A healthy lawn requires proper care and attention throughout the season. It requires constant attention and responds well to different types of lawn maintenance.
Watering the grass especially in the summertime turns the brown lawn green again. Grass grows well when you aerate the soil, allow the roots to breathe, and ensure proper drainage.
Raking out the dead leaves helps the lawn to return into its former glory. An extra care in the autumn also helps the grass absorb the essential nutrients for the upcoming cold season. Lawn care requires effort so give yourself a favor and make this job quick and easy by investing in the right lawn tools.
Related: Types of Bermuda Grass | Types of Yard Grass | Alternatives to Grass for Backyards | Types of Artificial Grass | Types of Ornamental Grass
Type
Mower
If you have any grass at your home, then you will need to make sure that you have a lawnmower so that you can keep it under control.
This tool is used to cut grass and doesn’t have much else of a use around the yard, but if you do not have one, then you will have a lot of difficulties keeping your yard looking neat and trimmed.
Homes with particularly large yards can benefit from using a riding lawnmower, while homes with smaller amounts of grass can easily use a walk behind lawn mower without a lot of problems.
There are a number of different types of lawnmowers available on the market, depending on what kind of features you want, such as self-propelling, and what kind of power you want to rely on.
If you are in the market for a lawn mower, you will want to consider not only the power that your lawnmower will use, but also the cutting width, max speed, and price. Together, all of this information will help you choose the right tool for your use without causing you to go over budget.
String Trimmer
If you have grass that is in a hard to reach place or have to deal with weeds on a regular basis, then you will benefit from purchasing a string trimmer. While lawnmowers are the best tool to use when you need to cut grass, they do not work well in smaller areas or on steep inclines.
In both of these cases, you will benefit from buying a string trimmer instead. These tools have very long and thin bodies that have a head on the end that relies on a string instead of a blade to cut through grass and weeds.
By rotating the string at very high speeds, the trimmer is able to easily cut through any plants in its way. There are a number of things to consider when you are shopping for a string trimmer, as they come with many different features, as well as in a few different styles.
If you are worried about the difficulty of starting your string trimmer then you will want to opt for a four-cycle engine instead of a two-cycle engine.
While the four-cycle engine will be more expensive, it will also be a lot easier to start. Consider other features, such as a straight-shaft trimmer, if you are worried about getting under low shrubs and branches, while a curved-shaft trimmer is lighter and easier to carry, but not as easy to use under low branches.
Edger
Source: Houzz
When you want to make sure that the edges of your yard are neat and trimmed up, then you will need to buy an edger. While at first glance it may appear to be very similar to a string trimmer, edges have metal blades that are vertical to the ground, as opposed to strings that are horizontal to the ground.
They are great for creating dramatic lines and edges around your yard, along with a path or walkway, and around a garden bed. While this is not an essential tool for taking care of your yard, if you want to make sure that you keep taller grasses from encroaching into beds where you do not want them, then you will benefit from this tool.
If you have a very large area that you are going to be edging then you will likely want to invest in a gas-powered edger rather than an electric unit.
While gas-powered edges are more durable and will last for long, they are noisier and more expensive to run. On the other hand, electric edgers have to be near an outlet in order to operate.
Spreader
A spreader is very useful and can be used to spread multiple types of product across your yard, decreasing the likelihood that you will miss a spot when spreading by hand or that you will spend all afternoon completing this job.
Using a spreader will make spreading pesticides, seed, and fertilizer fast and easy and will prevent you from having your hands in harmful chemicals.
There are three main types of spreaders: broadcast spreaders, drop spreaders, and handheld spreaders. If you have a larger lawn and want to complete your job quickly, then using a broadcast spreader is a good idea.
They operate very quickly and are rather effective, as long as you don’t need to worry about obstructions in your yard. Drop spreaders are ideal for medium-size lawns, and while they take a little longer to use than a broadcast spreader, you can enjoy greater control over where your product falls.
This is great if you are worried about spreading seed or other product on your nearby flower beds. Handheld spreaders are best for smaller lawns, and while they are not the best option if you are worried about perfect distribution, they are much less expensive.
