There are many benefits of mowing the lawn that we will definitely discuss, but for now, mowing the lawn is not necessarily beneficial for my knee health. Currently, I have torn meniscus tears in both my left and right knees.
Until the tears are repaired either through knee surgery and the use of knee recovery machines or through healing by exploring the benefits of peptide treatments, pushing a lawnmower is out of the question – for now.
Because of my situation, I bought a riding lawn mower yesterday! For the first time in my life, I will be cutting my own grass. I grew up in a townhome where my mom and I lived for seventeen years, and it had a lawn service, which was a positive benefit, but I did not have a lawn of my own.
From there, we moved to a flat in downtown Plymouth. We lived in the lower flat, and the guy in the upper flat enjoyed cutting the grass, so I did not have to cut it. Then I married a landscaper, and, of course, he cut the grass.
When our oldest son was ten years old, he wanted to cut the grass. He has been cutting the grass ever since, and he loves it! However, now that he is twenty-one years old, he has a full-time job and does not have time to mow the lawn anymore, which is why I bought the riding mower.
According to Psychology Today, “Mowing the grass has mind-body health benefits. There’s something meditative about pushing a mower back and forth across that patch of green. Plus, it’s a practical way to work in a workout while burning some serious calories.
Back and forth and back again. Focusing on the repetitive movement of mowing helps you slip into a calmer state of mind. Meanwhile, the green surroundings help restore attention and promote a sense of well-being,”.
Benefits of mowing the lawn, from the perspective of a health workout company (ABC Fitness Connection), “The next time you need extra motivation to mow the lawn, remember this: mowing and trimming your grass can also help you trim your waistline. Pushing your lawn mower acts as an efficient form of cardiovascular exercise, and even comes recommended by the Franklin Institute as a way to work your entire body and improve your heart health. The calorie-burning or metabolism-boosting effects of mowing your lawn vary, depending on your body weight as well as the kind of lawn mower you’re using,”.
Okay, with a riding mower, I won’t be able to benefit exercise-wise, but I will be able to enjoy the meditative experience. Furthermore, I will get fresh air, more opportunities to talk to my neighbors, and appreciate the social interaction, as well as the much-needed sunshine therapy.
Riding lawn mower vs push mower
Besides my knees needing a break, one of the main reasons I decided to purchase a riding lawn mower was that it can be used as a leaf sucker in the fall with a special attachment. I have many trees on my property, which is almost an acre in size – another reason a riding mower is better for my usage.
Since my sons were little, they helped their dad with leaf cleanups in the fall and spring. After the divorce, I would ask them to continue doing the leaf cleanups for their “old mama” (ha, ha). Unfortunately, they have severe allergies and asthma, which are exacerbated by the leaves, especially in the fall. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on hiring a company, I bought a riding lawn mower.
Another benefit of a riding mower over a push mower is that I can attach a plow for winter snow removal. However, I have a rock driveway, so it’s a little tricky. Since my ex-husband is in landscaping, in the winter, he performs snow removal and ice management.
When we were married, after a long night of snow maintenance work, he would back-blade our rock driveway with the plow adjusted so that it wouldn’t be at ground level, in an attempt not to remove or shift the rocks around.
How to clear snow off a gravel driveway?
After many years, it was inevitable, and we lost a lot of rocks when the snow melted and slid downhill; hence, we redid the driveway a few years ago. The driveway is a half-circle that heads uphill at its entrance and slopes downhill at its exit, surrounding a beautiful, large oak tree in the middle.
Bray Topsoil and Gravel suggests that it is possible to clear off a gravel driveway: “Snow and ice can create a number of issues in gravel driveways, such as ruts, potholes, and washouts as the snow melts. And inevitably, gravel will move regardless of whether you remove snow from the driveway.
Fear not! With a little adjusting to how you remove snow, your gravel driveway will fare just as well as an asphalt driveway would. Here are our top tips for removing snow from your gravel driveway.
1. Rock salt and melting materials work best. Preparation is always best if you can swing it. Check your snow/ice melt instructions, but many work best if you put them down ahead of a storm blowing into town.
2. Try a shovel first. The first thing to address should be the top layer of snow. Clear it just like you would an asphalt sidewalk by using a snow shovel. However, once you get to the bottom layers where the snow and ice mix with the gravel, switch out your tools. Then it’s time to…
3. Use a garden rake. Got snow that’s heavy and wet? A garden rake is surprisingly effective at removing dense snow. It’s also perfect for getting into the bottom layers of snow while keeping the gravel somewhat in place.
4. Got a snowplow? You can still use it. If you have a snowplow, prepare to rake or shovel the gravel back into place after the storm has passed.
5. Blow that snow away,”.
Huh, I never thought about using a rake – what a good idea!
Health benefits of mowing the lawn
In conclusion, whether you ride or push a mower, tending your lawn delivers real physical and mental rewards — and a little fresh air never hurt anyone’s outlook.
