A few questions I have about my ego and cutting in general.
Are you not supposed to “mulch” at a #2? Is mulching meant for #5 or #6 and just barely chopping off the top?
At #2 and #3, parts of my lawn cutting make my mower choke up and slow down, even when I’m not mulching and instead bagging up.
I thought battery was going bad so I bought a new battery.
I thought my blade was dull so I bought a new blade (though I picked the “bagging” high upward air flow blade they sell).
Maybe I’m just missing something but I can’t imagine ever cutting my grass close at a #1 because it struggles at #3.
Zone 6A, Kentucky bluegrass
by nichijouuuu
7 Comments
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You’re gonna have to slow the mower down if you want to mulch while taking that much off the grass.
If I were you I would bag the clippings when taking a good amount of grass off. Then mulch at least once a week.
To knock down truly overgrown grass (not your situation from the photos) you will need to prop the back flap open with no side chute or other attachment. Walk to the side of the mower or you may get nailed with debris coming out the back. It will rarely if ever get bogged down this way.
The mower will get clogged with grass and jam up otherwise.
No lawn care expert by any means but I have been using ego mowers for 7 years now I think.
once a week mowing is just an arbitrary schedule. if you mow when it needs it (1/3 blade height) it could be every other day or every 3rd day in the growing season.
I’m in Bermuda land, but it’s my understanding KBG should be no lower than 3 inches which would be #4 on the EGO. It’ll be more uniform and easier on the blades, which may need a sharpening if your mower is struggling as much as you’re saying
In my experience, mulching gets harder the lower you go, as the mower struggles to discharge the mulch into the shorter grass blades and the clippings from the base of the plant tend to be “juicier”. It just collects and sticks to the deck, building up more and more until the additional friction slows down or jams the blade. Increasing overlap can help, but not reliably.
I find it greatly helps if you slightly tilt the mower back as you go. If you do this, You will need to do a cleanup pass afterward to get it to a uniform height. Best to do a second pass after the discharge has had time to dry out, as the dry clippings are less likely to stick to the deck.
Do you sharpen your blades? Even new blades come somewhat dull. Sharp blades help mulching a lot.
Also, spraying automotive ceramic spray to the deck helps prevent the wet clippings from sticking to the deck. I use Griot’s ceramic speed shine. You will need to make sure the deck is clean before applying. It will last a few mows before you need to reapply.
Raise the blade height or mow more often
This is the state of current gen electric Mowers. Maybe the Milwaukee would be fine but is the most expensive