Which Lawn Mower will You Choose?

A well-maintained lawn enhances the beauty of garden and makes a walk on it a pleasure. For maintaining a neat lawn you just need the right equipment. Amongst many types of equipment, a lawn mower is an important one, but while buying it many gardeners get confused because of the variety of types and features it comes in. Of course a reputable company is the main criteria for buying any good garden equipment. E.g. G & G Equipment, Inc. is one such reputable company which is a full service shop, and factory-trained and authorized dealers of Briggs & Stratton and Kohler engines. Let’s see what types and sub-types are available in lawn mowers.

Lawn mowers are roughly of two types – walk-behind mower or riding mower.

Walk-behind Mower

Horsepower: Engines with higher horsepower are needed to enhance mulching performance. Extra power will be needed if you often let your grass become tall prior to cutting.

4-cycle: In 4-cylce engine mowers same gas like that of an automobile is used.

Self-propelled: For larger (more than 1/3 acre) or hilly lawns, self-propelled mowers help reduce effort and time to mow the lawn. Some of these come with single speed while others feature multiple speed system so that you can adjust the pace.

High Wheels: Mowers having larger back wheels provide extra maneuverability which is particularly useful for hilly, uneven lawns.

Grass-cutting: Most of the walk-behind mowers come with a convertible cutting deck for dispersing grass trimmings in minimum two ways. Those with 2-in-1 ability can manage lawn clippings by either mulching or discharging them (also in some cases bagging or mulching them). Mowers also come in 3-in-1 ability, i.e. bag, mulch or discharge and also 4-in-1 versatility, i.e. bag, discharge or mulch from the rear or side of the mower.

Bagging – This option is better when you desire to collect the grass trimmings or leaves. This is great for compost.

Discharging – When the grass is too tall or wet to mulch efficiently, the discharging option disperses the trimmings out uniformly from the side of the cutting deck.

Mulching – Cuts grass into fine trimmings which act as a nice natural fertilizer for the soil.

Riding Mower

Zero Turn Radius Tractor or Lawn Tractor: Both of these are similar in that they both are good for cutting lawns. But ZTR tractor is better if your lawn is landscaped and needs extra maneuverability for mowing. This tractor has a 360-degree turning arrangement to mow literally anywhere you require, like around shrubs, trees or other obstacles easily.

Cutting Deck Width: Your yard size will determine the width of the cutting deck of your riding mower. As a rule, if your yard is up to 1 ½ acres you will need 42” cutting deck, while if it is more than that, you will need 46” cutting deck.

Horsepower: If you want to add accessories to your tractor, higher horsepower mowers will be required. Also if you let your grass grow tall before cutting, extra horsepower is recommended.

Manual 5-speed or Automatic Transmission: Just like automobiles, riding mowers too come with different transmissions.

In manual 5-speed transmission, shifting and clutching are needed to change speeds, while in automatic and hydro-automatic ground speed is controlled by a pedal. Difference between automatic and hydro-automatic is in hydro-automatic requires no clutching or shifting, enabling both hands to be placed on the steering wheel and automatic transmission should be shifted into reverse or forward, like a car.

Thus by knowing about various types of lawn mowers you can take more educated decision while buying according to your particular needs.