Choosing a Mulching Lawn Mower
So you have decided that you would like the benefits that a mulching
mower can give and must now set about choosing a mulching
lawn mower. To recap the benefits include
- very finely cut lawn clippings that act as free lawn
fertiliser that is high in Nitrogen - essential for green
healthy grass.
- organic form of feeding the lawn.
- saved time in not having to apply lawn fertiliser seperately.
- saved time in not having to rake the lawn after each cut or
empty the grass bag/box whilst mowing.
- reduced amounts of waste going into landfill sites.
What should you look for when choosing a mulching lawn
mower?
As well as the points discussed in choosing
a lawn mower, mulching mowers also have some extra functionality
and requirements that should be assessed when looking to buy one.
Powered mulching lawn mowers cut the grass repeatedly to make the
clippings smaller and then blow it back into the turf. These actions
require extra energy compared to a standard lawn mower and so a
mulching lawn mower should engine should have more power than a
standard lawn mower engine. 5 horsepower is the low end of the power
range for a mulching mower as anything much less than this will
find it hard to cut the grass up finely enough especially if the
grass is slightly overgrown.
What design approach has been taken to the mulching process? The
design of the lawn mower blade and deck combine to produce the mulching
process. The grass is stirred up and is cut repeatedly by the blade
before being blown back into the turf. Some mowers have fans inside
the deck of the mower to enhance the process. Some mulching mowers
have special design features to help them contend with overgrown
grass.
Can you attach a grass bag/box to the machine if you want to? This
feature may be required if you want to collect the grass clippings
/ fallen leaves for use on the compost heap or so they can be used
as a mulch elsewhere. This feature can also be useful if the lawn
is very overgrown as this can reduce the effectiveness of the mulching
process and mean larger and denser deposits of grass (not so finely
chopped) are made on the lawn which can smother the grass underneath.
Build quality should also be a top priority when choosing a mulching
lawn mower as your purchase should hopefully last for years. Check
the length of the manufacturers guarantee. If the mower does ever
break down can it be repaired where you bought it from or will it
need to be sent off somewhere else? As with most things the more
you pay the better the quality will be but if you shop around then
you should be able to pick up a good value deal.