Lawn Mowers

The scientific name for Chewing Fescue is festuca rubra var commutata. It is a cool season grass for northern areas and cool or moist climates. Chewing Fescue can tolerate close mowing in cool climate situations with sufficient moisture. It does not do well in dry or drought conditions. Let it grow longer during dry periods to preserve the ground moisture and help it withstand the dryer periods.  It also does well in mixtures of Kentucky bluegrass and other blends. It is also susceptible to leaf spot and as mentioned does not do well in drought conditions.

Chewing Fescue – Shade Tolerance

Does not do well in full hot sun, shade situations provide better protection. Water need is low in these conditions.  Fertilizer requirements are low to medium with .1 to .5 pounds per 1000 square feet required. each growing month. In terms of we-arability it can form clumps and provide a lumpy covering.  Consumers should mow this grass from 1 to 2 and a half inches in height, longer if under dry conditions.

Some growers will use a blend of Chewing Fescue and other grasses depending on their conditions of full sun and shade requirements. As your lawn requirements change, trees mature, shrubs become a little more overgrown, your grass type may also change. Reacting to the amount of sunlight, the water conditions will ensure that you continue to have a great looking lawn.

Cutting your lawn so that it remains a little longer in the middle of the summer when there is less rain and more evaporation will help it to be stronger and survive through dry conditions without having to apply a lot of water. Monitor your grass and the soil underneath to keep track of the moisture levels to ensure a healthy looking lawn.

For moe information about different types of grasses we have in our lawns, click here.

Rough Bluegrass is a cool season grass and goes by the scientific name of Poa Trivialis. It grows best in wet shady areas and is most often used in shady lawn conditions where it tolerates shade well.  One of the weaknesses is that it has a shallow root system and is easily dislodged. It also does not do well in drought conditions, especially with a shallow root system. It can also contaminate Kentucky bluegrass varieties in sunny locations. If you have a lawn with lots of shade from trees or other structures, then this could be the right grass type for your lawn if you live in the northern states or southern Canada.

Rough Bluegrass – Water Needs

This grass type needs lots of water and especially during dry seasons or drought conditions. The roots are shallow and will quickly dry out as the top surface of the soil dries out. You will need to water often.

Fertilizer needs are low to medium at .3 to .5 pounds per 1000 square feet per growing month. Wearability is poor due to the shallow root system and moist conditions. It will quickly deteriorate under dry conditions.  Mowing height is 1 to 2 inches, however, if kept longer it will prevent some evaporation especially in dry conditions.

Consumers can use this type of grass in shady areas. Especially if there is a lot of forest trees surrounding the property. The trees will also reduce the amount of evaporation as well which will protect the grass to some degree. We also suggest that high traffic areas be replaced with walkways of some kind to prevent an unsightly area forming of poor or dead grass. Various landscaping techniques can be used to find the right blend of Rough Bluegrass, shrubs, and walkways in these moist shady areas.

For more posts about different types of grasses, click here.

Creeping Bentgrass is another cool season grass. The scientific name is Agrostis Palustris. Creeping Bentgrass os the choice for most golf courses in cooler climates. It is used for putting greens, lawn bowling, and similar applications. It is meant to be mowed very low and needs lots of water as a result. This grass has poor drought tolerance since there is little protection from evaporation from the low cut grass. It does well in full sun as long as you provide lots of water.

Creeping Bentgrass – Weaknesses

If you do not mow this type of grass low, it will build up an extensive layer of thatch. It is susceptible to disease. However good care will minimize the opportunity for disease to take hold.

It should be well fertilize with .5 to 1 pound of nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square feet. It wears well as it should if it is to be used on a golf course. However golf course managers will move the hole often to manage the foot traffic in various areas.

Creeping Bentgrass will grow well in moist areas of the northern parts of the US and southern areas of Canada. It is used extensively in the pacific northwest and the northeastern pars of the continent.

This is not a grass type for consumers. It takes far too much care, water and fertilizer for most consumers to deal with. Constant watering, non drought resistant and constant mowing to keep the grass length low is a little too much work for most consumers. It is popular on golf courses as mentioned earlier and lawn bowling fields.

