There is a temptation to think of grooming lawn mowers as a bit inaccessible for the average lawn owner. In the eyes of many, the image of the grooming lawn mower connotes mowing athletic stadiums, enormous golf courses, or other such immense undertakings. And in all fairness, there is a strong element of truth to this statement; many of you will do just fine with a push mower, let alone a riding mower with a grooming attachment. At the same time, there are scenarios in which a grooming lawn mower can be immensely valuable, even if you do not partake in lawn care for a living.
Basic Functions of the Grooming Lawn Mower
The grooming lawn mower is towed behind a tractor, so it goes without saying that if you are considering a grooming lawn mower, you need enough land to warrant a tractor. While riding the tractor, a series of blades in the grooming mower rotate and cut the grass at a uniform level. The major benefit of the grooming mower is simply that you can cut grass so much faster than if you were cutting the grass with just a tractor. Most grooming mowers also discharge clippings just behind the mower, thereby preventing clippings from infiltrating streets, sidewalks, or other public spaces. If you buy a grooming mower with a tapered deck, you will also be able to mow right up against trees or sidewalks.
What to Consider When Purchasing a Grooming Lawn Mower
One of the concerns you naturally have when operating a grooming lawn mower is how to avoid scalping your yard. You don’t want to cut grass so short that it will have difficulty growing back, and the immensity of the grooming lawn mower can make it easy to scalp your lawn. To avoid this, you need to make sure that you set the front just a little bit lower than the back, thereby giving you an even cut that isn’t too short. In addition to blade height, be aware that you will need to purchase attachments for removing grass and weeds; the grooming mower is a valuable instrument, but delicate it is not. As such, it will not offer the maneuverability of a push mower, and you may need a push mower for smaller jobs.
Ultimately, if you have a large yard that takes forever to mow even with a riding mower, you should consider a grooming lawn mower. With a grooming lawn mower, you can not only cut large fields in a fraction of the time that it would take with just a tractor, but the machine is incredibly useful for planting vegetables and flowers as well. For these reasons, don’t be intimidated by the grooming lawn mower; investing in one could just make your lawn care that much easier.