# Always mow in one direction, or change it up?



## bassadict69 (Apr 2, 2018)

Just curious...do you always mow in the same direction? Or do you change it up now and then and mow perpendicular to the other way?

For instance, if yard is rectangle, mow lengthwise a couple times, then switch it up and mow width wise...


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

You should always mow in different directions.


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## bassadict69 (Apr 2, 2018)

I usually do, but never knew for sure!


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I change mine up.


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## Lawn_newbie (Jun 19, 2018)

I rotate through all 8 directions. I cut with a rotary so I always cut twice and the second cut is perpendicular.


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## Nater (Jul 9, 2018)

I mow a different direction 4 times. If I have company coming over I mow the direction that is eye pleasing from the way they are walking to my front door.


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## Jacob_S (May 22, 2018)

Change perpendicular to last mowing each time. Around the edge/in the places I cant go perpendicular I go the opposite direction on passes from the last time.


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## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

If your using a lightweight push rotary and your st aug is thick and healthy, I think you would be alright mowing in the same direction everytime if its easier. If its a heavy rotary I would change it up. Are you asking because there are wheel marks or ruts from a previous mow?


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Two directions. I use to mow diagonals as well but that was a pain.


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## BakerGreenLawnMaker (Mar 13, 2018)

Each time I mow, I mow in four different directions. Vertical, horizontal, diagonal to the left, and diagonal to the right. I was told by an old school guy one time that if you mow in the same direction each time, than your grass will grow in that direction. Not sure how much validity that is, but it makes perfect sense to me.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

I mow 2 times in one direction and then switch. The stripes seem to be better the 2nd time. I mow 4 different directions. Left to right, front to back, 45 degree to the right and then 45 degree to the left. I've always heard you should change direction to prevent matting down the grass from the tires and to prevent the grass from learning to lay one direction.


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## badkirk (Jun 28, 2018)

I unfortunately can only mow my Bermuda 1 direction with my 52" Zero turn because of the slop of my yard any other direction scalps my yard (let the comments fly regarding my poor mower choice!) unfortunately now I'm seeing rutting issues with passing the same direction over and over. Any suggestions other than purchase a reel mower?


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

badkirk said:


> I unfortunately can only mow my Bermuda 1 direction with my 52" Zero turn because of the slop of my yard any other direction scalps my yard (let the comments fly regarding my poor mower choice!) unfortunately now I'm seeing rutting issues with passing the same direction over and over. Any suggestions other than purchase a reel mower?


Offset a pass so that the tires don't run in the same rut. To erase the ruts, aerate heavily with a good core aerator and leave the plugs in the lawn.


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## badkirk (Jun 28, 2018)

MasterMech said:


> badkirk said:
> 
> 
> > I unfortunately can only mow my Bermuda 1 direction with my 52" Zero turn because of the slop of my yard any other direction scalps my yard (let the comments fly regarding my poor mower choice!) unfortunately now I'm seeing rutting issues with passing the same direction over and over. Any suggestions other than purchase a reel mower?
> ...


 :thumbup: 
Thank you. Leveled and aerated this spring, intend to do it again on the front either this fall or spring of next year. Offsetting makes complete sense. I intend to move to a reel potentially next spring as well. I have a 65,000 sqft lot so I'm thinking a reel for the front and the ZT for the back. My wife is thrilled with the amount of money and time I'm spending on the yard. Lol


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## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

I can pretty much only mow parallel to the street because of my ditch. I can mow perpendicular but it's hard on the mower and hard on my back. I do however mow opposite directions every other mow and also offset the passes so it's not always following the same stripe, light stripes become dark stripes not sure of a better way to explain it :lol:


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Cory said:


> I can pretty much only mow parallel to the street because of my ditch. I can mow perpendicular but it's hard on the mower and hard on my back. I do however mow opposite directions every other mow and also offset the passes so it's not always following the same stripe, light stripes become dark stripes not sure of a better way to explain it :lol:


That's what I would do in your situation. :thumbsup:


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## 501Guy (May 11, 2018)

A testimonial that may help with wheel path ruts, grain/knap, scalps due to ground contour, etc. I realized that I'm not limited to mowing parallel to things or on a 90 or 45 degree angles to things, or even in straight or continuous paths. A change of only 5 or 10 degrees in direction from what seemed to be the only direction I could mow in certain areas eliminated rutting, for example. Once I started thinking out of the box, it became a fun challenge to address various other issues as well.


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## badkirk (Jun 28, 2018)

501Guy said:


> A testimonial that may help with wheel path ruts, grain/knap, scalps due to ground contour, etc. I realized that I'm not limited to mowing parallel to things or on a 90 or 45 degree angles to things, or even in straight or continuous paths. A change of only 5 or 10 degrees in direction from what seemed to be the only direction I could mow in certain areas eliminated rutting, for example. Once I started thinking out of the box, it became a fun challenge to address various other issues as well.


Great suggestion. I've only tried 90/45 definitely going to try small increments/adjustments to see what will give me the best level cut. One thing I've learned are usually my scalped spots turn into the greenest spots after a few weeks so what's there to lose!


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

Cory said:


> I can pretty much only mow parallel to the street because of my ditch. I can mow perpendicular but it's hard on the mower and hard on my back. I do however mow opposite directions every other mow and also offset the passes so it's not always following the same stripe, light stripes become dark stripes not sure of a better way to explain it :lol:


Could you mow parallel in the ditch till you reached the Crest and then mow angles from the street? It would give you a cool 2 direction pattern everytime you mow.


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## Gibby (Apr 3, 2018)

Does noone else do it this way?

https://youtu.be/dmCQkosIa2k


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## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

@TN Hawkeye I've tried but it looks funny, there really isn't enough room to do it. I have went diagonal all the way down to the bottom of the ditch too but it gets tore up from the rubber drum on the cal trimmer. It sucks cause I always liked mowing at a 45° from the street. When my back yard gets filled and gets leveled I can mow all the crazy patterns I want :lol:


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## Reel Low Dad (Jun 1, 2017)

In my front yard I can get away with any direction but may have to double cut since it is not level at all. Lots of bumps. My backyard I tend to go parallel to the house or perpendicular. If I go diagonal the mower tends to have a floating feeling.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

Cory said:


> @TN Hawkeye I've tried but it looks funny, there really isn't enough room to do it. I have went diagonal all the way down to the bottom of the ditch too but it gets tore up from the rubber drum on the cal trimmer. It sucks cause I always liked mowing at a 45° from the street. When my back yard gets filled and gets leveled I can mow all the crazy patterns I want :lol:


Hell, you got Fenway Park to play with back there. Hope to see some cool patterns.


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## bassadict69 (Apr 2, 2018)

FlaDave said:


> If your using a lightweight push rotary and your st aug is thick and healthy, I think you would be alright mowing in the same direction everytime if its easier. If its a heavy rotary I would change it up. Are you asking because there are wheel marks or ruts from a previous mow?


Just simply wondering what is best for the yard and best for the growth and healthiness of my SA. I do not have any trouble with ruts, etc.

I mow with using a Gravely 52" Zero Turn


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

For my perimeter passes I go opposite of the last direction I mowed. I try to remember if I went clockwise or counterclockwise around the perimeter then do the same around the house and trees. I mow in 4 different directions 45° clockwise from the last mow. If I can still see the stripe from when I did that pattern in the past I drive on the dark section so I'm offset and not burning in a grain.


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