# robot lawnmower / automower - do you see a reduction in weeds? and cut height



## Canadian Content (Jul 30, 2020)

i am curious for those who own robot lawnmowers. did you find a reduction in weeds when switching to using one of these machines due to the increased frequency of it cutting every day vs every 3-4 days or 1 week for that matter?

i am also curious to know if the cut height settings are the same in your yard as when you use a rotary or electric/gas lawn mower in cool season lawns. the reason for this inquiry is i noticed that so many different robot lawn mower manufacturers have a low cut height and wonder if those models were designed for warm season lawns.

-CC


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I think the type of cutting the use matters. A neighbor has one that uses a string trimmer to cut (beat) the grass. I dont like it. I'm in the research phase to buy a Husqvarna 315X or 415X. This ones uses a razor blade to cut and I heard good things about it.


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

g-man said:


> I think the type of cutting the use matters. A neighbor has one that uses a string trimmer to cut (beat) the grass. I dont like it. I'm in the research phase to buy a Husqvarna 315X or 415X. This ones uses a razor blade to cut and I heard good things about it.


Is this something your looking for when your away or on vacation? I can see the advantage time wise of not having to mow every day but am surprised to hear you looking for a auto mower.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Yeah, the main purpose is when I travel (BC - before covid). They are being used in golf courses fairways. The quality of cut is pretty good. The idea is to let it mow during the week and on weekends I will do a reel/stripe mow. The wife was sold on the idea that I will mow one less day/week.

I will need to install a lot of wire. A cheaper option is to give my son a manual reel mower.


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## dsc123 (Mar 22, 2020)

I bought the cheapest Husqvarna model in March or April, the Automower 115H. It was on sale for $999, about $200 less than normal. The H stands for high cut. I think it ranges from 2" to 3.6". That may still be on the short side for summer TTTF, but it's worked for me.

I have a half acre lot, but only about 10k sq tf of grass. My front yard is pretty steeply sloped, and right at the edge of the mower's stated capability.

Its amazing. I love it. Unequivocally.

I do have fewer weeds, but I can't say its because of the mower vs the weed killer I've used.


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## Canadian Content (Jul 30, 2020)

dsc123 said:


> I bought the cheapest Husqvarna model in March or April, the Automower 115H. It was on sale for $999, about $200 less than normal. The H stands for high cut. I think it ranges from 2" to 3.6". That may still be on the short side for summer TTTF, but it's worked for me.
> 
> I have a half acre lot, but only about 10k sq tf of grass. My front yard is pretty steeply sloped, and right at the edge of the mower's stated capability.
> 
> ...


i have been eyeing a 115H and 430HX as they are the only ones that will cut 3.6" or 3.9." i just found it quite puzzling why most cut so low. i am really thinking it will come in handy on those weeks we all have that we are uber busy.


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## dsc123 (Mar 22, 2020)

Canadian Content said:


> dsc123 said:
> 
> 
> > I bought the cheapest Husqvarna model in March or April, the Automower 115H. It was on sale for $999, about $200 less than normal. The H stands for high cut. I think it ranges from 2" to 3.6". That may still be on the short side for summer TTTF, but it's worked for me.
> ...


I haven't started my mower once since I bought it. Like most here, I always enjoyed mowing. But it was hard to find the time to for a mid-week cut. The biggest surprise to me, though, is how much it liberated my weekends. Its not just the 45 min I save start to finish. I no longer have this "to do" hanging over me on weekends that I have to fit in between golf and family time. Or if I try to make weekend plans, I don't have to add mowing time to the equation. Its far more liberating than I expected.


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## TheSwede (Jul 10, 2018)

I've been using a Husqvarna Automower since 2013 with good results on my lawn. I am probably biased because I know a bunch of people developing these mowers but IMHO the Husqvarna automowers are the best out there -usability is great, how it cuts and how it negotiates obstacles and tight areas, as well as how it leaves and finds the charging station and how it moves between cutting areas.

