Lawn Care Tip: How to Mow in the Heat of Summer

,

During the peak of summer your lawn may suffer from stress from the heat and dry weather. There are a few tips and tricks one should follow in order to maintain a healthy lawn in extreme heat:

REFRAIN FROM CUTTING TOO SHORT
This is crucial for maintaining lawn health from the stress of summer. Turfgrass does better in the high heat of summer if you allow it to grown out a bit. By allowing your lawn to grow out a little you are promoting deeper grass roots that can suck up moisture and shade the soil which minimizes evaporation. If you cut your lawn too short you are reducing grass’s ability to produce the energy needed for growth.
  • TIP: For mowing in the heat of summer, follow the one-third rule but let your grass grow roughly .5 of an inch higher than the recommended cutting height. Never remove more than one-third of your grass height at one time because this will lead to more stress, potential scalping of the lawn and/or disease. Research the type of grass in your region to help determine when to mow your summer stressed lawn.
  • Reminder: allow roughly .5 of an inch more growth to the section for proper mowing techniques for summer stressed lawns. Example: Kentucky Bluegrass max height before mowing is 3¾ inches, allow it to grow to 4-4¼ inches before mowing
KEEP BLADES SHARP
This cannot be emphasized enough for a stressed or healthy lawn. Sharp mower blades create a clean cut which allows the plant to heal faster, unlike dull blades, that actually tear the plant’s tissue causing the tips to turn brown. This makes your lawn more susceptible to stress and disease. In the heat of summer, the last thing you want to be doing is compromising your lawn’s health with dull mower blades.
LEAVE CLIPPINGS
Clipping are beneficial to your lawn’s health, especially on a stressed lawn because the clippings act as slow-release fertilizers that put nutrients back into your lawn. Aim the clippings towards your lawn and not towards bodies of water, storm drains or streets.
WHEN IN DROUGHT, GROW IT OUT!
If you’re experiencing a drought in your area, you should avoid mowing. Lawns under stress from drought have limited ability to recover from mowing. This can actually damage your lawn more. Try mowing after you water or a rainfall.
  • NOTE: In order to avoid clumping and clogging your mower deck, don’t mow damp grass. Allow the plants to dry a little before you mow.
/by

10 things to consider before the first grass cut of the year

,

Once spring arrives, some of us will be looking to mow the lawn and start getting ready for the first grass cut of the year. This means dusting off the lawnmower and gardening tools to prepare for the season ahead. But when should we mow the lawn for the first time in a year and what important things should we consider?

Our lawns play an important part in our al fresco summer enjoyment – they host parties, provide a space to play, relax and read, and offer our borders and flora a plain backdrop from which they can shine. Therefore, it’s crucial we get the first grass cut of the year just right to set our lawns up for a summer of use. Here are some practical tips on how to mow the lawn for the first time this year.

WHEN SHOULD YOU MOW THE LAWN FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT YEAR?

Although the difference in climate can vary depending on where you are in the country, In Indiana, research has shown that the first two weeks in April are the most popular time to dig the lawnmower out for the first grass cut of the year.

1. DON’T MOW ALL OF YOUR LAWN

Choose the part you’d like to be neat and tidy but then let the rest stay a little messy. This is much better for wildlife and will encourage habitats to flourish throughout summer. You could even plant some wildflower seeds here and make it a real visual feature of your garden.

2. CONSIDER A MOW PATH

In the spirit of helping wildlife, do you need a whole area to be mown or could a pathway leading through your wildflowers be enough? Remember that a rich garden ecosystem can keep pests under control naturally.

3. HAVE A PRE-CUT TIDY

After months of being starved of sunshine, your garden may look a little neglected. It’s important, before your first grass cut of the year, to take time to clear any mess around the area you wish to mow, including dead sticks, leaves, and any rubbish that may have gathered.

Check to see what is hiding in the garden; the likes of stones and thick branches may have made their way into the overgrown lawn and if the lawnmower catches these, it can damage the mower blade. Keeping the mower blade sharp is vital as the damage a dull blade can cause could be detrimental to the grass.

