How to Cut a Square Yard With a Lawn Mower

Set your mower to a height of 2 to 3 inches. Overcutting any lawn can kill the grass and create brown spots. It is better to mow the grass more often than it is to set the mower to the lowest setting possible. While this does require more work, it will result in a better lawn.

Choose a starting point on your square yard. You can choose the furthest corner of the yard or the closest, depending on your personal preference. Some find it easier to start away from the house and work back, while others like to start at the closest point. So long as you mow with a set pattern, it doesn't matter which you choose.

Mow the yard in a horizontal pattern. Start from one end of the yard and go to the opposite end. Instead of creating a square pattern, turn and go back horizontally, creating a newly mown path back to the other side.

Rotate the direction you mow in each time. If you mow the yard horizontally one week, the next week you should mow the yard in a vertical pattern. On the third week, you can mow on a diagonal if you wish, or just rotate back to horizontal.

Leave the clippings on the lawn. Instead of dealing with a bag on your mower, allow the clippings to stay on your lawn unless it is very overgrown. This is a natural fertilizer that will help your yard snap back after mowing.