Spring and Summer in the Yard

Hot summer days are soon to be here. Before they arrive, get out in the yard and enjoy the moderate temperatures and even the rain as it brings green grass and blooming flowers. When you do get out into your yards and gardens, Have Fun and, keep the following in mind:

Summer Mowing
Certain areas in summer get exceptionally hot and dry. To help your lawn make it through these times, postpone cutting as much as possible. When you do cut, set your deck on the highest level. The taller grass will shade its root structure. Grass is similar to trees in that the taller the tree/blade the deeper the roots. Deeper roots can reach deeper moisture and better tolerate a drought.

A side affect of mowing at a higher level is lengthened mower life. You are less likely to hit those rocks and roots when mowing at a higher level. Further, your blades stay out of any sand, reducing wear.

As for lawn mower blades, keep them sharp! Dull blades rip and tear the grass instead of cutting it. If you have ever wondered why the tips of your grass turned yellow and brown, you were probably cutting with dull blades. This further stresses your heat and drought punished grass, and it makes for a not-so-pretty lawn.

Brush Clearing
When using your chainsaw, keep your bar and chain out of the dirt!!! Your chainsaw cuts through wood with small sharp teeth. When they dull, you stop cutting. With lubricating oil on your bar, sand, the villain again, will stick to it. Your next cut into wood will sand the sharp edge right off your chain teeth.

Keep extra chains. If you have a lot of cedar clearing to do, get some extra chains. It is very frustrating to have a weekend of work hindered by a dull saw. If you have extra chains, you can drop some off at your local saw shop to get sharpened during the week and have several to use over the weekend.

I have many more tips, but I'll share just one more. Your time is valuable. Buy the best equipment you can afford, and from a servicing dealer. When you need parts and service, and you will, the dealer will be there. We talk with many angry people that got a "good deal" on something for which no one has parts, or for which the retailer provides no service.