The year of the automated mower
Robotic lawn mowers are surely the tool of the future. Even if you enjoy mowing the lawn (which I used to do) the benefits of the amount of time that could be saved from this constant chore cannot be dismissed. How cool would be to wake up and find that the lawn had been mown to a high standard while you sleep, giving you more time to enjoy relaxing in your garden or being able to give more time to your flowers and vegetables?
Robotic mowers come in a range of specifications and you should compare them carefully to ensure that you select the right one for the size and quality of your lawn.
You can set them up with a defined boundary that involves burying a cable just under the ground to define the extent of the area to mow – this is a simple job that just needs a slit trench made using a half moon edging too.
Common features of robotic mowers include:
Self-charging – these inelegant machines will find their way to their docking station when they begin to run low on charge.
They run on rechargeable batteries and make very little noise and can be used at night.
They can mow irregularly shaped lawns and lawns that have a slope up to around 30%. You will need to know the size of your lawn to select the most appropriate model for the job.
They are generally mulching mowers that means that they shred the clippings and insert them into the surface of the soil, meaning there is a high quality finish and no waste. The return of the nitrogen to the soil means that fertiliser use is also reduced.
They can be programmed to operate at set times and frequency and the regular mowing produces a fine cut surface. Some can also be operated from an app on your smart phone.
Having read many customer reviews of this type of mower the overwhelming consensus is that the customers are really happy with the product and the result.
Prices reflect the specifications of the mower and the size of the lawn that they have the power to tackle; however the free time that this would create for someone with a large lawn is priceless. If you have a disability or find mowing strenuous this is a highly recommended labour saving piece of equipment, unless of course, like me, you have astroturf!
For more information see John Lewis for their latest picks
Caroline Wright
Caroline brings decades of horticultural experience, both practical and theoretical. Having lectured at Brackenhurst Horticultural University for many years, Caroline has now relocated to France and is following her passion for growing plants and teaching. Caroline and her husband Paul run the plant nursery, propagating all of the plants themselves and lead a wide selection of fun and interactive horticultural and craft based courses.
