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Edging your lawn is an important step in giving your lawn that professional look.

Do you really need a lawn edger?  That really depends upon the size of your garden, the number of flower beds and hardscape areas around which you would want to edge.  You can use an edger for more than edging the lawn.  It is great for edging around flower beds, and for preparing planting beds.  Edgers are different than string trimmers, which cut weeds with a rapidly spinning piece of nylon cord.  Edgers have a thin, steel blade that rotates rapidly, slicing into the ground.

Why Edge?

Using an edger puts the finishing touches on a lawn.  Mowing regularly is a key component of a healthy lawn care strategy.  Edging is what makes the lawn look crip, clean and finished. For warm season grasses that spread via rhizomes or stolons, creating  clean edge, especially an edge that goes at least three inches below the soil line, will keep the grass from encroaching into flower beds, growing over the driveway or sidewalks.  Some lawn grass types are fast growers.  The edge will slow down the onslaught a bit.

Flower beds look nicer, and stay healthier, with an angled trench edge around them. The trench provides a place for water to run so that beds do not become over-saturated in heavy rains.  Mulch can collect in the trench and be re-shoveled into the beds if it washes out, as well.  The trench will help keep grass from growing into the beds, and makes it easier to tuck straw-type mulches such as pine straw.

Preparing to Edge

The best way to keep your lawn edger in good shape is to thoroughly prepare the area you plan to edge.  Remove any twigs, branches or rocks from the area.  Not only will these quickly dull your blade, they can also break the blade, or spray up toward you, which can cause injury.  Depending upon where you want to edge, you might need to adjust the settings of the blade to cut to a certain depth.  When operating an electric lawn edger, you should always wear protective gear-eye glasses or goggles, closed-toe shoes, and long pants.

Edging

Most edgers have a guide wheel that will help you keep the edger straight as you push it along the concrete, brick or asphalt edge.  Unlike edging along flower beds, when you want to cut at an angle to create a trench, you will want to hold the edger straight up and down against the hard surface.  Edging is more to keep grass from growing over and into the patio, sidewalk or driveway, and less about creating a trench.  Creating a deep trench around a walking path can actually create a bit of a safety hazard.

Electric Lawn Edgers vs. Gas Powered Edgers

If you are considering purchasing a lawn edger, you will need to choose between a gas powered edger or an electric lawn edger.  For an electric edger with the power of a gas powered edger, you need an edger with a cord.  That being said, if you have an edger with a cord, you need to be VERY careful and pay attention to where the cord is at all times so that you do not cut through it or electrocute yourself!  An electric edger works well for people with small yards, and all surfaces to be edged are less than 100 feet from an electrical outlet.  They are also usually less expensive than gas powered varieties.  For people with a large yard, or lots of surfaces to be edged, with many situated away from outlets, a gas powered edger will be easier to manager.

To keep your lawn looking lovely, don’t skip the step of finishing your weekly mowing with a lawn edger.

Battery powerd lawn mowers are an efficient and clean alternative to gas mowers. However, they do have some downsides.

If you want to reduce pollution from both noise and emissions, consider a battery powered lawn mower for lawn maintenance.  There are pros and cons to using this type of mower, and whether these mowers will work for you depends upon your individual situation.  To help you decide whether a battery powered lawn mower will work for you, below is a list of the characteristics, pros and cons of this type of mower.

You Might want a Battery Powered Lawn Mower if. . .

• You have little lawn area to care for.  These will run for about 30-45 minutes on one charge.  If you can mow your entire lawn in that amount of time, you’re in luck.  If not, you might want to stick with a traditional gas mode.  (Most sources recommend this type of mower for a lawn no more than 1/3 acre in size.)
• You like to mow very early in the morning.  This is more for the comfort of your neighbors than you.  Battery mowers are much quieter than traditional gasoline mowers.
• Do you mow the lawn regularly?  Because these mowers do not have as much power as gasoline mowers, you will not be able to mow grass that has been left unattended for months at a time.
• Is your lawn relatively level?  Most battery powered mowers are not self-propelled, and the battery makes them heavier to push.

Battery Powered Lawn Mower Care and Maintenance

In comparison to gasoline powered mowers, battery powered mowers are a breeze, maintenance-wise.  They do not need as much service as a gasoline engine.  There are no spark plugs, air filters or oil changes for these mowers. One drawback, though, is that if the mower does need maintenance, it can be difficult to find someone to provide the maintenance.  Before purchasing one, it is a good idea to see who sells the mowers in your area.  Most of these mowers will re-charge within 16-24 hours, as long as the owner plugs it in. Charging the battery according to instructions for each individual mower can make the battery last up to five years (after which it can be recycled).

