Are You Ready To Mow?

We talked before about fertilizing your lawn and this is great for giving you a good looking lawn, but to keep it looking great and make sure your grass is a cut above your neighbor's, it's important not to let your mower and other power equipment get you hot under the collar because they're not ready to go when you are. Though I know the importance of maintenance it is not one of my strong points and I need to work hard at doing what I know I need to do.

One thing that helps some people is to create a "to-do" list for yourself and make sure you have check boxes to keep tabs of what you’ve completed. One of those check boxes needs to be: Maintain Outdoor Power Equipment. This task is not only essential for the safety and performance of the equipment, but also helps keep your yard healthy and free of disease throughout the summer.

If you are handy, you can do a lot of the basic maintenance on your outdoor lawn equipment yourself in just a couple of hours.

Some steps to follow include:
1: Change the oil and replace the filter. Be sure you dispose of the oil properly.
2: Check and replace worn spark plugs
3: Clean the grass clippings away from cooling fans, air intake screens and under mower deck
4: Inspect air filter
5: Sharpen blade - A sharp blade is very important for keeping your lawn healthy.

Maybe you prefer to be working in the garden rather than working on tools. Or you just aren’t mechanical. Then you need to have a small engine repair shop do the maintenance for you. That’s alright, not everyone likes or is able to perform their own maintenance. Some of these small engine repair shops will even come and fix it at your place or at least pick it up and bring it back to you.
A good repair shop will perform a 12-point (or several point, depending on what type of equipment you have) maintenance & inspection service on your outdoor power equipment.

Some of the steps involved with this service include:
1: Check battery (if it has one) voltage and continuity
2: Clean engine
3: Inspect belts for wear and adjust tension
4: Check tire tread and pressure
5: Test operation of brakes, carburetor, transmission and safety systems
6: Change transmission fluid, engine coolant, oil and filters (certain models)
7: Grease axle and mower spindles
8: Sharpen blades, check balance and straightness to prevent vibration.

Don't let the grass grow under your feet before you perform some basic maintenance on your outdoor power equipment. One thing we all should understand though and that is, don’t cut your lawn too short. We may want a golf course great looking lawn but it is better for the grass if you leave it a little longer. Now that you’re ready to mow and trim and keep things looking good this summer, is the next thing getting yourself in shape for doing it? Well I won’t go into that here but it may be something you need to think about.

Maintenance “by the yard”

A Reading Garden

One of the newest trends in community landscaping is the "reading garden". What is a reading garden? It's the perfect place to enjoy a great author and the great outdoors at the same time. Community reading gardens are cropping up in public areas ranging from outside public libraries and schools to city parks. They are community spaces where reading and reflection can be grown and nurtured. With a few modifications, you can turn your patio, deck or backyard into your very own reading garden.

Here are some helpful hints for creating a reading garden in your backyard.

Some essentials include a quiet area, a garden bench or hammock, shade and light and flowers and plants for inspiration and beauty. Think of color, shape, atmosphere and scent.

You may also want a weather-proof place to sit, of course, and a place for resting your novel and a cup of tea. Ideally, put the reading area under an awning or in a small gazebo so that a minor drizzle won't send you indoors.

Start by taking a look at your yard and deciding where you do or where you would enjoy sitting. Then design an area around it for privacy and reflection.

Think color: I don’t know about you but color inspires me. So make sure you have lots of colorful plants around the area. If you’re on your patio you may need to use containers to provide a place for those plants to grow. Consider whether you want to spend more time reading or gardening, and choose high or low maintenance flowers and plants to accommodate that. I love perennials but annuals are very colorful and usually bloom all summer so they may be the better choice here.

Think shape: You want a space that makes you feel comfortable and cozy. As mentioned earlier a gazebo is a great way of achieving this, but there are other ways. For privacy and quiet, try a hedge or screen of ivy. A border of flowers, plants, stones or shrubs can set off your outdoor "reading room". If there's no tree for shade, try taller shrubs, bushes or growing ivy on a trellis or pergola.

Think atmosphere: Atmosphere is very important. If this space is not quiet enough then it is not relaxing and it is hard to concentrate on what you are reading. If it is not private enough then you may have the same problem. You want to be comfortable. No one will sit and read long if what they are sitting on is hard and uncomfortable. A comfortable garden bench or a relaxing patio chair and ottoman will fit the bill.

Think scent: There is nothing nicer than smelling the roses so to speak. The fresh scent from your flowers will excite the mind and help it come alive with pictures in the mind created by the words on the page. So it is important to choose flowers that will fill the air with fresh scents.

After you have created your very own reading garden the final step is the simplest. Open up a book and experience the beauty and inspiration of your reading garden.

Beautiful spaces can create beautiful minds!

Reading Gardens “by the yard”