OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums General Discussion Forum Lawn Care & Maintenance Lawn striping with a Scott Bonnar

Hi guys, it's been a while since I have been online but my resto Scott Bonnar is going well. I was thinking of ways to get it better for lawn striping. Anyone added extra weight to the rear roller, maybe add concrete in the roller? Maybe it's a stupid idea and would put extra strain on the engine. Just thought I would put it out there for discussion.

Hello Melb

Well, that's an unusual question.
I think I can only answer one part of it...

I do not believe more contrasted lawn stripes will be achieved by a
heavier roller. There are historic reason why 'heavy-weight' lawnmowers
were the first powered reel mowers.

The 'middle-weight' and 'light-weight' mowers came in to being for a
number of reasons - but their was a clear realisation that good stripes
could be made with very little roller weight. In fact, heavy rollers
are unsuitable for work beyond sporting purposes, and then, only
specific ones - sports fields, cricket, tennis, croquet ...

It may surprise you that golf greens mowers are designed with lighter
rollers; not heavier ones; there being a danger of compaction of the surface
where it is not warranted - or detrimental.

The biggest gain for that 'english striped look' will be found in external
factors: the grass type, soil, height of cut, augmented by regular de-thatching
or scarifying, or other maintenance - and lawnmowing technique.

I'm hoping a lawn expert will help me out here. Your answer lies in turf-
selection and maintenance, not adding concrete. That's best left to the
mafiosi. I think that's right.

Hope this helps.
---------------------
Jack

My lawn is Kikuyu and I cut it as the highest setting of the Scott Bonnar. I feel if I could cut it higher it would result in a better stripe. When cutting it gives a slight stripe.

A healthy dark lawn will stripe up better.Lawn fertilizer with added Sulphate of iron(FeS04)brings out colour.Leaving it long is a good idea(more leaf to lay down)Increase cutting. Follow old stripes before they are lost and try to go over the stripes in the same driection as before.Light stripes the grass is laying away from you dark stripes they are laying towards you

Any suggestion of a good fertilizer with sulphate of iron?

the old up down stripe

or the 3-up 3-down technique