Lawn care isn’t too bad. We can do it, you can do it, and your neighbors can too. But without the proper tools, your fun Saturday morning lawn care — out after breakfast and back before lunch — project will turn into a whole weekend nightmare that leaves you exhausted and unsatisfied.
Nobody wants that! The biggest reason why people fall into this trap every weekend is that they are making do with what they got when there is a big flaw in their plan. Different sizes and styles of lawns and landscaping are going to have different priorities, and this article will help you sort out the necessities of your pursuit of the perfect lawn!
It seems like there’s always something when it comes to lawns. A spot of weeds or dead grass, or patches that just don’t grow. Having to look at your lawn’s imperfections every time you are coming or going can get crazy frustrating.
Don’t give up yet! Fixing up your lawn is entirely possible if you have the right tools. Here are some of our bread and butter lawn care supplies.
This is an absolute must! Dandelion and clover will take any opportunity to completely take over your lawn, so dealing with them quickly and efficiently is crucial for your lawn’s health. Some of our favorites are Espoma’s Organic Weed Preventer and Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed.
Espoma’s Organic Weed Preventer is pretty awesome, as it is organic and non-toxic, making it a safe herbicide to spread around the lawn. This means your lawn is safe to walk on the moment after the herbicide sets in, great for if you have pets who love to sneak out and roll around in your soon-to-be weed-free grass.
Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed is another of our favorites since it is a two-for-one! It clears out dandelion and clover while feeding the grass, helping it grow thicker.
These weeds are hearty, so be prepared to settle in and keep at it — the moment you let up is when they will pop up again. The beginning of the warm season is a great time to spread a layer of an herbicide like these (which, in Pittsburgh, can be anywhere from the beginning of April to the end of May).
Soon enough, your lawn will be thick with beautiful green grass unmarred by clumps of dandelion or patches of clover.
If you are planning on taking care of your lawn, the proper equipment to mow it is essential. There’s nothing too crazy about mowing the lawn, but we like to split it up into three sections: the riding mower, the push mower, and the weed whacker. Each has its own strengths, which are:
Another must in lawn care is landscaping supplies. With just a few tools, you can keep your growing bushes in check and keep your lawn looking great. Trimming hedges and cutting bushes back is a fun weekend project, double so with the right tools.
An electric or gas hedge trimmer is a must for keeping your bushes in check. No need for anything fancy, but trimming away overextended branches makes your bushes look great with little trouble beyond sore wrists.
These are your mechanical shears, great for keeping an eye on your trees and flowers. Getting a pair of these is an excellent move, one long-handled and long-bladed lopper for tree branches, and one small hand-lopper for cleaning up your more delicate landscaping.
The trees around your house are not going to need much attention, but after they’ve grown for a number of years you can see some branches are extending too far or are crowding out others. That is the perfect time to bring out your large lopper and carefully trim your trees back, keeping them looking great.
The hand lopper is your everyday one, great to keep in your back pocket when you’re out working in your landscaping or your garden. Every now and again there will be a flower stalk or errant branch sticking out just where you don’t want it to, and these are perfect for dealing with that.
Beginning and maintaining a garden is an excellent warm-weather activity, but it can be daunting. Getting a simple garden together can do wonders for your house, and with just a few tools, you will be ready to begin!
A hand spade and trowel are musts for getting a garden started. Being able to break up and dig out space for your plants, or get them ready for transplanting is a common task.
Getting a long-handled variation of these two implements gives you the flexibility to tackle bigger projects as well.
A good pair of gloves give you the confidence you need to tackle even the messiest job in the garden. On top of that, they protect you from the cuts and scrapes that seem to be inescapable when spending a day out in the garden. All in all, they are an essential tool for gardening.
Having a big bag of soil on hand gives you a ton of flexibility when planting or re-planting your garden. No matter how careful you are, the soil is going to get lost or discarded. When you have a huge bag at your side, that is no problem.
These products will help you maintain a fantastic lawn all through the warm months with as little stress and frustration as possible. Lawn care does not have to be a chore. With the right tools, you can sit back after a job well done and admire your handiwork. Or, if you want to leave it to the pros, you can contact us at Honest Renovators and we will take good care of your lawn.
