6 things about buying a new lawn mower.

Hanging out in the yard during the summer, my neighbors will often ask me about lawn care. What a great compliment it is when your advice on a green lawn is sought after by your neighbors! Now, a couple of the guys are buying new mowers this spring and have been bugging me for the secrets to “green”. Boy, I wish I had more complicated answers than the list below!

It’s easy:

• You need to use the best equipment you can afford that is appropriate for your property
• You need to fertilize on a regular schedule with the correct application
• you need to water appropriately

Taking care of your lawn requires the purchase of pretty neat machine. The lawn mower! In a my arsenal of “cool” machines, my Cub Cadet walk-behind lawn mower is high on the list. Always get the most horse power and torque you can afford! And, I have eliminated electric powered mowers from the decision making process below because, well, electric mowers are not cool.

Below is a list of things I considered before buying:

1. How big is your yard? (For a 1/4 acre to about a 1/2 acre, a walk-behind mower is a good choice. The closer you get to a 1/2 acre, the more beneficial a self-propelled mower will be.) (If you have over a 1/2 acre to cut, a riding mower might be a better choice!)
2. Do you have hills? (A self-propelled mower will help you finish the job in less time and with greater ease.)
3. Consider the shape of the lawn and flowerbeds. (If your yard can mostly be cut in straight lines, then a front wheel drive mower is okay. If your yard has curves around the flowerbeds you might want to consider a rear-wheel drive mower so that you don’t have to constantly push the mower into a turn while the front wheels are trying to pull straight.)
4. How many trees or other yard obstacles do you need to navigate? (If you have a lot of turning to do, the best choice is a rear-wheel drive with large rear wheels or a design featuring caster wheels up front!)
5. Do you bag, mulch or want to be able to do both? (Most mowers have deck designs that allow you to change between rear bagging, side discharge bagging or mulching. The key is to make sure you have the correct type of blade to be able to multi-task.)
6. How often do you need to mow? (Options that are going to help you get the job done quickly are extremely important. Consider how easy is it to start the engine? Can you change the deck height quickly and evenly? What are the speed control options? How quickly can you empty the bag if you don’t mulch? What’s the units maintenance schedule like? How reliable is the brand overall?)

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