Use and Care Manual

ViewingPosition
Thegrassthatisbenttowardyouwillappeardarker,andthe
grassthatisbentawayfromyouwillappearlighter.
•Mowingpatternsthatgenerallyareparalleltoaroadwill
havegreatercontrastwhenviewedapproachingorleaving
theproperty.Thecontrastofstripingwillbelessvisible
whenlookingacrossthemowingdirection.
•Ifthepropertyhasafocalpointoraviewinglocation,
mowinginapatternthatisgenerallytoandfromthe
observationpointcanbebenecial.
LawnCondition
•Largeatareasusuallyprovidebetterstripingcontrast
thanonslopesorareaswithalotoftrimmingandedging.
•Mowinginmorningdewcanproducegoodstriping
contrast.
•Double-cutmowingandmowingasecondpassata
1/2inchlowerheightofcutcanproducegoodstriping
contrast.
MowingMode
•Sidedispersalofclippingscanhidestripingandreduce
thecontrasteffect.
•Baggingcandisplayheavywheeltracksandreducethe
effectofstriping.
•Mulchingwilloftendisplayexcellentcontrastandenhance
theeffectofstriping.
Landscape
•Themowingareasizehasaneffectonthenal
appearance.Largeareascanlookbetterwhenmowed
withalargemower.Smallareasmaynotlookrightwhen
cutwithalargemower.
•Largeareaswithoccasionaltreesorotherobstructions
willoftenlookbestwhenthemowingpatternappearsto
gothroughtheobstruction.Forexample,itcanlookbest
forapatterntomatchandcontinueonthefarsideofa
smallpond.Adifferentcrosscutpatternonthefarside
ofapondmaynotbevisible.
•Someareaslookbestwithlongstraightlinesofstriping
mowingpatternalignedwithapropertyedge.Someareas
lookbestwithadiamondpattern,whereneitherstraight
lineisalignedwiththepropertyedge.Propertieswith
rollinghillsidesorpondscanlookbestwithaowing
curvesstripingpattern.Adistinctivefeaturelikeasmall
pondcanbehighlightedandenhancedbyaradialpattern
orbyaringpattern.
TrainingtheLawnforStriping
•Onanewpropertyduringweeks1and2,youmayneed
tofollowtheexactsamepatternanddirectioninthesame
wheeltracks.Thiswillbegintrainingthegrasstobendin
thedesireddirection.
•Onweek3,useacross-grainstripingpattern.
•Onweeks4and5,repeattheoriginalpattern.After
youestablishtheprimarystriping-patterngrain,you
mayalternatethepatterneachweektoestablisha
checkerboardoraplaidstyleofmowingpattern.
•Donotmowintheexactsamepatterneveryweek.This
willcausecompactioninwheeltracksandmayproduce
rutsordepressionsalongthewheeltracks.
TurningWhileUsingtheStripingKit
•Raisethedeckwhenturning.Stripingisgenerallynot
enhancedbyendturns.
•Raisingthedeckwillreduceblendingendsofthepattern.
DrivingtheMachinetoDifferentCutting
Areas
•Raisethedeckanddrivealongapreviouscutpathto
transportfromoneareaofthepropertytoanother
section.
•Drivingacrossthepatterncandisturbthepattern.
FollowingAllGeneralMowingCommon
Practices
•Mowtheperimetertoestablishaboundary.
•Whensidedischarging,directtheclippingsawayfrom
walks,drives,owerbeds,buildingsandvehicles.If
thedischargethrowsclippingsalongdistance,mow
additionalpassestoavoidunwantedcleanupofclippings.
•Avoidexcessivetrimming.Drivingbackandforth
orfrequentforwardandreversemaneuversaround
anobstaclewillcompressthegrassanddisturbthe
professionalappearanceofanicejob.
•Followallsafemowingpracticesasdescribedinthe
Operator’sManual.Donotletthestripingpatterncause
youtomowintoahazardoussituation.
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