1. MOWING

2. MOWING EFFECT Mowing is a stress that is tolerates Removes PS tissue –Loss of CHO Wounding tissue Increases respiration

3. MOWING EFFECT Turf compensates for loss of tissue by increasing density Roots depend on shoots for CHO –Less root growth

4. MOWING HEIGHT Stoloniferous grasses tolerate low mowing heights –Stolons contain chlorophyll There is an optimal mowing height for every species –Warm-season turf Between 1” and 2”

5. MOWING HEIGHT Raise MH during environmental stress –Lower MH, greater stress Less roots Increased competition from weeds

6. MOWING EFFECT Lower MH affects turf growth habit Increased density Finer texture Faster thatch accumulation

7. 1/3 RULE Remove no more than 1/3 of tissue at one time Decrease MH over time to allow growth habit adaptation

8. 1/3 RULE Scalping: removing too much tissue Can kill during stress Useful during overseeding and dormancy emergence

10. MOWING FREQUENCY Lower the MH, more frequent mowing Infrequent results in scalping and excess clippings

11. CLIPPINGS Clippings do not contribute to thatch Returns as much as 2 lbs. N / 1000 sq ft Clipping removal collects seeds

12. MOWING DIRECTION Grain: blades lay in one direction –Influence ball roll on greens

13. MOWING DIRECTION Reel mower in same direction creates grain problems Rotary mower has vacuuming effect –Vary direction to avoid tire tracks –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyFlAw sLXSAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyFlAw sLXSA

15. ROTARY MOWERS Cuts on impact of horizontal blade Lower quality of cut

16. ROTARY MOWERS Mulching design

17. ROTARY MOWERS

23. Flymo

24. Cordless https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAB nyPzxB8Ehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAB nyPzxB8E

25. ROTARY MOWERS Robot mow Redneck automatic mower

26. ROTARY MOWERS DISADVANTAGE Potential cannon

27. ROTARY MOWERS SHARPENING BLADE Sharpen top side on each end

28. ROTARY MOWERS SHARPENING BLADE Balance blade –Mower will shake if unbalanced

29. ROTARY MOWERS SHARPENING BLADES

30. ROTARY MOWERS Mulching design vs standard blade

31. FLAIL MOWER T-shaped, vertical knives that rotated at high speed IN ACTION

32. FLAIL MOWER DISADVANTAGE Poor quality of cut –Essentially a grass shredder

33. FLAIL MOWER ADVANTAGE No projectiles No damage to blade

34. FLAIL MOWER

36. REEL MOWER Very good quality of cut Cut below 2”

37. REEL MOWER

38. REEL MOWER CONSISTS OF Reel: rotating cylinder of blades

39. REEL MOWER CONSISTS OF Bedknife: stationary blade In Action

40. REEL MOWER CONSISTS OF Reel and bedknife cut scissor-like

41. Dull or out-of-adjustment shreds blades –Hitting objects, such as rocks QUALITY OF CUT

42. QUALITY OF CUT DEPENDS ON 1. Sharpness Backlap: truing the metal edge with gritty compoundBacklap

43. QUALITY OF CUT DEPENDS ON 1. Sharpness Grinding: using grinding stone to sharpen edge In Action

44. QUALITY OF CUT DEPENDS ON 2. Adjustment Ideally, no contact between bedknife and reel –Reality, there is contact

45. QUALITY OF CUT DEPENDS ON 2. Adjustment Contact creates heat and dulls edges Grass clippings cool blades Don’t operate reel without cutting

46. Mowing Height Mowing height (MH): distance of bedknife from the ground

47. Mowing Height Set mowing height by adjusting the roller

48. Clip of the Reel Clip of the reel (CR): forward distance traveled between clips Number of blades on reel Rotational velocity of reel Forward operating speed of the mower

49. Clip of the Reel CR = MH  ideal CR > MH  wavy appearance (marcelling) CR < MH  poor cut

51. Greens mowing