Did you know that a lawn mower can benefit from a once a year professional tune-up? Just like with an automobile, the life and performance of a lawn mower can be vastly improved with annual maintenance and a professional touch.
A lawn edger that runs erratically, sputters, or stalls may have a blocked gas cap vent. Clear the vent in your gas cap and this should fix the problem. Of course, it could be that you have water or dirt in your fuel system; if this is the case a professional fuel tank and refill service should do the trick.
Some mowers like to use a bag to catch all the grass clippings, but this may actually be robbing your lawn of some nutrition. Grass clippings actually act as a good fertilizer. In fact, grass clippings can provide your lawn with 30% of the nitrogen it needs.
Using power lawn equipment requires attention to safety. Be sure anyone who is using it wear safety goggles or glasses, long pants, and full-toed, sturdy shoes to protect against injury.
Lawn experts say there is really no need to collect grass clippings because clippings actually add nutrients to your lawn. That means a side bag mower is the best choice if you don't intend to use the bag.
We recognize that, while you may enjoy working out on your property, you don’t necessarily want to spend all your free time dealing with unruly weeds and brush. Let’s talk about whether your equipment is in need of more frequent servicing to keep it at peak efficiency.
If you choose a mulching lawn mower, you are also helping the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that grass and other yard trimmings make up nearly 13 percent of the annual waste stream in the country.
When you think of grass, you may think of turf grasses that comprise most of America's lawns. There are all types of grasses, though. In fact, both corn and bamboo are categorized as grasses.
When it comes to lawn mower decks, you have several different materials to choose from. If you are looking for durability, then steel is going to be your best bet. However, aluminum and plastic decks have the added benefit that they won’t rust.
No matter what type of grass you have in your lawn, it's important never to cut more than one-third of the total height of the lawn, according to experts. Anything more can significantly damage or even kill your grass.
Did you know that most types of grass grow dormant during dry summer months? If you live in a dry area and water conservation is a must, let the grass go dormant during the summer – it will come back again in the fall and spring months.
Spark plug replacement is one of the most common lawn equipment service tasks. Why? Plugs generate the electric current that jumps across a small gap to the cylinder to start the engine, and dirty or damaged plugs can’t bridge that gap.
Leaf blowers are a useful piece of lawn equipment. The earliest leaf “blowers” were developed by Japanese gardeners during the 1800s. They pumped hand bellows to produce controlled puffs of air that helped clear leaves and debris from gardens.
Waterlogged grass is bad for your landscape. The bad news is that around 80 percent of residential lawns in the U.S. are sitting on clay soils that retain water. What's the solution? Prefer grasses that can thrive in clay soil. One good example is perennial rye grass.
In the 1920s, one of the most successful lawnmower companies to emerge was Atco, which produced the first motor mower in 1921. Within five years, annual production of these mowers had increased to tens of thousands.
Preventive maintenance goes a long way towards extending the life of your lawn equipment. You should always check the air filter at the start of every season, and periodically throughout the season if you use it a lot. A clean filter keeps the engine running smoothly.
James Sumner patented the first steam-powered lawnmower in 1893. This machine burned petrol and kerosene as fuel. However, it was so heavy duty that it took several hours to warm up to operating pressure.
Whenever you put your gasoline-powered lawn mower away, fill it with gas or oil, or perform simple maintenance, always disconnect the spark plug to prevent accidental starting. If your lawn mower will not start, make sure you reconnected the spark plug.
Did you know that soil compaction from mowing is more likely to occur when the soil under your grass is more wet than dry? Make sure you water after you mow, and avoid mowing following a good rain.
Does your lawn equipment lose its power in the middle of a cutting job? The air filter could be dirty or it may have a bad spark plug. Bring it in for a tune-up.
A superior lawn needs to breath. That can be a problem when thatch (dead, matted grass above the soil line) starts to accumulate. What's the solution? Regular lawn aeration during spring, fall or both.
Did you know that the man who created the first mower in 1830 got the original idea from watching a cutting cylinder at a local cloth mill? While patented, it took almost 10 more years for an effective machine to be put into action.