Lawn Care Basics

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How Short To Cut Grass Before Winter 
updated on Gardening How to Gardening Tools Lawn Care Lawn Care Basics Lawn Grass

How Short To Cut Grass Before Winter?

Curing the cold months of winter your lawn doesn’t need much care. This means you must get it right the last chance you have to cut your grass before winter. Many people are confused about how short to cut grass before winter and the first freeze of the year.

What do the experts have to say? What effects will cutting your grass too short or too long have on your lawn during winter? What is the recommended grass cutting high just before winter? You will learn more while we try to answer these questions.

​The recommended cutting length for grass before the winter is on average 2 inches long. For Bermuda and bent grass varieties the length should be a little shorter (Around 1-2 Inches).​

Importance of Preparing Your Lawn during the fall

Due to the extreme winter weather, you will have no option but to spend the least amount of time thinking about your lawn. Unless your area of residence is warm all year round, you will have to put away your string trimmer. Preparing your lawn properly can ensure it survives even the harshest winter and guarantees that it will be gorgeous and lush with the rolling of the spring.

Experts recommend that you fertilize your lawn early winter or late fall if yours are cool season grasses such as Bermuda and bluegrass. Just before the first freeze, ensure you give your grass thorough fertilizing with a good organic or inorganic fertilizer. This will renew the nutrient content of the soil that was lost during the hot summer months. When winter falls, the fertilizer will stay in the soil to feed your grass root throughout winter.

Another important step in preparing your lawn before winter is to clean it off all debris such as dry plant leaves, tree limbs, logs, branches and other objects. Any debris you leave on your lawn during winter will create a dead spot due to the weight of the object. You can also aerate your lawn and make sure people do not walk on the dry dormant grass, which might limit their resilient.

Cutting Your Grass before Winter

How Short To Cut Grass Before Winter 

The best tool to use to mow your lawn just before winter is commercial weed trimmer or commercial weed eater and lawn mower. These important lawn maintenance tools are lightweight, easy to use, convenient, and produce better results. Experts contend that you should progressively lower the cutting base of your string trimmer each time you mow your lawn. Slowly cutting your grass shorter will allow the lawn to winter well without the shock of being cut all off at once.

The Proper cutting technique requires that you do not take off more than one-third of the grass blade during a single mowing. People refer to this as the one-third rule. For instance, if you need to take your grass down from 4 inches to 3 inches, you must do it progressively. In other words, it must take a couple of mowing to achieve that height. A good commercial weed trimmer can help you achieve a great mow just before winter.

Also Read: ​7 Best Lawn Mower Lifts [Buying Guide]​​​

What Is The Proper Cutting Height?

There is no agreement as to the exact height you should cut your grass. Different grass species or varieties may require different conditions. However, most people believe that the height of your grass after the last cutting should be averagely 2 inches. Length is ideal for most cool season turfs such as the famous Kentucky bluegrass. The lengths should be shorter (about 1 inch to 2 inches) for Bermuda and bent grass varieties.

Having 2-3 inches of greens allows your lawn to optimize its photosynthesis during the harsh winter months and therefore maintain resilience. This height also promotes root growth and boosts stress tolerance ahead of cold winter weather.

How Short To Cut Grass Before Winter 

Image Source: ebay.com

Effects of Cutting Grass Too High or too short

You don’t want your grass any higher than 3 inches after the last cut before winter because such grass has the tendency to compress or mat’ under snowfall. Such matted grass will invite diseases such as the terrible snow mold. At three inches, the grass will still be able to shade the soil from the hot summer sun just before the first freeze.

Cutting lower than 2 inches, on the other hand, forces the grass to use more nutrients to accelerate their growth and regain missing height. This will happen at the expense of underground growth, which would otherwise keep weeds at bay. Cutting your grass too short may cause it to go into hibernation much early or may stress your lawn to the point where it starts to die off. You definitely do not want this to happen.

