A cylinder (reel) mower cuts grass with a spinning reel of blades against a fixed bottom blade, like scissors. A rotary mower cuts with a single blade spinning horizontally at high speed, which tears the grass off. Cylinder mowing gives a cleaner, lower, more manicured finish, but only on the right lawn and with regular cuts.
For most home lawns in Moreton Bay, a rotary mower does a good job. Cylinder mowing is worth it if you have a fine-leaf lawn, want a bowling-green look and are happy to mow often.
Side by side
| Cylinder mowing | Rotary mowing | |
|---|---|---|
| How it cuts | Scissor action, clean cut | Spinning blade, tears the leaf |
| Finish | Low, dense, striped | Good, less fine |
| Best grasses | Couch, TifTuf, zoysia | All, including buffalo and kikuyu |
| Ground needed | Fairly level | Handles bumps and slopes |
| Mowing frequency | Weekly in the growing season | Every one to two weeks in summer |
| Long grass | Struggles | Copes much better |
Why the cut matters
When a rotary blade tears the grass, the leaf tips fray and turn brown, which gives the lawn a slightly dull look and makes it easier for disease to get in. A cylinder mower's clean cut heals quickly and keeps the leaf tips green, so a cylinder-mown lawn looks greener and finer, especially up close.
Cylinder mowers can also cut much lower without scalping, which encourages fine grasses like couch to spread sideways and grow denser. That density is what gives bowling greens and golf fairways their carpet-like look.
Which lawns suit cylinder mowing
- Fine-leaf couch varieties, including TifTuf and Wintergreen
- Zoysia varieties with a fine leaf
- Lawns on fairly level ground without bumps, dips or exposed roots
- Lawns in full sun (shaded lawns shouldn't be cut low)
- Owners happy with weekly summer visits
Buffalo and kikuyu lawns generally do better with a rotary mower at a higher cut. Bumpy lawns can be levelled with top dressing first. See lawn restoration.
What it takes to switch
You can't take a lawn from a normal rotary height to a low cylinder cut in one go. The grass would scalp and brown off. We bring the height down over several visits, and often top dress first to level the surface.
After that, the key is regular mowing. A low-cut couch lawn left for two weeks in January grows too long for the next cut to be clean. That's why cylinder mowing is a scheduled service, usually weekly from spring to autumn and fortnightly in winter.
The best of both
A popular setup for larger homes, especially in suburbs like Bridgeman Downs and Eatons Hill, is to cylinder mow the front lawn for street appeal and rotary mow the back lawn, which takes more wear from kids, pets and entertaining.
Common problems with low-cut lawns
Cylinder-mown lawns show problems early, which is both a strength and a weakness. Scalping is the most common issue: it happens when the ground is uneven or the lawn is left too long between cuts. Thatch build-up is another, as fine couch lawns produce a spongy layer of runners that needs removing every year or two with scarifying.
Low-cut lawns in full sun can also dry out faster in hot weather, and they show lawn grub damage and fungal patches quickly. Regular visits help here, because problems are spotted and treated before they spread.
Choosing a rotary cut that looks good
If your lawn isn't suited to cylinder mowing, a well-maintained rotary mower with a sharp blade still gives an excellent finish. The keys are a sharp blade, mowing at the right height for the grass, alternating direction between cuts, and never removing more than a third of the leaf at once. Crisp edges along paths and beds make as much difference to how a lawn looks as the mower does.
Not sure which suits your lawn?
We'll look at your lawn and tell you honestly whether cylinder or rotary mowing will work better.
- Cylinder Mowing: Precision reel mowing for a low, dense, manicured finish on fine-leaf couch, TifTuf and zoysia lawns.
- Lawn Mowing: Regular mowing, edging and whipper-snipping for homes and rentals, on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly schedule.
- Lawn Restoration: Bring tired, patchy or weedy lawns back with scarifying, aeration, top dressing, fertilising and patch repairs.