If you do not live in a moist area with lots of rain, this type of grass may not be the best choice for your lawn or for your golf course.

Kentucky Bluegrass is a cool season grass and goes by the scientific name – Poa Praternis.  It is easy to grow in locations where it has adapted, with high resistance to diseases such as leaf spot, strip smut and summer patch. The seed is relatively inexpensive and can be found at most home stores in areas where it is commonly grown. It can suffer from summer heat, if not watered and if mowed too often. The stronger types of Kentucky Bluegrass usually requires higher maintenance such as more fertilizer, de-thatching and watering if cut short.

Kentucky Bluegrass – Shade Tolerance

Shade tolerance varies depending on the type of bluegrass. Some will have a higher tolerance to shade. The typically need quite a bit of water and will recover from drought like conditions. Some of the newer types of Kentucky Bluegrass are in fact drought sensitive.

The amount of fertilizer needed depends on the soil types. Typically you should apply between .4 to .8 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square feet. The grass wears relatively well, however like all grasses, heavy traffic will be detrimental to the grass. Kentucky Bluegrass should be mowed when it is 1 and half inches to 3 inches in height. Aim for 3 inches during dry periods to reduce moisture loss. It is best adapted to the north-eastern states, Canada, and  the mountains.

Like all grasses, if mowed too short, excessive moisture loss can occur causing the grass and roots to stress. The grass can recover from drought like conditions. However you are better to allow the grass to grow longer, provide more shade for the roots and to reduce the overall moisture loss. With the long wide blades of Kentucky Bluegrass, it will do well with watering  weekly in dry conditions.

The question, should i change oil in my lawn mower spring or fall, is actually a little more complicated that one would think. Your lawn mower’s instruction booklet will tell you how often you should change the oil based on the number of hours the engine is running. Most instruction booklets also suggest that the oil should be changed a minimum of once per year if not more often. Consumers with a small lawn who may run their lawn mowers for less than 30 minutes per week can get away with annual oil changes.

Consumers with larger lawns may need to change the oil in their lawn mowers twice a year or even more often. If the oil in your lawn mower is getting black or more than a year old, you should change the oil before using the lawn mower further. Check the level of oil in the engine often and monitor the color each time as well.

Should I Change Oil in My Lawn Mower Spring or Fall

Our personal suggestion is to change the oil near the beginning of the season in the spring. By changing the oil at this time, your engine has fresh oil that has not degraded over the winter with the engine contaminants. Run the engine for five or ten minutes to warm up the oil and then drain the warm oil from the engine.

Add the proper amount of oil with the recommended viscosity. Your booklet for the lawn mower will tell you what kind of oil to use and the viscosity. Follow the oil changing instructions provided. Changing the oil on a regular basis in the spring will ensure that your lawn mower engine has many years of operation to provide to you.

Most consumers want to have a great looking lawn that is the envy of their neighbors. It is actually not that difficult or that expensive if you follow a few lawn care tips and are consistent about looking after your lawn. We put together a list of lawn care tips year-round that will help to ensure that your lawn not only looks great in the summer time, but all year long. It may take a few months for your lawn to respond, but it will be well worth it and you will have a lawn to be proud of. The following are our list of lawn care tips. If you have some to add, please leave us a comment and we will be happy to add them to our list.

Lawn Care Tips Year Round

Water Deeply – When you do water your lawn, water deeply delivering at least one inch of water to the lawn. You can measure the water, by leaving a small pot or can where you are watering. When there is an inch of water in the pot, it is time to stop. You can also use this same pot to monitor how much water your lawn is getting when it rains.

Water in the Early Morning Only – to avoid mildew, mold, and fungus that can damage your lawn from overnight watering. Watering during the hottest period of the day will mean that you lose a lot of moisture to evaporation which is really just a waste.

Mow at a Higher Setting – to provide more protection for the roots, reduce evaporation, and reduce the ability of weeds to get started. It will not eliminate the weeds, but there will be a lot less of them.

Keep your Mower Blade Razor Sharp – A sharp blade cuts the lawn rather than tearing the blades of grass. It is healthier for the grass and it also looks better as well.

Watch for Signs of Insect Damage

As soon as you suspect damage from insects, act on immediately to avoid losing your lawn. Chinch bugs and grubs are a common problem that can ruin a great looking lawn within a week. Grubs also attract animals that will dig up your lawn causing even more damage.

Watch for Signs of Summer Lawn Disease – Same applies, act quickly. Take a sample to your local garden specialist to see what the disease is or look it up online and apply the correct solution.

Remove Weeds – A thick lawn makes it hard for weeds to get started, however there will always be some. If there is just a few, 5 minutes once a week of handpicking will keep your lawn free of weeds. You may also revert to chemicals if needed, however, follow the precautions stated on the package when using pesticides of any kind.

Remove Debris – Never leave debris on the lawn since it will suffocate the lawn and possibly kill it. Leaves are notoriously bad for a lawn so you will want to make sure they are all removed before the winter sets in.

Looking after your lawn and having a healthy great looking lawn can be so easy if you follow the following fall lawn care steps. This post is focused on the fall lawn care to enable a great looking lawn for the following year and is considered an important part of the annual lawn care that every consumer should follow.

Fall Lawn Care Steps

Step 1 – remove all debris from the lawn including leaves, twigs, and weeds to reduce the mold that forms from rotting leaves. this step also allows the lawn to breathe and grow in the spring.

Step 2 – during the fall you can cut your lawn a bit lower than normal since the cooler temperatures will not hurt your lawn and also reduces the amount of evaporation. The reason you want shorter grass for the fall and winter is to avoid providing a home for small rodents that may live in your yard.

Step 3 – In late September or early October, apply a fertilizer that promotes root growth so that the roots of your grass extend deeply into the soil. This will help your grass survive over winter and give it a strong start in the spring.

These are three easy steps to preparing your lawn for the winter which just about any consumer can follow. It is not expensive and by raking leaves etc you also get some exercise.

One of the best ways to ensure a great looking lawn year after year is to properly prepare your lawn in the fall. If your lawn gets through the winter in good condition, then it will look great all year round. What do you need to do to prepare your lawn for the fall. Here are several tips for fall lawn care. They will help to ensure a great looking lawn and also not break the bank. We are assuming that you the consumer will put in the effort to maintain your lawn to also help save money.

Tips for Fall Lawn Care

Add fertilizer to your lawn in late September or early October to promote root growth. Strong healthy roots that go deeply into the soil will make for healthier plants. This gives the grass a strong start in the spring. Your local hardware store can recommend the right fertilizer for this purpose.

Next make sure that all of the debris is removed from the lawn. Leaves, sticks, branches and weeds should be removed so that the grass has a chance to breathe and also avoid providing shelter for small rodents. By removing the leaves you also reduce the amount of mold that can form on the leaves and potentially damage the grass.

Now that it is cooler you can cut the grass a bit shorter. During the hot summer months you should have allowed the grass to grow a bit longer to reduce water evaporation from the soil and protect the roots from the hot sun. In the fall you can safely cut the grass a bot shorter which avoids leaving shelter for rodents such as mice and moles. They can create a lot of damage if given a chance.

That’s pretty much it in terms of tips for lawn care. It is pretty simple and yet you will have a really great looking lawn.

Many lawn mowers come equipped with a grass catcher as well as mulch capability and the ability to spread the grass clippings across the lawn. Personally I do not like grass catchers for lawnmowers for the simple reason that they are heavy, you have to dispose of the clippings in some manner and you have to stop to empty the bag often making the job of cutting the grass a longer job. I used grass catchers for lawnmowers for over 30 years and recently switched to a mulching lawn mower when the old machine finally quit. For me, it was the best decision that I have made in a while when it comes to maintaining my lawn. Here are some of the reasons, which you can use for yourself to decide which approach to take.

