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What is a Reel Mower? How does a Reel mower work?

March 22nd, 2010

Get a reel mower! I have a Reel Mower! These mowers Reely work! Reel men push mow!

The list is long for these clever and popular puns. Huh? What is a “reel” mower anyway? For many green industry “professionals”, namely landscape contractors, golf course superintendents, turfgrass managers, etc., the term “reel mower” is common. But your average everyday American has absolutely no idea.

Let me explain (in brief):

Reel Mower Concept

Reel mowers have curved blades that produce a cutting action alongside a stationary steel plate (like a can of Pringles chips rolling across a table). The blades form a spiral around the reel axis, and as they spin, the spiral of blades forces grass past the stationary plate. Reel mowers leave behind clean-cut grass, as if the grass had been cut with sharp scissors.

New reel mower technology has advanced since the days of Grandpa’s old clunker. Unlike the cutting action of scissors, it is not necessary for the blades of the spinning reel to contact the stationary plate. A clean cut is possible if the gap between the blades and the plate is less than the thickness of the grass. This modern reel mower technology is referred to as “contact-free”, “non-contact”, “silent-cut”, and many other terms. The benefit is a mower that is easier to push, and a mower that does not require sharpening. What, no sharpening? Nope. Think about it, there is no metal-on-metal contact to cause the reel blades to become dull. The blades only come in contact with grass, wood, and the occasional pebble or two – non of which will cause the blades to lose its edge.

There is a ton to talk about so feel free search around our learning center and read more more about reel mower technology, and how your lawn may benefit by using a reel mower.

Rating: 9.2/10 (14 votes cast)

Tags: cutting, lawn mowing, lawnmower, modern mowers, mower information, mowing quality, reel mower

Posted in FAQ's, General, General Lawn Topics, Lawn Mower Facts, Quality Of Cut, Reel Mower History

Reel Mowing Quality of Cut – Part 2

July 6th, 2009

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Have you ever looked closely at a lawn mowed using a rotary mower, especially a day or two after mowing? You will see a brown haze to the surface of the lawn and a closer look will easily show the splintered and shattered tips of each blade of grass that has died back an 1/8 of an inch or so, victim to the brutal bashing from the rotary mower blade.

This is bad for several different reasons. The first and simplest is the appearance, it just doesn’t look as green as it should or could. You will not see this brown haze color on professional high quality grass stands like golf courses or athletic fields. This is because there is no trauma or damage caused by a rotary mower, and we are talking about grass mowed at very short heights. You can achieve the same professional results at home and eliminate the brown shade on the surface by mowing your own lawn with a reel mower.

Secondly, all this damage on the tips of each blade opens up millions of damaged sites for disease to enter the grass plant and affect your entire lawn. It is the equivalent of humans having a compromised immune system and being more susceptible to colds and flu germs…

Conversely, a grass blade scissored off with a reel mower has none of this damage on the tips, just a perfectly clean cut that does not open the door for excessive disease pressure. Grass cut using a reel mower requires less energy from the plant itself to heal the damage, cutting down on fertilizer, water requirements, weed control, and disease control.

You may remember that I stated in HOC discussions that the best defense against weeds is a strong stand of grass. All are good side benefits for the environment, and for your wallet and your time. Take the time you spend dragging the sprinkler around the yard and pushing the spreader back and forth and use it to put an extra reel mower cut on your lawn each week. It will be time well spent and it won’t cost you any money.

Rating: 10.0/10 (3 votes cast)

Tags: cutting, mowing quality, Quality of Cut

Posted in Lawn and Turf Care, Quality Of Cut

Reel Mowing Quality of Cut – Part 1

July 2nd, 2009

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Further to the basics of cutting height (you can read more here) and how it influences the quality of your lawn, let’s examine the equally important quality of cut (QOC).

In a separate blog entry I used the roses in the blender analogy to illustrate what happens to tender grass blades when cut using a rotary lawn mower. The key element at work in mowing grass with a rotary mower is SPEED – speed of the blade turning fast enough to tear or flail the tips off of the grass being mowed.

