Why You Should Reconsider This Viral Hack For Tackling An Overgrown Lawn

Sometimes, life happens and things get out of control. Unfortunately, grass waits for no one. If you have an overgrown lawn, you may be stuck trying to figure out how to get back to something manageable, especially if your lawn mower's discharge chute isn't working or is missing. The chute helps to safely send cut grass out of the mower, preventing it from tangling up in the blades. If this piece is missing and the safety flap stays closed, you're more likely to have to stop and pull grass from the inside of the mower, especially when it's overgrown. 

There are a few ways to handle a yard that's too wild for your lawn mower, including trimming it all down to a manageable height before cutting or taking the time to sharpen your lawn mower blades so they cleanly cut through the grass. However, this can be a lot of work, and you may be looking for an easier way to get the yard done. The trick by Electric Cuts on YouTube is one that may look like it's saving you time and money. The idea is to use a bungee cord to keep your mower's discharge chute cover open. However, it might not be quite as useful as you think. 

The biggest problem with this is that it's incredibly messy. Without the actual discharge chute to help direct the flow of the grass, the clippings can quickly go everywhere. In some comments on the video, people have mentioned that the grass can spray out of the chute up to 10 feet away. 

Instead of using this simple hack, it's better to buy a new discharge chute, or to avoid common mistakes when you buy a new lawnmower so you can get one that fits your needs better. It isn't expensive, either. Generally, if you have a modern lawn mower, you can get a chute cover for $20 at most home improvement or rural lifestyle stores, as well as Amazon. You could also make your own if you did want a more permanent, but still DIY, solution.

Going completely without a discharge chute, though, isn't recommended. Unless you keep your yard incredibly clean, there is always the chance for a rock or a stick to get swept up in the mower and go flying. This can damage property, break windows, or even injure people, so it's not advised you leave a chute fully open while mowing.

If you don't have the part for some reason, and want something that requires less clean-up after mowing, consider a mulching kit. They are a bit pricier, at about $40, but you don't need to bag or rake grass anymore, and this kit still protects people and property from being hurt by a hurtling object. You will have to go over an overgrown lawn a few times, cutting just a little at a time, to get it fully cut and look nice, but it is safer and cleaner than the hack above. Of course, if at all possible, it's a good idea to avoid dealing with an overgrown yard entirely. If you have a hard time staying on top of mowing your grass, you may want to consider if robot lawn mowers are actually worth it.