Pruner
Being able to cut down dead or diseased branches or simply being able to prune back plants in your yard will require the right tool. There are a number of different types of pruners that you can buy to use in your yard, and all will have their own set of pros and cons, as well as how they will best meet your needs.
To ensure that you get the right tool for your needs, it is important to consider what type of work you are going to be doing, as well as your budget, so that you don’t overspend.
If you need to prune or remove larger branches from your trees, then you need to consider loppers, pole pruners, pole saws, and tree pruners. Pruning back bushes and smaller twigs from your trees can easily be accomplished with an anvil or bypass pruners and shears.
Because pruners range in size from handheld ones that are ideal for tackling an unruly rose bush to larger ones that can remove a dead branch from a tree, it is important that you decide what type of work you need to have done before you go shopping.
Blower
Leaf blowers are incredibly versatile and a necessary tool for cleaning up your lawn and making sure that your space is picked up.
In the fall they are great for blowing leaves and preventing you from having to rake them, they can be used to clear driveways and paths all year long, and in the winter, they may be able to clear some light snow from around your home.
There are models that come with all different types of features and attachments to make taking care of your yard as fast and easy as possible, including a bag for mulching and a backpack engine for extra power.
If you want the most powerful blower on the market, then you need to be willing not only to pay a higher price for it, but to put up with the increase in noise. When buying a blower, you will need to decide if you want an electric or a gas blower.
While both have their pros and cons, in general, a gas blower will be a lot stronger, able to clear large areas quickly and with little hassle, and significantly louder.
Rake
While some of the lawn care tools may seem optional, it is important that you have at least one rake at your home to help you keep your lawn and yard in the best possible condition.
When you are shopping for a rake, it is easy to become overwhelmed by all of the options that are available on the market, which is why you want to make sure to consider how you will use your new rake before you go to the store.
If you want to be able to rake up leaves in the fall, then you will be best off with a leaf rake. This type of rake is very lightweight and has a large head with flexible tines that are gentle enough that they do not damage the grass when you use this tool. Another common type of rake is a landscape rake.
If you are going to be spreading a lot of material, such as gravel or sand, in your yard or flower beds, then you will benefit from having a landscape rake. They have significantly shorter and firmer tines than a leaf rake so that they can grip and move the material that you are spreading.
Sprayer
A sprayer is important to help you not only measure out the amount of a product that you are going to apply to your garden or lawn, such as fertilizer or a pesticide but also help you to easily distribute it in the right area.
Using a sprayer will give you a lot of control over where you are going to apply the product and how much you will apply at once, and it will also allow you to spray underneath plants, if necessary.
There are three main types of sprayers that you can choose from, and each will have its own best use. Hose-end sprayers are very inexpensive and easy to use. They attach to the end of your hose, and when you are running water, then some of the material from the jar will be picked up and delivered through the spray of water.
Tank sprayers are very popular. Also known as “compression” sprayers, they rely on the user pumping a handle to build pressure in the tank so that it can be sprayed through a wand on a long tube. They are easy to use and to control.
Finally, backpack sprayers are similar to tank sprayers, but they can handle more product at a time since the load will be carried on the back. They generally have a lever pump so that you don’t have to remove the backpack to pump it and build pressure.
Dethatcher
Also known as a “lawn scarifier,” a dethatcher is a tool that will remove thatch from the lawn, allowing your grass to grow and be much healthier than if the thatch were left in place. This is a rather simple task to perform in your yard, as long as you have the right tool for the job.
While some people attempt this work with a landscape rake, it is much easier with the correct tool.
Because dethatchers are attachments that attach to the back of your riding mower, they do take up more storage room and are a little more expensive, but this type of dethatcher is very fast and easy to use and will quickly help to rough up your lawn, remove your dead grass, and allow air and water to penetrate the surface to improve the growth of your grass.
Aerator
Over time, it is very common for your yard to become so compressed that air and water both have difficulty permeating the surface.
While it may be easy to ignore this problem, over time, you will find that your grass isn’t growing the way that it should and that, no matter how much seed you put down, your grass never looks very healthy.
It’s important when you find yourself in this situation to make sure that you use an aerator to relieve the compaction of your yard.