Drawbacks of Battery Powered Mowers

If you have a large lawn, get a lot of rain, or have to mow over hills, a battery powered lawn mower might not be the best choice for you. Though they require less maintenance, if they do need maintenance, it is important that someone near you can perform it.  Otherwise, you have a lawn care headache on your hands.  You also can’t mow very tall grass or wet grass with these mowers.

A battery powered lawn mower is a great choice for people with small lawns who can mow frequently.

Lawn aerators are an important lawn care tool. They can dramatically improve the health of your lawn.

There is a bit of mystery surrounding the lawn aerator.  What does it do?  Which type is best? When do you use it?  A lawn plug aerator is actually one of the most important tools to keeping your grass healthy.  This is a specific type of aerator.  Not just any will do.  Here are the reasons why:

1.  Lawn plug aerators actually remove plugs of soil from the lawn, which opens up spaces for air and water to penetrate.

2. These lawn plug aerators are vastly superior to a punch aerator or aerating shoes because they actually remove the soil, rather than pushing it down further.

3.  The purpose of aerating is to alleviate compaction, so removal of soil is more likely to do that than pushing soil further down.

4.  Some lawns need more organic matter added to the soil and removing plugs of soil creates space for the top-dressing organic matter to incorporate into the soil.

5.  Most often, lawn plug aerators work with hydraulic systems, giving them the power to reach a much deeper soil layer than an aerator/roller combination.

When To Use a Lawn Aerator

If you can find an aerator to rent, all the better.  Most of the time, though, if you want the benefit of a lawn plug aerator, you will have to hire a professional lawn care service to aerate your lawn for you.  They are more likely to have the equipment, or have access to it.

The best time to aerate your lawn is in the spring or fall.  Doing so in the fall will help the lawn if you overseed it.  It will also relieve compaction from heavy use during the summer season.  During the fall, roots of grass grow quickly, so the extra space, air and water will aid good root growth before the grass goes dormant or slows growth for the winter.  The spring is a good time to aerate to incorporate organic matter into the soil, and to aid with lawn renovation.

Lawn Care Before and After Aerating

Before you deploy the lawn aerator, mow your grass slightly lower than normal and water it well for two to three days before aerating.  Next, use the lawn plug aerator to aerate the lawn.  You will want to break up the clods, and help the lawn recover from the stress of aerating, so you need to water the lawn again immediately after you are finished aerating.  To improve your soil structure, a couple of days after aerating, top-dress with a compost/topsoil blend and rake it into the holes.  Earthworms and soil insects will work in the new addition, improving the soil quickly.  Using a lawn aerator the right way will improve the health of your lawn, thus reducing the amount of time you will need to spend caring for it.

It’s completely a myth that using a mulching mower causes thatch buildup – nothing could be further than the truth. Using a mulching lawn mower is good for the grass and for the environment. To have a healthy lawn, and reduce waste at municipal facilities, consider using a mulching mower.

Keep Grass Healthy with a Mulching Mower

The way you mow your lawn makes a big difference in its health. A lot of people mistakenly think that leaving grass clippings on the lawn causes thatch problems. Thatch is not composed of grass clippings, but rather of living and dead pieces of stem between the soil and the green grass blades. Mowing grass with a mulching lawn mower can actually help decrease thatch problems by keeping turf healthy.

All types of grass are heavy feeders. One of the best ways to return nutrients to the soil is to leave the grass clippings on the lawn. Grass clippings are high in nitrogen, and thus make great compost; however, they also help restore the soil by adding nitrogen back to it, when left on the ground. As long as a regular mowing schedule is maintained, and you do not remove any more than 1/3 of the grass blade in any one mowing session, the amount of grass clippings left on the lawn, and the length of those clippings will not be prohibitive to breaking down quickly. (This means that you might have to adjust your mowing schedule if it rains frequently-to keep from removing too much grass blade at one time.)

How is a Mulching Lawn Mower Different than other Mowers?

It is possible to accomplish similar aims with a regular push mower that you can with a mulching mower, but mulching mowers have certain features that make it easier to “grass-cycle,” or return grass to the lawns. A mulching mower typically has rotary blades and a mechanism that chops the grass clippings finely and blows them back down into the lawn where they can break down. For best results with a mulching lawn mower, it is important to mow when the grass is dry and before it has gotten too long, necessitating removal of more than one third of the blade at a time. To return grass clippings to the lawn with a conventional power mower, cut grass to a height of between 2 and 2.5 inches. Mow every seven days when grass is actively growing, and every two weeks in the spring and fall. To chop up the clippings and retain an even mowing pattern, rotate your mowing direction 90 degrees with each mowing. To mulch with a conventional mower, always keep the mower blades sharp.

