Lawn Care Equipment That Saves Time And Energy
If you are thinking of taking care of your own lawn, then chances are you already know you need a lawnmower at a bare minimum. There are a few other tools of the trade you should also consider. Not only will this equipment lessen the effort of yard work, it can also help speed things up so you have more time to relax over summer.
Lawnmower clipping system
You have three options when it comes to lawn clippings after mowing – rake, mulch, or collect. Raking requires the most effort and time, so many homeowners skip directly to the collecting option and get a lawnmower outfitted with a bag. This takes less time than raking, but you still need to empty the bag and clean it out occasionally.
The method with the least amount of time and effort is to get a mower with a mulching blade. This chops the grass into small pieces, which you simply let fall on the lawn as you cut. These small pieces of grass mulch sift down to the soil, where they protect grass roots before breaking down into nitrogen-rich compost.
Lawn edging tools
A well maintained edge looks nicer, doesn't damage nearby hard surfaces, and is less weed prone. Much like lawn clippings, there are three options for maintaining the edge. A half-moon edger resembles a spade with a half-circle blade, which is used to cut out the edge. It's low cost but time consuming.
Some weed trimmers can be adjusted to use as an edger. This takes less time and effort than a half-moon edger, but the edges aren't perfect nor deep, so you will need to edge more often. The best option is to buy or rent a dedicated edger. These cut a strip of sod so you have a deep clean edge that only needs to be recut once or twice a year – which saves both time and effort.
Brush management
Finally, you need to manage brush, whether it's dense piles of underbrush or straggly weed and grass growth against a wall. For most homeowners, a string trimmer is sufficient, but you will need to replace the string as it is used up. There are also heavy duty versions with a blade, which doesn't require the frequent time and effort of replacement. Finally, for dense brush, you may want to instead invest in a push-style brush cutter.
For more help in choosing the best and easiest equipment to use, contact a landscape equipment store like Hartill's Mountain Saw & Tractor.