Grass Catchers for Lawnmowers

• A full bag is heavy and sometimes difficult to empty
• A full bag makes it harder to push the lawnmower
• It takes longer to cut the grass since you have to stop to empty the bag
• Disposing of the clippings in the garbage is another time-consuming task
• The lawn clippings contain valuable nutrients which could go back to the lawn
• Mulching the lawn clippings means you do not stop to empty bags
• Cutting the lawn more often is an issue, but is easier to accomplish in less time
• No messy rotting clippings to clean up when the garbage bag breaks
• No smelly rotting clippings sitting around

I used a mulching self propelled lawn mower for two years. I sometimes wonder why it took me so long to convert to a lawnmower without a grass catcher. It is easy to cut the lawn, I can do it quickly and there is no mess to clean up after. My garbage output is also much less as well which is a positive contribution to the environment.

Some of our readers have asked us about lawn mower grass catchers, so we decided to add a post about this topic. Essentially we are not big fans of using grass catchers attached to lawn mowers. We used one for over 30 years before converting to a lawnmower that mulches the grass clippings. Mulchers make it easier for the clippings to reintegrate with the lawn and return nutrients to the lawn. Many people like them and prefer to use the type shown on the left or larger ones if they have a riding lawn mower for example. We will examine some of the pros and cons of using a lawnmower grass catcher, to assist our readers in making their own decisions regarding which they prefer.

Lawn mower Grass Catchers – Pro’s

• No unsightly dried grass on the lawn
• Grass can be allowed to grow longer providing resistance to weeds and drought
• Grass clippings and be composted and added to gardens etc
• Some grass is still left on the lawn, which must be raked
• Seeds from any weeds are not spread on the lawn

Lawn mower Grass Catchers – Con’s

• Lawnmower is more difficult to push when the grass catcher is full
• Disposing of clippings can be an issue for many people
• You need to stop often to empty the clippings
• Weight of a full bag may be an issue for some
• Carrying clippings to the end of the driveway on garbage day is an issue
• Rotting grass clippings are messy and smelly

There may be other issues that consumers have with grass catchers, however, these are the main ones that convinced us to buy a self mulching lawn mower and leave the clippings on the lawn. You need to cut the lawn more often to avoid longer clippings, but it is easy to cut and can be done in half the time compared to emptying and bagging the clippings or raking the clippings left on the lawn.

Lawnmowers are used during warm seasons such as late spring, summer and early fall and as a result temperature variations are pretty moderate. As the chart shows on the left, you typically can use SAE 30 viscosity oil, 10W-30 and 5W-30 viscosity oil in your engine. Always read the owner’s manual to confirm the viscosity level recommended for your particular engine. In case you are wondering, viscosity is a measure of how well oil will lubricate moving parts inside the engine while it is operating at specified temperatures. It is particularly important that oil provide enough lubrication when the engine is cold. Abnormal wear could take place if you have the wrong oil in the engine or if you do not have sufficient oil in the engine. Always check what oil to use in lawnmower engines. We will discuss a couple of maintenance tips in the following paragraphs.

What oil to use in lawnmower engines – Tips

Change the oil at regular intervals. The oil in your lawn mowers engine should be changed at least once a year for most consumers. Unless you have a large property, use your lawn mower for commercial lawn mowing etc. If the engine oil is black looking, then it is definitely time to change the oil. Change the oil at the beginning of the season, so that there is fresh oil in your engine for the season. Always run the lawn mower engine for 5 or 10 minutes before changing the oil. This will warm up the oil so that it will drain well when you are removing the oil.

Check the oil level often – in fact check your oil level each time before you start the engine to make sure that it is at the right level. There is nothing harder on an engine than not having enough oil to keep everything well lubricated. Oil levels can drop for a number of reasons. There could be a slow leak, your engine may burn a little oil each time you run it and before you realize what is going on, you have burned out the rings and pistons. Check before starting every time even with a new engine.

If your spark plug is not set up properly and not clean, there is a good chance that your lawn mower will not run smoothly. What are the signs of bad spark plug on lawnmower engines? Before you even look at the spark plug, how can you tell if the spark plug might not be working as well as it should? As with most things in life, there are symptoms of a problem which have to be diagnosed and issues eliminated before you get to the true cause of the problem.

If your lawnmower engine is running rough, it is hard to start, if it is burning more fuel than usual or if there is a lot of blue exhaust then you could have a spark plug problem. You could also have a clogged carburetor, bad gas, poor spark or gas filter that is causing the problem to name a few. You have to begin somewhere and one of the easiest is to check the spark plug.

