The lawnmower can be intimidating for the first-time mower. Mowing a lawn requires sharp eyes and good footing, both of which are good fitness indicators. Many injuries to the hands, wrists, arms, legs, and back can be avoided by following a few simple safety tips. Most injuries that occur when mowing a lawn are from hitting objects like stones, boards, sticks, and toys. The following are important ways to protect against injuries.

Pay Attention

Pay attention to where you're cutting the grass. Avoid doing other things, such as talking to your family or friends. It's easy to get distracted, which can then cause an accident. 

Choose a Good Height of Cut for your Grass

A setting of between 1 and 3 is best for most lawnmowers. A setting of 2 or 3 allows for longer blades that catch more grass, but these settings require less pressure on the push-bar. The problem with high settings is that there's more potential for accidents if you have to maneuver the mower in confined areas.

The trick is to learn how to position the mower to allow you to maneuver easily without tipping or spilling over. If you find yourself tipping or spilling over when you turn or stop, reduce the cut's height until you can safely turn and stop the mower.

The ability to control the mower with little movement in confined areas makes it much easier to use on slopes and curbs. Try to mow only in open areas and make wide sweeps with the mower.

Wear Protective Eyewear

Another thing to remember is to wear protective eyewear when mowing a lawn. To avoid damaging your eyes from dirt, insects, and the sun, look for quality protective eyewear with clear lenses and flexible sides that bend around your face. 

Never wear loose-fitting glasses while mowing as they will quickly fly off if hit by a tree branch or something else that comes out of the grass.

Cover Your Hands

Another safety tip to consider is protecting your hands with gloves when mowing. This helps protect your hands from bug bites, scrapes, and hand cuts.

Wear Proper Footwear

Proper footwear will protect you from bruises on your feet, especially in cases where you bump into stones that have sharp edges or weeds that have thorns. Don't underestimate the value of shoes for preventing injuries on the lawn.

Put on Hearing Protectors

The icing on the cake would be wearing hearing protectors when mowing your lawn. To some degree, noise-canceling headphones have been known to cause more ear-related injuries than most realize. And yes, they do make a difference in cutting the lawn safely. Do some research before deciding which brand is best for you. 

Mower Forward

Pulling the mower backward increases the likelihood of pulling a joint in your lower back and possibly causing serious injury. Mowing forward allows you to push with your legs instead of using your back muscles to move the machine. Using this motion makes it more natural and much less likely to injure yourself in the process. 

Mowing should be part of your regular lawn maintenance routine. Remember, it's not just about looks; it's about having a nice healthy lawn that looks good all year long. By being mindful of these things, you will not only keep your yard looking great, but you will also keep yourself safe as well.

Lawn maintenance is critical to increasing your home's value. Unfortunately, many homeowners don't invest enough time into their lawn or don't know the best methods to maintain it. 

But all lawns require the appropriate attention and best care to thrive. A well-maintained lawn increases curb appeal, shows off your home's personality, and certainly leaves a lasting impression. 

If you're interested in improving the quality of your lawn, take a look at these four lawn maintenance tips. 

1. Test Your Soil

Getting to know your soil is the foundation of better lawn care. Ultimately, whatever you see above ground is reflecting what's happening underground in your soil. 

You can easily test your soil by getting a testing kit. You may be able to get a test kit from your local extension service or from an agriculture agent. 

Home test kits enable you to understand your soil's current pH level and give you information on what to do next based on the pH displayed.

2. Know the Best Grass for Your Region

Not all grass thrives in the same region. This is an important factor to consider when improving the quality of your lawn. 

For instance, lawns in the Northeast region thrive with grasses like bluegrasses and fescues. On the other hand, lawns in the Southeast thrive with bermudagrass. Be sure that your grass is best suited for the region you live in.

3. Manage Water Usage

Watering the lawn can be a confusing task for most. How much is too much? How much is too little? Managing water usage can certainly feel like a gray area. As a result, many homeowners just water their lawns when it seems like the right time.

But it's best to adopt the best watering practices early on to effectively maintain the health of your lawn. With that said, lawns thrive best when they are deeply watered at less frequent periods as opposed to shallow, frequent watering techniques. 

If you water your lawn too much, this will promote shallow roots that become more susceptible to drought and other stresses. But implementing better water practices improves your lawn and it saves on your water bill as well. 

4. Mow for Height and Health

Following a mowing routine is important, but don't mow your lawn based on a certain day of the week. Homeowners should be mowing for height and health instead. 

For this reason, it's important to let go of the rigorous mowing routine and focus on cutting your grass based on its growth. 

Generally, homeowners should never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single mowing. By cutting more than that, you will remove carbohydrates that are needed for healthy grass growth. 

Lawn maintenance doesn't have to be hard. With the right tips, homeowners can enhance the quality of their lawn and ultimately increase the value of their homes.