Don’t get rid of what you’ve collected. Add it to your wilder are as natural debris makes great habitats for wildlife.

4. CHECK FOR NESTING ANIMALS

Check the area you are about to mow for any animals that might have made it their home during winter. Hedgehogs can often be found in piles of grass and leaves. If you do find a habitat, consider mowing a different part of the lawn instead and leaving it be.

5. USE THE ONE THIRD RULE

When mowing your lawn for the first time, you should always follow the one-third rule: Never cut more than a third of the blade of grass off in one go. Cutting more than this can stress the grass.

You should gradually reduce the grass length over a number of weeks to reach the desired length. Cutting the grass too short, too fast, is known as ‘scalping’ which can lead to disease and weed infestation.

6. AND IF YOUR GRASS IS REALLY OUT OF CONTROL?

If your lawn has been a little unkempt throughout the colder months and has grown with a mind of its own then fear not, still follow the one-third rule but take it in stages over a number of weeks. Gradually decrease the cutting height on your lawnmower each time to reach your preferred grass length.

But only apply this to the smaller area you’d like to maintain, as mentioned above. Embrace the wildness in the rest of the lawn and allow it to flourish.

7. CONTOUR YOUR GARDEN

Don’t forget about the edges when cutting your lawn for the first time. Overgrown edges can look unsightly and can mean time and effort spent working in the garden has been in vain. Trim the edges straight after mowing.

8. DON’T WATER IMMEDIATELY AFTER

It’s best to avoid getting into the habit of watering your lawn immediately after mowing. There is no specific point in the month to give your lawn a hose down – it should simply be done whenever it needs moisture – however, there are a few guidelines on what time it should be done during the day:

  • Watering late in the evening or at night can lead to fungal problems due to the fact the grass doesn’t have time to dry out.
  • The middle of the day tends to be when the sun is at its hottest, which can lead to the water evaporating instantly or the droplets acting as a magnifying glass, burning the blades of grass.
  • Therefore, the best time is first thing in the morning as the air is cool and the water can travel to the roots before drying up.

9. KNOW HOW LONG TO LEAVE A NEW LAWN BEFORE CUTTING IT

New grass that has been grown from the seed will be noticeably weaker than the rest of the lawn and can be easily damaged if cut incorrectly. It’s best to wait until the grass has grown over three inches in length until mowing for the first time to allow it time to build up strength.

10. MAKE IT A HABIT

Following your first cut of the season, you may need to mow the maintained part of your lawn once or twice a week to maintain the length you desire. This is due to the warm weather encouraging your garden to grow.

DON’T FORGET TO SERVICE OR CHECK YOUR LAWNMOWER

After months of sitting in the shed, your lawn mower may be a little rusty. Don’t forget to check for chipped or blunt blades — these will bruise the grass. As well as this, remember to clean yours out regularly to remove a build-up of clippings. The better you take of your lawn mower, the longer it will last. Contact North Central Outdoor for any repairs or service needs you may have.

/by

Join us for our Spring Open House

,
** SAVE THE DATE **
Join North Central Outdoor Power Saturday, April 9 from 8AM – 2PM for our 2022 Spring Open House! Save big on zero-turns, riding mowers, walk-behinds, push mowers, and accessories, all on sale and ready-to-mow. Financing for qualified buyers available on site. Company reps from Cub Cadet, Ferris, Dixie Chopper, Kioti, are available to demo products and answer questions. Free blade sharpening + enjoy pulled pork, sweet corn, drinks, and door prizes! Don’t miss it!
/by

How High Should Grass Be Cut?

,

How high you should allow the grass on lawns to reach before cutting it is perhaps the most frequently asked question about lawn care that people have. And, “How much of the grass blade should be removed when you are cutting grass?” is a natural companion to that first question. So let’s tackle both queries below.

A Rule of Thumb

How high should you cut the grass when you mow? Well, there is a general rule of thumb for determining what the grass height should be on your lawn. An optimal height for a cool-season grass generally is about 2 1/2 inches. And at each mowing, you should only be removing about the top 1/3 of the grass blade. Consequently, a good time to mow lawns is when your grass is about 3 2/3 inches high.

