Mower Maintenance

Spring is here! If you have fescue turf, the mowing season has started. In order to get the best results from your mower this season, it's important to make sure your equipment is in top working order. Here are a few regular maintenance items you should take care of now that won't break the bank, but will protect the investment you made in your mower…
Mower Maintenance:

1. Change the oil. You probably know how important changing the oil is in your car. Well, the same is true of your mower. Changing the oil before the season starts ensures the motor runs smoothly. Usually ¾ - 1 quart of oil will do. Your mower's owner's manual will have the specifics of how, how much and what type and weight of oil you need.
2. Change the spark plug – Nothing is worse than putting on your work clothes and shoes, checking the gas, getting all set to mow your lawn…. And then discovering your mower won't start. Although changing the spark plug every year is not always necessary, it is good preventative maintenance to save you from any unexpected surprises just before you mow. Sort of like changing the batteries in your smoke detector. Better to do it early than late!
3. Clean the air filter – Air filters keep the air that goes into the motor clean. It's essential to the good working of your mower. Since grass is soft, many people don't realize how much dirty air your mower sucks in during a single mowing. When cut grass builds up in your mower deck and starts to decompose it becomes abrasive and dusty. Your air filter is solely responsible for keeping that dirty air out of the engine's system. As with the oil, check your manual for specifics on how to maintain your air filter. There are different types but most can be cleaned multiple times before needing to be replaced. Use your best judgment… If it is really dirty or has damage, replace it. They are fairly insignificant in price, especially compared to the cost of a new lawn mower.
4. 
   Sharpen the blades – Sharpening your mower blades is important not only to your mower's well-being, but for the health of your grass. Dull blades chop the grass instead of cutting it. This is like an open wound and leaves the grass more susceptible to disease and fungus. While most of these tips are easy for the do-it-yourselfer to take care of in the comfort of their own garage, we recommend leaving the sharpening of blades to a professional. They can make sure the mower blades are balanced after sharpening. Unbalanced mower blades will cause your mower to vibrate which can do internal damage to your lawn mower over time. There are many lawn mower or small engine repair services in the Charlotte or Matthews area that can sharpen blades. Just google it or look in the yellow pages to find an applicable service. You can either remove the blade and take it to them or deliver the whole mower. But remember SAFETY FIRST!! ALWAYS undo the spark plug wire before you remove the blades!
   Turning the blades is the same as pulling the pull cord. It can crank the motor. You DO NOT want the motor to unexpectedly start when you have your hands near the blades. It's worth the time to pull the spark plug wire any time you look under the deck of the mower.
5. Lubricate any moving parts. On push mowers, spray the wheels with a spray lubricant to keep them turning smoothly. The leftover grass and dust from last season can really cause the wheels to "gum up". On riding mowers, it's best to take them to a professional for service as there can be hidden grease fittings on pivot points that can go unnoticed by the casual user.
6. Give it a bath! It is recommended that you wash underneath the deck of the mower after every mowing especially if you are mowing damp or wet grass. You want to remove any clingy grass blades from the deck. While most of us don't follow this rule after every mowing, at least start the season off right with a good pressure washing or cleaning. JUST REMEMBER TO DETACH THE SPARK PLUG WIRE FIRST BEFORE WASHING UNDER THE DECK.
7. Set your mower height. We recommend mowing fescue turf at a height of about 3 ½ to 3 3/4 inches. If your mower has markings for blade height those are usually accurate. To manually check your blade height, just measure the distance of the blades from a hard surface.
8. Always use fresh gas.  If gas is more than 90 days old, put that gas in your car to top off a near full tank and get fresh gas for the mower.

At AA Tex Lawn, we are lucky. We have a certified mechanic on staff to manage our equipment and make sure everything is in tip-top working order. At home, preventative maintenance can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. It's worth it. Or if you are in the Charlotte area of North Carolina, call us at 704-821-0708. We're happy to give you a quote on maintenance.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Myths II: Planting Myths Busted!

In the last blog we talked about common turf myths we hear from customers and why they are false. Fallacies grow in all shapes and sizes. There is an abundance of plant, shrub, and tree myths that exist too. Here are a few and why they are wrong.

One of our most hated: CRAPE MURDER! You see it everywhere… Crape Myrtles that look like a

Crape Murder

deranged serial killer has hacked off their heads. There are several reasons why this is not good for the tree… It forces a mass of thinner branches at the top which makes the crape myrtle look disproportionate. These thinner branches often droop with their heavy blooms. This also stresses the tree which leads to a greater chance of disease and insect damage. MYTH: Pruning the top will promote more blooms. This is not true. At AA Tex Lawn, when pruning these beautiful trees, we leave 3 to 4 large trunks, cut off any suckers that have grown near the base of the trunk, and cut off any cross branches that are rubbing against other branches. The tops we leave alone… yielding a glorious tree with a profusion of blooms in the summer. If the crape myrtle is too large for the space it is in, it needs to be replaced with plant material that "fits" in the spot.

Proper Technique for Pruning Crape Myrtles

I'VE GOT TO GET RID OF THIS CLAY SOIL WHEN I DO MY PLANTINGS IF I WANT MY PLANTS TO GROW. I see where this idea comes from. Clay tends to become compacted which makes it hard for vital nutrients (oxygen and water) to enter the soil. But actually, it's better to amend the native soil (mainly clay in our area) rather than remove it. The clay retains moisture, so by amending the soil, you retain the positive properties of the clay and reduce the negative, mainly compaction. Look to use about a 50/50 ratio of the native soil and enriched organic matter like the soil conditioner you find in your local garden centers or really good composting material. The roots will grow in clay. The amended soil simply helps water and nutrients pass into the soil to the roots.

WILL I HAVE TO WATER MY NEW SHRUBS FOREVER???? For the first couple of years, regular watering is essential to helping to reduce transplant stress and establish a healthy root system. As with turf, deep and infrequent watering is better than frequent, shallow watering. The roots grow where the water is, so if you do a shallow watering, then the roots will be shallow as well. Different shrubs have different needs, so check the directions for your variety of shrub to ensure you are giving enough water. TOO MUCH WATER CAN BE AS DETRIMENTAL AS NOT WATERING ENOUGH. However, established shrubbery typically does not need supplemental watering. So after the first couple of years, unless we're under drought conditions, the shrubs will get all the water they need from Mother Nature, so we can stop watering.

Which brings us to another common issue:

WATERING SHOULD BE LIKE A GENTLE RAINFALL SO THAT THE LEAVES CAN SOAK UP THE WATER… It's actually better to water the root area rather than the leaves. Although the leaves can take up a small amount of water, the majority of nutrients and water are absorbed through the roots. No need for a "gentle rainfall" approach.

A little education to help you beautify your world. Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team