Spend Less Time Mowing the Lawn

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Problem:
You can’t find an efficient way to mow your lawn. Finishing off all the odd spots and missed patches adds an hour to a process you don’t enjoy to start with.

Do This Now:
Mow in a concentric circular or oval pattern. It’s the fastest way to mow because there’s no turning or backing-you just keep pushing.

Do This for Good:
The nooks and crannies of your lawn-where you have to push the mower forward and pull it back again and again-are the parts that really eat up your time. Eliminate these spots by rounding out the edges of your flowerbeds and foundation beds so that you can mow all of your lawn using a circular or oval pattern. In the spring, devote 1 hour to replacing grass in awkward mowing spots with low-maintenance groundcovers such as pachysandra. It’s easy to do. Simply cover the grass with 8 to 10 layers of wet newspaper, making sure to overlap the edges. As you work, cover the newspaper with a layer of shredded bark to hide it and keep it from blowing away. Then dig holes down through the mulch and the paper and plant the groundcovers. One hour of planting can save you 15 minutes each time you mow your lawn, and that adds up to more than 5 hours of saved mowing time over the course of a year.