It is especially recommended that you stick to this rule of thumb in fall (and, to a lesser degree, in spring, but see below). In summer, meanwhile, if can’t remember the measurements, err on the side of mowing at a greater height. It is not a bad idea, in fact, to choose one of the higher settings on your lawnmower wheels when the weather starts getting really hot, and just mow at that height until we approach the fall season and the weather starts to cool off a bit.

Explanation of the Rule of Thumb

Why are 2 1/2 inches an optimal grass height, generally? Well, what you are striving for is a balance. On the one hand, mowing the grass is like “pinching” a garden plant to stimulate rugged growth. So if you are letting the grass get tall, you are not mowing very much, which means you are passing up opportunities to stimulate good grass growth and make your lawn healthier and more attractive. But if you cut the grass too short (known as “scalping,” for obvious reasons), you stress it.

Take note that it is the height that the grass has attained that should determine when it is time to mow: it is your lawn’s way of giving you a cue (straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak). It would be arbitrary to establish a schedule for mowing based on the length of time between mowings. For instance, advising someone to “mow every other week” fails to take into account the growing conditions during that period of time. For example, rainfall stimulates growth in lawns, so the presence or absence of rain will have a great impact on mowing frequency.

While the 2 1/2-inch height for a cool-season grass is optimal for the fall, it is hardly an absolute figure that must be adhered to throughout the mowing season. If you are trying to get rid of crabgrass, for instance, you may wish to make an adjustment in spring and summer. That is because it is during these seasons that this annual weed (here is what crabgrass looks like) competes for space with your lawn grass.

Some experts recommend keeping lawn grass around 3 inches tall during spring and summer. Why? Because the extra shading that results may inhibit crabgrass enough to keep it in check. In fall, you can go back to maintaining the 2 1/2-inch height, since, by then, frost will have killed the tender crabgrass.

A Trick to Help You Remember These Measurements

So how do you remember this rule of thumb? You do not want to have to go out there with a tape measure to gauge the height of your lawn and determine when it’s time to mow, right?

A tip to make things easier on yourself is to draw a line across one of your lawn mower tires that stands 3 2/3 inches above surface level. Draw an arrow, as well, to indicate which direction is up/down. That way, when you think mowing time might be near, you can just wheel the mower out and see where the grass level stands in relation to your line.

As for achieving that ideal grass mowing height (at the end of the operation), initially, you’ll have to play around with the ​tire adjustment mechanism on your mower. But once you’ve figured out what slot results in the mowing height you want (namely, leaving the grass at 2 1/2 inches tall), mark that slot so that you’ll always know where it is.

/by

Snow and Ice Tips to Protect Our Yards This Winter

,

With the pandemic keeping people sheltering at home, more people are extending their outdoor time in the winter by adding fire pits, outdoor heaters, and other features. Even in the wintertime, it’s important to take care of your yard.

Stop trimming your lawn once it freezes. Trim your grass to the height recommended for your lawn variety before it freezes. Cutting your grass too short can leave it dry and exposes it to the elements, not to mention insects and disease.

Add a thin layer of mulch to your lawn before it’s too cold. A thin layer of mulch can protect your grassroots from snow and frost. It can even prevent deeper layers of soil from freezing, making it easier for your lawn to bounce back in the spring.

Check your trees for dead or damaged limbs. Removing dead or damaged limbs before inclement weather arrives, is one way to protect your shrubs and yard from damage (not to mention people and pets!). Snow and ice can weigh heavily on dead branches and make them snap and fall. Remove any dead branches carefully with clippers, a chainsaw, or pole pruner, following safety precautions. Consult an arborist for problematic trees.

Mark pathways to clear and beds to avoid. Mark the areas that you will need to clear of snow and ice, as well as areas you want to avoid, like flower beds. Stakes or sticks can help. When it’s time to run your snow thrower, you won’t accidentally cut a path through the lawn and can stick to your walkways. Always follow the manufacturer’s safety procedures and never put your hand inside the snow thrower. Always use a cleanout tool or stick to clear a clog. Be sure that children and pets are safely inside and not near outdoor power equipment while it’s being operated.