While it is possible to buy a motorized aerator, most homeowners do not need this large and expensive piece of equipment since it will not be used very often. Homeowners can benefit from buying and using a handheld aerator. These are available in two main styles, with solid or hollow tines.
Aerators that have solid tines will simply poke holes into the ground in your yard, while ones with hollow tines will remove cores from the yard, better decompressing the ground. When the thatch in your yard is kept under control, then you will generally only need to use an aerator only every few years.
Watering Can
If you want to be able to water specific areas of your yard, such as when you have recently seeded a bare patch, and do not want to have to use a sprinkler and water the whole yard, then you need to make sure that you have a watering can.
This tool is very useful and can be used to water not only your yard but also plants in containers, as well as spots in your garden. Plastic watering cans are not as sturdy or durable as metal ones, but they are lighter in weight and generally cost a little bit less.
You will also want to consider the size of the watering can that you buy so that you aren’t spending a lot of time walking back and forth from the spigot to the area where you want to water.
If you are worried about a strong flow of water upsetting or moving seeds that you have planted, then make sure that you buy a watering can that comes with a sprinkler attachment. This attachment will deliver a fine spray of water and can be removed if you want to be able to pour a stream of water instead.
Sprinkler
To be able to water your lawn quickly and efficiently you will need to invest in a sprinkler.
While many homeowners are happy to set their sprinkler out on the lawn and allow it to run until they stop it, if you want more control over when and how long your lawn is watered, then you need to look for a sprinkler that has a timer on it.
This will allow you to water your lawn at a predetermined time and will prevent you from having to go out to set up your sprinkler early in the morning or late at night.=
Wheelbarrow
Either a wheelbarrow or a garden cart is a necessary tool for taking care of your yard, as it will make it very easy for you to transport items from one area in your yard to another. Without a wheelbarrow or cart, you will find that you have to carry heavy and bulky items by yourself, and this can be very difficult.
You will need to decide not only what kind of material you want your wheelbarrow to be made out of, but also the size, how many wheels you want it to have, and what kind of handles will make your work easier.
The standard wheelbarrow, while affordable, can be difficult for many people to operate due to balancing all of the weight of the tool and items that you are transporting.
If you are worried about losing control over the wheelbarrow, then you will be much better off with one that has two wheels, as well as closed handles instead of straight handles.
Feature
Electric
Electric yard tools are becoming more and more popular and available for purchase, and for good reason. While some electric tools are a little more expensive than their gas counterparts, they are generally very affordable.
Additionally, you won’t have the added cost of buying fuel for your electric tools, which can help to decrease the amount that you spend to keep your tools working properly.
Because they do not have an engine the way that gas-powered tools do, electric tools are generally significantly lighter and easier to handle, but they are not as light as manual tools are.
When you use electric lawn tools, you need to make sure that you are close enough to an outlet for them to operate correctly, which can limit how far away from your home you can go with your tools.
If you have a smaller yard that you are going to be taking care of, then electric tools may be a great option, while homeowners with more space will benefit from gas-powered or manual tools that aren’t tethered to the home with a cord.
Gas
Gas-powered tools are the hardiest and durable options available on the market. Unfortunately, they are often significantly heavier than electric or manual tools, but because they will usually decrease the time that you spend working, they are a great option for many people.
When you choose a gas-powered tool for your yard, you will need to make sure that you always use high-quality fuel to ensure that you do not run into operation problems in the future.
Another concern with gas-powered tools for your yard is that they can be damaged if you allow the gas to sit in the tool over the winter or for months at a time. It’s important to consider how much upkeep and maintenance you are willing to complete on a gas-powered tool.
You will have a lot of freedom when you opt for gas-powered tools, as you can use them anywhere without worrying about whether or not you are close enough to an outlet.
Manual
When you are buying lawn tools, you will often have the choice of buying something that is manual. This simply means that it does not rely on electricity or on gas for power and is something that you will have to operate on your own.
If you are not worried about whether or not you are strong enough to operate your tools, then there isn’t anything wrong with buying a manual tool, but if you have concerns about your strength or stamina, then you will likely want to choose an electric or gas tool instead.
One of the pros of manual tools is that they do not require expensive fuel for their operation. This means that once you buy the tool, you won’t have to worry about ongoing expenses unless the tool needs maintenance or repair.
