Setting the Height of Your Lawn Mower
When getting ready to mow a lawn, one key task that some people forget is setting the lawnmower to the correct height. To mow your lawn most effectively, you need to not only know how to set the height of your mower but also know what height to set it to. The chapter below will address both of those concerns.
How to Adjust the Height of a Typical Lawn Mower
Although there are several types of lawnmowers, we’ll consider how to adjust the height of one of the most popular lawn mower types—the walk-behind lawnmower. Walk-behind lawn mowers usually have levers and notches located near each of the four wheels.
Each lever will sit in one of the notches, which represents a specific mowing height. To change the height of the mower, you need to move the lever to a different notch. Typically, moving the lever towards the back of the mower will raise the height and vice versa.
To adjust the height properly, ensure that you set each wheel’s lever to the same notch height. If all four levers are not set to the same height, your mower will be uneven, resulting in an uneven mowing job.
How High Should You Set Your Lawn Mower?
Now that you know how to adjust the level of a lawnmower, it is time to set the height based on the length of your grass. Doing so requires you to have a goal height in mind for your lawn. That number may change based on your preference. However, it is usually best to keep your lawn at two to three inches tall.
Allow your lawn to surpass the height you want it to be before you mow. Then, set your mower to the height that you desire. Simply put, if you want your lawn to be three inches tall, set your lawnmower to a height of three inches.
In most cases, you won’t want to cut off more than a third of the grass’s total height. You should also avoid cutting off more than two inches of height, so keep those guidelines in mind while you set up your mower. If you struggle to judge the height of your grass, there is no reason you can’t use a tape measure or ruler to get an accurate measurement.