You may be surprised to learn that only the last ¼ to ½ inch of a rotary lawn mower blade ever does any actual cutting, but if you think about it the blade is moving so fast, that as you push the mower forward only that portion of the blade makes contact with the longer grass blade – everything farther down the blade just passes over the already mowed grass.

The sharpness of the blade is another misunderstood concept. Many people believe that a rotary blade should be extremely sharp, this is a misnomer:

Firstly, if you use a rotary you know that a razor sharp blade is impossible to maintain, just a few minutes of cutting will dull rotary blades significantly. The lifting force that many rotary mowers are designed with today also brings all kinds of debris into contact with the blade, dulling it significantly. That is why a rotary mower dealer or mechanic will not even recommend a blade that sharp, because it can’t be kept that way and is more susceptible to damage as you try to make it sharper and the leading edge becomes thinner.

Finally you would need to sharpen the rotary blade after every mowing, which is not only inconvenient; it can be dangerous if you are not careful and know what you are doing. If the blade is not perfectly balanced each time it can put tremendous strain on the mower as an unbalance blade spins irregularly on the drive shaft of the engine.

The bottom line is that the only way a rotary can mow grass is by shear speed and to smash the tips off the blades of grass. No matter what you do, you cannot overcome this mode of mowing action with a rotary lawn mower.

If you want the best looking, most healthy grass – stick to using a reel lawn mower. All the professionals use reel mowers……

Rating: 7.6/10 (5 votes cast)

Tags: cutting, grass, mowing practices, mowing quality, Quality of Cut, rotary mower

Posted in Lawn and Turf Care, Quality Of Cut

Height of Cut Continued Part 4

June 29th, 2009

3 Comments

I’ve talked about the highest quality grass in the world and it’s no coincidence that all of it is cut with reel mowers. Rotary mowers are virtually nonexistent in Europe where for centuries all manner of lawns have been mowed with reel mowers. The great gardeners of Europe wouldn’t consider mowing their prized lawns with a rotary mower. You shouldn’t either. I’d like to summarize some of the information I’ve discussed regarding mower cutting height – specifically when it relates to eco friendly reel mowers.

Much of what you may read and hear as you research proper mowing/cutting height suggests that your lawn should be at least 3 inches long to be successful and healthy. This is absolutely NOT true.

First things first, all good quality turf grass must have decent soil, adequate nutrition, and proper water to be successful and healthy. Given these elements in reasonable amounts it is proven on some of the finest stands of turf in the world that a shorter grass blade length or HOC will always produce a better stand of grass, and the only way to really achieve this good quality of cut at this recommended shorter HOC is with a reel mower. Again, a reel mower cuts by a scissors like action and cuts the blade cleanly inflicting as little damage to the leaf blade as possible and allows a cut height of any length all the way down to 1/16th of an inch and still provides good quality grass.

With a rotary lawn mower anything under 1 ¾ inches puts so much stress on the grass plant that it will soon decline and weeds will invade and the stand will get worse and worse with time. It simply can’t be done with a horizontal blade spinning at high speed that essentially tears the end of the grass blade.

Imagine taking a beautiful bouquet of roses and before placing them in a vase of water putting the stems into a whirring blender to put a fresh cut on the stem as the florist recommends instead of using scissors or a sharp knife. The resulting smashing action of the stem is the exact difference between mowing a tender grass blade with a rotary mower versus a reel mower. There simply is no comparison!!

Remember, the best quality grass in the world is all cut using reel mowers. Rotary mowers are practically nonexistent in much of Europe where for centuries lawns have been maintained using reel mowers. The grand gardeners of Europe would not even think about mowing their cherished lawns using a rotary mower. You shouldn’t either. The reel mower will remain the premiere mower of the future with so many environmental positives that we will talk about in the upcoming posts.

Rating: 7.0/10 (3 votes cast)

Tags: cultural practices, cutting, frequency, grass height, reel mower

Posted in Height of Cut, Lawn and Turf Care, Quality Of Cut

What is Grasscycling?

May 13th, 2009

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What is “Grasscycling” ? It is simply leaving your grass clippings on the lawn!

10 Reasons Why You Should Grasscyle

1. Grassclippings are a large portion of the waste stream so grasscycling will help reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill.

