Ultra Outdoors
Homeowners are always looking for unique ways to increase the curb appeal of their property. During the warmer months, your lawn mower can be your best friend and a professional landscaper.
Stop with the boring even lines and add some adventure to your landscaping style.
This article lists eight great ways to show off your inner artist while maintaining the grass.
8 Great Lawn Mowing Patterns to Try
You can use your lawn mower as an artistic tool, creating great designs in your yard to enhance the look of your home. If you are still trying to figure out where to start, look at these eight fabulous ideas others are already doing.
1. Zigzag
Mowing your lawn in a zigzag pattern might sound strange to some, but the outcome is incredible. This mowing technique isn’t easy, but once you get the hang of it, it will be worth the time.
Before jumping right in, planning this pattern ahead of time is crucial. You want the lines to be cut in even rows and the points to be spaced apart at an equal distance.
If your zigzag is uneven or some points jet out further than others, your masterpiece will wind up a mess.
2. Ripple Effect
Have you ever tossed a stone into the river and watched as the water rippled out? Imagine seeing that same peaceful scene every time you walk out onto your lawn.
This is another pattern many people don’t think about utilizing when mowing their lawn but really should start. The concept is relatively simple; all you have to do is mow the first row at a slight curve, then move to the following row, following that same line. Keep doing this until you get to the end.
3. Circles and Stripes
When we think of the concentric circles and striped pattern, we think of the White House or other classy and prominent buildings.
When mowing this way, you want to outline obstacles such as trees and statues with circle patterns. As for the rest of the lawn, mow it in a straight line or stripe pattern. This will give you the lawn striping look of royalty.
4. The Swirl
Mowing a large swirl into your lawn will provide a spiral pattern that will make your home look eccentric and even enchanted.
This grass pattern isn’t the most popular, though we are not sure why; it looks incredible, and passers-by will surely notice.
When you choose the swirl pattern, you start on the edges of the entire lawn, making a giant circle. Without stopping, continue to follow the inside line of the previous row. If you do this correctly, the circle will slowly get smaller and smaller until you reach the middle of your yard and all the grass blades are cut.
5. Wonderful Waves
Creating waves in your lawn can be pretty simple and will draw attention to your artistic skills.
Before getting to work, decide what size of waves you want to make. You can mix things up and even try making the waves different in size.
If you switch up the waves’ sizes, ensure each row matches perfectly. The bumps in one line can vary, but if the next row over isn’t spot on, these lines will collide, and it won’t end well.
6. The Checkerboard
The checkerboard pattern has become more popular because it gives your lawn a brighter and more attractive look.
The goal is to cut your lawn one way at one setting, then lower the setting just a bit and cut it the opposite way.
If you have a mulcher, this can be a fantastic way to evenly distribute tiny particles of grass across the lawn, giving it much-needed nutrients while looking fabulous.
7. Crisscross
Consider walking diagonally in the opposite direction instead of moving up and down your lawn with the mower. This option will take longer than some others because you are essentially going over the lawn twice, but the additional time is worth it.
If you want to make these lines more noticeable, try going over one set of lines with a lawn roller. Using this weight roller, the blades of grass will flip over and expose a different color.
8. Squares and Rectangles
Instead of the traditional back-and-forth technique, mow your lawn in a square or rectangular pattern. This option requires you to start on the edge of your lawn, following the length and width until you reach the beginning.
Next, move the mower over and begin another square or rectangle, following the first cut row of grass (similar to creating the spirals).
If your lawn isn’t a perfect parallelogram, you can simply follow the natural pattern; just make sure each row is directly side by side.
A Few More Fun Patterns You May Want to Try
If you are feeling ambitious, consider doing lawn art during the summer months. While these aren’t your typical yard patterns techniques, the list below offers some great options if you want something over the top to stand out.
- Hearts
- Mazes
- Names
- Your address
- Holiday themes (pumpkins, reindeer, the American Flag)
It’s your yard; have some fun with it by choosing the best lawn mowing pattern. This is a great way to get more familiar with your mower and allow you to understand how it works and what your limitations are.
How to Mow Patterns Into Your Lawn
To mow a lawn pattern, you need to make sure the grass is healthy, you properly use the mower, and your mower is working at optimal performance.
Prepping Your Lawn Mower
If you want your grass to look its best, keep your mower in great shape. There are many reasons mowers will cut grass unevenly and make your patterns look unprofessional at best.
Bent Blades
Check your mower blade to ensure it is even. Bent blades are wobbly and will result in uneven cutting patterns in the grass. Blades tend to bend when they come into contact with a hard object like a tree stump or large rock.
Uneven Wheels
Check the alignment of your lawn mower wheels regularly. Although they should always be set at the same level, sometimes extensive use can jolt them out of whack.
If your wheels are all set to a different height or the alignment is off, your grass patterns will look way off.
Bent Mower Deck
If the mower deck is bent, the machine won’t move evenly through your yard. You can tell if the deck is bent simply by examining it. One of the most significant indicators is that the wheels aren’t all touching the ground.
Dull Blades
The blade on your lawn mower must be as sharp as possible to get a clean, quick cut. If the blade is too dull, the grass will get pulled up or torn. If they are dull, you will notice some blades get cut while other patches remain tacked.
Prepping Your Lawn
The best time for lawn maintenance is when it is dry but not overly dry. According to the pros, you should mow your lawn between 8 AM and 10 AM. This time period allows the morning dew to dry but avoids the hottest point in the day.
You could also opt for the early evening hours between 4 PM and 6 PM. Choosing these times will ensure you miss the hottest part of the day while giving the grass plenty of recovery time before night. Mowing too close to nighttime can make your lawn more susceptible to fungus and bacteria growth, so be mindful when working at these hours.
Know How to Mow
Knowing how to operate your lawn mower is essential when attempting to create elaborate lawn mowing designs.
You can’t walk too fast or too slow because this will create uneven patches throughout the yard. You must keep an even, steady, moderate pace the entire time.
You must also know your mower and can tell when something is off or if the bag needs emptying or the gas tank needs refilling.
It is also essential to get familiar with the mower’s turning radius and cutting width before you plan any specific patterns.
Final Thoughts
If you are searching for fun, fabulous, and unique ways to up your curb appeal this summer, look at the lawn mowing designs suggested above.
Keep in mind these are only a handful of the options out there. There are so many great ideas to try; you can change up your lawn every week if you want to, and we are confident the neighborhood would wait and watch each time.
