As someone who owns a push mower, the "soft clipping sound" of the blades is not meditation. And I'm not actually a fan of the smell of cut grass, too many memories of cutting grass as a teenager in 100 degree weather in the south with lots of humidity.

Seriously, push mowers suck. They are better for the yard, and the environment, but they are a pain in the ass.

@shockwaver: Yeah, I was laughing at this one. A well-built, very-sharp-bladed push mower is less trouble than people probably think--provided the grass is reasonably short, the ground level, and the yard small. Those are hard provisions for most of us to meet. I think they're splendid, but this is sugar-coating something that requires a fair amount of commitment.

@shockwaver: As an owner/user of a reel mower myself, I agree that they're a pain. Any weeds taller than a few inches or thicker than a blade of grass are seemingly invincibile. I end up using a weed-eater for things a good mower would take care of.

Very time consuming.

Get one of those faucet timers and WATER AT NIGHT.

This way the water doesn't evaporate within a few minutes of hitting the ground. I just shake my head when I see people out at 3 in the after noon spraying their flowers/lawn with a hose.

@TakingItSeriously: It won't evaporate completely, but yes, you'll lose the greatest amount of water if you water during the sunny part of the day. Unfortunately, watering at night increases the chance of fungus, etc., on plants. So watering in the early morning is the ideal for additional watering. (Spraying with a hose is about the least effective way of watering anyway, since it doesn't encourage deep roots.)

Best of all, of course, is not to to water. I'm doing too much garden addition still to let young plants go unaided during really hot spells (I keep telling myself it'll pay off when I finally stop adding plants), but my lawn's on its own and it does just fine.

6. Hire a sheep.

o@zacox: Or a cow.

Or a goat.

I hate hard scape mainly because the majority of people who do it treat it like it's "no maintenance" not "low maintenance". Nothing looks worse to me than huge rocks covering what used to be a lawn with tall weeds sticking out and pieces of the weed cover scattered everywhere. Might as well just pave it.

I take it the author of this article has never used a push mower?

i own an acre of property...it would be a never ending cycle if i had to do it with a push mower. I love my 17 year old riding mower!

I completely ignore my lawn and let it die every summer. I've only mown once since June, and that was just to even out the height of the weeds.

Save time using a reel mower to save time? Maybe if your lawn was the size of a typical bedroom, but are you freaking kidding me?

Can't agree with mulching more . And along with your residential lawn - NO GOLF COURSE grass . Not only is it harder to maintain but the shorter you cut it the more you'll have to cut it .

But mulching is the key - I have neighbors who like short grass & bag it . At least 2 of them have given up on bagging and have hired contractors . The funny thing is though that after they hired the contractor the grass doesn't need to be so short . Both were new to houses with a lawn . Both must stopped and started the mower about a dozen times a cut to empty the bag . And that's another thing they frequently would skip and still try to bag and cut low .

And you don't need a self properpelled power mower . Yes the plain old push mower would be best but just plain gas powered push mower will do just as well . They have smaller engines and you can still mulch with them . And by the way mulching is related to cutting deck height and not a special blades . In other words don't set your wheels too low . I think 3" is the minimum height for mulching .

You can also mulch leaves . Dry leaves mulch a little better than green ones . Don't cut wet grass either . And please remember to cover the discharge shute when you mulch . The butt hole contractor the neighbor uses does not cover his discharge shute which sends debris all over . He likes that way because it doesn't leave lines or grass to rake up . I just have to sweep up or dust all the debris he stirs up . We also have had to shut the windows and rinse the cars when this bum is around .

A lawn will take some work but you do not need a golf course or Better Homes & Gardens cover .

@Mike8813: Why are you mowing the weeds rather than pulling them?

@witeowl: Because for the last year plus, I've lived in a shit-hole rental in southwest Kansas. The lawn is about 60% weeds. That is not an exaggeration. We tried our best to get it under control, but failed. Every lawn on the street looks like ours as well.

...Having said all that, I'm happy to say that we're moving on Tuesday. Far, far away from Garden City, Kansas.

@TakingItSeriously:

floraposte beat me to it. Watering at night will bring mold. Morning watering is the best. My neighbor who re-sods every spring, waters every night.

I set my mower deck to its maximum height. Longer grass looks better, requires less water, and promotes longer roots. I do water for an hour every other day though. But you won't need to. Here we are in August, and my front yard looks like carpet. I also have it aerated and over seeded every year.

my son (8) loves to mow his grandparents lawn with a reel mower. I think they even bought it for him for a birthday present one year.

he's never mentioned how relaxing it is though...

my neighbor uses one too, but that's because he's a cheap bastard.

@shockwaver: My husband loves his push mower. He can do it at 6 a.m. in the cool, listen to the birds, and chat with the neighbors.

But we don't have a lot of grass left, so there's not a lot of pushing. :)

@cleopatra82: I have a neighbor who DID just pave it. It's a little appalling.

