Swapped my push mower for a reel mower last spring and it's wild how different my yard looks now

I used to run over my lawn with a gas push mower every Saturday like clockwork, just hacking everything down to the same short length. Last March my neighbor in Omaha gave me his old manual reel mower cause he was moving and I figured I'd try it out for the hell of it. First time I used it I had to go slower and actually watch the blades cut instead of just blasting through. The grass comes out way cleaner looking, like each blade has a sharp tip instead of that frayed brown edge you get from a gas mower. I started mowing every 4 or 5 days instead of once a week and now the yard has this thick carpet feel I never got before. The downside is my arms get tired on the hill by the garage and I can't let the grass get too tall or the reel just rolls over it. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed their lawn actually got healthier instead of just shorter?

2 comments

2 Comments

bettyhunt1mo ago

A lower cut height on the reel mower helps with the thick grass problem, just keep an eye on it and sharpen the blades every few weeks.

the_skyler1mo ago

Read an article from some lawn care blog that said lowering the cut height lets more light hit the soil. Helps the grass thicken up instead of going all leggy and weak. But sharp blades are key, dull ones just tear the grass. Ends up looking brown and ragged.