Why are zero-turn mowers so popular for sandy soil? The answer is its convenient controllability. A zero-turn mower can be smoothly maneuvered on any kind of surface. Its zero turning radius helps you to take the mower in any direction you want, whenever you want.
However, controlling a zero turn mower in sandy soil can be tricky. If you are not aware of the correct method, things may go against your expectations.
But don’t worry, because this article will show you just the right way to use a zero-turn mower in a sandy area. In the end, you shouldn’t have any problem controlling the machine.
How To Run Zero Turn Mower in Sandy Soil
A zero-turn mower uses a circular blade to cut the grass effectively. Thanks to the circularly rotating blades, zero-turn mowers are the best to control the machine to turn around the corners. Making light turns is this machine’s specialty.
To utilize the benefits of this mower, you have to make sure to use all the right components. Check out below how to effectively run zero turn mower in sandy soil.
Choose The Ideal Grass Clipping Option
If you have been mowing for a while now, you probably have faced a dilemma on whether to consider mulching or side discharge.
While a mulcher will shred grass into small pieces, a discharger will send the grass flying away from the lawnmower. A mulcher is less messy, while a discharger requires you to swipe off the excess bits.
As you will be working on sandy soil, the best option would be to go for a mulcher. This way, you won’t have much difficulty cleaning things up after you are done.
Choose The Right Fuel
You can choose either electric or gas. While both are equally convenient options, there might be some subtle differences.
Gas is the best to power up your machine. It can take your mower to its full potential. However, you may not want to spend the extra bucks on fuel now and then.
Electric mowers solve this problem. You can just hook up your machine to a power source and have a perfectly running mower at a lower price. This option is also ideal for sandy soils because there’s no fear of oil leakage ruining your lawn. It reduces the chance of jamming as well.
Choose The Proper Control System
You can set your mower to either automatic or manual settings. But, as you will be using zero-turn mowers on sandy soil, a manual one is likely to be more effective. You can take these machines to any spot you prefer and cover every nook and cranny with perfection.
Automatic works fine as well. But if you don’t have anything important to do while mowing the lawn, it’s always preferable to use the manual system.
Take Care Of The Machine
Running a zero-turn mower on sandy soil can damage the machine. Sands can get jammed in the spinning blades, ruining the performance of the device. Not only this, the sand can even tear up the internal equipment as well.
Fortunately, this happens only when a heap load of sand is stuck in the blade. Just make sure to clean the spinning blades after every usage, and your mower should be ok.
Get The Perfect Tire Pressure
Sandy soil is a sensitive area for all kinds of wheels. The tire pressure has to be just on the right level to let the mower run smoothly. Excessively inflated tires won’t get enough traction to move on the sandy ground. On the other hand, low tire pressure will cause the wheel to dig deep into the ground.
The trick here is to have perfect tire pressure. According to Lawn Mower Guru, for zero-turn mowers, this pressure should be 14 PSI for the front wheel and 10 PSI for the rear tires. Try having this modification, and your mower is good to go.
Make Sure To Use The Right Blade
Not all blade goes well with zero turn mower, especially when you are running the machine on sandy soil. However, if you don’t have much idea, it can be difficult for you to determine which one is the right blade.
Husqvarna and Toro have some excellent blades for you. If you are using mulching mowers, use Toro 22 or Toro 20 in your machine. However, if you still opt for a discharger, try using Husqvarna Z254 R. The best would be using the Husqvarna Z254 XP blade. This option is compatible with both mulching and discharger mowers.
There are definitely many more blades for mowers, but those may not be ideal for running a zero-turn mower on sandy soil. So don’t take the risk and consider our recommendation instead.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the best lawn mower blades for sand?
Usually, the low-lift blades are preferred for sand. This type of blade last for a longer duration. The extended lifespan makes them the ideal choice for such landscapes.
Do low-lift blades cut better?
Low lift blades cut shorter and dry grasses better. The positioning and velocity of these mowers’ blades make them a good choice for such situations. However, high-lift blades work perfectly fine in all types of conditions. Their deeper curved edge makes them work well. So, you can say this is still a matter of dispute whether low-lift blades cut better or not.
Are high-lift blades good for sandy soil?
Well, high-lift blades are not that good for sandy soil. Having a blade vigorously turning above sandy ground makes the sand swirl like a storm. As a result, the sand gets easily jammed in the motor of high lift blades, resulting in permanent damage to internal equipment.
Conclusion
Running a zero turn mower in sandy soil is not a piece of cake. There are a lot of technical matters involved here. A number of things demand your utmost attention. However, once you manage to get all the adjustments right on point, nothing stops you from giving your sandy lawn its perfect look. Just make sure to stay aware of the condition of your lawn. That should take care of the rest.