With more and more homeowners turning to robotic lawn mowers for their outdoor landscape needs, it’s important to know how to get the most out of your investment. In this article, we will discuss 9 essential tips for robotic mowers to gain the most benefits from a robotic mower.
From determining the right time of the day to the best setup for your lawn size and terrain to understanding different features and capabilities of robotic mowers, you’ll be ready in no time and enjoying lush, green grass all summer long! All this while improving the overall performance of your robotic lawn mower.
Tips for Robotic Mowers #1: Choose the Right Time of Day
The type of grass you have will determine the optimal time of day to mow your lawn. For warm-season grasses, like Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Zoysia, the best time to mow is in the early morning or evening when the sun isn’t as intense. This will help prevent the grass from drying out and turning brown. (A caveat: don’t mow if there’s frost.)
For cool-season grasses, like bluegrass, rye, and fescue, it’s best to mow during midday. This will give the grass a chance to recover from being cut before nightfall.
Tips for Robotic Mowers #2: Strike a Mowing Frequency Balance.
In a nutshell, don’t mow too often, but don’t neglect your lawn, either. That’s why tools like the Husqvarna weather feature are so awesome: because they can sense the weather and adjust mowing frequency for grass growth speed, which all sounds very sci fi (and hey, it works!)
Because listen — if you mow too often, it will compact the soil and mat the grass down. Your grass won’t have a chance to recover and will end up looking burnt out.
You may need to mow more often in the heavier grow seasons, but it can be dialed back during the drier/hotter months.
You also don’t it to get so long and thick the mower cannot get through it. Best case is to make sure it’s evenly mowed, keep an eye on the height, adjust the schedule if needed.
If it gets too tall, spiral or spot cutting can help knock down areas more quickly.
Tips for Robotic Mowers #3: Set Your Mower Up for Success.
Robotic mowers are pretty impressive in that they don’t get stuck or hung up nearly as often as you’d expect. Nonetheless, you can improve outcomes by making sure your yard is “robotic friendly.” What does this mean?
- Reduce “cliffs” by leveling mulch beds
- Use weed blocker or landscape against the house to reduce trimming
- Fill holes, dips and divots
- Grade driveway/sidewalk curbs
- Fill/top-dress heavily rooted areas
- All with the intent of reducing the instances of the mower becoming stuck/stopped and minimizing the additional work needed.
Related Reads: How long does it take for a Robotic lawn mower to map an area?
Tips for Robotic Mowers #4: Use high-quality, sharp blades
If you want to keep your robotic mower running at its best, it’s essential to keep the blades sharp. This will make it easier to maintain healthy grass and a tidy trim. Here are some pointers for why you should keep your blades sharp:
● Dull blades will not cut your lawn; instead they’ll pluck it leaving shredded and ripped pieces
● Overall, dull blades will diminish the health of your lawn and hurt the appearance
● Blades that aren’t sharp can cause a robotic mower to become loud
● Most manufacturers recommend replacing blades on blade discs approximately every 1 to 3 months
Tips for Robotic Mowers #5: How To Avoid Errors on Slopes
When dealing with slopes in your yard, it’s important to ensure that your robotic mower is designed to handle the corresponding gradient. Cheaper models may only be able to handle gradients up to 25%, whereas higher-end models like those from Husqvarna can manage gradients of up to 45%. Using a robotic mower that is not designed for the slope may result in engine power not being sufficient to climb the hill or the mower tipping over when driving up.
Even if your robotic mower is designed for the slope, issues can still arise. For example, in wet conditions, the wheels may spin, resulting in damage to the turf and bare patches on the lawn. To prevent this, you can use a terrain kit with wheels that have a deeper tread, providing more grip to the mower.
Another potential issue with steep slopes is that the robotic mower may not be able to stop in time at a boundary wire and may shoot over it due to momentum when driving downhill. To avoid this, you should try to have a level “run-out area” at the end of the cable or attach a bumper or guard to the robotic mower if there is no other option.
To avoid these mistakes on slopes, make sure to use a robotic mower that is designed for the gradient, use a terrain kit if necessary, avoid mowing on wet lawns, and set up your boundary wire properly to prevent the mower from shooting over it.
Tips for Robotic Mowers #6: Fertilizer and Herbicides
If you want to get the most out of your robotic mower, it’s important to pay attention to your fertilizer and herbicide usage. Here are a few tips:
● Use a lawn-specific fertilizer of the highest caliber. Your lawn will receive the nutrients it needs to keep healthy and green if you do this.
● When using fertilizer and pesticides, make sure to adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions. Your grass can be damaged and more vulnerable to pests and illnesses if you overdo it.
● Try to apply fertilizer and herbicides in the morning or evening when it is cooler outside. This will ensure that the products are absorbed by the grass and assist decrease evaporation.
Related Reads: How to reduce your carbon footprint at home
Tips for robotic mowers #7: Wet Conditions Usage
While traditional lawn mowers are not recommended for use in wet conditions because the grass clumps together and lays over in heavy rain, robotic mowers are not affected by this issue. Some models even cut wet grass better than dry grass. However, it is important to note that this may not be true for all robotic mowers.
Most robotic mowers are highly weather resistant and can mow in the rain without any issues. The only downside is that the mower may get dirty more quickly since grass sticks more easily to the mower deck. But this proper routine cleaning, this shouldn’t be an issue.
It is worth noting, however, that using a robotic mower on steep terrain in wet conditions is not recommended. The wheels may spin on the wet lawn and cause damage to your lawn. In summary, while some robotic mowers may perform well in wet conditions, caution should be taken when using them on steep terrain.
Tips for robotic mowers #8: Winter Maintenance
It’s important to perform regular maintenance on your robotic mower to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. Here are some tips for winter maintenance:
For starters, it’s important to remove any grass or debris that may have accumulated on the mower’s blades. Clearing the area with a brush or hose will do this.
You should also replace the blades on your robotic mower at least once per season (in 4-6 week intervals). This will make a clean cut more likely and keep your mower from working harder than it needs to.
Another important aspect of winter maintenance is storage. If you’re not going to be using your mower for an extended period of time, it’s important to store it properly. This means keeping it in a dry, protected area out of direct sunlight.
Before you tuck it away in the garage for the next few months though, make sure its fully charged, and check in on it periodically, especially in colder climates.
We should also mention that the base station and power supply need some care as well and should not be left out in the winter.
Finally, it’s always a good idea to consult your owner’s manual for specific winter maintenance tips that may be applicable to your particular model of robotic mower.
Troubleshooting Tips
If your robotic mower isn’t working as it should, there are a few troubleshooting tips you can try.
Check the blades first to make sure they are in good shape and are sharp. If the blades are dull or damaged, they will need to be replaced. You should also check the mower’s wheels to ensure they are free of debris and that all four wheels are making contact with the ground.
Additionally, check the area around the mower for any obstacles that may be blocking its path or preventing it from getting a good grip on the grass.
Last but not least, confirm that all connections are solid and the batteries are fully charged.
Ready for your robotic lawn mower?
Roll up your sleeves and step into the future of lawn care. See how we can get your lawn on autopilot. Reach out to Autmow today! Our team of experts will walk you through the process step by step and can answer any questions.
We hope these 9 essential tips for harvesting the most from your robotic mower have armed you with the know-how to keep your robotic mower running and your lawn in pristine condition.
If all else fails, don’t forget to reach out to a professional. With proper maintenance and care, you can ensure your robotic lawn mowers serve its purpose for many years down the line.