When a field, ditch, or inaccessible corner of a property is overgrown, the grass often reaches a height and density that overwhelms a standard lawnmower. Addressing this significant overgrowth requires specialized tools and techniques designed for agricultural or heavy-duty clearance. Several alternative methods exist to efficiently cut grass that is too tall for a typical rotary blade, focusing on managing the volume of vegetation and adapting to the material’s thickness.
Utilizing Handheld Manual Tools
For overgrown areas where machinery is impractical, the scythe is a time-tested implement designed to handle large volumes of tall, dense grass. Proper scything technique relies on a smooth, sweeping motion that utilizes the rotation of the body, rather than arm strength. The blade should stay nearly parallel to the ground to achieve a low, clean cut, moving in a crescent arc that deposits the cut grass in a neat row called a windrow.
Maintaining the razor edge is paramount for efficiency, which involves a two-step process: peening and honing. Peening is the cold-hammering of the blade’s edge against a small anvil to thin and reshape the profile, typically done after several hours of use. Honing, performed frequently in the field, involves running a whetstone along the blade’s edge to maintain sharpness, ensuring a continuous, effortless slice. A dull scythe will tear and hack the grass, demanding significantly more physical effort from the user.
For smaller, thicker clumps of vegetation or for working in very tight spots, the sickle provides a more controlled, close-quarters alternative. Gathering a bundle of grass with the non-dominant hand while cutting the stems with a draw-cut motion using the curved blade is effective. Wearing heavy-duty gloves is strongly advised to protect the hand holding the vegetation, as the cutting blade is drawn toward the user’s body.
Long-handled grass shears are useful for trimming alongside structures or edges where a scythe may be too cumbersome. These tools operate like large, upright scissors, allowing the user to remain standing while clipping the grass. While slow, they provide the best control for avoiding obstacles or shaping the cut with high accuracy.
Employing Motorized Trimmers and Brush Cutters
A standard string trimmer can be adapted to cut tall grass, but the technique must be adjusted from simple edging to layered reduction. The key is to avoid attempting to cut the entire height of the grass stalk at the base in one pass, which causes the line to wrap, stall the motor, and quickly deplete the nylon filament. Instead, the operator should engage the top third of the grass first, working the trimmer head downward in successive horizontal passes.
For grass that is extremely tall or matted, an alternative technique is to move the trimmer head vertically, chopping the stalks down from the top. This top-down approach breaks the vegetation into smaller pieces, preventing the string from getting bogged down and allowing a cleaner final cut near the ground. A smooth, scything arc motion, cutting from right to left and returning over the already cut area, maximizes efficiency and minimizes debris spray toward the operator.
For areas containing thick, woody growth, dense weeds, or grass stalks with a large diameter, upgrading to a brush cutter or replacing the string head with a metal blade is necessary. Brush cutters often accept specialized attachments such as a multi-pronged knife blade, a three-bladed steel cutter, or a circular saw-style blade. These metal attachments are designed to shear through dense material that nylon line cannot touch.
The choice of metal blade depends on the vegetation: two or three-bladed knives are ideal for thick, tough grass and light scrub, while multi-toothed circular blades are reserved for small saplings and very dense thickets. Using a metal blade often requires the machine to be equipped with a harness and bicycle-style handlebars to manage the weight and control the powerful torque, significantly improving safety and reducing operator fatigue during extended use.
Preparing the Area and Managing Clippings
Before any cutting begins, a thorough inspection of the ground is a necessary safety measure. The dense growth can easily hide hazards such as rocks, pieces of metal, buried wire, or tree stumps that can be violently thrown by a powered tool. Walking the entire area and clearing any substantial debris prevents dangerous projectiles and protects the equipment.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory for both manual and powered cutting, though the requirements differ slightly. For powered tools, PPE is necessary to guard against high-velocity debris:
- Safety glasses or a full face shield
- Hearing protection (for gas or electric models)
- Heavy-duty, closed-toe boots
Manual cutting still requires eye protection, along with long pants and heavy gloves, particularly when handling a razor-sharp scythe or sickle.
The sheer volume of material generated from cutting tall grass presents a unique challenge for cleanup. Leaving thick layers of clippings to decompose is detrimental, as they can smother the underlying turf, block sunlight, and create an anaerobic environment conducive to fungal diseases. The cut material must be actively managed to prevent damage to the remaining grass.
Manual tools like the scythe naturally deposit the grass into manageable windrows, which should be raked and removed or spread thinly to dry. Large piles of clippings should be collected for composting, where their high nitrogen content requires balancing with “brown” materials like dried leaves or wood chips to break down properly. If the clippings are to be used as mulch, they must be applied in layers no thicker than one to two inches to allow for adequate air circulation.