3/14/00
Mulching mower have become very popular in the past few years. They allow mowing without bagging for much of the year which helps reduce the total volume taken to landfills. There are even some good models out there that are electric and battery powered which make them excellent for small yards as well as large. There are a few things you need to do however, to get the best performance from a mulching mower.
Like any rotory mower, wet grass will cause clogging and clumping problems. Wet grass is like a big spit wad being stuck under the mower deck. This messy grass build up under the deck is an air flow problem with any rotory, but it completly disrupts the function of any mulching mower. A mulcher cuts the grass and tosses it around to be re-cut several times before falling out. This spit wad disruption of air flow destroys the action which will leave your lawn looking awful. Mowing dry is important with a mulching mower whenever possible. When it isn't, make sure to clean out the under deck as soon as mowing is finished to prevent the spit wad from drying hard and making removal difficult later on.
The other big factor with mulchers is to cut no more than 1 inch off the top of the grass when mowing. To work effectivly a mulcher simply cannot handle a heavier load. In spring time this may not be possible unless you mow 2 or 3 times a week. For this reason it's a good idea to buy a convertable which can be used as a bagging mower for those spring weeks when the grass grows much faster. A conservative approach in the use of fertilizers can help as well.
LMRM; Bob :<=