Mowing Tips; Mulching Mowing Tips - Craftsman 917.270773 Owner's Manual

MOWING TIPS
• Mowershouldbe propedyleveledfor
bestmowingperformance.See
=TO
LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the
Service and Adjustments section of this
manual.
• The left hand side of mower should be
used for trimming.
• Drive so that clippings are discharged
onto the area that has been cut. Have
the cut area to the dght of the machine.
This will result in a more even distdbu-
tion of clippings and more uniform cut-
ting.
• When mowing large areas, start by turn-
ing to the dght so that clippings will dis-
charge away from shrubs, fences, drive-
ways, etc. After one or two rounds,
mow in the opposite direction making
left hand turns untilfinished
• If grass is extremely tall, it should be
mowed twice to reduce load and possi-
ble fire hazard from dded clippings.
Make first cut relatively high; the second
to the desired height.
• Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet
grass will plug mower and leave unde-
sirable clumps. Allow grass to dn/
before mowing.
• Always operate engine at full throttle
when mowing to assure better mowing
performance and proper discharge o!
matedal. Regulate ground speed by se-
lecting a low enough gear to give the
mower the best cutting pedormance as
well as the quality of cut desired.
• When operating attachments, select a
ground speed that will suit the terrain
and give best performance of the at-
tachment being used.
MULCHING MOWING TIPS
IMPORTANT:. For best performance,
keep mower housing free of built-up grass
and trash. Clean after each use.
• The special mulching blade will recut
the grass clippings many times and
reduce them in size so that as they fall
onto the lawn they will disperse into the
grass and not be noticed. Also, the
mulched grass will biodegrade quickly
to provide nutdents for the lawn.
Always mulch with your highest engine
(blade) speed as this will provide the
best recuffing action of the blades.
• Avoid cuffing your lawn when it is weL
Wet grass tends to form clumps and
interferes with the mulching action._The
best time to mow your lawn is the early
aftemoon. At this time the grass has
dded and the newly cut area will not be
exposed to the direct sun.
• For best results, adjust the mower cut-
ting height so that the mower cuts off
only the top one-third of the grass
blades. For extremely heavy mulching,.
reduce your width of cut on each pass i_
and mow slowly. _
• Certain types of grass and grass cond
tions may require that an area be _
mulched a second time to completely t r
hide the clippings. When doing a se_
ond cut, mow across or perpendicuis
the first out path.
• Change your cutting pattern from wE
to week. Mow north to south one w_
then change to east to west the eexJ
weak. This will help prevent maffin
and graining of the lawn.
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