Question about mowing the grass

[Novara]

I don't know if this belongs here, but does anyone use one of those old-fashioned, push-type blade mowers? Are they hard to push? Do you have to rake up the clippings afterwards, or can you leave them? I know you need to keep the blades sharp - would a hardware store be able to do that?

[angstlessk]

1. We have a reel mower

It basically sharpens itself..you can purchase a bag behind, but we just mow

[angstlessk]

2. We got ours from Wallyworld

http://www.walmart.com/ip/1551081?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227009538813&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40471461392&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=58623453047&veh=sem

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

3. I used a reel mower for years...

Yes every once in a while the blades do need to be sharpened. You can buy a kit for about 30 bucks from Scotts. I stopped using my reel, I have a very small piece of lawn, last year. It just got to be too time consuming. We are converting more and more of the property into edibles. I needed more time to tend to that project.
So long story short we purchased an eletric mower, battery run. The Worx mower. Looks like a toy when you get it out of the box, but cuts awesomely. It's just 14 inches (deck measurement) but no pushing thru the grass. Lots easier.

Here's a link to the mower. It won't do exactly what a gas mower will but it's very quite and very easy to use. This will be my second year with it. Now I have the ease of a gas mower and a clearer conscience about the environment as I did with the reel.

https://www.worx.com/en-US/24V_mower_wg782.aspx

Hope this helps. Do some homework, you may be able to get a better price from some online dealers.

[Novara]

4. Thanks for the replies, another question

So neither of you rake? Just leave the grass clippings? I don't really care all that much about what it looks like as long as it's decent and not overgrown, so some grass clippings might not bother me.

I was also thinking about a battery powered electric, but they're more costly.

I have nearly an acre, and small twigs can be a problem. I just raked up all the pinecones from the winter - it took about 3 hours in total - and I raked a lot of twigs as well. Can either a push mower or an electric handle little twigs or will I need to rake those first? It's windy enough that there are always twigs.

Thanks for the help. I'm new at this!

[hermetic]

5. I have a push mower

I bought it last fall. It doesn't like twigs or pine cones. If you are pushing it and it stops, you need to turn it on its side or upside down to find what's stopping it and pluck it out. Wear gloves. Leave the grass on the ground, it provides nitrogen to the soil. Unless there's a big clump. Move that or spread it around.

Mowing is very aerobic. I'm 66 and used to exercise but a push mower can be a real challenge. I just bought a weed whacker because a push mower can't get close enough to edges.

I used to have an acre plus, and I had a rider mower. It was worth it, plus great fun to ride around. Lots of trade offs with that.

Best of luck and feel free to ask me any other questions I could help you with.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. I have a battery electric mower,

and I love it. However, I have a small lot and I have to recharge halfway through the yard. I think that you will have to consider that for a yard as big as yours. It is possible, but think about how you will do the yard in sections. I bought a rather expensive battery and charger that lasts about 25 minutes on a charge and can recharge in half an hour---but like I said, it was more expensive. The other option I was given was to buy two batteries so that I could use one while the other was recharging. The good thing is that I always have tons of twigs all over and have no problem with this mower cutting them.

You might want to rethink a reel mower for a lot your size too. They take some work to use, not like a gas mower. You would not have to catch the clippings, however, you cannot let the grass get very long or the work to mow will be hard. Reel mowers just will not get through longer grass. I had one and had to mow twice a week so that the grass didn't get too long. The good thing about doing that is that the clippings will not be seen and will be good for the lawn. You would not have to catch or rake. The biggest problem is when it rains too long to get out to mow and the grass gets too long.

I hate to say it, but with about an acre, I would not want to use either of these mowers....but that is because I don't want to be mowing every day of my life.

[Novara]

7. Hm, lots to think about.

Maybe I'll see if I could borrow one or rent one to see if it's feasible.