Tulsa Lawn Care - How to Choose the Right Lawn Mower

Some Tulsa landscaping companies like Oklahoma Landscape offer residential lawn care and maintenance, yet some homeowners like to mow their lawns themselves. If this is true in your case, a reliable lawn mower is a necessity. But there are many options when it comes to lawn mowers in Tulsa. Which one is the best? Well, it may depend on your particular lawn, how much time you want to devote to lawn care, and other ecological concerns.

Gas, Electric, or Reel Mowers. Lawn mowers come with a variety of power choices. Manual reel mowers, of course, are great for the environment and are good exercise; however, they don’t cut off as much of the blade (1/8” – 1/4”) in one mowing. Thus, with a reel mower, you will probably have to mow more often. There are several kinds of electric mowers, which can be ideal for smaller yards. Some electric mowers are battery-powered and some come with a cord. Some gas-powered mowers have both an electric start and a pull cord making them easier to start if the battery is charged. However, with a battery-powered or electric start mower, you’ll need to keep track of the charger to make sure you can recharge, and it recharges enough to mow the whole lawn. And of course gas mowers will be more powerful than electric or reel mowers and may be a wiser choice for larger or hillier landscapes.

Bag or Mulch mower. You will also need to consider whether you want to collect your grass in a bag or use a mower that mulches the grass and leaves it. Mulching can help to protect the lawn from heat in the summer, retaining more moisture, and provide the lawn with nutrients. However too much mulch, usually from cutting too much grass at one time, can cause large clumps of mulch to accumulate on the lawn. These large clumps of grass can spread disease and fungus which causes the lawn to have yellow areas. With any mower, it’s best to remove no more than 1/3 of the blade during one mowing. If you choose a bag to collect the grass clippings, a rear bag will be easier to maneuver and mow using.

Size and Landscaping of your Lawn. Do you have a large, medium, or small yard? Are there a number of trees and hills in your landscape? Of course, a riding mower or even lawn tractor would be good if you have a large or maybe even a medium-sized lawn with few trees. But for many medium or small lawns, a self-propelled walk-behind mower works well. These mowers may be front or rear-wheel-drive. Front-wheel-drive mowers are easier for mowing around objects like trees or shrubs, whereas a rear-wheel-drive mowers do better at mowing uphill but are not as nimble around obstacles. A walk-behind push mower with a gas engine will mow down taller grass than electric or reel mowers, but they’ll still need to be pushed, so these may be best for smaller, more flat areas.

Also, when choosing a mower, think about where you will be able to have it maintained. Thus, choosing the right lawn mower for your Tulsa landscape will depend on the amount of time and energy you want to put into your yard as well as the size and topography of the lawn itself.

If you decide mowing isn’t for you or it’s taking up too much of your weekend, the Tulsa lawn care experts at Oklahoma Landscape can take care of all your residential or commercial lawn maintenance.