Costs of Mulching Mowers

You will pay a bit extra for a mulching lawn mower in comparison to a regular walk behind bagging mower. It does, ultimately depend upon the brand of mower, and the features of the mower. It is possible to purchase a high-end bagging mower and a lower-end mulching mower for about the same cost.

Whether you use a mulching lawn mower or a traditional bagging mower, mulching grass clippings and letting them remain on the soil is good for the grass and the environment.

Electric mowers are gaining popularity, because of the lower impact they have on the environment.  They are also less noisy than traditional gas powered lawn mowers.  When searching for an electric mower, you can choose between a cordless lawnmower and an electric mower with a cord.  Each has their pros and cons.  Both save power and gasoline and are less polluting than traditional gas mowers.

Electric Lawn Mowers vs. Gas Mowers

Most electric lawn mowers are battery powered.  Some can hold their charge for up to an hour, while others may only last thirty minutes or so.  The electric cordless mowers generally have less horsepower than gas powered mowers.  On the plus side, electric mowers need less mechanical maintenance, though their blades still need regular sharpening.  On the downside, several consumer reports indicate that some electric mower owners have had trouble finding repair parts for electric mowers when they need them.  This is, of course, likely to change as electric mowers become more popular, and their use is more wide-spread.  Electric lawn mowers are also quieter than gas powered mowers, because they do not run on combustion engines.

Corded Electric Mowers vs. Cordless Electric Mowers

Corded electric mowers give you more power and an unlimited mowing time.  However, because of the cord, you have limited range for mowing.  Cordless electric mowers will usually stay charged for between 30-60 minutes and are best for lawns of 1/3 of an acre or less.  Some cordless mowers allow you to switch batteries if one runs out while you are mid-mow.  For success with both types of electric mowers, you cannot go too long between mowing sessions.  The machines are not powerful enough to tackle a badly overgrown lawn.

Saving the Environment While Saving Money

The electric mowers are easier on the environment and easier on the pocketbook.  Unlike the ultra-environmentally friendly reel mowers, which rely on the speed of the person mowing to keep the blades going quickly for a clean cut, electric mowers allow you to move at your own pace.  This is important because few electric lawn mowers are self-propelled.  Yearly maintenance for electric mowers is estimated at about $5-$25 per year, while a gas powered mower uses more than $700 a year in gasoline, parts, tune ups and oil.  Switching to an electric mower will not only help a homeowner be environmentally responsible, it will help save money, too!

Your grass is healthy, green and thick as high pile carpet. But now the time has come to mow the lawn, edge the gardens and walkways, and trim the hedge. You know the lawn work needs to be done, but what lawn care equipment is available for you to use if you wish to implement green lawn mowing and maintenance? Before you spend hours at your local garden center, here are brief descriptions of standard lawn garden equipment.

Additional lawn care equipment includes:

• Ear & eye protection – Keep your eyes safe from dust or debris by weary safety goggles. For your ears, the National Institute if Deafness and Other Communication Disorders recommends that you protect your ears form sounds that are over 85 decibels—as the majority of trimmers and mowers exceed this number be sure you protect your ears.

• No-spill gas cans – Help keep you, your family, and the environment safe and clean.

• Watering utensils – hoses, rain gauges, sprinklers, etc.

• Wheelbarrows – one of the simplest yet most useful pieces of lawn garden equipment

• Rakes – A leaf rake, a metal rake, a bamboo rake and (optional) a landscaping rake

• String trimmers

The majority of the lawn care equipment is, or can be converted to being, eco-friendly, so your choice for cutting grass is vital. Owning a green lawn mower is the best option. If you own a gas powered motor, and want to make it environmentally friendly, there are conversion kits that will retrofit your gas mower to electric. In some states, there are special rebates when you trade in your gas mower for an electric one. Benefits of an electric mower are—

1. They are cleaner
2. They are quieter
3. They start with just the touch of a button

Now, it’s up to you—how will you decide what type of mower will work best? Use these quick guidelines for green lawn mower selection:

• Powered or manual? If your yard is less than 2000 sq. ft., go manual.

• Decide whether you want a mower with or without a bag for debris.

• Determine whether a rotary blade or a reel mower will best suit your situation.

Lawn care equipment doesn’t have to be scary. Know what you want, take your time, then go out and hit the green!