Mulching Mowing Tips

COLD WEATHER STARTING ( 50 ° F and below)

•When engine starts, allow engine to run with the throttle control in the

choke position until the engine runs roughly, then move throttle control to fast position. This may require an engine warm-up period from several seconds to several minutes, depend- ing on the temperature.

•The attachments can also be used

during the engine warm-up period. NOTE: If at a high altitude (above 3000 feet) or in cold temperatures (below 32 F) the carburetor fuel mixture may need

to be adjusted for best engine perfor- mance. See "TO ADJUST CARBURE-

TOR" in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual.

MOWING TIPS

•Mower should be properly leveled for best mowing performance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the

Service and Adjustments section of this manual.

•The left hand side of mower should be used for trimming.

•Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area that has been cut. Have

the cut area to the right of the tractor. This will result in a more even distribu- tion of clippings and more uniform cutting.

•When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs, fences, driveways, etc. After one or two rounds, mow in the opposite direction making left hand turns until finished.

•If grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice to reduce load and

possible fire hazard from dried clippings. Make first cut relatively high; the second to the desired height.

•Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet grass will plug mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to dry before mowing.

•Always operate engine at full throttle when mowing to assure better mowing performance and proper discharge of material. Regulate ground speed by selecting a low enough gear to give the mower cutting performance as well as the quality of cut desired.

•When operating attachments, select a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the attachment being used.

IMPORTANT: For best performance, keep mower housing free of built-up grass and trash. Clean after each use.

•The special mulching blade will recut the grass clippings many times and reduce them in size so that as they fall onto the lawn they will disperse into the grass and not be noticed. Also, the mulched grass will biodegrade quickly

to provide nutrients for the lawn. Always mulch with your highest engine (blade) speed as this will

provide the best recutting action of the blades.

•Avoid cutting your lawn when it is wet. Wet grass tends to form clumps and interferes with the mulching action. The best time to mow your lawn is the early afternoon. At this time the grass has dried and the newly cut area will not be exposed to the direct sun.

•For best results, adjust the mower cutting height so that the mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades. For extremely heavy mulching, reduce your width of cut on each pass and mow slowly.

•Certain types of grass and grass conditions may require that an area be mulched a second time to completely hide the clippings. When doing a second cut, mow across or perpen- dicular to the first cut path.

•Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mow north to south one week

then change to east to west the next week. This will help prevent matting and graining of the lawn.