Ten observations on a full season of push reel lawn mowing

Weed Dog · 06-20-11, 12:24 PM

S-F, your work history suggests the exertion induced by a reel mower is well within your capability. Is that lot 1/3 acre, minus the footprint of the garage, driveway, house, etc? If the the lawn is not too lumpy, the task (to this fifty-year-old guy) seems less strenuous than landscape work, and like X-Ringer suggested, mowing in 1/3 or similar increments makes it even more manageable.

Twigs, frost-heaved lot-line stakes and the like can jam the blades, so a quick survey and pick-up save you the frustration of stopping to clear them. Lumps and potholes can also stop the blades dead and are best avoided and trimmed by other means. My small front and side yards are filled with trees, twigs, lumps and potholes, and downspouts, but it does mean I'm often mowing in the shade...

You can imagine that a yard filed with trees and other obstructions requires more stopping/starting, i.e., you burn more calories, and if your climate favors humidity/heat, you guard against dehydration.

If you mow a day or two before having a yard party, you do allow time to rake up the clippings if it matters...

I suspect many viewers here have back-up means of mowing should the grass get too tall, and don't conceive of the task as “reel mow or no mow at all.” Plus the relatively low cost (excepting that Fiskars model) of new and used reel mowers, and their novelty value, mean you can resell it if it doesn't float your boat.

06-20-11, 12:24 PM	#29
Weed Dog Lurking Renovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	How much lawn is too much? S-F, your work history suggests the exertion induced by a reel mower is well within your capability. Is that lot 1/3 acre, minus the footprint of the garage, driveway, house, etc? If the the lawn is not too lumpy, the task (to this fifty-year-old guy) seems less strenuous than landscape work, and like X-Ringer suggested, mowing in 1/3 or similar increments makes it even more manageable. Twigs, frost-heaved lot-line stakes and the like can jam the blades, so a quick survey and pick-up save you the frustration of stopping to clear them. Lumps and potholes can also stop the blades dead and are best avoided and trimmed by other means. My small front and side yards are filled with trees, twigs, lumps and potholes, and downspouts, but it does mean I'm often mowing in the shade... You can imagine that a yard filed with trees and other obstructions requires more stopping/starting, i.e., you burn more calories, and if your climate favors humidity/heat, you guard against dehydration. If you mow a day or two before having a yard party, you do allow time to rake up the clippings if it matters... I suspect many viewers here have back-up means of mowing should the grass get too tall, and don't conceive of the task as “reel mow or no mow at all.” Plus the relatively low cost (excepting that Fiskars model) of new and used reel mowers, and their novelty value, mean you can resell it if it doesn't float your boat.