Keep new (and old) plantings well-hydrated. Many people have added trees and shrubs to their yards during the pandemic, and caring for them in the winter is still important. Plants and trees that are well-hydrated are more likely to survive a hard freeze so water well before the cold snap sticks. Newly planted trees can only survive about two weeks in the winter without water, so be sure to water any new trees you’ve added to your landscape if they aren’t getting water naturally from rain or snow. If your outside hose is already shut off for the winter, then use a bucket and add 5 gallons to the area around the tree.

Continue watering plants and trees even after the leaves drop. Older plants and trees should enter winter well-hydrated, so continue watering even after the leaves have dropped. Even in the wintertime, hardy evergreen plants continue to lose moisture through their needles and if it’s a dry winter they need supplemental water too.

Don’t shake heavy snow and ice off branches. It may be tempting for children (or adults) to wiggle those branches and watch the snow come off, but snow or ice can damage a branch. Shaking them can cause the branches to snap. It’s better to wait until the snow melts to assess the damage.

Remove damaged branches as soon as the weather allows you to do it safely. If snow or ice has snapped a limb, look at the cut, and assess the damage. Try to get a clean cut on an already broken branch or limb, as this will make it more difficult for insects or diseases to enter the stressed area on your tree or shrub. Follow all manufacturer’s safety precautions if using a chainsaw or pole pruner.

Be careful about salt. Salt can melt snow and ice, but it can also damage plants and trees by drawing water away from their roots. Keep salt applications away from your trees and shrubs. Salt should also be cleaned off pet paws following a romp outside in the snow.

Remember to get outside, even when it’s chilly. It’s good for our mental and physical well-being to spend time in our family yards and breathe in the fresh air – and it also helps us connect to each other and with nature.

/by

Fall is time to get yard ready for spring!

,

Autumn is no time to ignore your lawn and landscape.

What you do now will determine the quality of your yard next spring and summer.

Here is a checklist.

1. Keep mowing. Shorter grass is more resistant to diseases and traps fewer falling leaves. Cutting the grass low allows more sun to reach the crown of the grass, so less leaf will turn brown in the winter.

However, cutting off too much at one time can be damaging, so never trim more than a third of the grass blades off in a single cutting. Put mower blades on the lowest settings for the last two cuts of the season.

2. Aerate your lawn. Compressed soil hurts grass health. Aerating creates holes in the soil and lets oxygen, water, and nutrients into a lawn. Use a walk-behind aerator or get an attachment to pull behind a riding mower.

3. Mulch your leaves. Many mowers can mulch leaves with an attachment. Since mulching with a mower can mix grass clippings with leaf particles, these nitrogen-rich grass particles and carbon-rich leaf particles will compost more quickly. Together, they return nutrients to the soil.

4. Trim and shore up trees and bushes. Use trimmers, chainsaws, or pole pruners to cut back trees, shrubs, and plants. Make sure branches are safely trimmed back from overhead lines, and not in danger of falling on a home or structure in winter weather. You may need to tie or brace limbs of upright evergreens or plants to prevent them from breaking in high winds or snow. Call a professional arborist for big trees or hard to reach spots.

5. Repair bald spots. The easiest way to do this is with an all-in-one lawn repair mixture (found at most garden shops and home centers). Use a garden rake or de-thatcher to scratch loose the soil on the spot.

6. Ready your outdoor power equipment for winter storage. Drain fuel tanks before storing your lawnmower, leaf blower or string trimmer for the winter. Service and winterize your outdoor power equipment.