A couple things to think about is that you should buy one that has more capacity than the size of you lawn. If you have 10000 sqft and you buy one that can cover 10000 sqft it will pretty much be mowing around the clock. Also, since most robot mowers mow in a random pattern, the lawn won't look perfectly uniform, unless you let it mow often. There will always be that little annoying patch of long grass in the lawn that the mower just happened to miss 3 mows in a row during its random walk. If you have kids that tend to leave toys and other stuff on the lawn, you need to pick it up or you'll have shredded toys all over the yard and/or a mower that has stopped due to blocked wheels or rotor.

Husqvarnas patented guide-wire solution to bring the mower to the charging station and to various cutting areas greatly reduces the "tracking" (visible tire tracks in the lawn) that is common with mowers that find and follow the boundry wire back to the charging station.


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## jacobpd (May 12, 2020)

I have a 430XH. 
If you mow low, yes, because weeds normally can not grow well, especially those broad leave weeds. 
If you mow high, weed still be there, however, they can not grow higher either. 
However, there is no help for Poa A or T, because they are basically blue grass. 
no matter how low you mow, Poa A can still make seeds.


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## Canadian Content (Jul 30, 2020)

jacobpd said:


> I have a 430XH.
> If you mow low, yes, because weeds normally can not grow well, especially those broad leave weeds.
> If you mow high, weed still be there, however, they can not grow higher either.
> However, there is no help for Poa A or T, because they are basically blue grass.
> no matter how low you mow, Poa A can still make seeds.


what is your height of cut over the seasons,?, do you vary that height at all to control any weeds (over a short period of time) at the cost of stressing your lawn for a short bit?


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## jacobpd (May 12, 2020)

I usually cut at 2 in spring.
3.6 in summer.
2.5 in fall.

Cutting low will control the weeds and push the lawn to spread given you have KBG.

To be honest,when you maintain at 2, even the lawn has weeds, you can hardly notice them unless you take a very close look


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

Another option available is to use plant growth regulator. You would be able to easily get by with cutting once per week while your grass is regulated. Re-application is generally every 3 weeks or so.

I cut mine at 1" or below and can get away with cutting every 6-7 days.

Nitrogen will also help KBG spread and good cultural practices will help keep weeds away.

I'm not saying don't but an automower. It certainly is an option for some people. A neighbor of my parents has one and his grass looks incredible. It certainly looks like a TLF lawn!


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## jacobpd (May 12, 2020)

If safety is not an issue(the chance of being stolen is low). 
I highly recommend to get a robot. 
It is a game changer. 
Since I have installed the automower, keeping a good Lawn is a breeze. 
In the long run, it will save tons of money. 
All you need to do is just basic edging, watering (if needed), fertilizing, spraying some tenacity (when necessory)
If you grow KBG, basically nothing else need to do. 
If you grow TTTF or PRG, you may have to overseed once a while. 
That's all. 
I have not done much things yet and my lawn is already the best looking lawn in our neighborhood.
In fact, almost all my neighbors hire professional lawn care companies to take care their lawns. 
I DIY with my robot.
My lawn is about 20,000 sqft with slopes. The automower has really saved my life.


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## Marlon (Jun 25, 2019)

dsc123 said:


> I bought the cheapest Husqvarna model in March or April, the Automower 115H. It was on sale for $999, about $200 less than normal. The H stands for high cut. I think it ranges from 2" to 3.6". That may still be on the short side for summer TTTF, but it's worked for me.
> 
> I have a half acre lot, but only about 10k sq tf of grass. My front yard is pretty steeply sloped, and right at the edge of the mower's stated capability.
> 
> ...


How much slope do you have? I'm thinking of the 430x.


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## dsc123 (Mar 22, 2020)

The 115H is rated for 17 degree slopes in the working area. I have a couple spots that are around 17-18 degrees. Most of the lawn is closer to 10-13 degrees. It handles the slopes fine.

The only exception is a place on the edge of the lawn, in a shaded area where the grass hasn't grown in and its often wet. I think if I can get grass to grow there, it will get enough traction. If not, there's no sense in cutting it anyway and I'll just find some other ground cover.


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