Lawn equipment, exercise good judgement.

You need lawn equipment in order to maintain your yard. Like anything else, you should use common sense in making your purchases.  Do you really need that tractor for your smaller yard?  Is that 18"- 20" electric mower going to work for that acre of land?

You can spend a lot of money and get top of the line equipment that performs functions you do not need.  You can also find great machines that are a good value and allow you to get the job done.  Personally, I think most people would opt for the second option, good value.

I cannot stress enough that you should exercise good judgement.  Don't buy a piece of lawn equipment that you don't need.  You don't need to buy everything at one time.  Maybe a multi-purpose item is the best bet for you.  Start with the most important piece of lawn equipment, the lawn mower.  Build on it from there.

LAWN MOWERS

Purchase a mower that fits your needs.  First, take into consideration the size of your yard. Second, evaluate the landscape of your yard. Are there wide open areas or are there a lot of trees, bushes and flowers you will have to mow around?  Consider the amount of storage space you have in your garage or shed. Lastly, if you have a gate measure the opening. You can't fit a 40" tractor mower inside a gate opening that is only 36".  Ideally you want to give yourself 2" on each side of the mower to clear the opening of the gate.

If your yard is smaller.....

There are four options for you to consider.

• Reel mower - this is a motorless manual mower.  This may be the right lawn mower for you if you only have a very small patch of grass to cut. Just think, you would be multi-tasking.  While cutting the lawn you would be getting your work-out in. Learn more about purchasing a reel mower. 
• 18"- 20" battery charged electric mower. 
• 18"- 20" electric mower with a cord that needs to be plugged into your outside electrical outlet.  Please, if this is the mower you select, exercise extreme caution.  Don't run over the cord with the lawn mower.
• 18" push mower.  This type of mower is not self-propelled.

If your yard is average sized.....

You have a few realistic options.

• 18" push mower.  This type of mower is not self-propelled.
• 20"- 22" self-propelled lawn mower.  This is the most common type of mower for smaller and average size lawns.

If your yard is large.......

• Your best bet is a tractor to get the job done.

Return from lawn equipment to lawn maintenance

EDGERS

This is a piece of lawn equipment you may only use a few times a month.  I recommend one of three types of edgers.

• 2 cycle edger
• Electric edger with battery that can be recharged.  The electric edger has a star shaped cutting wheel.
• Gas line trimmer that can be converted into an edger and has many other useful attachments. Gasoline powered edgers have a narrow, rapidly spinning cutting blade.  These are good for turf that is a tough and aggressive species (such as bermuda grass and zoysia grass).  Also, it is good for cutting long straight edges.

You can also purchase manual edgers.  There are two types of manual edgers: stick and roller star models.  The stick model has a half moon blade at the end of the handle.  The stick model really puts your leg muscles to work and it is good for cleaning up around curved or irregular shaped areas.  The roller star model has a star shaped cutting wheel attached to a wheel guide.  The roller star really uses your arm muscles and it is good for long straight edges.

If you don't have sidewalks and you have an asphalt driveway, you may want to skip this purchase.

LINE TRIMMER

When purchasing a line trimmer it is important to make sure it fits your yard's needs.  

•  Electric line Trimmer - These type of trimmers tend to be quieter and less expensive than their gas counterparts.  The greater the amperage the better the power of the trimmer.  Electric trimmers with the motor on top of the shaft tend to be better balanced machines.  There are two types of electric line trimmers.  The first type is one with a cord which will most likely require an extension cord to trim your entire yard.  The second type is battery powered which is a good alternative and provides more flexibility than the one with a cord.  The battery on this type of trimmer can be recharged. Make sure the battery operated model has enough power to handle the job your yard requires.  You don't want to have to recharge the line trimmer in the middle of the job.
• Gas line trimmer - This will give you a little power when you need it.

The other important decision in choosing a line trimmer is the type of shaft.  You can choose between straight and curved shaft models.  Straight shaft models tend to be more powerful, more comfortable to use and have greater reach.  Curved shaft models are easier to handle, lighter weight and tend to be less expensive.

TIP: Whenever you purchase a line trimmer, be sure to try if out before you actually buy it.  You want to make sure that it's length and weight are a good fit for you.  It is important for you to be comfortable with your purchase.

Remember, there is equipment out there that is multi-purpose.  If you have to edge, line trim, hedge bushes and trim smaller tree branches a multi-purpose line trimmer may be for you.  This is what I use in my own yard.

BLOWERS

You can purchase either a hand held blower or one you wear as a backpack.  The most important characteristic of a blower is the amount of air expelled over time.  Blowers are ranked by the cubic feet per minute of air that it puts out.  The more air it puts out, the more effective the blower. When you purchase a blower make sure it has the amps to get the job done.

There are several types of blowers.

•  Electric blower with a cord that needs to be plugged into an outside electrical outlet.  Please note, this is the only time I might recommend purchasing a piece of lawn equipment with a cord.  Keep in mind though that the cord may limit your mobility.
• Electric blower with a battery that has to be recharged.
• Gas line trimmer with a blower attachment.  You save money by purchasing a multi-purpose piece of equipment and you save on storage space.  With a gas blower you have more freedom to move around and it tends to be more powerful than an electric blower.

Please take into consideration the following when you purchase 2 cycle machines.  Make sure all machines use the same gas & oil ratios. You don't want to store multiple one gallon gas cans.

You don't have to spend a ton of money to get the lawn equipment you need to get the job done.  There is good value out there.  Look for sales.  End of the season sales can save you a lot of money.  Your goal is to have a beautiful lawn.  You don't have to go broke buying the lawn equipment you need to maintain your yard.