Cutting Grass - Toro 20487 Operator's Manual

Keep the engine in good running condition.
WARNING
POTENTIAL HAZARD
Operating a lawn mower with its engine
running at a speed greater than the factory
setting can cause an unsafe operating condition.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
The lawn mower could throw a part of the
blade or engine into the operator's or
bystander's area and cause serious personal
injury or death.
HOW TO AVOID THE HAZARD
Do not change the engine speed setting.
If you suspect the engine speed is faster than
normal, contact your Authorized Service
Dealer.
Clean the air filter frequently. Mulching stirs up more
clippings and dust which clogs the air filter and
reduces engine performance.
To achieve the best mulching action, set the lawn
mower cutting height so the lawn mower cuts no more
than a third of the grass blade or a maximum of
one-inch- (25 mm) long clippings. If you try to mulch
more or if the grass is very lush, the mulching action
will be poor. Under these conditions, use the side
discharge or grass catcher. A few days later, install the
mulch plate on your lawn mower to resume mulching.

Cutting Grass

Grass grows at different rates at different times of the
year. In the summer heat, it is best to cut grass at the
C, D, or E cutting height settings. Cut only about a
third of the grass blade at a time. Cutting below the C
setting is not recommended unless grass is sparse or it
is late fall when grass growth begins to slow down.
When cutting grass over six inches (15 cm) tall, first
mow using the highest cutting height setting and
walking slower; then mow again at a lower setting for
best lawn appearance. If the grass is too long and
leaves clumps on top of the lawn, the lawn mower may
plug up and cause the engine to stall.
Alternate the mowing direction. This helps disperse
clippings over the lawn for even fertilization.
If the finished lawn appearance is unsatisfactory, try one
or more of the following:
Sharpen the blade.
Walk at a slower pace while mowing.
Raise the cutting height on your lawn mower.
Cut the grass more frequently.
Overlap cutting swaths instead of cutting a full swath
with each pass.
Mow across marginal areas a second time.
Set the cutting height on the front wheels one notch
lower than the rear wheels.
Cutting Leaves
After cutting the lawn, make sure that half of the lawn
shows through the cut leaf cover. You may need to
make one or more passes over the leaves.
For light leaf coverage, set all the wheels at the same
cutting height setting.
If there are more than five inches (12.7 cm) of leaves
on the lawn, set the front wheels one or two notches
higher than the rear wheels. This makes it easier to
feed the leaves under the lawn mower deck.
Slow down your mowing speed if the lawn mower
does not cut the leaves finely enough.
If you mow over oak leaves, you can add lime to the
grass in the spring to reduce the acidity of the leaves.
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