Also Read: ​Best Sprinkler Heads​​​

Conclusion

If you want your lawn to survive even the harshest winter months then you will ensure you prepare it well before the first freeze. A vital step before you keep that commercial weed eater is to cut your grass to the correct height to allow your lawn to maintain its resilience once springtime comes. Remember to maintain the one-third rule at all times.

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How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn?
updated on Gardening How to Lawn Care Lawn Care Basics Lawn Grass Lawn Tools

How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn?

It’s a question we often ask ourselves when looking out at the garden – just how often should you mow the lawn? Do I need to mow it today, or can I let it go a few more days? Will the grass grow better if I let it grow a bit longer, or is it better to mow it short and often?

To get the perfect looking lawn there are some important rules that should be followed if you want to make your neighbors envious of your lush green garden.

How frequently you mow the grass is the main factor in creating a perfect lawn. There are, of course, other factors that will help, but mowing is way up at the top of the list.

But before we rush out and power up the mower let’s look at some important preparations that need to be done first.

BEFORE YOU MOW

Mower blades need to be sharp. Using dull, rusty blades will tear and rip out the grass. This will damage or even remove the roots and leave the lawn thin and bare in patches. Get the blades professionally sharpened or have a go yourself, but get them nice and sharp.

This will help get a cleaner cut, chopping off the top of the grass and allowing it to thicken up at the bottom. It will grow outwards across the dirt and create a thicker, lusher lawn.

Blade height is also important. The grass looks best at a height between 1 and 2 inches. The height you choose is up to you. If you like to practice your golf putting you will want it really short, but if you like the feel of cool grass on your bare feet then leave it a bit longer.

All mowers have a blade height adjustment, usually on both the front and back wheels. Test the height on a bit of lawn to get the right setting, and don’t forget to make sure the back setting is the same as the front, and that both sides of the mower are the same level. This is easy to miss and will lead to an uneven cut.

Also Read; ​Best Hearing Protection for Lawn Mowing​​​

HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE MOW?

So now we are all set and ready to mow, let’s get to the important bit – how often should we get out there and cut the grass?

Well, despite what some people will tell you, there is no fixed rule. We are dealing with a natural, living plant and it will grow very differently in Portland than it will in Vegas. When you think about it, it’s obvious, it all depends on how quickly your grass grows!

The aim is to cut a third of the height off the grass each time you mow. This will keep enough green on the plant to stay healthy and encourage root growth. If the grass cannot grow up, it will grow outwards, making it thicker and helping cover the ground.

Work out how long you like your grass to be, and how quickly your grass grows, this will determine how often you mow.

A very general rule would be about once a week. This fits in well with those who work during the week and only get into the yard at the weekends and it works well with most people’s lawns. This could stretch out to once every two weeks if your grass grows slowly, or increase to twice a week if you get plenty of sun and rain and like a well-kept garden.

If you are trying to tame an overgrown jungle of a lawn do not be tempted to set the mower onto the lowest setting and get it all cut down at once. You should stick to the ‘one third’ rule. Set the blade height to cut one third and mow. Allow the grass to recover for a week and then mow another third off. Continue until you have the desired height. This method will not ‘shock’ the grass and allows it to get used to its new, reduced size in between mowing.

Regular mowing of a third at a time will make the grass grow your lawn will thank you for your patience!

If you get a  hot, dry period, leave the grass to grow a little longer than usual to allow it to retain more moisture, it will look greener this way and will help prevent browning or yellowing of the grass.

In arid areas or dry periods, it is a good idea to leave the mowing scattered on the lawn rather than collected in the box. It may not look so good but the mowing will act as a mulch and help keep moisture in the earth. The clippings will soon decompose and disappear.

Try to avoid mowing when the grass is very wet. The cut grass will stick to the blades making them blunt, the wet grass will rip out the ground easier so you will lose some roots, and the wet grass sticks to the underneath of the mower and makes it a real chore to clean.

