One of the most asked questions about robot lawn mowers is “is my lawn suitable for an Automower®?” The simple answer is YES!. Thanks to over 25 years of engineering, Husqvarna Automowers are now quickly growing in popularity across Australia.
Let's answer some of the most commonly asked robotic mower questions and take a closer look at exactly what an Automower® can achieve for you.
Is my lawn suitable for a Husqvarna Automower®?
The Husqvarna Automower® is a fully adaptable robotic mower that is able to tackle just about every type of lawn around the home. If you are currently using a push mower or ride on mower, there is an Automower available that can do the same job, thus freeing up your time for other activities. This means that regardless of whether there are narrow passages to navigate, inclines, ground objects and tough grass, the Automower® will be able to carry on cutting for you.
Australian gardens come in all shapes and sizes and the types of grass can vary drastically. Whether you have couch, kikuyu or buffalo grass or even a mix of them, the Automower® will keep it in perfect condition; rain, hail or shine. And unlike traditional mowers, the Automower uses 3 blades to cut the grass rather than tearing it. This results in a carpet-like finish with the clippings decomposing and acting as a natural fertiliser for your lawn.
What size lawn can the Automower® cut?
Depending on the model, select Husqvarna Automowers can cut lawns up to 5000 square metres. For most home owners, this is more than sufficient for lawn maintenance. When the battery begins to get low, the Automower® navigates its way back across the garden and docks itself to charge. Charging takes approximately 50 minutes and can provide up to 270 minutes of mowing time.
For those with larger lawns, you can have multiple Automowers working in tandem, saving you time effort and running costs such as fuel. Simply set the schedule and let them get to work on their own. As an example, the Husqvarna Automower 450X-XLine model can cut lawns as large as 5000 square meters (+/- 20%), while the Automower 315X-XLine model can cut lawns up to 1600 square meters (+/-20%).
An excellent way to check is to prepare a site plan using Google Earth Pro. Simply type in your address and use the ruler to mark out your perimeter, obstacles etc. The site plan will advise what the total length of your perimeter will be and the overall square metre size to be mowed.
https://support.google.com/earth/answer/21955?hl=en
Do Automowers Work on Uneven Lawns?
Yes!
It’s surprising how uneven a lawn actually is! Automowers can tackle uneven surfaces with ease. The large driving wheels allow the robot mower to quickly and easily navigate uneven lawns and prevents it from scalping the ground. Many customers tend to back-fill any dips, grooves or holes in their lawn to ensure a smooth and crisp finish.
The fact that an Automower® is much lighter than traditional mowers means there is no effort required trying to get it over ground dips and bumps. What was once a challenge even for hover mowers can now be taken care of without any human intervention.
Can an Automower® Cut Very Long Grass?
Having an Automower® can make long grass a thing of the past. By design, the Automower®keeps the lawn at the desired height, which means the lawn never grows high.
The cutting height can be set via the control panel on the machine or via the Automower app. The Automowers in-built intelligence enables it to detect areas where the grass is dense or taller than in other areas. This will invoke a ‘spiral cutting mode’ which prompts the mower to mow that area until the lawn height matches that of the rest of the lawn.
It is recommended to cut the lawn down to the desired height before using the Automower® and then let the machine keep it at that height! In fact, an Automower® is so effective at lawn maintenance that you will never need to use a traditional lawn mower again! While robotic lawn mowers can take care of lawns right to the edges, many people like to keep a line trimmer onhand to perfect the finished look.
Can Automowers Navigate Lawn Obstacles?
The Automower® uses a random cutting pattern when mowing the lawn. The built-in sensors allow an Automower® to detect garden furniture, pets and large objects as it navigates its way around the lawn. When the sensors detect a large object in the way it will stop, reverse and carry on with mowing the lawn. Smaller objects, such as pine cones, pebbles and twigs will be mulched or discharged as the mower passes over them.
Of course, an Automower® can’t differentiate between organic garden objects and children's small toys, so keeping anything you don’t want to be mowed off the lawn is advisable. However, the sensors will detect larger toys and the like, so you can rest assured that everything is safe, even when forgotten about outdoors.
When it comes to garden chairs, bird baths and large ornaments, the Automower® will navigate around them while cutting. There is no need to remove lawn furniture unless you want the mower to cut the grass beneath it.
For lawn areas separated by pathways or driveways, a passageway can be created to enable the Automower® to automatically traverse from one area to another.
Do I need to Rake after the Automower® Finishes?
If you are wondering what to do with the grass clippings, wonder no more. The mower cuts the grass blades while they are still young and supple, mulching them into small pieces thanks to its razor sharp cutting blades.
Typically, these clippings are just several millimetres long and will be mulched back into the soil providing nutrition to the lawn. Effectively, the grass never gets to grow because the Automower® keeps it cut to the desired height at all times.
The new X-line models come standard with an onboard GPS enabling Automower® to build a map of the lawn so it knows where it has mowed and where it is still yet to mow. The result is an evenly maintained lawn. The final finish provides a luxurious carpet-like effect and it will be free from excess grass cuttings.
Regardless of what type of lawn you have, robot lawn mowers are able to maintain it to a high standard leaving you with plenty of time to enjoy your perfectly manicured garden in peace. With more than 25 years of engineering having gone into it, the technology is proven and there is not many areas that the Automower® can’t mow.