Consider an Eco-Friendly Reel Mower
Take a New Look at an Old Way of Mowing Your Lawn
Aging baby boomers have fond memories of our fathers mowing the yard pushing a reel mower. The reel mowers of yesteryear were heavy and hard to manage, hung up a lot, and were always needing sharpening. At the first opportunity, they were replaced with a power mower, leaving the old reel mowers to rust in the garage or garden shed.
The Advantages of a Reel Mower
Today's reel mowers are not the old clunkers of our father's day. Reel mowers today are light, quiet, and eco-friendly. They don't rip and tear your grass like rotary mowers. Reel mowers cut like scissors, which makes for healthier grass, and maintenance on a reel mower is negligible. Since today's models are far better designed than earlier models, they can be as easy to push as a power rotary mower.
The Workings of a Reel Mower
The "reel" in the name refers to blades attached to a revolving cylinder. When the mower is pushed forward or pulled backward, the reel comes into contact with the bed knife, a stationary bar that is parallel to the ground. The bed knife keeps the grass upright, which enables the reel to shear it off. Adjusting the height is accomplished by raising or lowering the reel.
Reel mowers can cut grass shorter than rotary mowers, and the shearing action makes a cleaner cut and leaves finer clippings.
To get a proper cut, it is crucial to adjust the blade properly. If the blade knife is too close to the blades, it will cause the reel to hang up. If it is too far away from the blade, it will make a ragged cut. Adjustments are made by turning the adjustment bolt or screw, and they are fairly easy to keep adjusted properly.
Getting a Good Cut with a Reel Mower
With a reel mower, the blade turns as fast as you walk. Walking at a comfortable, quick pace will prevent binding, so that you can get the results you want. By overlapping your rows slightly so that you're cutting less grass, the mower is easier to push. This also help you catch any missed spots on the last row.
Different grasses grow differently, so you should experiment to find the best mowing direction and cutting height for your yard. Mowing your grass as early as possible will give you a better cut, and since the mowers are so quiet, you won't disturb the neighbors.
The Downside to Reel Mowers
If your lawn has grass or weeds over 6 inches tall, the mower will not cut them, but will roll over them. For weedy or taller lawns, it's best to use a rotary mower, then finish up with the reel mower for a cleaner cut. Since they don't mow tall grass well, you should mow at least once a week.
Mowing with a reel mower takes you longer than a rotary mower. If you have a normal city lot, this shouldn't be a problem, but if you have a lawn over a half acre, a rotary mower would be better for you. Cordless electric reel lawn mowers are available, but can be expensive to buy and maintain.
So for a normal sized lawn, a reel mower is a good investment in the health of your lawn and the environment. Check out reel mowers today, and reduce your carbon footprint.
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