We've got a huge planting of native prairie grasses and flowers slowly expanding in our far back yard. It'll eventually be ringed with a path, and on the outside of the path are sunflowers, strawberries, espaliered trees, etc.

It requires attention twice a year -- cutting it down in the fall, and some weeding & planting in the spring.

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Eeewww! I'm so sorry. If I had a neighbor do that, I think I would consider moving.

I've done quite well by removing the fence separating me from my blind neighbor every time he starts mowing his lawn.

@shockwaver: ...I'll bet you laughed and laughed and laughed when Bambi's mother was shot, too. Jeez, what's next: homemade lemon-aide stands are a structural hazard?! ;)

@zacox: No sheep - when they graze they tear the roots out, whereas a goat will clip the leaves while leaving the roots in the soil. Sheep are a reason for the Dust Bowl during the Depression.

@Kimaroo - 20% More Kitty Added!: The nicest part is all three are dual-use for those Friday nights when you can't get a date!

@shockwaver:

I have a push mower and am happy with it. I also have a postage-stamp sized lawn (I live in a townhouse - total lot size including the house is 3 one hundredths of an acre). For that little lawn, maintaining a gas mower isn't worth it. I can usually get my lawn mowed and edged in about 20 minutes.

The only annoying thing about the push mower is that the slightest twig will get stuck in it and bring it to a stop.

@FlyersFan: John Deere for the win. Push mowers are for people with postage-stamp lawns.

@TakingItSeriously: I hadn't considered that ... atm I only have a very small lawn and I only water when it's really hot out (a few weeks out of the summer). I've never been a "lawn care" guy and I keep most of my gardening on drip systems.

I have an rechargable electric mower. I love it, and it's going on 10 years now and still the same battery. It starts right up every time, even after sitting for all winter. No gas, no changing the oil, no killing your back trying to get the thing to start -- and it's quieter than a gas motor too.

@Trai_Dep: Tens. Literally TENS of children have been killed in the last century alone. Do you want that on your head?! I say ban lemonade stands!

@Trai_Dep: That's only legal in Newfoundland, Alabama, and New Zealand.

@TakingItSeriously: I water at about 5:30/6:00. It doesn't evaporate, and you a much smaller chance of fungus/moss. I had bleed over from my neighbor's system and had a bit of fungus growing until the grass grew in. Now that side of my yard is the best growing section.

@cleopatra82: Plant a few cacti/low water plants and roundup the rest every month or so and you're good.

@stpauliegirl: You obviously don't live on top of clay. That stuff is a sponge and if you don't keep it wet your foundation turns to gravel.

@zacox: smug...obviously NOT a homeowner (and likely won't be for quite a while)...must be nice not to be truly concerned about this topic. You meet all kinds on the net.

The Green Cheapskate must not live in a HOA. Especially with number 4.

@Necoras: But that's the point - it's LOW maintenance, not NO maintenance.

@Trai_Dep: You're ba-a-a-ad.

I keep on looking at creeping thyme and corsican mint for a lawn instead of the stupid grass. i hate my lawn.

@opticnrv: Wow, it's amazing that you could make such broad judgements from his leaving such a tiny comment.

@Necoras: Wow, I live on solid clay (in a sixty-year-old house) and I've never heard of this. From what I can see on a quick Google, it's only a topic in Texas--wonder why?

@madanthony: I have one too, that I bought as a backup for my gas mower. But my yard is huge, lumpy and has beaten the hell out of my gas mower. The push mower works but it takes twice as long and won't cut the grass if it's too high. I can't find a grass-catcher for it, either.

But if I had a little tiny yard it would be awesome.

@TakingItSeriously: I don't water the lawn at all. My yard is grass and weedy, and if it rains one day, the thing springs up to the sky and mowing is a nightmare. I LIVE for the crunchy days of August when I can go two or three weeks without mowing.

@weave: That sounds like something I should get to replace my gas mower. Although the lumpy, rocky yard might just kill that one too.

@u1itn0w2day: Well, sometimes in the Northeast, you have to make a judgment call on the wetness of your grass. We've gotten like a shitload of rain this year. I think today is the first time this season I've gotten to mow a perfectly dry lawn. Yes, it looks awesome, and John Deere riding tractors for the win.

@dkev: Any good websites for tips on that? Our lawn is pretty sad.

@ohnoes: i've actually been thinking about getting a goat at my new house. it's zoned for it.
my neighbor left me a letter the other day asking if i would pay him [unemployed contractor] to mow and maintain my yard.
i think tomorrow i have to tell him that i don't plan to keep the grass. i already bought portulaca seed to put out after the last frost in spring. also, i spent all my money on the whole buying the house, moving and utility hook up fees. the growing greenery gets to wait until i have a little more green in the bank

Bought a reel mower last week, nostalgic of how my dad maintained our large yard with one when I was a kid. It doesn't do a great job, but it's nice to not be firing up the gas every time. And I need the exercise.