Signs of a bad Spark Plug on Lawnmower

The picture shows two spark plugs, one that is brand new and one that is obviously used. The used one is not necessarily bad. However the easiest approach is to just replace it with a new one of the proper specification. Follow the directions as outlined in your owner’s manual.

A critical step is to make sure that you have the proper gap for your spark plug. Check the owner’s manual for specifications or your lawn mower may not run at all. You can purchase a small gap tool to set the gap following the instructions that come with the tool. Once you have replaced the plug, try starting your engine. If it runs fine, problem solved, if not you will have to try other repair items as mentioned above, eliminating one at a time.

Many people will just clean up the old spark plug and reinstall it. This is ok, provided that the porcelain is not cracked around the center post. Make sure all soot is removed from the plug. You will also need to check the gap as mentioned above. Make sure it is set to the proper specification. Depending on how much you use your lawn mower, you may not have to change your spark plug. Daily use of a lawn mower usually means annual changes of the spark plug. Also regular changes of the oil in the engine as well.

John Deere lawn mowers in the 700 series include the X700, X740 and the X748 models. These are riding lawn mowers meant for larger properties and for consumers who also may need additional attachments to complete some of the tasks on their property. These attachments include front end loaders, trailers, blades etc.  There are also tillers, scrapers, blades and various hitches that will connect with these attachments such as cultivators. This series is very versatile and flexible. They pretty much provide just about everything you will need to maintain your garden and property. The following provides some additional detail on each model.

John Deer Lawn Mowers 700 series – Models

X700 – includes internal hydraulic PTO with a multi disk clutch pack, heavy duty welded frame, improved maneuverability with 22 hp, 2 wheel drive, and power steering.

X740 -soft, smooth clutch engagement, operates with a wide variety of equipment, an automatic transmission, a 24 hp engine, 2 wheel drive, and power steering.

X748 – includes full time 4WD, forward and reverse drives, heavy duty robotically welded frame, 6.5 gallon fuel tank, 24 hp engine with power steering

All of these models are suited for consumers with large properties who need versatile machines to help them complete their landscaping projects as well as maintain their properties in the manner they would like. We are not advertising these machines and we do not gain anything from the sale or purchase of these machines. We aim to help consumers decide which machine would best meet their needs.

If price is an issue, then the X700 is probably the best value. It only has slightly less horse power than the other two. Features differ so make sure that you carefully consider which attachments you may want in the future. What you will be doing with your lawn mower / tractor. This is an expensive decision so take the time to think ahead. Consider what makes sense for you personal situation.

We noticed that our readers are interested in John Deer Lawn Mowers Self Propelled so we decided to do a little research on this topic to see what John Deere is currently offering in terms of lawn mowers and how a consumer would decide which lawn mower to choose from. They have a pretty good web site that takes into account most consumers needs for lawn mowing. for example they have 25 consumer lawn mower models to choose from including push, self propelled, mulching, electric and manual start as well as gas and electric models. How does one choose the model best for them? Turns out it is quite easy. Just select the filters that make sense for your needs and you will have one or two machines that make the most sense for your application.

John Deer Lawn Mowers Self Propelled – Selection

In out case we have a relatively small yard that is flat. We also preferred a gasoline engine with a variable speed self propelled capability. We could have chosen an electric machine or a single speed self propelled lawn mower. Finally we wanted a mulching lawn mower. For years I collected grass clippings and put them in bags to go out into the garbage. But those days are past. We just want the grass to be cut up in very small pieces so that they will disintegrate and feed our lawn. Much less work and better for the lawn.

We ended up with the R43V John Deere self propelled lawn mower. It comes with a 17 inch cutting width, variable speed from 2.5 to 4.3 km/h.  This is a really great way to help decide on what lawn mower you should choose. Of course the last factor to consider is price. Now that we know what lawn mower to purchase, we have to watch for a sale price. Perhaps near the end of the season when the stores are trying to get rid of all of their inventory. Lucky for us, our current lawn mower still works. We have time to make our selection and find a John Deere self propelled lawn mower with a good price.

