You’d be forgiven for thinking that achieving a pristine striped lawn is too complicated for a hobbyist, especially if you’re prone to making common lawn care mistakes. In fact, knowing how to recreate that sports field look comes down to a few useful techniques.
There are few things more satisfying than a perfectly maintained lawn. Putting just a few hours into it can make you the envy of your street, and this iconic look is surprisingly easy to maintain.
While you don’t have to be a professional to master the art of lawn striping, it doesn’t hurt to learn from the best. We spoke with Steve Peeler, in-house agronomist at Simple Lawn Solutions and field manager for several MLB teams, for his expert advice on laying lines on grass.
How to Achieve Professional Looking Lawn Stripes
Your first line is the most important.
Although satisfying when done correctly, the precision of grass striping means it’s easier to notice when you’ve veered off course.
“I always place a string from the starting point to where I want the first stripe to go,” Steve says. “Tightening the string, I cut my first pass while keeping the line centered with my lawnmower.”
Keep your lawn longer
It’s also important to make sure you don’t cut your grass too short. This will make the streaks less visible as the grass will be less able to capture light. It is better to keep it too long and be able to review your work later than to spend hours mowing the lawn only to discover that your yard is uneven or its stripes are imperceptible.
In addition to streaks, if you don’t leave your grass long enough, it could cause other problems in your yard. Here are 9 signs you’re mowing your lawn too much.
Use the correct type of lawnmower
The cutting direction is what determines that striped effect. Although you can buy cylinder lawn mowers that cut the grass in the direction you cut it, most people own rotary lawn mowers, which have a rotating blade.
If you have a rotary mower, this doesn’t mean you can’t achieve great stripes on your lawn. Many modern lawnmowers feature a built-in rear roller that will drag the grass in the cutting direction once cut, meaning it will still bend in the desired direction.
Use color to highlight your stripes
Knowing how to make your lawn greener is key to creating a vibrantly striped lawn. The striping effect is enhanced when the grass is healthy, as different directions of the stripes catch sunlight at different angles.
When I asked Peeler what products he would recommend for creating perfect lawn stripes, he recommended “applying Simple Solutions for 6-0-0 Lawn and darker green. These products will give a deep green color and make the stripes stand out more.” Alternatively, you can use another high-nitrogen fertilizer, although you may want to add lime to your garden first.
If you want to go the extra mile to create a vibrantly striped lawn, “one trick is to apply these products, but alternating stripes,” Peeler told me. “This can be a challenge, but it creates a very distinct light and darker color side by side.”
Overlay your stripes
“Once the first line is cut, I can overlap the original stripe by a quarter width,” Steve said.
“For the first cut of the season, I position each strip so that it lines up perfectly across the entire cut area.” Setting aside this extra time for the first cut of the season will lay the foundation for a perfectly sized swath. This makes it easier to maintain during the summer months.
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