This is a text document. To return to my home page, try the back arrow on your browser or copy this address to your browser: https://www.GoodFolksToMow.com Respectfully, Donald Bassman, author ___________________________________ A FEW TIPS ON EQUIPMENT SELECTION ( updated september 2024) Note: I have currently switched to milwaukee brand string trimmer, battery powered, with variable speed trigger. I highly recommend it for homeowners. Set it up with 6" option on the cutter on the guard cover - it will not perform very well if it cuts the string at 5". Mowers: Some low-cost homeowner models are very effective. Examples are MTD, Murray, and Lawn Chief. I have not used as yet battery powered lawn mowers, but the general feature recommendations below would apply. My preference: 21-inch Yard Machines push mower "2-in-1", about a 4.5 hp motor, oversize rear wheels, (not sure about current price), available at home depot. 1 lever adjusts height for front or back wheels starts on one pull - very reliable mower. The height setting options are limited but sufficient. Manual push reel mowers are also great if sharp and properly adjusted - mow weekly and use without the catcher. Most hardware stores will carry a "made-in-usa" 16 inch model for about $100 and they work fine. I currently use a manual push mower exclusively. I recommend the features listed below for power mowers: 1) 19" to 21" push type ( not self propelled ) Self propelled are much heavier and more problematic. The lighter mowers are easy to push and maneuver. They also won't sink so much on soft lawns. 2) 2-in-1 bag/mulch option For some reason, this style seems more reliable for mulching grass than specially designed mulching mowers. The bag itself is not needed - DANGER! You must follow all manufacturer guidelines when mowing without the catcher. Models with optional mulch or side discharge often leave trails of clippings in their wake, even when mulching.. 3) Rear Wheel Design The rear wheels should extend beyond the chassis to the rear if you plan on taking it up and down stairs or over rockeries or bulkheads. This enables you to pull or lower the mower over these obstacles using the rear wheels. 4) Single lever height control for front or back wheels improves ease of use when making cutting height adjustments ________________________________ It takes a little practice to mulch grass clippings - Its really the mower itself that determines the proper mowing height. Start by setting the mower height to about 2" on a flat concrete surface. The cutting deck should be kept level, or just slightly higher in front The secret is to now carefully adjust the mowing height to the lowest possible setting that does not drag, lug the motor, shred the lawn or leave visible grass clippings. Test the performance of the mower. If any of the above problems are noted, raise the mower - a half-notch (if this feature is available) at a time - first the front, then if nescessary raise the rear. Repeat until proper cutting height is determined. If the mower is performing properly but does not look nicely mowed, lower the cutting height, in reverse order as noted above, first the back, then the front. Double check the mowing deck to make sure it is reasonably level or slightly raised in front. Don't try to force the mower lower than it can perform properly. Instead plan on mowing twice if nescessary, lowering the mower slightly on the second cut. This will also be the case if the lawn is a little wet. Different area's of the lawn may require readjustment of the mowing height. Vary your mowing pattern - horizontal, vertical, diagonal By mulching your clippings you will conserve nutrients and organic matter which will be returned to the soil. You will need less fertilizer to maintain your lawn. Why try to make your home lawn look like a putting green? Longer grass will have a deeper root system, which is a major plant health consideration. Longer grass will also help shade out some weeds. _________________________________ String Trimmer : Husquervana, Echo, Tanaka, John Deere The light weight, straight shaft models are my choice for grass trimming. The above models are examples that function well upside down for edging. Do not purchase any string trimmer that rotates clockwise, unless perhaps you are left-handed. I am right-handed, and those things don't work for me. Ryobi is a brand I would avoid. Look for a cutting head with a low, flat cutting disk. The safety guard on some models significantly blocks your vison; try to find one that doesn't, if you can. Use either 10.5 mm or 13 mm trimmer line if it fits your string trimmer. Smaller diameters than 10.5 will not cut grass efficiently. String Trimmers are inherently dangerous. Wear goggles and always look out for rocks. Operate at the lowest rpm that does the job, and avoid hazardous area's. Keep the grass a little high when trimming. Don't operate when other persons are within about 50'. They throw debris primarily to the left - or forward if edging - if it rotates ccw. Here is a technique that may help you. Imagine the head is a clock-face, with noon on line with the shaft. Try to focus at 10:00 - that is where you want the string to contact the grass you are cutting. You will obtain very precise control of the trimmer with practice. I usually walk backward/sideways while I trim, holding the trimmer at about a 45 degree angle to my left. Redmax and Stihl make reciprical weedeaters. They have two circular blades that function like a hedgetrimmer. They don't need a safety guard, but they are heavy. The stihl comes as an attachment to the power head. They can edge and cut sod, trim ivy, and quickly dig up weeds in beds and lawns. Another advantage is it is much easier to learn how to use it. For trimming grass it is slower and lacks the crispness of a string trimmer. ________________________________ hedgetrimmer - Look for a lightweight trimmer with sturdy double sided cuttng bar. A trimmer on a short, extended fixed bar gives added reach and versatility. ___________________ Hand-held Blower - Its getting hard to find a good one. I can suggest echo and redmax as being reasonably reliable. NOTE: A milwauki battery powered blower is likely a good option as this brand is generally well designed. I have one but have not used it yet, relying mostly on my trusty broom or echo blower when nescessary. If you are feeling energetic, double your productivity on big jobs - use one in each hand. This is where you appreciate a good reliable light weight blower. The Poulan works well in this regard on the left side, as it seems to be designed for left-handers who don't like their pant legs sucked up by the blower intake. Always use the lowest RPM nescessary to do the job, to keep noise levels to a minimum. In fact, a corn broom is quite satisfactory in many situations. Vacuum attachments seem useless. Also throw away the extra hose extension pieces - they are unnescessary. __________________ Hand Tools - The indispensible tools for pruning are the folding saw and pruning clippers. A folding pruning saw with double-cut 6" straight blade - or 10" with a curved double-cut blade (by Corona), work well. Brands may vary as to durability. Stihl also makes (markets) a nice 6" folding saw. I prefer the Corona 1" cut pruning clipper. Shears may be needed if you are doing much hedge cutting. Shears can be tested before purchase by cutting some scrap paper or cardboard. Loppers are the next priority for a homeowner. They can be tested on a piece of cardboard. A "shorty" lopper made by fiskar does a nice job. I have been using the bypass pruning lopper from ace hardware. This is a low cost lopper (relatively) that does a nice job if you don't force it to cut - treat it as a delicate instrument, and use a pruning saw for cutting larger rounds. Personally, I Avoid the gadget type "extra leverage" stuff. It just seems to add weight and bulk to the tool, and problems. If its too big to cut with a clipper (or lopper), use your saw. Some shears and loppers may have a "shock absorber" mechanism to prevent fatigue - and that may indicate a better quality tool. However, the ace lopper mentioned above does not have one. No problem .. if you are rapping your knuckles, you are improperly forcing the lopper to cut. A hand mattock is a great all around weeding and gardening tool. It looks something like a miniature pick-axe. The narrow bladed ace hardware mattock works well (not the broader mattock / cultivator, which is awkward and poorly balanced). A small, long-handled cultivator is a good weeding tool for beds. It looks like a small 4-pronged pitchfork with the prongs bent 90 degree's. Unlike a hula-hoe, it opens and turns the soil rather than compacting it.