This looks like a lot of work! Mulch your grass clippings and help your lawn at the same time. Adding the nutrients from the clippings back into your lawn helps your grass. Save yourself some time and hard work raking  up the clippings. Sure you may need to cut your lawn a little more often. But compared to raking the lawn after it has been cut is child’s play. Leaving the mulched clippings adds 30% of the nutrients your lawn needs back to it. If the clippings have been mulched, i.e. the clippings are very short usually less than half an inch, they will decompose more quickly and help your lawn remain healthy. The clippings will also help prevent moisture loss during dry periods.

Mulch your Grass Clippings – Cut your Grass Often

The simple trick is to cut your lawn with a mulching lawn mower whenever your grass has grown an inch. Letting it grow longer will make it more difficult for the lawn mower to do its job. You may have clumps of cut grass on your lawn which you should really rake up! An inch of grass is easy for the lawn mower to handle. It leaves your lawn looking fresh with no visible grass clipping showing.

Yes it is more work to cut the grass often, but compared to raking grass cuttings, the writer would rather cut the grass more often especially with a self propelled lawn mower.

Short clippings decompose quickly and do not build up as thatch in your lawn. Long grass clippings have a tendency to build up thatch which may clog your grass while preserving moisture in the soil. It is a bit of a trade off, but in general a mulching lawn mower will cut the grass short enough to provide nutrients, provide moisture retention and decompose quickly.

Most home owners are worried about grass clippings on their lawns because they are afraid that they will clog the grass and prevent growth. They are also concerned about the build up of thatch which may need to be removed at some point. The answer is that you can avoid bagging grass clippings if you follow a few simple rules. In fact, you will be helping your grass a great deal. Since the grass clippings will add fertilizer back into the lawn contributing as much as 30% of the nutrient value that your lawn will need. If you avoid bagging grass clippings, you really save yourself some work. Also the hassle of disposing of the grass clippings.

We used to bag the grass and used a grass catcher on our lawn mower. My kids still complain about the lawn mower. The heavy bags and the mess of grass that we needed to put out for the city to pick up every week. We use a mulching lawn mower now that is also self-propelled. It is much less work even if I need to cut the grass more often.

Avoid Bagging Grass Clippings – Rules

Lawn Mower Blade must be Sharp – make sure your blade is sharp so that it cuts the grass rather than rips the grass leaving jagged edges.

Mulching Lawn Mower – a blade for this type of lawnmower, if it is sharp will cut the blades of grass into smaller pieces and will enhance the decomposition process.

Cut the Grass Often – Avoid allowing your grass to grow too long. Which in turn makes it more difficult to cut the grass and leaves clumps of cut grass. Cut your grass when it has grown an inch.

Grass Needs to be Dry – Only cut the grass when it is dry. Your mulching lawn mower will do a much better job of cutting the clippings into very small pieces. Which will enhance the decomposition of the grass?

Yes, you will cut your grass more often. But there is no comparison to bagging and disposing of the grass clippings. It is much easier to just cut the grass and let nature do the rest.

Should you purchase one of the electric mowers that are available or stick with a standard gas mower that you have likely used for many years? This is the big question for a lot of consumers. They ask themselves this question as they become more aware of environmental issues. They want to make a contribution. Even if it is in a small way by using less gasoline and oil in their daily lives. Then there is the convenience of not needing to purchase and store gasoline. You do not need to store it around your home or service your lawn mower when it needs an oil change.

Electric Mowers – Size of Your Yard

If you have a relatively small yard to cut, electric mowers are a potential solution. You can cut the lawn easily with one battery charge. Or with a lawn mower that is electric but needs to be powered by an electric extension chord. As you approach 1/4 acre in size, you begin to test the limits of your battery. You may be unable to finish cutting the lawn with one charge. Note that as the battery ages, it will store less and less power. At some point a second battery may be required.

For the writer who has a larger lawn to mow, an electric powered lawn mower is really not an option. However if one was available that would be able to cut the lawn on one battery charge, I would definitely consider one of the electric mowers.  I would not need store oil and gasoline around my home. This can be a fire hazard and an environmental issue for me. I would definitely like to move away from a gas powered lawn mower. I will consider an electric mower with two batteries to do the job.

