Hand Mower

The Comeback of the Hand Mower

The old push mowers have been transformed by new technology

Lawnmowers have come a long way since the time when you needed real muscle power to push a gasoline-powered backyard model around your back-forty. Today, few of the 5 million power mowers sold annually require anything more than a gentle guiding hand to get them around a lawn, and at $250 and up, the pricier models can even “mulch” their own cuttings so you can leave shorn blades on the ground and skip the raking. But who has an acre of Kentucky blue-grass to worry about anymore? And aren't you getting a little tired of finding your mower out of gas or in need of a tuneup?

A hand-powered push mower may be just what you need. Today's version of the old wood and cast-iron models that were around back when the Model T was in vogue cost as little as $200, and they weigh less than half what their predecessors did. What's more, the new heat-treated alloy steel edge that's used to make the blades gives these mowers a scissor-like edge that seldom requires sharpening. So fine is the new push mowers' cut, in fact, that the clippings can be left to decompose on the lawn, cutting back on the need for chemical fertilizers. And since the new mowers don't pollute the air, they will be exempt from federal clean-air rules for gas.

Top manufactures of these high-tech push mowers include American Lawn Mower/Great States Corporations and Agrifab Inc., which specializes in the top-of-the-line models that are especially favored by groundskeepers and other lawn-maintenance perfectionists.

The Grass is Always Greener

To pick the best grass seed for your lawn, take into account the growing region (defined by humidity level and mean temperature), micro-climate (how much sun the lawn gets throughout the day), mainteannce time, expected foot traffic:

Gulf Coast

Bahiagrass (Paspalum) – This wide, coarse-bladed grass is not particularly attractive, but its raggedness and deep root system make it good for erosion control. Micro-climate – sunny to partly shady/foot trafic high/maintenance – low.

Northern

Bengrass (Agrostis) – Often used on putting greens, this high-maintenance grass should be used only on low-traffic areas or where soft-soled shores are worn. - Sunny to partly shady/Low traffic/High maintenance.

Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa) – The most popular of cool-season grasses for its beauty and ruggedness and flexibility. It will excel with minimum maintenance almost anywhere. Sunny to partly shady/Medium to heavy/ Low to high.

Perennial Ryegrass (Festuca) – This quick-growing and reasonably hardy grass is used in seed mixes to provide cover and erosion control while the other seeds take root. Sunny to partly shady/Medium/Medium to high.

Tall Fescues (Festuca) – Though it is a cool-season grass, this though wide-bladed turf has good heat tolerance and grows well in areas with a steep range of weather. It is often used on playgrounds because of its extreme ruggedness. Sunny to partly shady/Heavy/Medium.

Flowers, just flowers. Photo by Elena.

Southern

Bermudagrass (cynodon) – Fast-growing, this wide-bladed grass requires frequent-edge-trimming, but will tolerate high traffic. Popular in the South for its vigor and density. - Sunny/High/Medium to high.

Zoysua (Zoysia) – Takes root very quickly and crowds out other grasses and weeds. It turns a not entirely unattractive straw yellow in cold weather and requires little maintenance in general. Sunny to partly shady/high/low to medium.

West Central

Buffalograss (Buchloe) – Like wheatgrass, a native turf that is thick and rugged, requires low maintenance and will not grow over 4 or 5 inches if left unmowed. - Sunny/Medium/Low.

Southern

Carpetgrass (Axonopus) – Coarse but sensitive to wear, used primarily on hard-to-mow places because of its low maintenance and slow growth rate. Sunny/Low/Low.

Centipedegrass (Eremochloa) – a Good middle-of-the-road grass-easy to care for, will tolerate some shade, and is vigorous and attractive. It requires two seasons to grow. Sunny to partly shady/Low/los.

South Atlantic

St.Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum) – Dense and spongy, it is prized for its high shade tolerance. Not available in seed form, but usually sold as fairly inexpensive sod. Sunny to shady/medium/medium to high.

High Plain

Wheatgrass (Agrropyron) – Thick and tough, this native grass grows on the high plains of the Northwest. It will withstand weather extremes and heavy traffic and requires mowing about once a mouth.