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All lawns are different. Your front lawn may be different than your back lawn. Your entire lawn is a bit different than your neighbor’s lawn. Both of your lawns are different from the lawn three blocks down. That is why you must consider cross-contamination from mowers that are used in multiple yards.

What Type of Cross-Contamination? 

You were just being a good friend or good neighbor, but now the mower you loaned is back, and it is contaminated. If you don’t take proper precautions, you could introduce plenty of contaminants onto your own lawn. 

• Weeds: The most common thing you hear about from borrowed or loaned lawn mowers is weed transfer. They have a tendency to cling to the bottom of the lawnmower only to spread out the next time you mow. If the last time the mower was used was on a lawn with weeds, those weeds are still clinging to it. Once a weed establishes itself in your lawn, it can be a challenge to get rid of again. 
• Insects: It isn’t typically an issue, but you can spread insects to your lawn via cross-contamination. If this happens to be a pest that colonizes, it could mean future mitigation efforts. 
• Fungus: One of the sneakiest cross-contaminants to spread to your lawn from a mower is fungi. Fungi easily attaches to the blades and interior of your mower, and it also easily spreads to your lawn. Fungi might not be detected until it does damage, and it takes time and effort to fully eliminate it. 

You Won’t Spread Grass Seed

You are not likely to spread grass seed, although it seems possible. This is because seed heads must mature for months in order to germinate. In a rare circumstance, you might be able to spread different grass seeds, which would be negative in a single-species lawn, but this isn’t a likely scenario. 

Prevent Cross-Contamination From Your Mower

The easiest way to prevent cross-contamination is to not loan your mower. We realize that isn’t practical because you want to be a good friend. However, you can make sure to thoroughly rinse your mower before bringing it back onto your property. Also, you can avoid loaning your mower to people with lawns that are in poor condition. A friend with a thick, healthy lawn is unlikely to have weeds, insects, or fungi. Even in these cases, a good cleaning of your lawnmower blade and deck is recommended.

Have questions about your lawn?

Greenfeet Lawncare Provides Service to the Following Areas.

770-619-2929

North Fulton, East Cobb, Cherokee, Forsyth Counties - including Alpharetta, Canton, Cobb, Cumming, Dunwoody, Gwinnett, Johns Creek, Marietta, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs