Top Lawn Mower

Mowing the Lawn with a Reel Mower
I know some of you are still in “snow shovel” mode, but down here in sunny Virginia, we’re gearing up for Spring and things are starting to blossom! The daffodils are up, the trees are budding and the grass is starting to grow. Quickly.
So before hubby could even fill up the tank on the gas-powered pushmower, I trucked myself on down to Home Depot and picked up a good old fashioned reel mower. (I tried to find one on freecycle or craigslist first, but had no luck.)
Anyhow, we used to have one of those people-powered puppies at my grandmother’s camp and I remember it did a fine job of keeping her 12′ x 40′ patch o’ green looking neat. The question is — would it work on our slightly larger and much more inclined yard? The second question, of course, would be — is hubby going to poo-poo the idea as another wacky green scheme that is destined to fail?
Turns out the answers are ‘yes’ and ‘no’. To both questions.
Yes, the mower did work on our lawn. It was no more difficult to push than the gas mower, in fact, I thought it was much easier to maneuver. It sure as hell was easier to start! It makes no noise and I’m able to use it in the front yard while the kids pick up pinecones, play on the steps or dig for worms.

The downside is that sometimes it’s just as likely to bend the grass over as it is to cut it and a small twig or piece of mulch caught in the blades brings the machine to an abrupt stop. Personally, I thought it did a good enough job to satisfy the neighbors, but would definitely not pass muster as a par 3 golf course. The good news is, our yard isn’t listed on the tour, so I think the reel mower will do just fine.
Hubby grumbled a bit at first, saying that he didn’t think it would do the job. I think he thought I wasn’t being reelistic. Then he tried it and was actually impressed at the ease of use. He didn’t heartily endorse it, but didn’t say it was crap either. He thought it would be great to use for a once-a-week cut, but feels certain the yard will still need a “thorough mowing” every now and again.
I’m betting that once the heat of summer hits full force, he’ll be happy to have my slap-dash REEL mowing (performed by me in the cool mornings), rather than his ‘wait-until-he-gets-home-after-work-when-it’s-a-hundred-degrees-out’ REAL mowing. We’ll see. In the meantime, let’s see what this little change means for the environment.
According to the EPA, more fuel is spilt each year filling up garden equipment (e.g. lawnmowers, string trimmers, chipper/shredders, etc.) than was lost in the entire Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. - Yikes. Also, mowing an average 1/4 acre lawn produces more air pollution than driving a new (i.e. 1995) pickup truck round-trip to NY from Washington D.C. - Double Yikes.
So from here on out, I’m going to be sticking with the reel deal, my friends.

Savings:
I couldn’t find good estimate online for how much gas we use when we mow the lawn. So I asked hubby and he estimates it takes about a half gallon of gas per mow. We try to maintain a quasi-presentable lawn, so we mow it every week. Here in Richmond, we start mowing around mid-March and stop in October. At a half gallon per mow, that’s roughly 16 gallons of gas we will (hopefully) be skipping this year. And, at $3.15 a gallon, that amounts to over $50 in dollar savings. One more season and the reel mower will have paid for itself!

Difficutly Level: 1 out of 5
Personally, I prefer the reel mower to the gas machine. Let’s face it, the gas mower is a mother-thumpin’ bitch to start, it’s noisy as hell, hard to push and you simply cannot use it when the kids are outside, for fear that they’ll get hurt. The reel mower, on the other hand, is light, simple to operate, quiet as a mouse, and can be used around the kids. Although it should NEVER be used on the kids. It gives a very sloppy hairut.
Just kidding. In all seriousness, though, the kids shouldn’t be allowed to touch it — after all, those are big friggin’ blades and they’re sharp!
We’ll see if I’m still still in love with the reel deal come June, when the lawn is thicker! Be sure to ask me then…. but in the meantime, remember: Reel men don’t use gas mowers.

Trash it or Compost it? Bag it or Rebag it?

by Billie A Williams

Compost improves soil drainage and water retention — we all know that as organic gardeners. But it makes a difference what you put into that compost heap. So what is the idea recipe?

Three parts carbon-rich brown matter like wood chips, shredded newspapers the dead leaves from your fall raking and plants you’ve culled from your thinning process in your garden.

You need to mix that with one part nitrogen-rich green matter, which can be grass clippings – that is one good reason to have a mower with a grass catcher. Green leaves and fruit and vegetable waste such as peels, cores, bruised or damaged spots from your cooking. You may also add coffee and tea grounds/leaves, egg shells just about any kitchen scraps except meat and meat by products.

Your compost pile should be at least three cubic feet – that’s three wide, three high and three deep – think a cube of soda and you will be able to visualize that cube. If you are using a barrel composter, you mound isn’t’ in direct contact with the earth so you will need to inoculate your mound with garden soil, finished compost or fresh manure. The smaller your ingredients the faster they become compost. You could use a leaf shredder, or your lawn mower or even run your tiller through your compost heap to make it break down quicker. You should turn the pile no more then once a week and keep it moist but not soggy. A useful analogy is to think of a sponge that is wrung-out, it is still wet, but it doesn’t drip when you pick it up.

Compost takes nine to twelve months to fully mature; if you add to your heap regularly, use a screen to sift out finished compost. It’s ready when it looks and feels like moist chocolate cake crumbs and smells like fresh-turned earth.

Contrary to popular belief in some areas, your compost heap when done properly will not have an offensive odor.

Which brings us to what to use when you go grocery shopping, when they inevitably ask you paper or plastic? Give this some thought.

Paper bags are made from a renewable resource, obviously trees. They are recyclable and biodegradable. On the negative side, chemicals used to manufacture paper bags pollute air and water.

Plastic bags require less energy to manufacture, equaling less air pollution and industrial waste, but they are made from nonrenewable petroleum or natural gas, and are non-biodegradable—toxic chemicals are also used during manufacture.

The best solution – recycle by bringing your plastic bags back to the store for more groceries when you shop – or — and this is the best, bring your own cloth bags to fill when you shop. This may be a little inconvenient for a major shopping trip, but if you could recycle or reuse, bring your own cloth you are saving at least some of the environment we will be leaving to the next generation.

The Reelmaster® 5500-D Golf Fairway Mower, also available in 2 or 4-wheel drive. A lightweight fairway mower with a 35 hp Kubota® diesel engine has the power and cutting capacity to get even the tough jobs done.

Product Details
Variable Reel Speed
Rear engine design
Optional 4WD

Engine : Kubota 3-cylinder
Fuel : Capacity 10 gallon diesel fuel
Ground Speed : Forward 0-10 mph
Approximate Weight : 2,962 lbs
Warranty 2 year limited warranty

It’s time to start thinking about mowing your lawn again. And that means keeping your mower in tip-top shape. If you follow these tips this year, you’ll breeze through your lawn mowing without a single hitch:

1. Don’t be a gas hoarder. Never store more than a month’s worth of gas in your garage or shed (and at today’s prices, who can afford to?). Old gas is prone to having water condensation in it, which will gum up the carburetor.

2. Let it breathe clean air. Check out your air filter; replace it when it gets dirty. Otherwise, dirt will sneak into the engine, wearing down vital parts and making starting a real hassle.

3. Give the blades plenty of elbow room. Before you start your mower, look underneath it. Clear away any built-up grass or other debris.

4. Remember the oil. Depending on how much lawn you have and how often you cut it, change the oil at least once a season. Too little oil can put a death grip on your engine—a costly fate for you!

5. Keep the cooling fins clean.

6. Check the belt condition and tension each time before you mow.

7. Sharpen the blade every third mowing. And keep at least two back-up blades handy and sharp.

8. Wipe down all the rubber and plastic parts with Armorall® once a month to keep them from drying out, cracking, and disintegrating.

9. Wipe down all chrome and metal parts with WD-40® every few weeks to keep them from rusting and sticking.

10. Check out all safety controls (automatic shutoff, all-wheel control, etc.) before each use.

Now is a good time to check your lawn mower for maintenance. Change the oil, air filter and spark plug, drain old gas and sharpen the blade.

The owner’s manual will provide instructions for most routine maintenance. Drain gas and oil into a disposable plastic container. Disconnect the spark plug any time you work with the mower. Place the mower on a table or sawhorses for easy access to the underside, or turn the mower over with the air filter side up so no oil will spill into it. If you don’t have time to do this work yourself, take your mower to a service center before everyone else.

A sharp mower blade is essential for a good cut. A dull blade will shred grass tips, which then turn light brown. Clean the underside of the mower with water after every use to prevent rust from forming under the debris. Reduce the chance of fire by brushing clippings and leaves from the top of the mower and cleaning gas or oil spills.

Sharpen other garden equipment such as hand pruners and loopers with a diamond file, medium-fine flat file or medium grain whetstone. On anvil pruners and loopers, sharpen the blade on both sides. On bypass pruners and loopers, sharpen the outside of each blade, keeping the original angle. In addition, oil tools to control rust.