Most of us will find a balance between our desire for an amazing lawn, and the time and energy we are actually prepared to put into working on it. There is no doubt that your lawn is a perfect example of the saying ‘the more you put into it, the more you get out of it’. If you water, fertilize, do some spot weed control and mow regularly, you will be rewarded with a lush, green blanket of grass that will be the envy of the neighborhood.

Also Read; ​Best D​ump Cart for Lawn Tractor​​​

CONCLUSION

So, what have we learned? How often you mow your lawn will depend on a number of factors: how quickly your grass grows, how frequently you can get out to mow it, and whether you are taming a jungle or encouraging growth from a dry, brown, patchy area that should be a lawn!

Just remember to mow regularly using the ‘one third at a time’ rule, water the lawn in dry periods and feed it with nutrients if you need to. Try to avoid mowing when wet, and keep your mower blades as sharp as possible.

This approach should reward you with a beautiful lawn worthy of the White House itself!

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best hearing protection for lawn mowing
updated on Gardening Tools Lawn Care Lawn Care Basics Lawn Tools Product Reviews

Best Hearing Protection for Lawn Mowing

Most people appreciate the look of a well-manicured lawn. And, there is great satisfaction to be had when you finish mowing the lawn, and take a step back to appreciate a job well done.

However, what you probably don’t enjoy is the noise which can come from your lawn mower and other lawn equipment. Whether this is a task you carry out regularly for yourself or for others, hearing protection should be at the top of the list of tools that you will be using while in these conditions.

While lawn mowers vary in the amount of noise they make, most will produce a minimum of 90 decibels, which is not a healthy noise level to be exposed to and yes noise exposure at these levels will cause hearing loss. The threshold that we want to be underneath is 85 decibels.

You may be thinking to yourself, “hey that’s only a difference of 5 decibels, do I really need to bother wearing hearing protection?” YES YOU DO!!! Sound pressure actually doubles every 3 decibels! Yes you read that correctly. So this means that damage happens very quickly in a short amount of time. Please always wear your hearing protection when using all of your lawn and garden equipment and anytime you are in noisy conditions. If you are in an environment where the decibel levels are 100 or more then wear double hearing protection! That means wearing the little inserts or ear plugs and also wear ear muffs over that. It may sound excessive, but then so are hearing aids!!!!

Thankfully, you don’t simply have to put up with this. Here are the best hearing protection options to reduce your noise exposure while mowing your lawn.

Image Product Name Our Rating Price

Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Ear Muffs
3M WorkTunes Connect Hearing Protector

ClearArmor 141001 Hearing Protection Ear Muffs

Professional Safety Ear Muffs by Decibel Defense

Howard Leight Sound Amplification Earmuffs

Top 5 Best Hearing Protection for Lawn Mowing Reviews

It can be hard to decide which product is best to protect your precious hearing. But, don’t worry, we’ve put together an extensive guide for you here, featuring five of the best options to choose from when looking for the best ear protection for mowing, to make sure you don’t put your hearing at risk while mowing the lawn.

1. Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Ear Muffs

The first entry on our list, these ear muffs by Mpow are designed to reduce noise from all sorts of noisy tasks, jobs and pastimes, including industrial work, shooting, welding and airport noise, so they are ideal for turning the noise of lawn mowing into a low whisper.

Mpow has deliberately not aimed to cancel noise completely, as a safe level of noise can be necessary to predict any dangers or hazards in a situation. For instance, your lawn mower blades could touch an obstacle. Instead, these ear muffs reduce noise by between 28 decibels and 34 decibels.

This should reduce the noise enough so that it is similar to the sound of a conversation at home or in a restaurant. With soft ear cushions, and an ergonomic padded headband, along with adjustable and rotating ear cups, these ear muffs give a fit which you can personalize for extra comfort and noise reduction.

