Why do you mow your lawn?

1. 60

   William R. Wilsonposted 14 years ago

   Strange question maybe, but why do you do it?  I mow only because I rent and have to maintain the yard as part of my lease agreement.  If I owned I would try to find a way to never mow.
   
   What about you?  Do you mow because you want your house to look nice?  Do you get some other benefit from it?  Or do you just hate it and only do it because you have to (because of neighborhood bylaws or rental agreement?)

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      Poppa Bluesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I don't mow, the mexicans do it.

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         starme77posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Nice Idea

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      BBManposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Two reasons:
      1) To make my house look nice.
      2) To be able to see my chihuahua when she goes outside!!!

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      Jeff Berndtposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Only because my wife likes it to look neat. I can't think of a bigger waste of time, fuel, and effort than maintaining a lawn. Given the choice, I'd let it go wild.

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      KeithTaxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Have you considered a goat? In the fall, after the grass is done growing, you can butcher the goat for a snack.

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         Rochelle Frankposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         That is true, also Llamas do a good job of grazing the grass and kicking the coyotes out. Alpacas are good grazers and their wool is highly prized by spinners and knitters-- you don't have to eat them to gain a profit. The baby alpacas are almost too cute.
         We have all of these natural lawnmowers in our rural area. Some animal owners rent them out. They also provide good  natural fertilizer. Not suitable for city or suburbs I guess, but they are part of the natural life here.
         Of course there ale also the native deer. They especially like roses.

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   5. 75

      the pink umbrellaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      we mow our lawns because if we let them just grow wild, there is more chance of infestations such as field mice, ticks, chiggers...it just so happens that it looks nice. imagine walking to your car and getting chiggers...yuck.

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      purple cowposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      To keep the grass short!

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2. 0

   Justine76posted 14 years ago

   I dont  mow, my husband wont let me near the mower, hes afraid Ill break it.
   
   He does it to keep the bugs down

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3. 68

   Peter Hogganposted 14 years ago

   So i can see out my windows!

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4. 0

   lynnechandlerposted 14 years ago

   It's that time of year and we do it to keep the snakes away from the house, lol. Life in the country by a pond and the critters will roam if you don't keep it up. I'm another one that doesn't get to use the mower though, dad is afraid I will break it, lol. Doesn't bother me though I don't like mowing out by the highway and there are several steep banks I would rather not ride sideways on. As long as dad can do it and wants to we let him cause at 74 it keeps him going to be helpful. I know in another few years that won't be so but he likes to mow the yard always has its relaxing to him and gives him time to ponder and such.

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      Justine76posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      yup. good points. hubby loves to mow, he feels good that hes accomplished something. I have no arguements aobut letting him do it, as its the ONLY thing he does!! 

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5. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

   I own my home and I want the yard to look nice... mowing helps it grow and I don't want creatures slithering though my grass (although they do slither through some vines I have, a baby was on my patio the other day..) I think a yard looks 'sad' when it's not mowed.
   part of my yard is more natural looking and covered with trees and my dogs path, so no grass is growing. I like the look.
   
   my son mows it.

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6. 62

   Greek Oneposted 14 years ago

   My wife likes things to be clean down there

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      Shadesbreathposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I swear you ALWAYS beat me to these remarks.  You need to get out of my head.

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7. 59

   Disturbiaposted 14 years ago

   I don't mow, my husband does. He mows the front of the property and the immediate back yard because he likes the property to look nice and I think its therapy for him.  We also have two yorkies and they are pretty small, if the grass gets too high, we can't find them.

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8. 58

   Beelzedadposted 14 years ago

   I just love riding around on my John Deere drinking beer. It just happens to cut the grass at the same time. 

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      Jeramiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Best answer yet.

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9. 90

   Urbane Chaosposted 14 years ago

   It keeps the Chia Pet population under control.

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10. 73

    myownworldposted 14 years ago

    ...because I love the smell of freshly mowed grass...

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       Audreveaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Oh me too! One of my favourite smells.

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       awareposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       what she said . as a kid me and my cousins push mowed old graveyards in ohio . it was the coolest. till dusk that is then we wanted my uncle to hurry up and pick us up.

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       rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       it is a nice smell, reminds me of my childhood.

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    4. 61

       Jane@CMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Me too - love the smell!
       
       My son mows it now, we have a large lot & lots of grass.  I like our yard to look its best.

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11. 0

    Audreveaposted 14 years ago

    Cut crass is nice and springy underfoot. Who knows what might be hiding in longer grass?

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12. 67

    awareposted 14 years ago

    seems many of us think the same .

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13. 84

    kerrygposted 14 years ago

    We mow so the neighbors won't hate us, but we've dug up 2/3 of the front lawn and replaced it with shrubs, flowers, and ornamental grasses because lawns are boring, especially in the front where the kids don't play anyway.
    
    The back is fenced, so we don't worry as much about dealing with it. We've left a play area for the kids, but let the clover run amok in the rest. I keep digging up more back there, too.

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14. 76

    starme77posted 14 years ago

    well I get out the big ole commercial industrial weed-eater I used when I had a property maintenance business and cut it to the dirt so I dont have to do it often Though I look a little funny to the neighbors with my mountain machine - I dont care - I cut my lawn 1 time to their 3 LOL

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15. 82

    donotfearposted 14 years ago

    Why do you brush your teeth?

