How to Cut Grass Without a Lawnmower

Lawnmowers can be very expensive to purchase and difficult to maintain if you do not know much about it. If you find yourself with an overgrown lawn and no mower, there are some ways you can cut your grass without a lawnmower. Though it may not be easy to maintain your yard without a mower, it is possible.

Maintaining a yard without a lawnmower is most easily done through the use of a string trimmer or hedge trimmer. However, there are more unique ways that yards can be managed through shears, scissors, and even livestock. Lawnmowers are the easiest method but, alternative options can be used.

If you have found yourself without a lawnmower, don’t feel discouraged when your lawn begins to grow this summer. Instead, keep reading to learn more about the alternative options you have available. You can also think of other backyard landscaping ideas that don’t involve grass.

Ways to Cut Grass Without a Mower

While the easiest way to cut your grass is through a push or riding mower, it is not always an option. Whether your current lawnmower is broken, or you simply do not wish to invest in a mower, you have a few key options. Some options are mor practical than others but there are several choices for cutting your grass when mowing is not an option.

Use a String Trimmer

Many homeowners own both a lawnmower and a string trimmer or in some areas this is called a weedeater or weed wacker. If you have a smaller yard, you might not have the room for a lawnmower, but a string trimmer is a great option. These can be easily stored and take up little room around your home.

If you have a smaller yard an electric, gas, or battery string trimmer can easily cut the grass for you. You simply load up your trimmer with string and go around the area of your yard. While this can be a bit more time consuming than traditional mowing, it can be done easily and is quite effective.

Try Out a Scythe

If a trimmer is not an option, a scythe is another relatively easy way to cut the grass effectively. Of course, this is something many do not have simply laying around but can be inexpensive to purchase and use. This is a much more labor-intensive option and is truly done by hand.

For those unfamiliar with a scythe, it is what you imagine when you think of the grim reaper.

They are made using a huge metal blade at the end of a long handle, which will be swung back and forth to cut grass or weeds. To use a scythe, you will grasp it by the handle and swing it in a smooth motion horizontally.

Even those with a mower can use a scythe for cutting down larger weeds or grass, which can be hard to mow with a traditional lawnmower.

Of course, a scythe can be dangerous if you are not careful with the device and not experienced using one. You will want to use the scythe carefully, working smoothly and effectively, which can be taxing on the body.

Use Cutting Shears

If you have a very small yard and some serious time to spare, shears are a good choice for cutting your grass. Shears are large scissors that you can hold with both hands and there will be a large blade at the end of the handles. These can be used to trim grass but will take some serious work on your part.

One issue with this method is that you have to kneel while you are doing this, which can be very rough on your body. You will have to stay hunched over cutting the grass with the shears and this can be harder on someone who may have back issues or an older individual. Shears are a great way to get an accurate cut, but clearly not the easiest option.

Scissors Are an Option

If you don’t have shears and need to do a quick trim to a small area, scissors are always an option. If you have any old trusty scissors laying around, they can be used to cut your grass. Of course, this is not something that you will want to do for an acre sized yard, but a small section of your yard can be cut this way.

Just like shears, using scissors can be very rough on you physically but can get the job done. You can use scissors in addition to some of our other methods to get a more even appearance. They area also great for tackling a small area of weed or high grass.

Grab a Hedge Trimmer

If you do not have a traditional string trimmer, using a hedge trimmer is also a great option. Hedge trimmers are used by many landscaping companies as a way to cut down bushes and shrubbery or to maintain landscaping. This is similarly built to a chainsaw and can cut down large areas of shrubs.

You will want to practice with this a bit because it can be challenging to cut the area that you are intending to. When it comes to cutting your grass with the trimmer, you can swing the device more easily than when using the device for landscaping. However, you will want to get an even swing for a more even cutting of the grass.

Be careful when using this device to always be aware of your surroundings, as they can cut through electrical cords and other materials easily. This is a great choice for those with a smaller yard who need a lawnmower alternative. You can also use the trimmer to maintain any landscaping at the same time.

Purchase Some Livestock 🙂

This is clearly not the answer for everyone, but those who have a large amount of land that they do not want to maintain with traditional mowing, can always try adding some livestock.

Certain farm animals will help maintain your yard by eating way excess grass and shrubbery. Of course, this is something that comes with a lot of responsibility and you must be willing to take care of the animals.

Some animals that help maintain yards and are fairly easy to care for are:

• Goats – Adding a goat or two to your yard can cut down on grass maintenance needs vastly. Goats are known for eating a large amount of grass and shrubbery. If you have a larger yard you cannot mow regularly, goats are actually a great choice.
• Chickens – Chickens are another great farm animal that will cut down on grass drastically. Put your chickens in a movable coop that you can easily roll from place to place. This will give your chickens fresh grass to eat and will help you maintain your yard.

As mentioned, this is not a great choice for everyone but adding a pet to your yard can easily cut down on grass and weeds.

Swing a Few Golf Clubs

If you want a fun way to cut down on some grass, practice your drive with a few golf club swings. If you have a golf club laying around, doing a few swings around your yard can cut down on high grass. While this is very time consuming, golf clubs are actually a great way to slice down some higher grass.

The main thing you want to keep in mind with this method is that you must stay a couple inches above the ground. If you hit the ground with your golf club, it will pull up chunks of dirt and ground. This will clearly leave your yard looking even worse. 

Now that you’ve cut your grass, you may have a few ideas of what you want to do to your yard. One thing you can do, if you’re ever wanting to have a foundation, is to lay concrete over grass, which you can learn more about here.