Pros

  • Padded headband
  • Soft earmuff cups
  • Significant noise reduction
  • Adjustable design
  • Foldable for easy transport

Cons

  • Can be tight fitting
  • Flimsy hinges

2. 3M WorkTunes Connect Hearing Protector

One of the key plus points of this hearing protector by 3M Safety is the fact it comes with integrated bluetooth technology. That means you can stream entertainment from your mobile phone, or any other device you have which is enabled with Bluetooth, so that you can listen to music while you mow your lawn.

That could definitely help the time to pass in a more enjoyable way if mowing the lawn isn’t your favorite garden maintenance task. You can also make and take phone calls without the need to take your hearing protection off as there is also an integrated microphone feature.

Lightweight and comfortable, these ear muffs will reduce the noise of your lawn mower by around 24 decibels, bringing the sound down to a comfortable level. Soft ear cushions make these comfortable to wear, and the headband has been deliberately designed with a low profile so that you can wear a hat along with your ear protection.

Pros

  • Bluetooth technology
  • High-quality hi-fi sound
  • Integrated microphone
  • Noise reduction of up to 24 decibels
  • Cord free

Cons

  • Unreliable wi-fi connection
  • Low music audio levels

3. ClearArmor 141001 Hearing Protection Ear Muffs

ClearArmor’s ear protection ear muffs are cleverly designed with three layers of foam, each designed to reduce noise from different sound frequencies. This technology is coupled with a tight seal around the ears to dampen harmful sound levels. Sound should bounce off the ear cuffs as a result of their shape, rather than being absorbed by your ear.

This option also features soft ear muffs for extra comfort as well as the ability to tilt the angle of the ear protection and the headband so that you can customize the fit to the best protection for you. The headband can be altered by a width of one-and-a-half inches, so can be moved into position to fit your head, whether you need a small or a large fitting for your head.

These are ClearArmor’s most effective noise-cancelling protection, so if you do decide on an option from this brand, these ear muffs offer the greatest sound reduction to protect your hearing.

Pros

  • Sonic seal to block sound leakage
  • Shell designed to reflect sound
  • 3 layers of sound reducing foam
  • Adjustable headband
  • Foam ear cushions for comfort

Cons

  • Tight for large heads
  • Ear cups can slide

4. Professional Safety Ear Muffs by Decibel Defense

A big draw for this safety ear muffs by Decibel Defense is the amount they can reduce noise by. Offering a reduction of 37 decibels, Decibel Defense makes a promise that these muffs cut down noise by more than any other safety earmuffs.

That should take the 90 decibels of your lawn mower down to a much more comfortable level for your hearing. Plus, these earmuffs could be considered a risk-free purchase as there is a money-back guarantee if you aren’t happy with them.

Pros

  • Foldable and compact for travel
  • Extra large sizes available for large heads
  • Comfortable headband with padded design
  • Sturdy construction
  • Money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Slightly heavier than some models
  • Can be tight

5. Howard Leight Sound Amplification Earmuffs

Okay, this may sound like these earmuffs do the opposite of what you would expect as they are described as a sound amplification device. However bear with us for the final ear protection option on our list. These Howard Leight earmuffs are indeed designed to amplify sound.

However, they only enhance sound which is below a safe level for your hearing. Any sound over 82 decibels should be blocked out. That means you should be able to have a conversation, and retain full situational awareness while you are mowing the lawn, but if the noise does get up to dangerous levels for your hearing, the earmuffs will automatically shut off any loud, sudden sounds to make sure that your ears are protected.

There’s also a stereo jack, so if you do want to use these as normal headphones when your tasks in the garden are completed, you can simply connect them to your audio source.