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       Poppa Bluesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       So my breath won't offend when I'm lost in your kiss!

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          donotfearposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          
          Aaaaahhhhh!
          
          

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       Padrinoposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       To get the grass clippings out of them after I mow my grass.

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          donotfearposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          
          

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16. 80

    H.C Porterposted 14 years ago

    My husband mows- I think because our neighbor has the perfect lawn, and he doesnt want to appear as if we are white trash with a jungle in the front of the house. It is also because our kids play outside everyday-and we live in the country so if you dont mow- there is no telling what will end up hiding in the grass (field mice-snakes etc)

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17. 50

    lucaslevequeposted 14 years ago

    hi

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18. 67

    Jeffrey Nealposted 14 years ago

    I like the yard to look nice, and I actually enjoy the activity of mowing grass.
    
    I prefer to do it on my own terms, though. Most lawns around here tend to be bermuda, and that grass will rule your life. Sometimes it has to be mowed more than once per week and requires constant maintenance.
    
    This ends up being a huge waste of time, so a few years ago I killed everything, expanded the size of the beds to plant more flowers and shrubs that require almost zero care, and tore up the rest of the yard and planted zoysia.
    
    Zoysia grass is perfect because it chokes out weeds, grows in moderate shade, grows slowly, doesn't need a lot of fertilizer and water like bermuda, and if you never mow it, it still only gets about 6" tall.  Now the yard is my playground instead of my taskmaster.

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       BRIAN SLATERposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       what a great rely, I'm going to look into Zoysia grass and see if it's available here.
       Thanks Jeffrey

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19. 62

    Greek Oneposted 13 years ago

    i have a illogical hatred for blades of grass. 
    
    They think they're so smart!

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20. 91

    Rochelle Frankposted 13 years ago

    We have to mow, brush and weedwhack. If not, the dry vegetation in late summer would provide a fire ladder into the trees.  People who live in the foothills of California  are wary of wildfires.

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    SomewayOuttaHereposted 13 years ago

    i don't even like wasting water to keep it green - so i don't. but don't have to worry about forest fires in my immediate community. one day i'll get rid of it all and put in something nicer with plants and stones etc.  so i hire someone to do it and then let it die when summer comes and darn it keeps growing back - underneath (few inches) is beautiful rock.  have to basically mow your lawn most months of the year where i live.

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22. 0

    Home Girlposted 13 years ago

    I think in Canada you can be fined if you don't mow, though I am not sure. When I had a house, we used to mow up to 2 times a week during summer! Nuts! I think in my old country they do better: they grow fuits and vegetables, not grass everywhere! More work -  more satisfaction. You cannot eat grass!

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       Greek Oneposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I live in Canada and one time i did not cut my grass and the "Lawn Police" came by and beat me severely with my own weed whacker (no, not that weed whacker.. the one i use to actually cut my weeds)

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          Home Girlposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I don't think so , Greek One! Though they can beat your wallet pretty good!

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       SomewayOuttaHereposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       neighbours would get upset if i had 2 feet of grass and weeds growing of course.  but people don't like it when you waste water on grass anymore either.  so mine dies off pretty quik and doesn't grow more than a couple of inches when it happens, all yellow, and stays that way until the fall.  so i get a break from the stupid grass for about 3 months in summer...yep - can't eat grass....

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23. 60

    Originposted 13 years ago

    When I do mow it's a relaxing way to get outside, smell the fresh cut grass, and listen to my headphones.
    
    

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24. 76

    raisingmeposted 13 years ago

    We basically mow our lawns for the same reason the chicken crossed the road - because it's there!  I love the way newly mowed lawn smells but I love walking barefoot in tall grass.

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       Rochelle Frankposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Chickens cross the road to get to the other side. You mow your lawn for the same reason people climb mountains. 

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          raisingmeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          you are correct - that made me smile!  I blame my brain burp on too many fumes from the lawn tractor!

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25. 80

    manlypoetrymanposted 13 years ago

    It gives my tractor something to do!

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26. 0

    BRIAN SLATERposted 13 years ago

    I mow my lawn when my wife tells me too, she say's it makes the house/ garden look tidier.

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27. 59

    BritFunposted 13 years ago

    Makes the place look nice!   Or at least it stops it looking TOO much of a wreck.

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28. 90

    Polly Cposted 13 years ago

    If we didn't mow the lawn then there would come a time when we could not get to the other side of the garden without getting grass in our eyes and soaking wet if it had been raining. When I was very young i had a friend who's family never cut the grass at all, and believe me it was a jungle and we could not even see each other in the garden (though we were only about nine, so not really tall). Fun for children and great for hide and seek, but very bad for barbeques etc.

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29. 88

    IzzyMposted 13 years ago

    I'm the only one who grows grass for compost, I guess. None of my neighbours on this housing estate have a lawn - their gardens are functional with patios and plants in proper planters and they all look great.
    I'm a gardener and grow the grass to improve the soil, which not so long ago was a dry embankment. It looks good too - it's really green in color and doesn't require much water. When it does rain it needs cutting a lot, but that just gets more more raw material for my compost heaps!
    My garden has earthworms now - and none of my neghbours do. Hmmm...I can see another money-making opening developing here...

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       Rochelle Frankposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       The best reason, so far!

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