Help with choosing a lawnower Choosing the right lawnmower can seem daunting - but it needn’t be difficult if you follow this guide. HOW LARGE IS YOUR LAWN? MOWER TYPE MULCHING MAGIC CLASSIC STRIPES The first thing to consider is the size of your lawn. Is it small, medium, large or extra large? If we use a tennis court as a reference point, small gardens are around half a tennis court, medium up to three quarters and large up to one and a half. Extra large gardens are half an acre or more and a ride- on mower would be a more appropriate choice. Depending on the size of your lawn you may have a choice of power source. Mains electric mowers are quiet, lightweight and easy to use; they are ideal for smaller lawns. Cordless mowers are an increasingly popular choice and with advances in battery technology are now able to cut larger lawns. Petrol engine mowers are the most popular choice for larger areas as they are more powerful, are not restricted by a cable and can operate for long periods of time. Modern petrol engines are easy to start and on some you just have to turn a key. Mowers with 4 wheels are highly manoeuvrable and give an excellent finish on all types of lawn. Many also have the option of fitting a mulching plug to mulch the grass clippings; this involves cutting the grass clippings into extra fine particles and recycling them back into the turf, this not only fertilises the lawn but also means you don’t have to keep stopping to empty the collector. Mulching isn’t actually magic, although it may feel like it, but it is a great feature saving you both time cutting your lawn and money buying lawn feed. Nothing really finishes a fine lawn better than row after row of beautiful stripes. To achieve this classic striped finish you’ll need a machine with a rear roller. A rear roller also has the benefit of making cutting along lawn edges easier. 1 2 3 4 2019 MOUNTFIELD PRODUCT GUIDE 6