Pros

  • Amplifies lower level noise such as conversation
  • Automatically offers protection when sound levels reach 82 decibels or above
  • Can reduce noise by around 22 decibels
  • Low profile earmuffs which fit snuggly to your face
  • External audio jack to use as normal headphones

Cons

  • Best only for outdoor activities
  • Seal not always tight around earmuffs

Things to consider before buying hearing protection for lawn mowing

While you may not be standing close to a jumbo jet on take-off or landing, or experiencing the sort of volume your ears would be exposed to at a rock concert, you do need to be aware that mowing the lawn can still produce decibel levels which aren’t healthy for your hearing, particularly if you are exposed to this noise for lengthy periods of time.

Here is what we considered when selecting the best options for ear protection for you while you are mowing the lawn:

  • Decibel reduction: Did the ear protection muffs in question lower the decibel enough to be in a healthy range for your hearing?
  • Comfort: Depending on the size and condition of the lawns you are mowing, the task may take some time. Were the earmuffs comfortable to wear while completing the job?
  • Value: While your hearing is clearly more valuable than anything monetary, it is still important to consider whether you are getting value for money. Are the ear muffs a good price for the level of protection they are offering?

Features to look for in lawn mowing protection

There are a wide range of options available to protect your ears from all sorts of noises, including while you are at work, carrying out DIY, attending a music concert, shooting, or mowing your lawn.

As such, the choice can be bewildering. So, how do you ensure you choose the right option to provide you with the features and the protection that you need? Here are the factors you should consider:

  • Noise reduction. As a typical lawn mower creates noise around the 90 decibel level, you will want to lower that to a noise range  which is much more comfortable for your hearing. The level of noise reduction you choose may also depend on how sensitive your hearing is.
  • Comfort. You’ll be wearing your ear protectors for a fairly long period of time while you mow your lawn, so you’ll want to make sure they are comfortable. Look for ear protection which has cushioned ear muffs.
  • Adjustability. Obviously, not everyone has a head the same shape and size. Check if the option you are looking at allows you to make adjustments to the headband and the angle of the ear muffs.
  • Extra features. Is it important to you to be able to listen to the radio, or music while you work? Do you want to be able to make phone calls while you carry on with your task? If so, you’ll want to choose a pair which have bluetooth.
  • Situational awareness. It’s important, for safety reasons, that you can still hear some noise, so look at reducing the sound rather than eliminating it completely with your ear protection. Also, if you need to be able to carry on with conversations while reducing the noise of your lawn mower, opt for a pair of ear protectors which amplify conversation but dampen louder noise.

Conclusion

We hope you are well informed after reading our guide, and that you are ready to take the important step of buying ear protection to safeguard your hearing.

From our point of view, the Professional Safety Ear Muffs by Decibel Defence are the best option as they reduce the decibel level you are exposed to by the highest amount.

However, the other options on this list are also a great buy and, depending on your needs, you may find one of the other choices the best one for you.

For instance, if you like to listen to music to make the time pass more quickly while you work, you may decide on the 3M WorkTunes protector. Or, if you need to be able to converse with colleagues, you could opt for the Howard Leigh Sound Amplification Earmuffs.

Have you found the right earmuffs for lawn mowing here? What are your priorities when looking for the best hearing protection for lawn mowing? Let us know in the comments below.

And, if you have found this article helpful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family, particularly if any of them are often exposed to noise at work or home. It might help them to find the best ear protection for them too.

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Tips on How to Cut Grass
updated on Gardening How to Lawn Care Lawn Care Basics Lawn Grass

Tips on How to Cut Grass after Rain

Rain to grass is what gasoline is to fire. In just a couple of days, the grass would have grown to require mowing. However, it is not advisable to cut grass when wet. Wet grass tends to bend over due to the weight of water on their blades making it difficult to achieve a straight cut during mowing.

