Hubby and I just cancelled our Lawn service. They were cutting the grass too short and with thier heavy equipment was leavign bare spots in the grass. Anyway, we are trying to be more eco-friendly, I was wondering if anyone has used the new push reel mowers and if you have any feedback. FYI - I'm in Florida with St.Augustine grass. Thanks, Johanna
I have never used one on St. Augustine... I used one on Tiff 419. Be aware it take a bit of getting accustom to a reel mower to get a good cut. Plus, you will need to cut your grass often. I agree lawn services cut too short. But by doing that they stimulate top growth and take away from root growth. So, you pay more and water more. Good luck with the mower.
reel lawn mowers We used one several years ago when we had a tiny yard. Very nostalgic, but we had to cut three times to get the job done.
The Reel Mower, My Personal Trainer! I starting using a reel mower 2 years ago. i love the new ones. simple to use..it has just enough resistance that makes it a pleasure to use while getting gentle but effective exercise. They're not very expensive. and you don't have to feed it. No noxious fumes and toxins spewing into the air, no noise pollution, no fooling around with gas and mixes or collecting clippings before they mat on the lawn. Some do come with bags for those of you who don't keep clippings. It is still used by golf courses around the country who prefer the "scissor" cut. Our local courses hire teenagers over the summer to push those babies!the scissor cut doesn't shred the grass and open it up to insect damage and potential for death. The grass clippings left around does nothing but good. there aren't big clumps of clippings sitting around that you have to rake. Little pieces fall by the wayside as you cut. I remember the reel mower from the 50's - these new eco-friendly productions are so easy to push and you can adjust the height of the bar and the cut. the only maintenance is a sharpening of the blades every few years or so. Yes, it takes longer to cut - you do have to go back over some spots, not like using the big machines. And that's why i love it. Because it makes me Stop And Smell The Roses- and the grass. And how many of us don't need the pleasant exdercise? Bonus: it attracts attention - neighbors and passersby did look at me funny for a while, but they did ask where i got it. Hopefully one more convert... then another
A push reel mower will work (without going over the yard 3 times) on one condition, you must keep the blades sharpened. You may even need to sharpen after each and every use.
I purchased one of the new push reel mowers early this spring. I have to say that my experience with it was less than satisfactory. I did not realize this, but apparently from the other posts it is common to have to go over the lawn more than once? This was my experience as well. Even with a brand new mower with sharp blades there were spots missed, which in the end left me frustrated. In the end I returned it to the store for my money back. If anyone has brand/model they have used and would suggest, I wouldn't mind hearing and perhaps trying again.
Professional lawn services do not cut too short, they cut at recommended heights for the particular grass being cut. The weekend warrior out cutting lawns for beer money is a different story. Although I'm not an expert on southern grasses, I'm betting that trying to cut St. Augustine with a reel mower will be a real challenge. We've got transplanted zoisya up here and it is tough on rotary mowers much less a reel mower.
I have a Great States 5 blade reel mower. Learning to use it took me a while. If the grass gets too long, the lawn has to be gone over several times to get it all cut. But, if I cut in say a north-south path direction and the grass is uneven to where a second pass is required, the second pass must be in a an east-west direction. Trying to cut over the original north-south orientation will not accomplish much. The end result is a lawn with a baseball field looking cut. In peak growing season, I cut my lawn every three days. If I stay on top of it, I can hustle a little and mow my 1/4 acre lot in about 20 minutes. Sharpening and adjusting the blades is very important. The manual that came with my mower has tons of great tips and tricks. Check the adjustment of the blade by putting a piece of newspaper all the way across the stationary blade and rotating the rotating blade so it slices through the paper. The blade should cut the whole way across. If only parts of the paper get cut, then an adjustment is needed. Adjusting the stationary blade takes some patience. On my mower, about 1/32 of a turn on the adjuster makes it go from sloppy loose to being dead tight. Using screwdrivers with large ergonomic handles or a small breaker bar with a screwdriver bit makes the adjusting go a little easier. As far as sharpening the blades, that is a messy proposition. 1st, remove the wheels and small pinion gears. Then, reverse the sprags that ratchet. The goal is to have the mower free wheel when pushing it forward, and have it spin when pushing it backward. Next, lay down lots of newspaper, coat the rotating blades with fine lapping compound. Over top of some newspaper, push the mower backwards making the blades spin. Push the mower back and forth until the blades spin freely, tighten the adjustment on the stationary blade, apply some more lapping compound and push the mower some more. The goal is to have all the rotating blades contacting the stationary blade at some point through their rotation. Now, clean off the lapping compound with some degreaser, reverse the sprags so the mower works in the forward direction as normal. It should be good to go for another season or two.
how good are they on inclines? hiya, I've got a pretty big yard, but the riding mower cant get in every space. as opposed to a gas push mower i was wondering about the reel mower. how well do they cut on inclines? we have a deep ditch following the road full of grass. and while we usually let the county mow it (its a country road with loads of farmland) i was wondering if a reel mower could do it.... the county lets the grass get awfully high between mowing's and the riding mower can't made the steep incline.
A push reel mower has many benefits. One bonus is that is a quieter option compared to the likes of gas lawn mowers which are known for being rather noisy. This type of mower also automatically mulches grass as it scatters the grass clippings as it cuts. Although there are many benefits for your lawn, using a push reel mower will allow you to exercise at the same time. You'll be able to build up those muscles while manually pushing the mower!
