Spring is the perfect time to get your lawn mower ready for the season. Regular tune-ups and maintenance can make your lawn mower last longer, perform better, and keep your lawn healthy and curb appeal friendly. Here are some tips on getting your lawn mower ready for spring.

1. Read the manual.

First, read the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions in your manual. Make sure the maintenance you are performing is recommended by the manufacturer for your specific lawn mower.

Also, if you’re not comfortable working on your lawn mower, get professional help, or ask a friend who’s more mechanically minded to help you out.

2. Get ready.

Work in a ventilated area. If you’re in the garage, open the overhead door for maximum ventilation. Get together the supplies that you’ll need, including a drop cloth, cleaning brush, work gloves, engine oil, and lubricant. You’ll also need a new spark plug and air filter, if your lawn mower uses a paper filter.

Cover the garage floor, driveway, or other work area with a drop cloth to protect the ground from any spills and to make cleanup easier.

3. Disconnect the spark plug.

Before you do any work on your lawn mower, disconnect the spark plug. This step is extremely important, since it prevents the lawn mower from accidentally starting while you are performing maintenance.

4. Clean it up.

Remove the grass catcher (if equipped) and brush away any dried grass clippings on the mower deck as well as underneath. You may need to use a putty knife to remove dried clods of grass and debris. If your lawn mower has a wash port built into the deck, we recommend cleaning your lawn mower after each use to make this step easier.

5. Replace the oil.

Change the oil by removing the drain plug at the bottom of the engine and allowing the dirty oil to run out into a container. Then put the plug back in place and add new engine oil. Choose the type of oil recommended in the owner’s manual for your lawn mower.

6. Sharpen the blade.

Did you know that a dull lawn mower blade can shred the tips of your grass and make your lawn turn brown? Sharpen the blade at least once a year. More often is better, but for most homeowners, once a year is better than never. Remove the blade from the mower before sharpening it. This is also a good time to thoroughly clean the underside of the mower, with the blade removed. If the blade has large nicks in it from hitting rocks or other debris, you should replace it with a new lawn mower blade.

7. Lubricate.

Lubricate the wheel bearings and any moving parts to keep them working smoothly. This also helps prevent rusting during storage.

8. Clean or replace the air filter.

Next, it’s time to clean or change the filter. If your lawn mower has a paper filter, replace the filter with a new one each mowing season. If your lawn mower has a foam filter, remove the filter and clean it with dish detergent and water. Then lightly saturate it with engine oil, wipe off the excess oil with a shop rag or plastic bag, and put the filter back in place.

If you see any wear or damage inside your air cleaner element, replace it immediately. If your air cleaner is faulty, you risk damaging the lawn mower engine—which is much more costly to fix.

9. Change the spark plug.

Finally, you’ll need to replace the spark plug. This ensures easy starting. Use a socket wrench to replace the spark plug. Then reconnect the wire. Your mower is now ready for the season!

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We are getting into the thick of fall which means the leaves are falling in full force. This is the time of the year where you wish you had a couple of kids around to rake up the leaves for you! However, we are not all fortunate enough to have free labor hanging around. For the majority of us we either have to stick to using a leaf blower or rakes. Which one should you be using? Read through the pros and cons of using a leaf blower or rake before you decide.

Leaf Blower Cons –

• Leaf blowers are noisy. When using a leaf blower you need to wear sound-deadening ear protection so you do not incur any damage to your ears.
• Leaf blowers cause more air damage than a rake.

Leaf Blower Pros –

• Leaf blowers are efficient. They get the job done.
• Leaf blowers are more forgiving on the back. Do you have back problems? If so we recommend using a leaf blower over a rake.

Rake Cons – 

• Raking might be more environmentally friendly however back problems can arise from raking.
• Raking is a strenuous exercise so if you are not properly conditioned strains, sprains and even heart attacks can occur.
• Raking is a lot of work. Combined with the cons above, raking takes more time and energy to complete than using a leaf blower.

Rake Pros – 

• Raking is exercise so you can substitute it for going to the gym.
• Raking is the best option if you are environmentally conscience.

