Don’t despair; as long as you take the time now to give your mower that much needed tune-up, it will reward you by performing at its best all season long.

Just remember, every mower has its own specifications when it comes to things such as the grade of oil and type of spark plugs needed, so check your manual or talk to the dealer where you bought your machine.

Where to Start With a Lawn Mower Tune-up

If you didn’t do any fall maintenance on your lawnmower, there could be gas in the tank and gas lines that is no longer good. Gabriel Matamoros, Garden Maintenance Crew Supervisor at Garden Holistics, tells us this isn’t a good thing.

“In the fall, the mower’s fuel should have been topped up to fill the tank in order to keep the air out of it. If that wasn’t done, there’s a chance the fuel will have to be replaced because after about three months, gas exposed to air will become stale.”

If there is stale gas in the mower’s engine, Gabriel suggests running the machine until the gas is used up because this helps gets any dirt built up out and through the lines. Running the gas out of the engine also makes shorter work when changing the oil.

“Before changing the oil, you want to have the engine up to operating temperature because the hotter the oil is, the more viscous it becomes. This makes it easier to pour out more of that dirty oil.”

Gabriel’s Safety Tip: Remove spark plugs before continuing tune-up.

Part of your tune-up will include checking the spark plugs and replacing them if necessary. Once you have run out any old gas and drained the oil, remove the spark plugs and leave them out while you complete the tune-up.

“You don’t want the machine to start while you’re working on it,” cautions Gabriel. “Especially if you’re working on the blades; you definitely don’t want those blades to start spinning.”

Removing the spark plugs also protects your mower because this ensures the engine isn’t able to  turn over without any oil in it, thus damaging parts.

So what other tasks need to be done for a proper tune-up? Here are a few suggestions:

Completing a proper tune-up takes a bit of time, but the results will be worth it. A well-maintained machine is easy to start, operates at peak performance and makes lawn cutting a breeze, not a chore.

Once you’ve finished your tune-up, gas up your machine and you’re ready to go!

Want to learn more? Check out these educational blog posts for more valuable ideas:

Landscapers Advice: Spring Clean Up
Adjust Your Grass Cutting Height
Watering the Lawn Properly

Some machines employ a side discharge system that spits the grass clippings out along the side into easy-to-rake windrows, while others are designed with a front mount mowing deck that shoots the clippings out the rear of the machine into a holding container.

Both designs have their place in home and commercial lawn maintenance, and the choice of which machine to use may be dictated by the lay of the land. A lawn tractor is a long-term investment so let’s take a look at both types of designs and what they do.

Front Mount Mowers With GHS Decks

A good example to show the benefits of grass handling systems on front mount lawn tractors are Walker Mowers GHS decks that are equipped with integrated grass handling systems. These powerful machines are well constructed and highly manoeuvrable, and do the whole job neatly and quickly.

The front mount mowers allow the operator to trim close to objects on either side, easily reach areas under low trees and shrub branches and get in close to garden areas. This is an advantage over side discharge models that may spit grass clippings onto those manicured flowerbeds you toiled so hard to achieve or paid to have landscaped so beautifully.

For landscape contractors, front mount mowers offer the perfect solution to satisfying those clients who demand a clean, well-manicured lawn.

So how does the Walker grass handling system work?

Unlike other mowers that attach bulky vacuum systems to a side discharge deck, the Walker GHS is integrated into the mower’s basic design. It’s unobtrusive, delivers optimum pick-up power in all types of working conditions and doesn’t increase the mower’s overall dimensions, or limit maneuverability in any way.

GHS models use a rear discharge deck that delivers the grass clippings into a specially designed 10.5” (10” on Model MS) paddle wheel blower mounted inside the tractor. The blower then packs the clippings and debris into the grass catcher mounted on the rear of the tractor. The tractor is equipped with a handy full signal and the clippings are easily dumped from the full catcher.

For discerning homeowners who prefer a highly manicured lawn, and landscapers with customers to please and no time to waste raking grass clippings, the Walker GHS models of lawn tractors will prove to be a cut above competitive side discharge mowers.

Side Discharge Mowers

So, we know the advantages of front mount mowers with GHS, but what about side discharge mowers? The main great feature is their ability to quickly cover large areas. With no grass catcher to empty, you save time mowing large areas, a bonus for busy landscapers.

Homeowners who prefer to leave the grass clippings on the lawn to help feed the soil may find the side discharge system of grass handling to be the perfect choice.

