Having a perfectly striped lawn is the desire of many homeowners. It is easy to figure out why: it creates a nice and lovely sight that enhances the appeal of a lawn.

If you are thinking: it is probably hard to achieve this effect, you are wrong. And in this article, we will debunk this notion and teach you how to mow stripes into your lawn.

Let’s begin!

What are lawn stripes?

Lawn stripes occur when light bounces off the grass blades in a specific direction. To create this effect, you have to mow rows of grass in your lawn in alternate directions. In other words, mow one row of grass in one direction and the next row in the opposite direction.

This will result in light reflecting off the two sides of the glass blade and creating two shades of green, with one appearing darker than the other.

How to Stripe Your Lawn

You can stripe your lawn in four easy steps which we outline below.

Grab your lawnmower: You need your equipment to mow a stripe into your lawn. While any lawnmower works perfectly, some make the job easier than others. If you don’t have a lawnmower, we recommend you buy a cylinder mower, especially if you want to mow stripes into your lawn. The cylinder mower makes this easy to do.

Draft a plan: Next, create a sketch of your garden and plan how you want the stripe to look. If your lawn is a plain rectangle or square, you can do straight lawns. However, irregularly shaped lawns require you to pay extra attention to corners and shorter sections. Creating a sketch enables you to plan out how to achieve the stripe effect regardless of the shape.

Start mowing: Tune your mower to the highest height setting and begin mowing the edges of your lawn at right angles. This ensures that all the grass is cut, including the edges. Thereafter, mow the lawn in the direction where you want your first row down to its end. Then, turn 180 degrees and do the same until you reach the other end. Repeat this until you have mowed your entire lawn.

Complete mowing: Finish mowing by intensifying your stripes and making them a prominent part of your garden. Do this by going over the stripes again using just the roller alone or by double cutting.

Final Tips to Getting Beautiful Lawn Strips

  • Mowing in the same direction every time permanently trains the grass blades to go in that direction only. To prevent this, alternate your mowing patterns regularly, whether or not you mow lawn stripes. Doing this will help you prevent ruts and soil compaction.
  • Having a sharp mower blade makes it easy to create a clean, sharp-looking cut. So, endeavor to keep your mower blade sharp.
  • Wet grasses are difficult to mow. We recommend you mow your lawns only when they are dry.
  • Empty your clipping box regularly to prevent the mower from clogging.
  • Mowing high creates a clear pattern as it results in softer grasses that bend easily. Hence, wait until your grasses are tall before you mow.

Having a well-striped lawn is the stuff of envy. Luckily, with knowledge of what to do and effort, it is easy to achieve. With the tips in this article, you can achieve this effect and make your lawn the cynosure of all eyes.