How do people get their yards looking like a checker board?

I actually saw this on Discovery a couple of weeks ago. You have to drag what looks like a roller behind your mower. They made one on this show with a piece of PVC pipe by stopping up the ends after putting 5 pounds of sand in it. It was pretty interesting. I don't know the pattern you would need to follow though.

How do people get their yards looking like a checker board?

 

I worked for a professional lawn care company for 11 years, it's pretty simple actually

 

after you outline your yard, mow a straight line through the center of it, it's the easiest way to start. The best way to mow a straight line is pick a target and shoot for it (tree, flower, mailbox). After you mow that straight line, you turn around 180 degrees and mow directly beside your first pass the width of the deck going in the opposite direction. For example if your first pass is going north, you would turn you mower and mow the next section of grass going south. Then at the end of that row you would turn the mower 180 degrees and mow north again. When you finish that side, go do the exact same thing on the other side. Just remember what way you mowed first so you don't have 2 stripes the same way. I'd mow like that for 3 weeks or so on the same stripes. That will actually make the stripes stay in the yard. Then the same thing just at a different angle like east or west or north east south west. That will give it that checker board stripe. Also after your done with the yard I'd go around it again once to take out the turn marks.

 

The strip is basically the way the grass is laid, that's why the back and forth pattern gives it that affect.

 

I also used commercial zero turn mowers so the turn is real quick. I'd recommend either a scag turf tiger z rider or a snapper walk behind.

I actually saw this on Discovery a couple of weeks ago. You have to drag what looks like a roller behind your mower. They made one on this show with a piece of PVC pipe by stopping up the ends after putting 5 pounds of sand in it. It was pretty interesting. I don't know the pattern you would need to follow though.

How was it attached to the back of the mower?

I also used commercial zero turn mowers so the turn is real quick. I'd recomend either a scag turf tiger z rider or a snapper walkbehind.

 

Actually it's pretty easy to do with one of these.....

If you're using a push mower, there's a flap on the back edge that lays the grass in the direction you are mowing. For a more distinct line, the flap needs some weight. Simply attaching a piece of rebar works well. If you cut your grass frequently, and go in opposite directions each time you cut(east/west then north/south) the 'design' will get more distinct with time.

I worked for a professional lawn care company for 11 years, it's pretty simple actually

 

after you outline your yard, mow a straight line through the center of it, it's the easies way to start. The best way to mow a straight line is pick a target and shoot for it (tree, flower, mailbox). After you mow that straight line, you turn around 180 degrees and mow directly beside your first pass the width of the deck going in the opposite direction. For example if your first pass is going north, you would turn you mower and mow the next section of grass going south. Then at the end of that row you would turn the mower 180 degrees and mow north again. When you finish that side, go do the exact same thing on the other side. Just remember what way you mowed first so you don't have 2 stripes the same way. I'd mow like that for 3 weeks or so on the same stripes. That will actually make the stripes stay in the yard. Then the same thing just at a different angle like east or west or north east south west. That will give it that checker board stripe. Also after your done with the yard I'd go around it again once to take out the turn marks.

 

The strip is basically the way the grass is laid, that's why the back and forth pattern gives it that affect.

 

I also used commercial zero turn mowers so the turn is real quick. I'd recomend either a scag turf tiger z rider or a snapper walkbehind.

Its pretty simple really.:thumb:

Its pretty simple really.:thumb:

 

 

It's very simple actually. Nothing to it at all.

Well I'm not buying its simple routine. Their has to be an attachment to go on your mower that does this. I mow east,west,north,south, now and it looks no different.

Well I'm not buying its simple routine. Their has to be an attachment to go on your mower that does this. I mow east,west,north,south, now and it looks no different.

 

What type of mower do you have?

What type of mower do you have?

It's a 2305 John Deere with a 62" cut.

I have been told that the rollers and not the mower is the key. I have tried the mowing in patterns and it has not worked. Told I need the rollers behind me to keep the pattern.

It's a 2305 John Deere with a 62" cut.

 

As LBBC mentioned, you need a roller of some sort to "lay" the grass. The pattern you see is do to the grass blades laying in different directions. A push mower has a flap in which it lays the grass in the direction you're cutting. A standard riding mower has no such thing. You will need to buy (or build) a roller in order to get those designs in your yard. You also need a thick, healthy yard for it to look good.

I have no rollers on my mover and it works just fine. However I do have a commercial mower so that might be some help.

Well I'm not buying its simple routine. Their has to be an attachment to go on your mower that does this. I mow east,west,north,south, now and it looks no different.

 

Your making it out more than it is, it's not gonna do it on the first try. You need to mow it the same way a few weeks in the row to get the first set of stripes on it and then when you change it mow it a couple times. Don't mow it more ways than 2. Pick 2 directions and only mow it those ways. It has nothing to do with mower or drags or anything. I stripped my neighbors yard and he had a yardmate or something like that.