Finding the perfect line.

I posted this in off-topic because I am trying to find the perfect line for mowing my lawn. I am new to the riding mower experience, and have been struggling with the most efficient path around my yard. With trees, shrubs, walls, etc I seem to be running over already-cut sections and backtracking a lot. Any lawn pros out there with tips for finding an efficient cutting line?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you supposed to vary the pattern, anyway? I thought it was supposed to be side to side one week and then up and back the next.

Just try everything, like a real race track. I can mow my lawn in 40 minutes (my dad takes an hour and a half) and I do most of it on 2-3 wheels. Just gradually edge toward the limit, don't try to go as fast as possible immediately.

I usually work inward in concentric paths so the mower throws the cut grass to the outside (usually counter clockwise) but my yard ain't the prettiest around. My pattern is usually the result of the grass being so damn high that the piles of cut grass kill the mower if you ride back over it.

I am relatively new to the riding mower game. Making 3 point turns slows you down tremendously, so try to set yourself up to where you have a turnaround area on either end of where you are mowing.

I cut a long diagonal line from the back corner of my lot up to the opposite front corner, then just go back and forth working my way out from the middle, when you reach an end, turn and cut back towards the other end of the yard on the opposite side of the mowed area if you get what I am saying.This is after I have done about 2 loops of the entire yard to give myself an edge to work with. When the 2 sides get too far apart I just focus on one, just looping around at each end as necessary to backtrack. The other isolated front portion of the lot I have I just start by running concentric loops around it getting smaller and smaller.

Obviously due to obstacles, you will have to make a few stops, reverses, turns etc, or finish one area of the yard then go finish the other. But the idea is to just keep yourself moving and stop as few times as you have to.

I keep my weeds and clover trimmed up real nice that way. And it doesnt take that long. Just keep trying something different, you'll figure out what works best for your yard.

I usually outline the interferences first (trees, playset, etc), then block out the large areas in overlapping equal sized ovals.

So, if the area I am doing would take 10 rows, I might start with row 4, then backtrack to row 1, then 5, then 2, then 6, then 3, etc.

The distance between the rows is determined by the easy turning radius of my mower.

That way I am almost always cutting when moving, except on the short ends (returning from 5 to 2, etc).

It also throws the clippings pretty evenly around the yard (instead of them piling up deep).

I don't care enough about my lawn to worry about reversing direction. I just want fast. This is fast.

If you are doing a rectangle, and turning around at each corner, you should switch to the single 180 deg sweep at the end when the distance of the two turn-arounds combined exceeds that of the 180 degree sweep.

But to answer your question: Eliminate trees + shrubs. Then your line will be way more efficient. That's what I'd do to my property if I owned it.

I like diagonal passes across the widest corner-to-corner line for a given area, alternating directions week to week.

Mow a couple concentric strips around the edge to give turning room, with the discharge pointed out. Then pick the longest diagonal and mow along that line. At the end, do a 'procedure turn' or 'golf club turn', where you turn 90 degrees away from the next pass line, then do a 270 back the opposite way to bring yourself on line again.

Do one half above the diagonal, then relocate and so the other half, working from the middle towards the opposite corners. Next week, do the same thing, except using the opposite diagonal.

What is the reason for mowing diagonally?

ProDarwin wrote: What is the reason for mowing diagonally?

Aesthetics. I usually mow N/S one time and diagonally the next

Grtechguy wrote:

ProDarwin wrote: What is the reason for mowing diagonally?

Aesthetics. I usually mow N/S one time and diagonally the next

Plus, it lets you alternate directions, which helps avoid putting a permanent grain in your lawn. If you do it concentrically, you're always running more or less in exactly the same path, plus the outlet side of your mower dictates whether you go clockwise or counterclockwise EVERY time (unless you have a rear bagger).

Look to the ice, young man. Take a clue from Zamboni drivers.

Trust you guys to be into precision lawn mowing...

Start in the middle of your yard with this pattern. Expand outward from there.

I should clarify that I have a bagger, so direction of throw is unimportant.

I should further clarify that "grass" is a bit of a stretch for the combination of broad-leaf weeds, moss, dog poo, clover, and assorted green plants that makeup my lawn. So aesthetics are also unimportant.

In the quest for speed then, I will experiment with a few routes, and obviously that 8hp B&S has to go. Do they make a 25hp?

What about some gasoline and a match?

At my house, I use a mulching push-mower and do reversing, over-lapping laps - I start at one corner and make 90 degree turns until I get back to the start point, then 180 and slightly over-lap what I just mowed. This is repeated until I get to the middle. Like yours, my lawn is mostly weeds.

At the g/f's house with a riding mower (no bagging), I do it similar but don't do the end runs. I typically just do 180's at each end until I cross the area. I do N-S one cut, then \\ diagonal, then N-S, then //// diagonal. Yes, it takes longer, but she actually spends money to have the lawn treated a few times a year. I long for a zero-turn mower...

We used to bag the clippings but she hates taking them to the dump (no pick-up and too much to trash). If I ever do a dump-conversion on my truck, maybe we'll go back to bagging since I'll just be able to dump the clippings into the back of the truck, then dump them in bulk at the recycling center. The guy would look at me funny, but he already does when I show up once or twice a year with my 8 gallon shop-style oil jug.

I farm it out.

Maybe not more efficient but it will be a lot faster...

Tom Suddard wrote: Just try everything, like a real race track. I can mow my lawn in 40 minutes (my dad takes an hour and a half) and I do most of it on 2-3 wheels. Just gradually edge toward the limit, don't try to go as fast as possible immediately.

Pics or it didn't happen.

http://www.haytalk.com/forums/topic/12131-how-do-you-pattern-your-cutting-and-baling/

The above is a similar topic, cutting hay. I always cut the lawn the way my uncle or grandpa cut hay. Mke 2-3 laps (rounds) around the yard and then cut strips down the longest section. At the end of the row turn 180 degrees at full lock, leaving an uncut row and repeat working across the lawn, then when you reach the far side go back and cut the rows that are uncut. It makes the most of your time.

Sounds like the Zamboni pattern.

Go to a hockey game. The Zambonis are hypnotic. Especially when they run two.

mndsm wrote:

Tom Suddard wrote: Just try everything, like a real race track. I can mow my lawn in 40 minutes (my dad takes an hour and a half) and I do most of it on 2-3 wheels. Just gradually edge toward the limit, don't try to go as fast as possible immediately.

Pics or it didn't happen.

I have this image now

Keith wrote: Go to a hockey game.

Canada's "The Answer" ?