A Few Tools for Basic Lawn Care
When considering basic tools for lawn care, we should consider that it was just over a century ago grass was once cut with a hand scythe - if folks cut it at all. Lawn care was not an important chore back then. However, today you will find dozens of tools. The come in varieties that are hand held, use electricity or are gas powered. Each is considered vital if you want to keep your lawn green and in shape.
A lawnmower will fall in the category of your most basic lawn care tool to purchase. It’s strange that a living thing like grass should be cut on to remain healthy. I had a friend that was a professional gardener say ‘Grass likes to be cut’. So to that end a good lawnmower be needed to keep the grass happy. Since this will be among one of your more expensive items in our the tool kit, you will want to maintained it so that it will last a long time.
If you keep a regular schedule of having the blade sharpened, your spark plug cleaned and if it has one, you will need to get the air filter changed periodically. Just like your car, change the oil every season.
Moving right along, in order to keep your lawn neat, it is most times just a a matter that you can not completely carry out only by mowing. You will also need a trimmer and an edger. You will find that there are two basic types of these tools on the market. You have the long handled two blade model or example. You run its blade along the edges of the patio, your steps and any other edges to keep the lawn looking good.
The other type is a powered whirling device that shoots a plastic string out a few inches. The string whacks off grass or other plants wherever you aim it. They’re lightweight, inexpensive and can last for years, though the coil of plastic string needs to be replaced every couple of months. At a cost of only a few dollars, it saves a lot of effort.
A spreader or two should be on your list of basic lawn care tools. These are valuable for laying out compounds evenly. Items such as fertilizer, weed killer and other dry plant foods and seeds. This will assist you with keeping a weed free lawn that is both healthy and looks good. One is along the lines of a small lawnmower sans blade. It is really just a tub on wheels that has small holes in the bottom along with a roller device that aides in spreading the desired materials. It is easy to use and low maintenance.
There is also a second style of spreader. This one is a hand-held unit. It is normally made out of plastic and you turn the handle to spread the compound. These are handy and the perfect tool for specialized applications. You can use them to spread seed to patch small lawn areas or to distribute dry fertilizer beads and so on.
You will find that your rake is one of the most basic lawn care tools on your list. It is useful for projects other than just piling leaves in fall. While it is important to use it for that of course. You don’t want to have leaves left on the ground during winter as it can cause lawn grass to overheat or not get enough water. Areas that get accumulations of winter snow will have the problem of grass that will be compressed into thatch once the snow melts.
Blades will overlay one another, preventing air from reaching the soil efficiently. De-thatching can be done with a power tool, but a simple hand rake is also effective.
A long fork or narrow blade, long-handled shovel spade is great for spot removal of weeds. The larger square or rounded shovel will also be needed though for post hole-digging, transferring soil and plants and a dozen other tasks around the yard.
If you are smart and stock up on the basic lawn care tools and you work to keep them in good shape than your lawn care chores will be easier to get done. At least easier than your great grand dad had it using his scythe.
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