April Issue Extra: Pattern Power

Baseball season has arrived, and as fans flock to stadiums across the country, groundskeepers prepare major league fields for the big game – incorporating stripes, diamonds and logos into the freshly cut grass.

The designs are not limited to the ballpark, however. Landscape contractors can incorporate patterns into their mowing repertoire to impress clients and expand their service portfolio. Check out the following examples:

A PLAID DESIGN

1. Begin at one side of the lawn and make side-by-side passes all across the lawn. To make the plaid easier to see, we've made the first passes across the lawn surface.

2. To make the crossing stripes, make four passes side by side: away, back, away and back, again. Now drive out on one of the existing light stripes (remember, light stripes are going away from you) and come back next to your last return stripe making it twice as wide.

3. Continue making the same pattern... three more side-by-side passes with a double-wide pass until you reach the other side of the lawn. Then, detail the design by retracing every other stripe and finish it off by framing in the area. For example, retrace only the light stripes in any one direction. Don't forget, when going out on a light stripe, when you turn around to look at it from the other side, it will appear dark.

THE WAVE

Here's a chance to show off your creativity. This pattern in guaranteed to attract the attention of your clients' neighbors. Yes, it's actually easy to do.

1. It helps to begin this pattern with a straight line down the center of your lawn to use as a guide. As you make your first curved lines, you will erase any trace of the straight guideline.

2. Begin your curved lines at one end of the straight line; make a smooth curve that crosses the guideline and then curves back. Don't make these curves too tight or they will not duplicate well as you mow further out.

3. After the first curve is in, simply continue back and forth, matching the same figure across both sides of your lawn.

4. Because this pattern does not contain any areas where the lines cross each other, there is no need to go back and redo any lines. But you should finish with a clean-up pass around the entire design to neatly frame it in.

INTERLOCKING MOONS

Everyone will admire this spectacular pattern. It will take some practice, but it's worth it.

1. This pattern uses smooth curves from top to bottom. Begin at one side of your lawn and make your first smooth curve, then come back right next to it. Continue tracing this same curve up and down until you have completely cut all across the lawn.

2. Starting at the other side of the lawn, mow the same size curve facing the other way and move back across the lawn again, alternating mowing up and down until you reach the other side.

3. Now, to really bring this design to life, retrace every other stripe for both curves. That means you could start at the bottom and retrace every light-colored stripe. But don't come back on one of the pattern's stripes. Instead, run around the pattern on the frame area and make the next pass up on another light stripe. Remember to do this for both of the curved shapes and finish witha  pass all around the outside to frame it in.

THE BULL'S-EYE.

A striking pattern, the bull's-eye is actually easy to do.

1. The bull's-eye is simply a series of concentric circles mowed in opposite directions. You work from the middle out... one pass clockwise, the next counterclockwise, etc. Because this is a pattern that moves out equally in all directions from the center, it helps to measure your lawn area to determine the center point. That way the pattern will be balanced and centered.

2. The only difficult part of making the circles is when you change from one direction to the other. Depending upon where the pattern will most often be viewed, it helps to make the turns at the "3:00" and "9:00" positions.

3. When making your turnarounds, make a wide turn and then back up to position yourself alongside the existing circle. When you move forward, you will erase any traces of the turn. Remember, it's the rollers that make the pattern; you can lift the mowing deck while you make your turns if you wish. This raises the rollers off the ground so you don't leave marks as you turn and reposition the tractor.

CONVERGING ARCHES

This pattern may take a bit of practice. It's not for first-timers, but once you understand the procedure, it's actually easy to do.

1. This pattern is made from a series of converging arches. Like the bull's-eye, it helps to know the center point of your lawn. You begin with a straight line from one corner of the lawn to a wide, curving 90-degree turn just beyond the center, and another straight line to the other corner. Then, make a return stripe back next to this stripe that covers the center point.

2. Then, head back out on your original stripe and make a return strip on the other side of it. Continue duplicating this pattern with side-by-side stripes until you reach the end of your lawn.

3. Now, make the same shape facing the other way... straight line, curve just beyond the center and straight line to the other corner, and duplicate it to the other end of the lawn. Once the design is in, go back and retrace every other line. For example, you would redo all the light lines starting from the bottom of the pattern. Make a frame around the pattern with your clean-up passes to erase any possible turn marks.

Editor's Note: The sidebars in this story are adapted from David Mellor's book, Picture Perfect: Mowing Techniques for Lawns, Landscapes and Sports and appear in Simplicity’s “Big League Lawns: Lawn Striping Tips” brochure. David Mellor is the director of grounds for Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.