Craftsman 917.386411 manual Mulching Mowing Tips

MOWING TIPS

o Under certain conditions, such as very tall grass, it may be necessary to raise the height of cut to reduce pushing effort and to keep from overloading the engine and leaving clumps of grass clipping& It may also be necessary to reduce

ground speed and/or run the lawn mower over the area a second time.

,, For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the width of cut by overlapping previously cut path and mow slowly.

o When using a rear discharge lawn mower in moist, heavy grass, clumps of cut grass may not enter the grass catcher. Reduce ground speed (push- ing speed) and/or run the lawn mower over the area a second time..

o tf a trail of clippings is left on the right side of a rear discharge mower, mow in a clockwise direction with a small

overlap to collect the clippings on the next pass.

=Pores in cloth grass catchers can become filled with dirt and dust with use and catchers will collect less grass.. To prevent this, regularly hose catcher off

with water and let dry before using.

°Keep top of engine around starter clear and clean of grass clippings and chaff. This will help engine air flow and extend engine life.

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MULCHING MOWING TIPS

IMPORTANT: For best performance, keep mower housing free of built-up grass and trash. See CLEANING in Maintenance section of this manual.

o 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.

o 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.

o For best results, adjust the lawn mower cutting height so that the lawn mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades. If the lawn is overgrown it will be necessary to raise the height of cut to reduce pushing effort and to keep from overloading the motor and leaving clumps of mulched grass. For extremely heavy mulching, reduce your width of cut, mow slowly and raise the rear of the lawn mower one wheel adjuster setting higher than the front.

•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 perpendicular 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.

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