How Can I Get the Best-Looking Lawn

How can I use my lawn mower to get the perfect lawn?

Every homeowner wants to have the best-looking lawn on their block, but what does it take to achieve the perfect length and quality? To get the best-looking lawn, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort. With a few mower maintenance practices at the beginning of mowing season, you can help ensure your lawn will look great all season long!

How can I adjust my mower deck?

There are two different types of mower deck adjustments on John Deere mowers. There is either a manual height adjustment or a mechanical mower height adjustment. Either way, you can easily adjust the height of your mower deck in just a few simple steps.

Manual Height Adjustment

Park your lawn mower on a level surface and shift the transmission into neutral.
On the left-hand side of the fender deck, locate the mower deck lift handle. Pull the handle inward to slide the handle into the desired cutting height slot.
Move the small yellow tab to the desired cutting height to remind you the next time you mow.

Mechanical Mower Height Adjustment

Park your lawn mower on a level surface. Press down on the foot pedal on the left side of the fender deck to raise the mower deck. On the left side of the dash, pull up the mower lift lock lever.
Below the operator seat, in the middle of the fender deck, turn the mower cutting-height knob to the desired cutting height.
Press the left side foot pedal down and push the mower lift lock lever down. Release the pedal to lower the mower deck.

How can I level my mower deck?

Leveling a mower deck can sound like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Follow these simple steps below to level your mower deck to help ensure a clean, even-cut lawn this season.

Park and shut off your mower on level ground. Ensuring you are on level ground is important because you will be measuring from the ground up to level your deck.
Engage your parking brake to ensure your mower is stabilized and cannot roll back or injure the person working on it.
Verify that all of the blades and moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire to ensure it doesn’t come in contact with the engine spark plug.
Use a tire gauge to check the tire pressure on all tires. Make sure they are all at maximum pressure. This will help make sure that the mower is level, and your deck will be properly aligned.
Rotate the blades to the side. Use your tape measure to measure the distance from the edge of the blade to the level ground. Do this on both sides and note the measurements. After you measure both sides properly, subtract the two measurements. If the difference is more than 1/8-inch, you will need to make a side-by-side adjustment. If the difference is less, no side-by-side adjustment is needed.
If the measured difference is greater than 1/8-inch, begin turning the lift link lock nut (located in front of the rear wheel on the left side of the mower). Turning the lock nut clockwise will raise the mower and turning it counterclockwise will lower it. A full turn of the lock nut will change the height of the mower about 3/16-inch.
After a slight adjustment, measure the blade to the ground again on both sides. Continue to do this until the measured distance difference is within 1/8-inch.
Now rotate the blades so that they are front to back. Use the bottom edge of the blade closest to the deck as a reference point. Measure the distance from the blade to the ground at both the front and rear blade tips. If the front-to-rear angle of the deck is greater than 1/8-inch to ½-inch, the blades will need adjusted.
To make the front-to-rear adjustment, use a wrench to loosen the jam nut a few turns. After the jam nut is loosened, you can turn the adjustment nut counterclockwise to drop the front of the mower or turn it clockwise to raise the front of the mower.
After making the adjustment, measure the front and rear blade height again. Once the measured distance difference is between 1/8-inch and ½-inch, tighten the jam nut, but be careful to ensure you don’t change the position of the adjustment nut.
After going through the above steps and adjustments, it is time to make sure your mower is ready for use again. Make sure all pulley guards and deflectors are in good condition and properly secured to the mower deck. Reconnect the spark plug wire and turn the ignition key in the switch to test your mower.

Do blades impact cut quality?

Blades are very important when it comes to cut quality. A dull blade will not cut grass evenly and will make your lawn look less than to be desired. With sharp blades you get a good, clean, even cut throughout your lawn.

Keeping your blades sharp doesn’t have to be difficult work. Whenever you do your winter service on your mower, make sure your blades are sharpened as well. (You can even bring them into your local Koenig Equipment Service Center to get them sharpened if you are doing your mower maintenance yourself!) Make sure to avoid going over any sticks, rocks, or debris with your mower deck to ensure your blades stay sharp all season long.

How can I keep my lower deck clean?

In order to keep your lower mower deck clean, you must first start with a clean lower mower deck. To clean the mower deck, ensure that the mower is off, and the spark plug is unplugged (this helps ensure the mower blades won’t turn on while you clean the deck). After you have a clean deck, follow these simple steps below to help ensure your mower deck stays clean.

Use a wire brush to thoroughly clean your mower deck after you mow each time. It is easier to maintain a clean deck by not allowing the grass to dry and accumulate after each mowing session.
Spray the underside of your mower deck with vegetable oil. Vegetable oil prevents grass from sticking to the underside of the mower deck, it is natural and won’t damage your grass as it would if you tried using engine oil as a protective coating.

What are the best techniques for cutting my lawn?

If you want the best-looking lawn, be sure to follow these techniques and tips to help you get there!

Mow your lawn when it is dry. If you mow your lawn while it is still wet, you risk making ruts with your mower. The best-looking lawns don’t have ruts or mud tracks!
Always mow with sharp blades. With a sharpened blade, you will cut the grass evenly and cleanly. If your blades are not sharp, you will end up simply tearing the grass as opposed to cutting it.
Cut your lawn to the right height depending on the season. When it comes to cold-climate grass, you don’t need to cut the lawn as short as you think each time you mow. For the first mow of the season, it is better to lower your deck height to about 1.5”. This will help clean up the dead grass as well as allow more light to shine through and really get your lawn to come out of dormancy. After the first cutting of the season, you can raise your deck height to 2-2.5”. This will be the perfect height to keep the lawn looking great by simply removing the top, leafy portion of the grass blades, creating a nice, evenly cut lawn.

Where can I find quality lawn mowers for sale?

If you are looking for the perfect mower to help you get the best-looking lawn, look no further than Koenig Equipment. With a variety of John Deere mowers available, the sales professionals at Koenig Equipment can help you find a good, quality lawn mower to fit your property and needs. Once you have the quality mower you’ve been searching for you will be one step closer to having the best-looking lawn on the block.

While you can adjust your mower deck and clean underneath the deck on your own, you can also schedule a service appointment with Koenig Equipment Service Center to have a certified technician complete your maintenance. Along with routine maintenance, Koenig Equipment also offers KoenigCare, your ultimate lawn and garden equipment maintenance and service.