For Lawn Care
A Systematic Approach!
When I first developed this list, I came up with the ten tools that I thought would be the most useful for maintaining your lawn. Then I thought of a few more that would really come in handy. And a few more...
I had a real problem deciding which ones I should keep on the list and which I should eliminate - until I realized that the tools fell naturally into categories according to function. It was these individual lawn care functions that I needed to address.
The solution was to select a system, consisting of one or more tools and/or devices, that would perform each of these functions and keep with our basic principles of value and simplicity.
Ten Most Useful Tools
For Lawn Care, 1-5
- Mowing
Cutting grass is pretty simple. Selecting the right lawnmower for the job can be overwhelming. First, you have to decide whether your lawn is big enough to justify a riding mower. If not, then you have to decide between self-propelled or push, electric or pull start, rotary or reel, gas or electric (or human powered). Through the years, I've tried just about every type available. For normal-sized lawns (½ acre or less) with typical varieties of grass (not St. Augustine, Bermuda or Zoysia, for example), I really like using a cordless electric mower. It's nice living without the smell, the noise, the cost of gas, the maintenance, and the pollution.
- Trimming/Edging
Some people prefer the gas or electric edgers with the rotating blade that cut a deep groove along the edge of your sidewalk and driveway, while others prefer the multi-tasking string trimmers that can rotate 90° and do both trimming and edging. I like the string trimmer attachment for my electric mower that trims and edges at multiple angles, and lets me push it along on the mower's wheels instead of carrying it everywhere.
- Watering
My original list included a hose. Then I thought... what about the sprayer attachment? Then there's the sprinkler. And some people like to use liquid fertilizer or weed killer, so you might want a hose-end bottle sprayer. Of course, a hose reel is a necessity if you have a hose that's 50' or longer. How about if we just call it the "Watering System"?
- Pruning
To prune living stems, use a bypass pruner. To prune dry, woody stems, an anvil pruner is OK. For bigger branches, you can work your way up from loppers, which are good for branches 1" to 2" thick, to a straight or folding pruning saw that can handle 2" or 3" branches pretty easily, up to a bow saw that can cut through branches up to about 6" max. For anything bigger, you're probably going to want a chain saw - or a hired professional.
- Digging
If you own a lawn, at some point you are probably going to have to dig for some reason. First piece of advice: if you are going to dig deeper that 4", you should call your local digging assistance service. They are usually free and quick. Cutting through a buried pipe or cable is not. They will mark all buried service lines that you will need to avoid. Second piece of advice: buy a short-handled round point garden shovel first. This is the most versatile digging apparatus you can own. Then, if you think you need more versatility, add a garden spade. Unless you plan on digging post holes by hand, these two should serve you well for almost anything you need to do.