Lawn Striping
Lawn striping is not as hard as everyone believes it to be. With a little bit of practice, you will be doing it without thought before you know it.
What is Lawn Striping?
Lawn Striping is the effect that the sun has on the blades of the grass. The stripes appear to be light green, dark green, than back to light green depending on the way the blade tips are bent.
Stripes Depend on Mowing Direction!
Lawn Stripes are created when the sun reflects off the tips of the grass blades. When the blades are facing you, the color appears darker. Whenever the grass is bent away from you, it appears lighter due to the sun reflecting off a wider lengthy part of the blade.
While there are special add-ons to various mowers to intensify the striping effect by bending the blades further, there is no need for special equipment. Striping does not require changing the mowing height, using a special mower, or any other rumor that has been passed around about it.
Create Your Own Stripe Effect!
Mow the outside parameter of your lawn first to give you a better sense of direction and a turn around area.
Start mowing in opposite directions through the remaining area of your lawn. Switch your direction by turning in the parameter outline you created in the first step. Try to keep straight lines with each pass that you create.
Re-Mow the outside parameter of your lawn again to remove any turn around marks or imprints that you created while reversing directions to give it the professional final appearance.
Step back with the sun facing your back and check out your lawn! If you did it successfully you should have light & dark stripe effects.
Intensifying the Stripes.
You can intensify the lawn stripes by increasing the tip bend. Easy ways to do this is to raise your mowing height slightly higher than normal. An example is if you mow at 2 1/2" raise the height to 3". From 3" to 3 1/2" and so on.
Some lawn mower companies sale add-on attachment rollers that can be assembled to the rear of your mower that increase the bend with each pass - creating an even more solid, brighter stripe.
Stripes are always most intense whenever the sun is behind you.
Stripe Patterns.
Scag Mowers, www.scag.com (One of my favorite brand of lawn equipment, especially for striping.) posted images related to creating various stripe patterns.
Basic Stripes
Checker Board Stripes
Diagonal, Diamond Striping
We Stripe Lawns!
If your current Lawn Care Service does not, or can't Stripe Lawns - Give us a Call! We Love Striping Lawns and Perfect our Techniques Weekly!
