Yard-Man 13875-9 - Mowing Patterns; Cutting Tips

able to battle the weather and will lose quality.
Twice a week cutting is best throughout the
summer, hot or not, right up to the time growth
stops In the late Fall.
When cutting tall heavy grass or on rough ground,
place the cutting unit in the highest cut position
and the rider in the slowest ground speed.
Gradually reduce the cutting height over several
passes.
IMPORTANT
Keep the underside of the mower
deck clean and keep the blades
sharp for good quality cutting. Dull
blades will bruise and tear the grass
and cause a yellowing appearance.
MOWING PATTERNS
The side discharge mowing deck will throw grass
clippings to the right. You can take advantage of
this as follows:
b. If you are not going to remove grass clippings,
a mowing pattern Is of no concern. However,
you should criss-cross or generously overlap
each pass to avoid missed spots. See figure
16.
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c riss*
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FIGURE 16.
With the rear discharge mowing deck you have
freedom of choice between the three patterns
shown here. However, overlap each pass to avoid
missed spots.
CUTTING TIPS
a. If you are going to remove clippings after you
mow, start mowing at one side of your lawn
and proceed around the lawn In a clockwise
pattern. Using this pattern, the discharge
chute will distribute clippings to a center spot
for easier pick-up and removal. See figure 14.
Keep in mind, however, that In subsequent passes
a poor quality of cut can result because the mower
will have to cut BOTH grass and the clippings
which have been thrown toward the center of the
lawn. If the clippings are heavy and If the grass is
also heavy, the combined load may cause the
mowing deck to clog. In such situations it Is best
to mow in a counter-clockwise direction so
clippings will not be re-cut. See figure 15.
. '
> Counterclockwise
-.
FIGURE 15.
1. W hen cutting tall, heavy grass, don’t try to cut
to the desired height in one pass. Set the
blades higher than the final height and make
several passes, gradually reducing grass
height. Maintain high engine speed at all
times for fast blade rotation and select
ground speed suitable for ground conditions
with the shift lever.
2. W hen cutting deep grass, it is recommended
that the clipping be raked off the lawn.. .or
removed with Trail Sweep or Vac-Sweep.
3. C u t the lawn before spreading fertilizer, weed
killer, etc. Otherwise the blade action will
suck up the material you have spread and
discharge it through the chute along with the
grass clippings.
4.
5.
Mow before you water the lawn. Wet grass
clippings are likely to cling to the underside
of the mowing deck housing.
CAUTION
Always check the gasoline supply BEFORE
you start to use the tractor to be sure you have
enough gasoline in the tank to do the entire
job. If a refill is necessary let the engine cool
before pouring gasoline in the tank. A hot
engine can Ignite gasoline, causing an
injurious explosion.
6. If grass develops a brown look after cutting,
the cause can be dull cutting blades...or
cutting was done at too slow a blade speed.
Keep the blades sharp and the engine at % to
full throttle.
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