oh you guys that cut your own grass .... I need to get a lawn mower... I am thinking of a push reel one... loke the old days... no more electric or gas stuff... my motto now is "I want to save the planet!"... everyone laughs when I say that... what should I get??? can't find one at Sears, HD or Lowes.... only online... but since I have never used one before I need advice... also I need a trimmer.... I have way too much to do... but I want to take care of my grass... not that I really like grass... but I was just looking at how much I am spending on landscaping and it seems too much.... ($40 week.... 4Xmonth X at least 5 months $800.00 plus $500. spring cleaning, $265 for lawn treatment.... grass is more expensive then plants!!!! with all this money I can buy way more plants!!!!)
so help me.... give me your suggestions!!!!
help with a lawn mower
Advertise on Freecycle for a push mower - I bet you will have lots of choices of free ones! If you don't like a puch mower afterall - nothing lost - you can put it back on Freecycle and recycle it. I got a free one from a neighbor and it is soooo much better than trying to start the gas powered mower. Of course the only lawn I have is 24' x 20'. LOL The blades have to be kept sharp - the one I have sharpens itself as I mow - and you need to keep the grass short or it is really hard to keep the reel from being jammed up. It is good exercise!
If you have a lot of grass to cut you might re-think the pusher. Also, do they mulch the grass well enough? If not, you'll have a mess that you're going to have to rake up. And you have to be sure the grass is nice and dry.
I hear you on the cost. It is a lot. Wish I had no lawn. Maybe someday.
I don't think that the push mowers mulch at all. If you get one with a basket behind it - it will catch the clippings and they can go in the compost pile. I count the raking as more exercise - a bonus!
I would only put them in the compost if no chemicals are used. Kass mentioned 'lawn treatment'. Does that mean chemicals, Kass?
I forget about people using chemicals - good catch. I try to ignore my lawn and hope it will go away. That #@$% zoysia grass is tough stuff. I haven't put anything on it in 4 years and it still keeps growing.
Your lawn is small I am assuming? Reel ones are fine for smaller lawns, some have catchers. They cannot cut as high as rotary ones, but because they get a cleaner cut- grass does not dry out as fast as cutting 2" with a rotary. Personally I don't push any mowers and have a self propelled Toro.
You might want to consider an electric mower. There are mulching and non-mulching models. You can get corded (cheaper) or cordless (more convenient). I have a Black & Decker corded model that I cut almost 1 acre with (no kidding, but I do have outbuildings so lots of outlets).
I used to have a reel mower for just my backyard, but I always procrastinated and the grass got too long to cut without an enormous amount of effort (if you keep it cut it's not at all hard - even fun).
My uncle has a reel mower and he loves it! Says it leaves the top of the grass nice and even, never paid that much attention myself but...! He's out there twice a week so I don't know if it's because he cuts it often that it doesn't leave a mess of grass trimmings. I have one that my grandfather owned and I have never used it! It's a bit on the heavy side, the newer ones are probably lighter and easier to push. Either way it's good exercise!
thanks everyone... I have too much grass... I REALLY need the exercise... and right now my grass is tall.... tons of weeds... anyway I use electricity for everything in my house... including heat.... yes, it's a huge bill... so I want to save on that... I am more and more convinced that grass is not a blessing... I really hope to get rid of it... I hope to solve the problem by saturday...
Yankee, I am going to look at the site you suggested... thanks....
my grass was treated only once this year... and that's another thing I don't want it... I am not planing to compost the grass this year... just the leaves.... hey can you use the push reel mower to cut leaves in the fall???
Haven't tried that - but I'm guessing it won't work. I wish someone would invent a non-electric leaf shredder.
mee too... is there such a thing like a lawn mower that you can cut leaves???
A power mower can certainly help if you bag it. It won't be as clean as a raked/blown lawn. Al should be the expert.
well it's official/// I am the proud owner of a gas lawn mower... oh I am sad that is gas... but it was so good to do it for the first time.... I had a lot of fun.... and the only comfort is that I can mulch with this one.... ha!!! now I can start my compost pile~~~~
You should buy a gas one then.
I had a reel mower once. The problems were;
-can't let the grass get too long. Becomes very hard to cut.
-VERY difficult to sharpen the blades. You have to get expensive tool, use a file (rasp) or take it somewhere.
-grass is impossible to cut if at all wet.
I gave up after a couple of years.
Chuck