Here at AgroPro, we take mowing very seriously. Mowing may be one of the most basic types of maintenance you can perform on grass, but its importance cannot be understated. The way you mow, the frequency with which you do it, and other factors can have a tremendous impact on the overall appearance and health of your lawn. With all that said, here are a few interesting tidbits of knowledge about lawn mowing you may not have known!
Regular Mowing Can Help Your Allergies
For those of us with seasonal allergies, any reduction in pollen can be a life saver. We know that a well-maintained lawn can help to reduce the spread of pollen from other plants, but did you know that grasses release their own pollen as well? This pollen, generally released during spring and early summer, is a very common allergen, but regular maintenance can help reduce its production. Grass pollens are generally released when the plant gets tall enough to flower, but by keeping grass short, it won't get to that point.
It's All Water Weight
You may not think of a blade of grass as particularly heavy, but it is estimated that grasses make up about a quarter of all the plant life on planet Earth. Additionally, grass is about 80% water, which allows grass clippings left behind after a lawn mowing session to quickly decompose and return their nutrients to the soil. It is recommended in many cases to allow grass clippings to stay where they fall, as that quick decomposition will only help to nourish your grass as it continues to grow.
The History of Lawn Mowers
The lawn mower itself has been around since the 1800s, but it wasn't until 1919 that a U.S. Army Colonel built the first gas-powered lawn mower using the motor from the family washing machine. Nowadays, lawn mowers come in a huge variety of types, including manual push mowers, gas and electric push mowers, and even ride-on mowers. Nowadays, there is an actual sport of racing modified lawn mowers around a track!
The "Ballpark Lawn" Has Tangible Lawn Health Benefits
You have probably seen this effect on the lawns of a ball park or golf course: although the grass all appears to be the same type and height, it also seems to be made up of alternating stripes of light and dark grass. This effect is called "striping," and is created with a special lawn mower attachment that rolls grass as it is cut. As the mower moves up and down lines of grass, the roller bends the grass based on the direction the mower is traveling, and a trick of the light causes the blades that are bent away to look light, while the blades that are bent toward the viewer look dark.
Striping a lawn can help it to remain even and can help shorter blades to grow without being inhibited by the taller blades surrounding them. Additionally, mowing a lawn using this pattern can prevent low spots and other issues that would adversely affect the aesthetics of a lawn.