If you are the type of person who likes to go against the grain, perhaps you decided not to buy a lawnmower if you can manage to do its job without it. Or, more often, your lawnmower just broke down, and the grass needs cutting. Well, you will be pleased to find out that there are a few alternatives, and they are quite entertaining!
This is the list we have put together for you, in quick bullet points:
- String Trimmer
- Scythe
- Shears
- Hedge Trimmer
- Golf clubs
Variety when mowing is key for the health of your grass, so give those a try!
The most fun way by far!
A fair warning, we have not personally tested all of the above methods! If you find them not to be to your liking, however, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from.
The most fun way to mow the lawn is to hire a company to do it while you go and spend the day with friends and family! What can be more fun than avoiding physical labor and entertaining yourself instead? Time is money after all, so spending some money to save some time cannot be the worst of choices!
With that out of the way, let’s move on to the list.
1. String Trimmer
String trimmers are typically used to cut grass in places where your lawnmower can’t reach, like around bushes or shrubs.
It is a more agile piece of equipment, so you can mow around obstacles like fences or mailboxes. However, it does not guarantee an even cut.
Using a string trimmer is the most efficient method on our list and the best if you are in a hurry to clean up an area.
For example, you are about to show a plot of land or a house with a garden to a prospective buyer, and you want to give a beauty lift to the place, but a string trimmer is all you have, go for it.
It will not be the best beautifully cut grass in the neighborhood, but it will serve its purpose.
Besides, you can always start with the string trimmer. Cut most of the lawn with it, and then finish the job with one of the more precise tools on our list, like a pair of shears.
This way, you will combine efficiency with an aesthetically pleasing result.
The string trimmer scores high on our list because of its efficiency. You will save up a lot of time in comparison to the rest of the equipment.
2. Scythe
Few things can be more fun than mowing your lawn with a tool that Death himself carries around to reap souls with.
You will only clean up your garden, but you might be viewed as crazy and dangerous enough that villains will think twice about approaching your property.
Scythes have a long handle and a curved, very sharp blade. Newer models (yes, they still make this tool!) come with an extra grip to accommodate a circular motion in front of the body.
The handler is supposed to move the scythe at a 180 degrees angle forwards and keep moving after every semi-circle. This way, an even cut is guaranteed.
It is crucial when using this tool to be careful. The blade has to be kept extremely sharp to cut the grass with one swipe.
Ensure there is no animal or person around you when moving the blade side to side because things can go really bad really fast.
It seems like this tool has a bit of a learning curve. However, it is one of the oldest ways of cutting grass that is still in use. Doesn’t this fact make you want to try it?
We know we want to! In any case, if you use it, always keep in mind that it can be a severe hazard, especially if you have kids or pets roaming in the garden.
Scythe scores second because of the mix of efficiency and absolute badass-ency it provides the user.
3. Golf clubs
The third place was a tie until we realized this could be a group activity. Yes, it is not a mistake, you can mow your lawn with golf clubs.
And people have turned to their video cameras and the Internet to prove it.
While not the most efficient way, it can be a great stress relief and a source for great laughter.
Think of an hour of endless vicious swings, hearing the sound of your grass chopping at each one. What’s even better, you can invite your friends over, or anyone who needs to practice their swing.
Unfortunately, although it would be a good idea, you can’t fire up the barbeque to celebrate your results after you are done.
Grass clippings will be flying all over, so any kind of food preparation in the close vicinity is probably not the best idea. Unless you enjoy your sausages a bit grassy, that is!
Golf club mowing has rightfully secured third place on our list of lawnmower alternatives.
4. Hedge Trimmer
Initially a contestant for third place, the hedge trimmer lost the battle to golf clubs for obvious reasons. Hedges are admittedly not the same as delicate lawn, which is thinner and needs more accuracy at trimming to look even.
A hedge trimmer can, however, get the job done with some effort on your part.
First off, keep in mind that positioning will be awkward. Unless you are lucky enough to have a trimmer with a tiltable head, you will probably have to lower yourself to the grass level.
Not the most convenient thing if you have a large garden, since you will have to spend a fair amount of time on your knees.
On that note, it can also prove strenuous to hold. Imagine holding somewhat heavy machinery and extending your hand back and forth while on your knees.
After a while, you will probably need to change hands. You are likely to take a couple of breaks before finishing with your whole garden. It is definitely not suitable for large plots of lawn.
Besides the ergonomic disadvantages of the hedge trimmer when it comes to mowing the loan, it will do a decent job if you don’t get tired in the meantime. It stands in the middle of the ladder for time efficiency compared to the other choices.
If golf clubs were not such an awesome way to cut the grass, hedge trimmers would surely be in third place!
5. Shears
The most standard of all gardening tools, a pair of shears, would be a terrible omission on our part if it were not on the list.
The humble shears can do a lot of work in a garden for a minimal cost. They are so versatile; we can even use them for Ikebana, the Japanese flower arrangement art!
However, as you can imagine, they are not the most efficient tool to use for lawn mowing. We have seen footage of people doing it on the Internet, and we have to be honest with you.
It would probably feel more like meditation than doing yard work!
Whether that is a good or a bad thing, of course, is up to you. Mowing your lawn with shears will be a long, tedious process, and it will demand a lot of patience and time on your part. It is more suitable for small plots of lawn.
On the upside, you can produce a result close to that of a lawnmower. The grass will be fairly even and uniform.
As mentioned before, you can also use shears to finish off work you have done with other, more crude equipment on the list.
You can start with a hedge trimmer or a scythe, and once you have chopped off most of your grass, you can move on to a pair of shears for the best result.
Bonus:
Use Goats!
This is not even an option if you are not living in a rural area, hence the bonus status! (Unless your city allows keeping farm animals in neighbourhoods, which can make up for a fascinating Sunday surprise for your partner!)
Few people know that goats can be an excellent eco-friendly lawn mower. They are meticulous, patient, and will not stop until all the grass is as short and uniform as it can be.
You will also get the added benefit of being rewarded later with milk produced from the consumption of your own grass! How more sustainable can you be?
It will take some time for a single goat to chew away a large garden, so perhaps you will need a couple of them. Besides that, we don’t really see any downside to it!
Conclusion
If you are set on mowing your lawn, but you have no lawnmower lying around at the moment, don’t despair. We have put together the most creative, efficient, and entertaining alternatives for you.
You will not only cut the grass in your garden in a less noisy and polluting way. You will also experience something new, enjoy yourself, and perhaps entertain the neighbors along the way.
Pick any choice on the list and mow away!