Another problem is that the wet grass may clump on your lawn and inside your mower cavity. The clumps may kill the grass underneath them if they are not properly raked. However, it is may be a wrong idea to wait until the grass dries to give your lawn a cut. So, what can you do if your grass is overgrowing yet it’s a rainy season? You can prepare your lawn and achieve straight cuts by using the following tips:

Requirements

How to Cut Grass after Rain

Step 1: Set Cutting Height at Its Highest

You can cut your grass by using either a lawnmower or a string trimmer, also known as a commercial weed eater. This step is unnecessary if you are using a string trimmer. In case you are using a lawnmower, set its blade to its highest cutting setting and turn off the mulching feature. This will prevent the death of grass that is underneath the clumps if raking is not done quickly. If your mower has a bag attachment, ensure you remove it and then set the mower to blow grass out via the side-discharge event.

Step 2: Cut around Your Lawn’s Perimeter

Start by cutting your lawn around its perimeter. While doing this, ensure the commercial weed eater or lawn mower is set to blow the cut grass in a direction away from the center of your lawn. Do not be in a hurry when cutting to give the mower or trimmer enough time to cut through the wet grass adequately.

Step 3: Cut Progressively Inwards

Once you have cut the perimeter of your lawn, you should take another strip on the outer edge of the unmowed lawn so that you cut progressively inwards. Ensure the cut grass is through in the direction of the already mowed part of the lawn and away from the center of the lawn.

A good advice is to cut half rows only such that one-half of the mower blade is on the already cut part while the other half remains on the unpowered part of the lawn. This means the cutting blade of the mower or the string of a weed eater only has a little amount of wet grass do deal with.

Step 4: Take Care of Clumps of Wet Grass

You will need to take periods of rest to remove any clumps that may be in the cavity of the mower if you are using a mower. Make sure you shut off the mower before and the blades have stopped before removing the clumps. Do the same with a string trimmer. Removing the clumps will ensure the wet cut grass is blown or thrown easily.

Step 5: Rake off Grass Clippings

Once you have cut grass on the entire lawn, take the time to thoroughly rake off wet grass clippings from your lawn. Some landscapers recommend that you wait a day or two and run the commercial weed eater or lawn mower over the lawn to spread the grass clippings uniformly over the lawn and let them decompose to add nutrients to the lawn. However, the grass clumps could ruin your lawn so it is best to rake off the glass altogether.

Also Read: ​Best Lawn Mower Lifts​​​

Conclusion

There is no need to wait until your grass dries if it has overgrown and it is a rainy season. If you use the right techniques, you will still achieve straight, good quality cut and maintain the aesthetic appearance of your lawn. Many homeowners have used these tips successfully. One thing you need to keep in mind is never to rain while it is raining as the rainwater may harm the mechanical components of your commercial weed eaters or lawn mower.

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How to Prepare your lawn for spring
updated on Gardening How to Lawn Care Lawn Care Basics

How to Prepare Your Lawn for Spring

Now that you are saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring, your lawn care is an aspect you must keep in mind. Without preparing your lawn for spring, you could suffer serious losses. weeds, and stressed by hot temperatures or drought could overtake your lawn totally damaging the exterior decor of your home.

The good news is that you can avoid all these problems and maintain a healthy, vibrant and serene lawn by following a few easy tips.

Assess the Lawn and Clear the Messes

The first thing to do when the frost has succumbed to puddle hood is to go out to your garden and inspect the damage winter frost has done on your lawn. Pay attention to fallen branches, dead leaves as well as other debris. Clear them away to allow you to carry out a general inspection of your lawn, soil, trees, shrubs as well as other garden structures.

Check the grass type that comes back or has died altogether. Get rid of fallen tree limbs. In case they are lying on the ground dangerously, avoid taking unnecessary risks by contacting an arborist. If you do this correctly, you will have a head start on the plan of action to adopt.

Wake Your Grass by Raking

You know what animals do during winter; they tend to hunker down due to the dark, cold winter days. Your grass is not an exception. You will need to wake them up to jump-start them for the spring. As soon as you notice the snow fading, take your garden rake and vigorously rake your grass in order to wake them up and put them on the path of growth.