/by

8 Fall Lawn Care Tips

,

Fall may not seem like an ideal time to think about lawn care, considering that your grass will go dormant for the winter. However, autumn is a critical time to groom your lawn for beautiful growth next spring. Fall’s cool and moist weather helps grassroots develop much better than in summer, and taking advantage of this growing period will pay big dividends next year. Here are eight fall lawn care steps that’ll help make your lawn dazzle next year:

  1. Keep mowing. Grass doesn’t stop growing until it frosts over in winter, so there’s no reason to stop mowing come autumn. Continue cutting your grass at its normal height until it stops growing. Once you call it quits for the season, you’ll need to winterize your mower. This includes sharpening the blades, changing the oil and spark plugs, inspecting the mower for damage, and cleaning the air filter. Our Lawn Mower Maintenance services can help you with this. Schedule service today
  2. Water when needed. Autumn rain results in less evaporation, providing plenty of natural moisture for the grass to sustain itself. Even so, you should keep tabs on how much water your grass is getting with a rain gauge. If the lawn isn’t getting one inch or more of moisture per week, you should water it. See our lawn irrigation tips for more details.
  3. Rake often. When leaves fall on your lawn, they block out sunlight and can prevent plants from making food. Additionally, the soggy moisture they hold can lead to lawn fungi. Raking also helps remove any thatch that may have built up. A leaf blower or vacuum won’t remove thatch, so it’s important to use a traditional rake occasionally. Start raking as soon as the leaves fall in order to keep these passageways open. Even after the leaves stop falling, you should continue to rake as the wind blows them onto your property.  Raking once a week isn’t too hard right?
  4. Now is the time to think about aeration. Over the summer, your lawn has probably suffered from some degree of soil compaction and heat stress. These two problems often cause most (if not all) of the brown or thinned grass you may have experienced last season. Aeration is the process of removing soil plugs from a yard in order to free up passageways for precious nutrients to reach the grassroots, nutrients they often struggle to bring in under compaction and stress. Aerating in the fall will help your lawn be green and healthy for the next year. This task is most effective when professional machinery is used, and our exclusive Turf Tamer equipment can help your lawn recover and turn lusher than ever next spring.
  5. Apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. If you want your lawn to look better and be healthier, fertilize in the fall. This process will give your lawn plenty of nutrients to get it through the winter and help the grass grow stronger in spring. As a result, fall is the single most important time of year to fertilize for a healthy lawn. If you decide to aerate in the fall, you should fertilize soon afterward in order to ensure that the nutrients will reach deeper into the soil.
  6. Seed to fill in bare and burned spots. As we’ve mentioned, many patches of lawn can die during the summertime, so it’s a good idea to reseed those areas with the right grasses. Keep in mind, however, that seeds that don’t touch the soil won’t germinate, and it can be difficult to cover an area of grass thoroughly. Contact us if you want a power seeding that will make your yard look brand new. Power seeding is the process in which seeds are literally sewn into the ground.
  7. Keep up with lawn pest control. Insects that live in your lawn now can cause serious problems once it starts growing after winter ends. If you notice a lawn pest problem on your grass, take care of it in early fall to limit the damage. You can apply a pesticide, or reach out to us to identify and eliminate lawn pests, such as grubs and armyworms. Fall is also an excellent time to eliminate many types of weeds, so weed control is a beneficial activity as well.
  8. Keep a Tight Schedule. All of these fall lawn care steps must be performed like clockwork. If you seed and fertilize too close to winter, the soil won’t be able to take in nutrients. Aerate while it’s still too hot out, and the process will not be nearly as effective. The key to a healthy lawn next year is a tight fall lawn care schedule.
/by

Summer Mowing Tips

,

July is here. Even in high elevation and northern locations — where we’ve just set out plants and are seeing germination from the previous weeks’ seed sowing — we’ve already mowed our lawns a handful of times. In earlier zones, we’ve been mowing for months. No matter where we live, it’s time to review some lawn mowing tips and tricks.

How is summer mowing different than spring mowing? It’s less frequent. As spring moisture conditions give way to the dryness of summer, lawns grow less quickly. Higher temperatures also encourage faster moisture evaporation. The most important thing you can do at this time of year is to encourage moisture retention. The best way to do it? Set your mower to cut less grass. Generally, three-and-a-half, even four inches is a good height for the most common grasses (Bermuda, zoysia and other warm-climate grasses can be cut shorter). This is the highest setting on most mowers. Carrying a yardstick around your lawn and measuring different places — shaded and not, northern exposure and southern exposure — will give you a good idea of how your grass is faring (and bring a kid-friendly pun to the common usage of the word “yardstick”). Longer grasses in your yard help shade the ground, thus lessening moisture evaporation. Shading the ground also discourages weed seed from germinating. Different types of grasses require different mowing heights.