If you prefer a Side Discharge Model then check out Walker’s options because the beauty of Walker lawn tractors is their versatility. Each Walker GHS model can be ordered in a side discharge configuration, which is perfect for non-collection applications. These machines are compatible with a variety of side discharge and mulching decks and can also power Walker attachments.

To make the best investment of a piece of machinery you will for use many years, take the time to weigh the options. Front mount or side discharge – that is the question.

Soon, it will be time to take care of those springtime lawn chores that help your yard get a healthy start and keep the turf attractive and lush all season long.

But where do you start when it comes to lawn maintenance?

We asked experts at three landscaping companies to weigh in with springtime yard clean up suggestions to help you make the choices that best suit your lawn and yard maintenance needs.

Expert Recommendations

CJ Landscaping

Chad Jackson of CJ Landscaping suggests the first step should be to conduct a soil test.

“The number one thing is getting a soil test kit. It’s only costs about $25 at hardware stores or nurseries, and by doing a soil test, you’ll know exactly what your lawn needs. All you do is dig up three samples each from the front and back lawn, mix them together and send it off, and then you’ll get back an analysis of what fertilizers your lawn requires.”

Chad added information on where to send the samples is included with soil kits.

His second recommendation is de-thatching and/or aeration of the lawn.

“Aeration de-thatches the lawn. When you take cores out during aeration, it’s removing thatch, but it also lets air, water and nutrients get into the root zone and allows the roots to expand into that area.”

Chad’s third suggestion is seeding the lawn with compost growing medium and the proper grass seed for your sun requirements.

“The thicker your grass, the fewer weeds you’ll have.”

Moore Lawn Care

Andrew Moore of Moore Lawn Care recommends de-thatching, lawn rolling and fertilizing to help “kick-start the lawn in the springtime.”

“De-thatching gets up the dead grass. It allows the lawn to grow in a little quicker because it lets the ground heat up a little earlier which creates a good base for the grass to grow.”

Andrew goes on to explain the importance of lawn rolling.

“Frost heaves the ground and can leave your lawn lumpy looking. Lawn rolling smoothes it out and makes it more pleasant to cut the grass over the growing season.”

His third recommendation is to fertilize your lawn with a well-balanced fertilizer with the three important components: potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.

Garden Holistics

Teresa Matamoros at Garden Holistics advises leaving spring clean up until mid-May or later. She suggests people begin with doing a light raking.

“If you rake too hard, you’re actually pulling out the roots that haven’t really got hold yet. If you remove too much grass you’ll have bare spots and then the weeds come in. You can remove the dandelions, but make sure you put soil and seed in the bare spots. The whole idea is you want a thick stand of turf to muscle out the weeds.”

Teresa also advises putting down pelletized worm compost or compost tea.

“This actually conditions the soil. When you increase the quality of soil, you increase your turf stand. Compost tea is a great thing because it has good bacteria, and good fungus, and it has all the micro-organisms that are necessary to break down the soil particles to release the nutrients to the grasses roots.  Because of all the micro-biotic activity, it decreases compaction of your soil.”

Teresa added if there’s only one thing people want to do for their lawns, it should be to aerate.

“Any plant relies on oxygen and water for health, and every time you run over your lawn with a mower, you’re compacting the soil. Aeration is the best way to address that problem.”

Although she says this task is best done in the fall along with over-seeding, aeration can be done in the spring as well. But don’t start too early because you’re opening up soil and that’s an invitation for the weed seeds to germinate.

With these great suggestions from those in the know about turf maintenance, your property can boast a lush and healthy lawn you will enjoy all season long.

If you found these tips helpful take a look the links below for more information on spring clean up.

Fighting Winter Grass Damage
Fall Lawn Care Tips and Clean Up
Spring Lawn Care Basics

The BlueMax blueberry harvester, which easily attaches to the Walker lawn tractor and other makes of tractors, is attracting attention as a reliable, tough and cost effective unit for producers in the blueberry growing industry.

Bluemax Blueberry Harvester Specs

BlueMax manufactures the only industrial blueberry harvester in Canada. This harvester is less expensive and more manoeuvrable than tractor mounted harvesters and can help producers significantly reduce picking labour costs.

Available in 40” and 48” models, the hydraulically operated BlueMax is efficient and effective. Rake teeth and a rotating broom gently strip the berries from the plants and deposit them into holding chambers. When the chambers are full, the picker head is tilted up and the berries are deposited into blueberry trays. All this is accomplished without the operator ever having left the machine!

Depending on the size of the collection trays used, the 48” harvester can fill 2-3 trays at one time while the 40” harvester can fill 2 trays at a time. Once the trays are full, the operator simply offloads them and replaces with them with empty ones stored on the rear of the tractor.

