Mowing Tips; Mulching Mowing Tips - Craftsman EZ3 917.273041 Owner's Manual

MOWING TIPS
• Tire chainscannotbe usedwhen the
mowerhousingis attachedto tractor.
• Mower should be properly leveledfor
best mowing pedormance. See =TO
LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the
Service andAdjustrnents 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 fight of the tractor.
This will result in a more even distribu-
tion of clippings and more uniform cut-
ting.
• When mowing large areas, start by turn-
ing to the right 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 until finished.
• If grass is extremely tall, if should be
mowed twice to reduce load and possi-
ble fire hazard from dried 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 d_/
before mowing.
, Always operate engine at full throttle
when mowing to assurebetter mowing
performance and proper discharge of
material. Regulate ground speed by se-
lecting a low enough gear to give the
mower the best cutting performance 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.
f 4=,
MULCHING MOWING TIPS
IMPORTANT: For best performance, keep
mower housing free of 10uilt-up grass and
trash. Clean after each use.
• The special mulching blade will recur
the grass clippint_s many times and
reduce them zn size so that as they fall
onto the lawn theywil! disperse into the
grass and not be noticed. Also, the
mulched grass will biodegrade quickly
to provide nutrients for the lawn. Always
mulch with your highest engine (blade)
speed as this will provide the best recut-
ring action of the blades.
• Avoid cutting your lawn when it is wet.
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
dried 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
and mow slowly.
• Certain types of grass and grass condi-
tions may require that an area be
mulched a second time to completely
hide the clippings. When doing a sec-
ond cut, mow across or perpendicular to
the first cut path.
• Change your cutting pattern from week
to week. Mow north to south one week
then change to east to west the next
week. This will help prevent matting and
graining of the lawn.
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