Another general rule: don’t cut more than a third of the grass’ height. If you’ve been away on vacation or otherwise have not been able to mow, don’t immediately trim your lawn down to three-and-half inches. Grass needs length to generate the energy it requires and produce chlorophyll. Removing a large part of this generating surface may cause your lawn to brown prematurely. If your lawn is overgrown, cut it in stages.

Many lawn experts recommend you mow in the early morning or early evening to avoid placing stress on your grass while protecting the person pushing the mower from heat-related problems. Mow with a sharp blade. Dull, nicked blades cut grass unevenly and damage its ends leaving an entry point for disease and extra surface for evaporation. Finally, do you leave your clippings on the lawn or collect them? Organic gardeners know clippings are a good source of nitrogen for your grass. Regular mowing leaves clippings of just the right size to settle into your turf, inhibiting evaporation and eventually breaking down into the soil. Unless your clippings are long and thick enough to shade your grasses, let them return to the soil from which they came. In the organic garden, everything is part of a cycle.

/by

Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 Lawn Tractor

,

A riding lawn mower takes the toil out of cutting a lawn, but not all riding mowers are created equal. There are small mowers for low-acreage lawns, electric mowers for easy operation, and big mowers, like the Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 Lawn Tractor, for cutting acres and acres of grass. With a wide 54-inch mowing deck and an impressive 24-horsepower engine, the XT1 ST54 is one of the faster and larger-sized lawn tractors on the market. It’s also chock full of convenience and safety features. We put this Cub Cadet to the test, using it to cut our two-acre yard and to haul brush.

Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 Lawn Tractor
The Spruce / Kelly Hodgkins


Design: Lots to like

Very few details were overlooked when Cub Cadet designed the XT1 ST54 riding lawn mower. Let’s start with the core components: The ST54 has a 24-horsepower Kohler V-Twin engine and a rugged fabricated 54-inch deck made with 11-gauge steel, meaning it can handle impacts from rocks, roots, and other hazards with minimal damage. It also has a self-charging electrical system that will charge the battery when the mower is in operation. As long as you are running the mower regularly you will power to electric start the engine

Around the edges of the deck, it boasts three blades and four anti-scuff wheels that adjust the deck to the terrain to keep a level cut. A single lever can raise or lower the deck into 12 different positions between 1 and 4 inches. There is no PTO lever to engage the cutting blades, as the Cub Cadet has an electric PTO that engages with the push/pull of a small yellow knob on the console.

Very few details were overlooked when Cub Cadet designed the XT1 ST54 riding lawn mower.

The Cub Cadet has a push-button electric start with electronic fuel injection, so there is no choke you need to set. Just press the button, and the engine fires right up. Press it again and the engine turns off. There also is a push-button, cruise control setting that maintains your speed over level terrain. Got a large area to mow and want an even cut? Push the button, sit back, and cruise.

Not only can you automatically engage the hydrostatic transmission and drivetrain, but you can also disengage it when needed. If you need to move the mower without engine power, a simple transmission bypass rod can be used to disconnect the transmission so you can push the mower right where you need it.

The Cub Cadet supports a variety of optional mowing attachments for mulching, snow plowing, and more. A quick wash adapter on the deck allows you to connect your garden hose for cleaning. If you are mowing at night, the Cub Cadet has an LED headlight that delivers a steady and bright beam of light. They won’t brighten and dim with engine output like traditional bulbs.

Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 Lawn Tractor
The Spruce / Kelly Hodgkins


Performance: Fast and effective

Most people purchase a riding lawn mower to cut grass, and the XT1 ST54 excels in this area. We found that its mowing deck cuts a full swatch, allowing us to make fewer passes across the lawn. The 24HP Kohler engine starts and runs without a hitch and provides plenty of mowing power. The Cub Cadet cuts at a blazing 5.5 miles per hour in forward and an impressive 3.2 miles per hour in reverse, meaning we could cut even large areas quickly and efficiently.

If you have a smaller or slower lawn mower, you’ll be amazed at how fast the Cub Cadet mows. It cut our mowing time down by a third. It is also highly maneuverable, with a 16-inch turning radius that made us think we were driving a zero-turn mower. This handling means you can tackle lawns that have obstacles with ease.

If you have a smaller or slower lawn mower, you’ll be amazed at how fast the Cub Cadet mows. It cut our mowing time down by a third.

Our yard has a little bit of everything, from straight flat sections to hills and plenty of obstacles, and we had no problem using it to remove brush cuttings and mowing slightly to moderate inclines. The side discharge discards the cut grass close to the tractor so there is little to no dust. Unfortunately, the mower does not ship with a bagger, but you can purchase one as an optional accessory.

Still, this Cub Cadet is sold as a riding lawn mower and not a garden tractor, so don’t expect it to be able to pull heavy loads or mow on steep hills. When we tried to pull a railroad tie from an old garden bed, the mower struggled, and the wheels spun out more than once. We experienced similar slippage on a steep, grassy hill. But overall, we found the floating-style deck was easy to move from height to height, and it helped the ST54 deliver an even cut on uneven terrain.

The floating-style deck was easy to move from height to height, and it helped the ST54 deliver an even cut on uneven terrain.

Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 Lawn Tractor
The Spruce / Kelly Hodgkins


Gas Mileage: Roomy tank lasts for hours

With a 24HP engine and three cutting blades, the Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 is a powerful lawn mower. It guzzles fuel faster than a smaller mower, especially at high speeds, but the three-gallon tank helps to offset consumption. We were able to mow several hours without a refill. A side-mounted gas spout and a transparent container made it easy to check the fuel level as we were mowing and refill the gas as needed.

We were able to mow several hours without a refill.

Noise Level: Ear protection advised

The noise level from the ST54 is on par with most gas-powered riding lawn mowers. It is loud enough that you cannot hear your surroundings and have to stop the mower to talk to someone. We recommend using some form of hearing protection while using the Cub Cadet lawn tractor.

Safety: Multiple levels of protection

The Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 has a wide variety of safety features to protect you in case of an accident. The seat has a sensor that detects when someone is sitting on it and will prevent the mower from starting if it is vacant. The mower will also turn off if the rider comes off the seat without engaging the parking brake. Another useful feature is the blade brake clutch, which turns off the blade but keeps the motor running so you can safely empty the bag of grass without having to turn off the engine.

The ST54 can both drive and mow in reverse, but it has safety features to prevent you from going backward by mistake. When driving backward, you have to press the reverse button on the console and depress the reverse pedal on the riding mower. Mowing in reverse requires an extra step. You first have to turn the key to the Reverse Caution Mode before you engage the reverse button and the reverse pedal.

Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 Lawn Tractor
The Spruce / Kelly Hodgkins


Comfort: Could be better

Mowing takes time, and you will be sitting for hours in the seat, so it better be comfortable. The seat in the Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 has an ergonomically-shaped molded plastic frame with padding and a high back that provides extra support. The seat has springs that do a decent job offsetting the bumpy ride of the riding mower.

There are no armrests on this Cub Cadet model, which is disappointing. You’ll have to upgrade to the XT2 or XT3 models if you want this extra level of comfort. Next to the seat within easy reach is a cup holder and a holder for small tools.

The seat has springs that do a decent job offsetting the bumpy ride of the riding mower.

Maintenance: Quick and easy

Maintenance is a breeze thanks to the Bluetooth-enabled Cub Connect mobile app, which provides reminders and lets us log any work we’ve done on the riding mower. It was easy to do the essential maintenance, like changing the oil, ourselves; the oil dipstick is accessible underneath the hood.

