It’s a dilemma, your grass seems to be growing out of control, but your lawnmower is broken, or you don’t have a mower. It’s crucial to cut your grass regularly to stop weeds from taking over and to prevent your yard from becoming a jungle. Don’t panic; there are several ways to cut grass without a mower if you’re in a pinch.
Whether you can’t afford a lawnmower at the moment, your mowers broke down, or you’re trying to become more environmentally friendly, read on. This article will discuss how to cut grass without a mower.
Ways to cut grass without a mower
Perhaps surprisingly, there are several different options available if you want to cut your lawn without a lawnmower. Depending on the equipment you have available or can borrow, you may can cut your grass in one of the following ways:
Scythe
In the olden days, grass was cut by hand using a scythe. A scythe is a long metal blade that is attached to the end of a long stick. You may have seen a scythe in an image of the grim reaper. A scythe has a curved blade that is moved backward and forwards through the grass to cut it. This method of cutting grass is still effective but isn’t used by many people today.
Scythes are best for mowing tall grass, and if you’ve ever tried mowing with a scythe, you’ll know that it requires lots of strength and energy. Cutting grass with a scythe is a full-body workout, and it can be hazardous.
Hedge trimmer
If you own a hedge trimmer, you may be able to use it to cut your grass. A hedge trimmer has a long blade that is used to cut pieces off hedges and bushes. If you don’t have a lawnmower, it can also be used to mow your lawn.
If you move a hedge trimmer through long grass, it will trim your lawn. You should, however, be very careful and ensure that you clear the area of debris such as fallen branches, stones, or garden toys. You don’t want to hit an object and have it fly up and hit you on the head or face.
Cutting grass with a hedge trimmer is also likely to be hard work and will feel like a workout, but it is effective if your lawnmowers broke. One of the main advantages of using a hedge trimmer to cut your grass is that you can also trim your hedges, shrubs, and bushes simultaneously.
Shears
If you have a small yard and are looking for a way to cut your grass, you may like to use shears. These are great for longer grass, but cutting a lawn with sears is likely to be quite time-consuming. Shears are a very precise way of mowing your lawn as they are like giant scissors, which are easy to control. It’s a good idea to use a knee pad when cutting your lawn using shears as you’ll need to be in a kneeling position for a long time and should protect your knees. If you have problems with your knees or are impatient, using shears may not be the best method for you.
String trimmer
Many homeowners don’t have the space to store a lawnmower and instead opt to cut their grass using a string trimmer. String trimmers are tall and take up less space. There are many different products available that are easy to use, and there are even wireless options available.
You can easily cut your grass using a string trimmer as long as your lawns dry. Don’t cut wet grass, as you’ll likely end up with an uneven cut. When mowing, it’s best to experiment with your posture, grip, and technique to achieve the most even cut.
While using a string mower is effective, there are also some disadvantages to this method. It can be time-consuming, especially if you have a larger yard. Strimmer’s don’t collect the grass, so you’ll have to rake up the grass after you finish cutting the grass.
Sheep or goats
Another way to cut your grass is using animals such as sheep or goats. These animals are herbivores who will continually nibble on your grass to keep it short. Before lawnmowers were invented, people commonly used sheep or even cows to mow their lawn. The benefit is that you’ll also have a supply of manure which you can put on your vegetable plot or add to your compost.
Obviously, most people aren’t going to have a sheep laying around, but in case you know somebody who has one, here it is.
Golf clubs
It seems crazy, but golf clubs or even hockey sticks can be used to cut your grass. This may be a last resort as it will create an uneven look. Some people have even tried using a baseball bat to mow their lawn. You can swing them backward and forwards as you would if you had a scythe, and this will cut the grass. The downside to this method is that you’re likely to end up with a sore shoulder and patchy lawn. In fact, this is only one step above pulling the grass with your fingers.
Edger
Edgers are used to create a defined edge on a flower bed or vegetable plot. If you have an edger, you may not be aware that it can also be used for other purposes. An edger can be used to trim hedges and mow your lawn. The good thing about using an edger is that you won’t need to bend down as it has a long handle. This means you won’t end up with a stiff back or sore shoulders. Using an edger is one of the best ways to mow your lawn if you don’t have a lawnmower. See also: Edger vs bed redefiner.
Get Ahold of a Mower Cheap
Of all the ideas listed above, there’s really only one tool mentioned above that was designed with cutting grass in mind. And that tool is the scythe. Getting your hands on the lawn more is going to drastically reduce the amount of time that you are out there mowing your yard. It’s also going to improve the overall quality of the cut, since lawnmowers were designed to cut evenly. With that in mind, here are some ideas to get a hold of a lawn more cheap or free.
Borrow from a Neighbor (Free)
This one involves swallowing some pride, most neighbors are more than happy to help you when you are in a jam. All you have to do is get the courage to ask. Tell them in exchange for letting you borrow the mower, you will mow their yard too. That’s a win for everybody.
Craigslist/FB Marketplace (Ideally Less than $80)
Craigslist and Facebook marketplace are crawling with lawnmowers all year. You can get a decent push mower for under 80 bucks. That mower should still run, you have a decent blade. If you do pick one up that way, ask the owner to warm it up before you get there. A lot of times the mower will run OK when it’s cold, but have difficulty running once it’s warmed up.
The only drawback to asking to see the lawnmower when it is hot is that you’re not going to be able to see how it starts. That’s a huge drawback. But, it’s better to have a mower that’s difficult to start than it is to have a mower that won’t keep running.
You can also get a better mower for the money at the end of fall and during the winter season when people are trying to unload things they don’t need for Christmas money. Used mowers will command top dollar during the spring time.
Walmart (About $100)
For years Walmart has sold it very simple and cheap push mower for right around 100 bucks. While the purpose of this article has been to show you how to cut grass without a mower, it seemed prudent to throw this stuff out there.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different ways you can cut grass without a mower. While many people would rather invest in a new lawnmower than buy some sheep, sheep or goats do make excellent pets, and the manure will come in handy as an organic fertilizer. The above methods are best used if you have a small area of grass to cut.
The odds are if you’re reading this, you may have a lawnmower that won’t start. That can happen for a variety of reasons, but you may want to try the linked guide. It can help you get your mower running and back in the game! Good luck getting your yard cut.