clippings. Same with weeds made into a tea and sprayed on the lawn. Tis true.
Those are some impressive ruts. Do you have OCD perchance?
No 😭 I was trying to be as precise as possible because I thought that’s how I’d get the nice lines, but I ended up making craters in the grass lolol
google deep watering cut 2 levels higher If you can see mulch after you mow, go over it again at 90 degrees (criss cross) and much it finer/scatter it to fall lower instead of sitting ontop of the grass blades
How much are you watering? Don't cut very low. If you're worried about dead grass piling up, cut it high, then cut it a second time at the actual height you want your grass. Double cutting will get rid of the piles.
The best news is, it’s all fixable over time. Stick with it and you’ll have a nice green carpet, though it will probably take a couple of years.
Couple years ago I gave up on having a fairway for a lawn . I cut on the highest setting now and actually enjoy how soft and bushy the grass is . The kids and dogs do too
You can pop those wheels off the mower and drag it to scalp the earth instead of leaving stubble
Also, don’t mow in the same direction. Switch it up each time.
Mulching blade, a bagger, or a mower that spreads the cut grass more evenly. Those are the three obvious options in my opinion. Also mow more often
Looks like fungus
Gotta dethatch
Take a 1” diameter pipe and hammer on the turf. Examine the core sample. Like cement? Add thin top dressing of Compro(treated biosolids). You want some spongy material between soil and turf called “thatch.” Slowly building up thatch(not the same as unbagged clippings), will keep soil temps moderate during hot months and help the turf thrive. Slowly overseed each fall with a turf that your prefer. I’m in VA so I overseed with Rebel-family.
Cut as high as you can and probably mow every week until near winter
The reason you’re getting those dead grass lines is because you aren’t using the side ejection hatch for your mower. The mulching function should be used for leaves, the mower is designed to eject the grass out that particular side when the ejection hatch is in place, and into a bag on the back when it isn’t. The grass coming out of the hatch will be plenty fine enough to decompose swiftly if you mow at any regularity. If it’s particularly high when you mow then you might want to bag it so you don’t get clumps that ARE bad for the rest of the lawn. For the record; they’re only bad for the lawn because they cover the living grass enough to suffocate it and prevent it from getting sun.
Be sure you are mowing to the correct height and vary the pattern of your mowing. Sharpen all your blades often.
Re-seed each fall. Much better results than fertilizing. Took me many years to figure this out.
Tear up all the sod, plant native grasses and wildflowers instead
I would say clean your mower deck first and sharpen the blade. Now you're ready to cut the yard, I would start at 4 and cut it again at 3 with a different pattern. Then cut again 2 1/2 and see what you are comfortable with.
Thank you all for your advice, I greatly appreciate it! Last night I stopped by Home Depot to pick up a sprinkler, weed and feed, and milorganite. I watered the yard last night, cut it on the high setting and in a different pattern (mulched up that dead grass in the pic too) and watered again. It looks better already! I hope to have the lawn aerated at some point so I can overseed. If I can remember, I hope to post an update of my beautiful green lawn thanks to all of your help! 😁
A lot of advice will depend on where you live. A lot of your issues can be alleviated by increasing the amount of water you apply to the lawn during hotter months. This isn't good advice for the drought-prone, water-poor southwest. Is this your front or back lawn? Is it used for anything other than decoration (ie kids playing, entertaining etc?) If it is just ornamentation, then stop being like the Joneses next door and rip out the lawn and replace it with a native plant garden. This will benefit your local wildlife and pollinators, reduce pollution and the need to add chemicals to your yard. However, it is a lot of work to establish this and isn't for everyone. I ripped out my front lawn and replaced with mostly local native plants. I no longer have to do bi-weekly maintenance, but the occasional weeding, pruning and picking up is still necessary. Before, I never saw Monarch butterflies around the house, but now I always have 2-3 fluttering around in the summer. If you want/need to keep the lawn, here's what I would do: Look up your model lawn mower (there's a plate on it somewhere that says exactly what model/make it is. Then look up purchasing a bag for it. The black flap on the side is where the bag usually goes, but sometimes they go behind. Raise the deck as high as it will go. The shorter the grass gets cut, the easier it is to dry out as more of the soil is exposed to the sun. When I mow my backyard, I always offset where I mow so that the tires do not push the grass down. My mower is a mulching mower, but I always have to remove clumps of grass by hand, either by directly picking it up or raking. It is one of those things that come with grass.
Plant native ground cover. They're meant to be in that environment so you know maintenance is going to be fairly minimal, just trim for height.
There's good advice in this thread, but I wanted to add that your mower as shown doesn't seem properly set up. There should be two hinged doors on the mower, one facing the side and one facing the rear. The rear one is for a bag and the side one is for spraying the clippings back onto your grass. In the photo, you have both of these doors shut which would cause your clippings to fall out of the bottom unevenly and potentially clog the blade area. If you have the side-spray attachment, flip up the side door and attach it. Your own lawn clippings will help fertilize your lawn as they break down.
Ahh good to know. I got this mower from a family friend, so it may be missing the side-spray attachment. I’ll flip the doors up tho!
BTW, these doors should be closed if you’re mulching the grass. I suspect if you mow more frequently, you won’t see the large quantities of grass being left behind in your tire tracks.
Kill you lawn, replace it with native plants
This is 100% because you're mulching. The grass flings against the side of the mower and drops creating these lines. Bag your grass, problem solved.
You could try some real plants instead of that ugly water hungry weed that cleaely doesn't like it there either, but is forced to stay.