Buying electric mowers that are powered by extension chords is really not an option for me. I do not have the patience to deal with the chord. We have lots of trees and shrubs to cut around in our yard. Too much hassle for me in this case.

Electric lawn mowers have become very popular in the past few years due to the environmental impact of gas engines and the fact there is much less upkeep with an electric lawn mower. However electric lawn mowers are not for everyone. It is important for consumers to consider the issues before they make a purchase.  For example do you want one with a chord or one that is battery operated? How much lawn do you have to mow? And what about bagging grass clippings?

Electric Lawn Mowers – Size Matters

The general guideline is that if you have more than a 1/4 acre to cut, you probably should go with a gas mower. Under that and battery operated lawn mowers or chorded lawn mowers can do the job. The battery charge will last long enough to complete the job. Batteries age over time. Your battery may not last as long as it once did and you may have to invest in another.

You may not get the power assist feature on electric lawn mowers. This takes a lot of power and larger batteries.

Most consumers really do not want to have to deal with an electric extension chord to power their lawn mower. It is always getting in the way. You have to stretch it around shrubs and other obstacles that you may have in your yard.

The big advantage of an electric lawn mower of course is that there are no oil changes needed and there is no gasoline to purchase or store on your property. This also has a positive environmental impact in terms of operation since these liquids are not being used and do not need to be disposed of i.e. the oil. For the electric battery operated lawn mowers consumers should still dispose of old batteries properly to avoid releasing heavy metal contamination at our landfills.

Sometimes lawn mowers are hard to start and there can be multiple reasons for this common problem. One of the most common problems is when you try to start a lawn mower after it has been sitting for a long time. Usually over the winter with old gas sitting in the gas tank. The gasoline becomes stale and usually gums up the gas tank. It gums up the filter in the gas tank as well as the carburetor. This means that your engine either does not get enough gasoline or enough air and runs rough or not at all.

They can be really difficult to start and when you finally get it running, the engine revolutions may cycle from running high to almost stalling due to lack of gasoline. If this happens to you then there is really no choice but cleaning the carb or replacing some of the smaller parts in the carb. You should also get rid of the old gasoline by taking it to a proper disposal site as well. Never dump this old gasoline.

Hard to Start Lawn Mowers – Avoiding the Problem

The easiest way to avoid this problem is to burn off all old gasoline in the fall. Let the engine run until it runs out of gas. Use new gasoline in the spring and should be fine. Many consumers will also use a gasoline additive to help keep the gasoline fresh. It helps to void the separation of components inside your gas tank.

In the spring another preparatory activity for your lawnmower is to remove the spark plug and clean it. Or replace it with a new one that is properly gapped. It is also a good idea to change the oil at the beginning of the season. Run your engine for several minutes to warm up the oil so that it flows smoothly. Drain the oil out of the engine reservoir.  Your engine will run much better with fresh gasoline, a new spark plug, or one that is cleaned and new engine oil. It will be much easier to start as well.

If you use your lawn mower everyday or at least every week, you probably do not need to be concerned about fuel stabilizer for lawn mower engines. The gasoline never gets stale and does not create gum deposits in the fuel line or the carburetor. But most of us use our lawn mowers for three seasons. Then they sit idle during the late fall and winter months. This is the perfect amount of time for gasoline to get stale. It can also gum up your lawn mowers engine. This makes it very difficult to start the engine. In many cases the lawn mower engine will not start at all. This is the main reason why fuel stabilizer for lawn more engines should be used in all gasoline tanks.

Fuel Stabilizer for Lawn Mower Engines – How to Use

Every time you fill up your tank, add some fuel stabilizer to the gas can. Follow the instructions on the fuel stabilizer to make sure that your adding the correct amount to each gas can. This will ensure that each tanks of gasoline is stabilized, will not go stale and most importantly will not gum up your engine. If you use the same gasoline for your snow blower, this approach will ensure that you always have good gas for your small engines.

If you know that the gasoline will be sitting around for a long time, it is best to just put it in your cars tank and use it rather than have it sit for a long time. Never put old gas in your car’s engine. You do not want to have car problems caused by old gasoline.