Pay attention to areas of dead, dried grass that is often thick and deep. Ensure you remove them completely. Such thatch will keep sunlight and oxygen from the plants and grass underneath. Furthermore, the thatch may form a nidus for the growth of fungus and mold. If you encounter a snow mold (a gray or pinkish web over matted grass blades), just rake it out gently and let it dry.

Do Thorough Weeding

Weeds are terrible at interfering with even an excellently maintained lawn. One of the most important lawn preparations for spring is weeding. The most notorious weed on most lawns is crabgrass. It can be terrible and difficult to control without using the right technique. The best way to control it is to remove it at their time. You will do well by removing them before they get the chance to germinate.

Remember crabgrass begins to grow when soil temperatures hit 55 degrees. It important that you use pre-emergent crabgrass control before the soil achieves this temperature reading. Crabgrass is not the only weed you need to be concern about. Carry out thorough weeding and remove anything you consider a weed before spring begins.

Apply​ the Right Fertilizer

HOW TO FERTILIZE YOUR GARDEN

Just before spring begins and after doing the above things, apply a suitable lawn fertilizer. You can go for an organic fertilizer because they are very and potent. A good advice is to combine the fertilizer with the above-discussed pre emergent and herbicide. Most lawn-care brands tend to offer this combination in order to make lawn management easy and reduce the cost.

Trim Shrubs and Trees

Where necessary, you should trim shrubs and trees just before spring. Dead tree branches and shrubs around your garden may interfere with the growth of your lawn. It requires some skill to do the trimming. If you are not sure you can do it well then employ the services of a professional. If you have flowering shrubs, tarry until the shrubs start to flower then do the trimming to prevent destroying limbs and branches that would produce fruits or flowers.

Ready Your Mower and Other Stuff

During the long, cold and dark days of winter, elements might have damaged garden furniture and other elements such as lighting, irrigation systems. Remember to fix any broken patio furniture as well as other structures made of wood. Take time to tune-up your string trimmer and lawn mower. Clean, sharpen and then oil your shears to make ready them when the temperatures have improved enough for mowing, trimming and pruning to be done.

Also Read: Best Lawn Mower Lifts

Conc​lusion

If you follow the above tips, chances are that you will have a nice, healthy and admirable in spring. Preparing your yard will take you more than a weekend but it will save you from spending too much money in lawn management by hiring a professional. If you were not certain that you could do it, then I would recommend that you hire the services of a professional landscaper.

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how to use a string trimmer like a pro
updated on Gardening Tools Lawn Care Lawn Care Basics

How to Use a String Trimmer like a Pro

Summer Savings coming in hot! Awesome deals on what you want, need & love.

Buying the best string trimmer is one thing, using it properly is another thing. A high-quality weed eater will deliver the best performance and professional results only if you can use as instructed by the manufacturer. So, how do you use a string trimmer like a pro? Are there safety precautions to take? This post will provide you with some insights on how to get the job done.

Know Your String Trimmer

A vital step in using a weed eater is to be familiar with your tool. Take your time and research on the common features of your trimmer, where to find them, and their functions. The reason for this is the different types of weed trimmers currently available. All these tools use the same mechanism but operate differently. The parts or elements to take note of are engine/motor, shaft, line and a line cutter, start switch, handle, harness, guard, and spool.

Safety Precautions When Using Your Trimmer

The trimmer is a rapidly revolving cutting head featuring a hard trimming line trailing from the end. The cutting potential of the trimmer is great and you will appreciate this if you have ever seen someone operate the tool. To prevent unnecessary injuries here are some valuable tips to help you stay safe:

Wear Protective Gear

The trimming line of weed eaters can spin at speeds of up to 3000 revolutions per minute. Imagine what would happen if the line snaps? You need to protect your eyes, hands, feet and the rest of your body by wearing protective gear. Protect your eyes and your face using the right helmet. Use sturdy trousers and a pair of tough gloves. If you have a noisy trimmer, you will need an earplug.

