It’s time to give your lawn mower a rest
Lawn respite is at hand as the pace of grass growth slows
The recent dip in temperature may have brought a sigh of relief to those gardeners who’ve had to mow their lawns on a weekly basis throughout summer. Respite is at hand as the pace of grass growth slows. Now’s the chance to consider giving your cutting machine a break and full check-over but will it be going into storage until next spring? Mine never does.
Around mid-October I raised the blades up a notch and started cutting the grass fortnightly to compensate for the gradual fall in temperature.
The arrival of November frosts has further curtailed the growth rate, but the change in weather patterns over recent years has found us out mowing on a relatively calm January or February day.
Far better this unseasonal action, which transforms the garden’s appearance at a stroke, than have swathes of ragged grass spoil the chi!
A recent chance conversation with an acquaintance looking for a battery-operated mower had me reminiscing about the various machines we’ve had.
There was the petrol-driven type, followed by those attached to an electric cable, and now battery-powered model.
Each had their merits and drawbacks.
The petrol-powered mowers with a cutting cylinder facilitated the criss-cross patterns beloved of sports stadia turf.
They were ideal when we aimed for an ornamental garden feature of bowling green standard.
However, that entailed the storage of petrol in a can, and a pull starting cord with a kickback like a mule when the sparkplug was faulty.
Our electric-powered models were quieter to operate, cleaner to use and easier to start.
However, the rotary blade motion ruled out perfect tram line patterns, and the cable was obtrusive, considerable time being spent keeping it clear of the blades.
Currently it’s a battery-operated mower with a rotary blade that covers the lawns.
It starts at the press of a button and offers complete freedom to roam.
The fully charged nine-volt battery, only allows half an hour of cutting time so we have invested in a spare.
Ideal for our setup, which encourages flora and fauna.