Even the oil drain is right out in the open. Just attach the drain tube, which is included with the mower, twist to unlock the drain plug, and let it drain. Once the oil is completely removed, we were able to turn to close the plug and refill with clean oil. It takes 15 minutes tops.

The brand’s patented SmartJet high-pressure deck washing system helps to mitigate the buildup of grass clippings and other debris. If you happen to damage the blades, they are replaceable. Just makes sure you purchase the 54-inch blades. They are harder to find and a bit more expensive than the common 42-inch size.

Price: Get what you pay for

With a price tag just under $3,000, the Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 is pricey, but you get what you pay for. The lawn tractor has a wide mowing deck, a powerful engine, three blades for cutting, and a slew of convenient features that make mowing enjoyable.

FINAL VERDICT

A worthy investment.

The Cub Cadet XT1 ST54 Lawn Tractor cuts evenly and mows quickly, making short work of most household lawns. The seat could use some armrests, and the reverse could be easier to engage, but overall, this mower is a worthy investment for people with larger lawns.

Courtesy: The Spruce

/by

How to pick the best zero-turn lawnmower

,

There are plenty of options in the marketplace when it comes to choosing the right zero-turn lawnmower. And if you’ve decided that a zero-turn mower is right for you, it’s time to understand what to look for in a machine when stepping up to a new experience. From offering superior cut quality and a comfortable ride to being durable and easy to maintain, there are several characteristics to look for in a zero-turn. Below are the major areas to focus on when shopping.

Evaluate your needs

A zero-turn mower needs to meet the needs of your specific situation, so it’s important to ask yourself what size zero-turn can maneuver best in your space and how long it will take to get the job done. Zero-turn lawnmowers are ideal for yards with lots of obstacles due to their zero-degree turning radius, and they can get the job done faster, so take into account the unique parts of your lawn when making a decision.

Zero-turn feature checklist

Once you’ve considered the needs of your yard and decided on the right size mower, there’s a checklist of features that your zero-turn mower should fulfill. Beware of zero-turn mowers that focus on just one feature and look for a machine that can excel across the board.

Excellent cut quality and performance

At the end of the day, you need a mower that’s going to give you the best cut possible without sacrificing performance. That means finer clippings, fewer clumps, and a uniform cut. Not all zero-turn mowers were created equal. Yours should be outfitted with a deck that’s focused on maintaining a quality cut (preferably a cut that has been proven out by a trusted third party) but that’s also easy to adjust from a height standpoint. Superior bagging performance is a major bonus, as it makes short work of fine grass clippings.

Zero-turn mowers generally have a breadth of deck sizes, so you can choose the right size for your lawn. For larger yards with more acreage, a larger deck will reduce the amount of time it takes to mow your lawn. However, for smaller yards, the same deck size isn’t practical and in some cases can be limiting.

Strength

Strength and durability are a must for any zero-turn mower you purchase. You’ll want to look for a machine that’s built on a strong frame, houses a powerful engine and resists corrosion. Mowers that are built on a continuous square tubular frame will make for a strong, durable machine.

Comfort

A comfortable ride is just as important as quality and speed. Choose a mower outfitted with comfortable features like a high-back adjustable seat so your mower feels like your armchair, ample legroom, ergonomic rubber hand grips for a comfortable grip, and seat isolators for a smoother, quieter ride on any terrain you need to tackle.

Easy maintenance

Maintenance shouldn’t be a headache when it comes to your zero-turn, and your machine should be as easy as possible to maintain. Mowers with maintenance-free spindles, for instance, mean one less part to worry about, while a hinged floor pan makes for easy deck access.

Style

Part of the experience of owning a zero-turn mower is being proud of the machine you’re operating. Take the all-new Ultima Series of zero-turn lawn mowers, for example. These mowers offer an automotive-inspired, compelling design that captures attention and exudes performance.

Cut quality, strength, comfort, maintenance and style are just a few of the many considerations when shopping for a zero-turn. Check out Cub Cadet’s new line of residential zero-turn lawnmowers, the Ultima Series, which pairs strength, comfort and, best-in-class cut* for the ultimate all-around mowing experience.

 

/by