Mind the Cables

Electric trimmers feature cables for power supply. While these trimmers are not as powerful as their gas-powered counterparts are, they have enough cutting power to damage cable insulations. With time, the effect can reduce the efficacy of the cables leading to short circuit. Be careful about tripping and slipping hazards.

Watch Your Surrounding

When using your trimmer, you need to be mindful of your surroundings. Flying debris such as stone and pebbles may hit and injure bystanders or pets that lurk around. Buildings with glass windows and doors of buildings and cars are at risk and so you need to avoid working close to them.

Care for Liquid Fuels and Fumes

The most powerful string trimmers are those powered by gas. However, these tools use highly flammable fuel and produce exhaust emissions. You need to be extremely cautious because of carbon monoxide. This dangerous mission is invisible and very poisonous. Therefore, you must not use gas powered string trimmers in enclosed rooms with poor ventilation.

Also Read: Top 7 Best Lawn Mower Lifts [Buying Guide]

Using a String Trimmer for Professional Results

How to Use a String Trimmer like a Pro

Image Source: Amazon.com

Once you know your weed eater and understand the important safety precautions to take, it is time go out and apply what you have learned. First, you need to prepare to use your trimmer. You do this by reading your instructions very carefully, preparing your garden by removing hazardous debris and stones, wearing your protective gear and starting the trimmer.

Here is how to go about using a string trimmer like a pro:

1. Consider the cutting direction

Have you ever seen a circular saw work? I guess you have. Sawdust ejects from one direction. A trimmer ejects or displaces grass and debris from the line and spool. The direction of displacement depends on the spinning direction of the spool. If the spool rotates clockwise, then the debris will eject on the right side and vice versa. This knowledge is important because you need to eject debris from where you are cutting.

2. Where Is The Cutting Power

A string trimmer is designed to use high-speed centrifugal force to perform the cutting process. The faster the spinning speed, the stiffer the line and this leads to greater the cutting potential of the trimmer. Many people believe that they can do the cutting just by hovering your trimmer over grass. This is not accurate. The cutting power is focused at the very ends of the trimming line. You must know the sharp point of a cutting tool to use such tool properly.

3. Master the trimmer cutting techniques

A string trimmer is a very versatile tool. It features four basic cutting techniques. If you master these techniques, chances are that you will have professional results. The techniques include edging, screening, scything and tapering. Each of these has its own uses as well as unique aesthetics depending on your desired results. Here is a brief discussion of each of the techniques:

  • Edging: You use this technique where two surfaces are flush. It gives you sharp, clean cut finish. An example where edging would be necessary is the area between your lawn and drive and areas around your flowerbeds. You achieve this by keeping your trimmer spool flat and parallel to the ground. All you need to do is choose your desired cut height then get into a comfortable working position and then walk into your cut path. The tool easily ejects stones and debris and so you must beware.​
  • Tapering: Tapering is somewhat similar to edging in some ways but not identical. The technique will help you treat edge along walls, fence line, tree, and curb. Tapering requires that you hold your trimmer in such a way that its string strikes the grass at slight angles.
  • Scything: The word scythe simply means an obstruction. Scything is the technique you use on longer grass and weeds. It is only possible if you are a powerful trimmer such as the gas-powered models. The technique allows you to cut around awkwardly placed obstacles. To achieve this, you must take a long stance and bring the trimmer in and out of the cutting area in a shallow “U” shape.
  • Screening: Screening is considered fast and effective for cutting grass and weeds that thrive on sidewalk cracks, sideways and paths. Tip the trimmer such that its strings just off the pavement and then move it onto the best of the weed and cut. Take care when screening. If you angle the trimmer too shallowly, it will not cut but eat into the string. On the other hand, if you angle the weed eater too sharply then the string will not be able effectively hit the weed base.

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