I'm ripping out patches of grass...

[Schulers Lawn Care]

Now don't laugh, I'm new to cutting lawns. My question is, when I make a turn I'm tearing out chunks of grass. Doesn't happen everytime, wheels aren't spinning, and I've tried going as slow as possible. I know this happens when the grass is wet, but since we're in a drought, this isn't always the case. Only thing I could think of is that it has something to do with the ground being so dry so maybe the roots aren't deep enough.

I've only had one complaint but when the guy said there were 25 bare spots, I knew he was lying.

Any advice?

[grandview (2006)]

Slow down before the turn,and try and make 3 point turns instead.Alter your cutting pattern so you don't end up at the same spot to turn around at.

[Schulers Lawn Care]

Originally Posted by grandview (2006)

Slow down before the turn,and try and make 3 point turns instead.Alter your cutting pattern so you don't end up at the same spot to turn around at.

Thanks, I'll give it a try tomorrow.

[Snyder's Lawn Inc]

when you turn dont stop a wheel make sure both tires are moving when you making ur turn or change the tires to a betterturf tire

[gene gls]

With the wide tires on the Z machines, they all tear grass when doing a zero turn. Same as going "around" a tree or any object, you will end up with a wheel track of dead grass. Something has to give under the weight of the mower, its always the grass.

[93Chevy]

Originally Posted by Schulers Lawn Care

I've only had one complaint but when the guy said there were 25 bare spots, I knew he was lying.

Well if you turned around 25 times incorrectly, there's a good chance there's 25 bare spots.

[nparish]

Over inflation can make your mower more prone to leaving these marks, even making slow three point turns.

[Kkane97]

Try what everyone else has said first, they know what they are talking about. with more practice it will become second nature.

For example I am riding my mower down a stripe and will need to turn left at the end.



Before I reach the end I make the mower turn a bit to the right and then when I turn left make it turn enough to line yourself up with the next stripe, but dont turn so hard the right wheel stops.

By turning a bit right before left when you turn left without stopping the wheel you would still be lined up for the next stripe.

[Toro 455]

Originally Posted by Schulers Lawn Care

Only thing I could think of is that it has something to do with the ground being so dry so maybe the roots aren't deep enough.

I've only had one complaint

This makes me think the customer has over fertilized and/or over watered the lawn to the point where it has no root structure below the thatch area.

Drought drives roots deeper not more shallow.

Core aeration would help drive the roots deeper because it lets the nutrients & water go deeper into the soil.
Rent a core aerator and make a few bucks.

If a problem is occuring only at one customer's lawn I'd suspect it's their problem, not something you're doing.