2. When properly clipped, grassclippings decompose quickly and release nutrients back into the soil.

3. You will have a healthier looking lawn.

4. Eliminates the necessity for collection and disposal.

5. It’s easy and can save time.

6. Grasscycling greatly reduces the need for fertilizer because grass clippings return nitrogen to the soil.

7. Frequent mowing at a low cutting height deprives the root system of nutrients and moisture. Longer grass blades create more shade, providing the soil protection from the sun.

8. By mowing at a raised height, you reduce stress that can retard root growth.

9. If you have a gardener, grasscycling will save your gardener time because there are no clippings that require collection and disposal. Encourage your gardener to grasscycle!

10. Grasscyling is good for your lawn.

How to grasscycle

Basic Rule: Do not cut any more than 1/3 of the length of the grass blade at one time.

Proper mowing is the key to grasscycling. Grass should be dry and the mower blades sharp. In the fast growing season you may have to cut every seven days-but in the slower growing season you might only need to cut your lawn every 7-14 days.

During a “wet season” or at a time your grass cannot be mowed as frequently as desired, you might have an excess of clippings. This is an excellent opportunity to put your clippings in a backyard compost pile.

Watering
Water in the early morning if possible. Do not over-water. Too much water will cause your lawn to develop shallow root systems. Water less frequently but deeper.

Fertilizing
Do not over fertilize. Proper fertilization is important, however, over fertilization can weaken a lawn by causing excessive growth. It is best to apply smaller quantities more frequently.

Lawnmowers:
There are several brands of recycling mowers available that cut grass into small pieces and force them into the soil. However, you do not necessarily need to purchase a recycling mower to grasscycle. Almost any mower will work by raising the cutting height. If your mower has a collection bag, remove it to allow clippings to drop into the soil. However, if your mower does not have a safety flap covering the opening where the bag fits into the chute, or a plug for the chute, contact your local retailer to purchase a retrofit kit.

Most Common Misconceptions:

Grasscycling causes thatch build up.
No! Studies have shown that grass roots are the primary cause of thatch, not grass clippings. And, a small amount of thatch is actually beneficial. It serves as a mulch, preventing water evaporation and soil compaction.

Grasscycling spreads lawn disease.
No! The primary cause of disease spread is improper watering and fertilizing. If a disease is present, infestation will occur whether you are grasscycling or not.

My lawn will look bad.
No! Grasscycling will give you a healthier looking lawn if it is mowed, watered, and fertilized properly.

Grasscycling is not new. Many parks and golf courses have been practicing grasscycling successfully for years.

Grass Clippings

Many homeowners remove grass clippings after mowing to prevent thatch buildup. However, it has been shown that grass clippings do not contribute significantly to thatch buildup. Clippings can remain on most lawns, and help to keep them healthy, as long as the grass is mowed often enough.

Source:

“Grasscycling,” Recycle Works: A Program of San Mateo County:
http://www.recycleworks.org/compost/grasscycling.html [accessed on May 6, 2008].

Rating: 10.0/10 (1 vote cast)

Tags: clippings, cutting, grass, grass height, lawn mowing, mowing practices

Posted in General Lawn Topics, Lawn and Turf Care, Mowing Height, Quality Of Cut

Reel Mowers vs. Rotary Mowers

May 13th, 2009

2 Comments

Reel mowers have curved blades that produce a cutting action alongside a stationary steel plate. The blades form a spiral around the reel axis, and as they spin, the spiral of blades forces grass past the stationary plate. Reel mowers leave behind clean-cut grass, as if the grass had been cut with sharp scissors. Unlike the cutting action of scissors, however, it is not necessary for the blades of the spinning reel to contact the stationary plate. A clean cut is still possible if the gap between the blades and the plate of the rotary mower is less than the thickness of the grass.

Reel Lawn Mower Diagram Drawing

Rotary mowers, typically powered by gas or electric engines, cut with a single horizontal blade revolving at high speed. As it travels under a rotary blade, grass is torn and its edges are frayed. Consequently, grass blades are often left jagged as a result of rotary mowing. Grass with jagged edges will have a more difficult time healing from mowing and is more susceptible to disease and moisture loss.