Now that fall is upon us it is time to start preparing for next spring. It is time to prepare for the long winter so come spring our lawns are looking lush a green. Take advantage of the cool temperatures to to fertilize for the winter, kill weeds, lay sod and remove fallen leaves.

Fertilize – If you live in the North, fall is the best time to fertilize your lawn. Cool-season grasses respond well to fertilization in early September and again in late fall. It helps them green up earlier and look better in spring. The type of fertilizer that you use is very important.

Kill the weeds – Fall is the best time for weed control. Try using a spray for the best effect when the temperature is cooler and soil is moist.

Lay sod – Laying sod works the best during the spring or fall seasons. Moderate temperatures and moist soil provide the best circumstances to get sod off to a good start.

Remove fall leaves – Remove fall leaves by raking them or mulching them because they can suffocate your lawn. Moreover leaves matting your lawn can lead to disease and insect problems. You can use a mulching mower to shred the leaves up into tiny bits to return to the top of your lawn. If there is an excessive amount of leaves rake them up and compost them.

Most homeowners take pride in the look of their lawns. When the weekend hits and you step outside all you here is the buzzing sound of a lawn mower. Regular lawn mowing contributes to a beautiful, healthy lawn. It is the best way to prevent weeds from growing and to keep parasites away.

Lawn height varies by grass type but generally you want to keep your lawn at 2 inches during the fall and spring and 2-3 inches during the summer. The reason that you want the grass at a higher height in the summer is so the grass can shade underlying growth. Taller grass can also retain moister better which reduces the need to water the grass.

The rule of 1/3 states that you should not cut more then 1/3 of your grass off at a time. If you haven’t cut your grass in a while try mowing a couple of times to get it down to the ideal height. Based on the rule of 1/3 it is best to mow more in the spring and fall when the grass is being fertilized and growing at a more rapid rate during the summer.

The best time of the day to mow is during the late afternoon or the evening. Since mowing the lawn damages the plant it is good to give it time to recover. Mowing in the evening will give it at least 12 hours of rest from the sun.

Do you bag your grass clippings or leave them when you mow the lawn? While many people like to bag because it makes their lawn more attractive, an acre of bag clippings can use up to 260 bags each year! That is why many states require you to separate  grass waste from your other waste. Here are some reasons why you should consider leaving your clippings on your lawn the next time you mow.

Why should I mulch?

Grass contains  nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. By keeping your grass clippings you can use them as a ‘natural fertilizer’. Mulching will reduce the amount of water that your lawn needs. The healthier your lawn is the more efficiently the roots will absorb water. Another reason why mulching is beneficial is that since grass is 100% biodegradable you can incorporate the clippings into your compost pile.

What about Thatch?

A common argument against mulching is that it causes thatch. Thatch is a layer of living and dead organic matter that chokes out new growth. Many people believe that mulching can cause thatch. Thatch is actually caused by over fertilization and over watering. This causes the lawn to grow excessively fast.

Take a step into a suburban neighborhood and count how many lush green lawns you see. Chances are the green ones out number the brown ones. There is a King of the Hill episode where the men compete to have the best lawn in the neighborhood. The lawn symbolizes pride in the home owner. However, water use on lawns can be very wasteful. Here are some tips to be more efficient when watering the lawn.

Water in the early morning – when you water the lawn some water evaporates before it hits the grass. Water your lawn between 4am and 9am. This reduces the chance of water evaporation because it is the time when the air is the coolest and the wind is the least during the day.

Water only when your grass needs it – Apart from water waste, over-watering your lawn can actually damage the lawn. It can contribute to the development of fungus and disease. However, most people do not know that they are over-watering. Types of grass, temperature and climate are all factors that play into how much water your grass needs. Luckily, there is one easy way to determine how much water your grass needs – look at it. Grass that needs to be watered will give off a blue-gray tint and the ends of the blades will begin to curl up.

Adjust your sprinkler system – Make sure that your sprinklers are hitting the lawn and not the sidewalks, driveways, etc. Also, check your sprinkler heads to make sure that they are not clogged and aiming the wrong direction.

Monitor rainfall – Let the rain do the work for you. By monitoring rainfall you can alter your watering routine to account for the rain. Make sure that if your sprinklers are on a timer you turn them off when it’s raining.