Rotary Lawnmower tuning/setup query

In excited anticipation of moving to our own house with garden I purchased a cyclinder lawnmower recently, understanding they offer a fantastic cut for lawns, and remembering our old neighbour when I was a child owning a cylinder push (edtd) mower and having the nicest lawns I think I've seen to date.

However, having set the thing up and spent an age calibrating, then testing on my parents' lawn I've found the thing is very haphazard in its cutting. It's a Wolf Garten 30cm and had really good reviews and reputation on Amazon and elsewhere.

However, I just can't get the machine to cut the entire surface of the lawn, and after trying a few rows - after optimizing height and blade settings - the normal grass is cut, but longer single blades of almost weed-like, 'long grass' (I'm not sure of the exact term for it) are left. This leaves a rather comical effect on the lawn; it's like a bad haircut.

I've attached an image below of how the lawn looks after being mowed, highlighting in pink circles those problem patches. Any assistance greatly appreciated, as at the moment a bit perplexed.



Thanks for your time,

Will

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner Will. To be honest it doesn't look like it's cut the lawn at all. I've just checked the mower out on the web and from what I can see the blades are set behind the cylinder. Only a guess but could the cylinder be flattening the grass before the blades reach it? Have you tried a push pull action similar to using a vacuum cleaner? Also check that the blades are set low enough. I really don't know what else to suggest, it may be worth your while sending an email to the makers to see what they suggest.

 

Hi Sheal. Thanks for the welcome That portion of the picture was more to show the long pieces of single tall grass (the remainder being impossible at the time due to the sun's glare). It does cut the lawn and collects the grass in the bag but it's just those longer pieces of grass left. That said, I do have a feeling that it's really not operation properly still, so you probably have a point.

I think I will shoot the manufacturers a quick email to ask them as I've set the blade height on both at literally all of the levels possible/combinations and still the problem occurs.
I think you're correct as regards the cylinder flattening the longer single long-grass stems, and may be it's a sign to weed those particular pieces of long-grass highlighted (I don't yet know the technical term for them).

Many thanks.

 

Do you cut twice, north to south then east to west, I find that`s the only way to get those annoying long bits, and the lawn looks more finished aswell.

 

Hi Pam, I don't at present - I am just starting with the cyclinder (edited) mower. In the past when cutting a lawn I've used my folks' Mountfield rotary lawnmower (which was a long, long time ago in my teens when still living here).

I guess that's the other thing, I don't know if it's normal to push the cylinder mower backwards and forwards like a vacuum cleaner in the tough spots, or if it's detrimental to the lawn/not the done thing. Also I wasn't sure if those longer pieces of grass picture in the image are weeds of a sort etc.

I shall certainly give the NSEW a shot in future, thanks for the suggestion.

 

First up, I'm a bit confused. We seem to be using the terms cylinder mower and rotary mower interchangeably. I thought a rotary mower was the more common (nowadays) type where the blades rotate under the machine, whereas a cylinder mower pushes the grass onto the blades.

I think, if I understand correctly, we're talking about a cylinder mower here?

Just a thought, from someone with no practical experience of cylinder mowers. I think people choose them because they are better for a very close cut. I'm wondering if they don't cut very well if the grass is a bit long? I.e. they are tuned for keeping short grass short and neat. Therefore I wonder if you went over it once with what I'd call a rotary mower (a more conventional type) to get the grass fairly short to start with, and then used the cylinder mower to get a neat finish and to keep it that way, I wonder if that would give better results?

 

I have an electric rotary with a roller on the back and do not go back and for.

 

Hi clueless. Sorry - I've used the term rotary inappropriately twice (apologies for the cause of confusion) those now changed.

From my research on lawns thus far, I understood - from 'Create the Perfect Lawn and Meadow' the cylinder mower gives a cleaner cut. So I am not sure if a rotary mower might 'damage' the grass blades. Though I guess if you cut with a rotary at length, and then the cylinder you should be okay, I still think the general force and exertion upon the grass blades from a rotary mower would still potentially damage the grass even if at a higher setting than that of the cylinder mower....

 

You have to keep the blades sharp on any sort of mower. which will cut the grass better. are you aiming for a very fine lawn, bowling green ??

 

The blades are super sharp (it's brand new). I guess I just wanted to know if the those pieces of long-grass as highlighted should be cut by the cylinder mower (as it cut the other grass, but not those) but am thinking now possible a rotary mower to give the lawn a general once over, then a cylinder for the perfect cut.

In the long run I'd definitely be looking for a very fine, bowling green type effect - though am aware it will take a long time (and wouldn't be carried out on the lawn pictured).

 

If the mower has sharp enough blades it will cause no damage to the grass below the height of the cut. If the blades are blunt, it will smash and rip the grass and uproot it rather than cutting it. Grass is ingenious stuff. It has evolved to use the fact that herbivores eat it to its advantage. The more you cut it, the more it new blades it send out from the base, so even if after the first cut it doesn't look great, as long as its fed and watered, regular mowing will just thicken it up with lush new growth.

In any case, looking at the pic, I wouldn't go for a close cut straight away yet anyway. The grass has got too long, and will be yellow/brown and sparse at the base. Best cut to about 2 inches first, and gradually lower the cutting height to get it to thicken up at the base. Once its quite short, I bet your cylinder mower will do an excellent job.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone. I shall take these all into account whilst testing out on the lawn pictured above, and my own new lawn (hopefully - in a month or two anyway....)

Thanks.

 

The bit highlighted is stalkey seed heads which are hard to cut, has Clueless said cut it with another mower first if you can, if not cut the long bits off with a pair of shears, Cylinder mowers like young fresh grass to cut and cut your grass little and offen, it will be hard at first but will get easyer

 

This is the lawnmower that Liketearsinrain has.....
http://www.gogarden.co.uk/wolf-garten-30cm-cylinder-hand-mower-wpcm.html

The blades are set behind the cylinder which is why I think it's flattening the grass before the blades reach it.