The BlueMax hydraulics system uses only biodegradable oil. In the case of spillage, this ensures the high quality blueberry crop you worked so hard to produce is protected.

So now we know some specifics about BlueMax, but does this harvester live up to its claims? Who better to ask than a blueberry producer?

The Testimonial

Sylvain Gagné, owner and operator of Gagné’s Blueberries on Prince Edward Island, has used a BlueMax for several years to harvest his blueberries and to harvest other growers’ fields. When it comes to reliability, ease of use and maintenance and, of course, productivity, Sylvain relies on his BlueMax.

“I have 40 acres, and for a small producer like me, the BlueMax is perfect,” he explains. “It’s cheaper to buy and easier to run than other harvesters. And, easy to hard, it handles all kinds of fields.”

Gagne knows tough ground. He says growing blueberries on PEI means dealing with more uneven ground and leafier plants than growers in New Brunswick and Northern Quebec deal with.

“With the adjustments that BlueMax has made to the harvester, it works in all kinds of fields here, and it doesn’t miss any berries.”

Downtime for maintenance affects the bottom line of any business, and for Sylvain, the BlueMax measures up.

“I have a Walker tractor and a BlueMax harvester and the system is really simple. It’s reliable and it’s strong, and if something breaks, you can fix it right away.”

The best part for Gagne: “I bought the machine three years ago, and it’s already paid for itself.”

On average, in PEI, it costs about 35 cents a pound to produce blueberries, while a producer can currently hope to get 70 cents per pound for his crop. Figure in the cost of harvesting the berries and the profit margin can be greatly affected.

For example, handpicking costs 25 cents per pound while paying someone to mechanically harvest berries can cost 14-19 cents per pound, and depending on the field, can soar as high as 50 cents per pound to harvest.

Sylvain says, with the BlueMax he can harvest his acreage for as low as 8-10 cents per pound, greatly increasing his profit margin. Sylvain adds that other growers are taking notice of how inexpensive it is for him to harvest blueberries with the BlueMax.

Another bonus: Sylvain doesn’t have the expense of renting a float to transport his harvester, as he would have to with competitive harvesters.

“When I’m done in the field, I just hook up the trailer to my truck, put the tractor on the trailer and I’m gone.”

Proper lawn aeration is the best way to get these three important elements down to the roots, but it isn’t a one-time fix. Experts recommend aerating lawns once or twice a year, every year. Spring is the perfect time to tackle this task, so let’s look at aeration options from ProPower Canada and how they facilitate the job at hand.

Billy Goat Lawn Aerators

The Billy Goat AE401 aerator alleviates soil compaction by punching core plugs into the soil, and is the simplest unit to use on the market. This 19” wide aerator features an easy to fill and drain water tank positioned directly over the tines, enabling them to punch holes up to 2.5” deep. Outboard semi-pneumatic drive wheels provide increased stability and handling, especially when ramp loading. The Lift n Lock tine disengagement offers best in class for comfort and productivity. Tilt-up Serviceability, removable tines, easy-adjust drive chains and Fold-n-go handles make routine maintenance, transportation and storage a breeze.

The Billy Goat AET48 aerator is a great machine for larger property lawn aeration. This standard 48” tow behind unit easily converts to a 24” unit or can be configured to 72” with the optional AET Expansion Kit. Each 24” unit has four tine stars with 6 tines each, able to punch cores up to 4” into the lawn. These patented tine stars can be individually replaced, eliminating the need to replace the entire shaft. The tines are conveniently engaged by stepping on a footpad and easily disengaged by turning a lever. Each unit accommodates two Easy Fill & Drain Weight Jugs that are sold individually.

Plugr Lawn Aerators

Plugr walk-behind lawn aerators, with stop-start, backup and 90-degree turn capabilities, make the ideal choice for properties with hard-to-get-at areas. These aerators are designed for easy manoeuvrability and maintenance, and need no added weight to drive the rotating tines into even the toughest soil.

In the Plugr walk-behind aerator ‘Pro’ series, the PL855 Pro HD 30” is leading the pack in popularity. This latest version of the PL850 model boasts improved ergonomics and maintenance access, and sports a sleek new unibody construction. With a 5.5 HP engine, the PL855 has the capability to aerate up to 35,000 sq. ft. per hour, with eight tines punching clean holes up to 2.75” deep. The self-propelled hydrostatic drive system means it’s the machine, not you, tackling the heavy work!

Walker’s Perfaerator Attachment

For commercial mowing companies, Walker’s highly productive Perfaerator lawn mower attachment makes quick work of lawn maintenance by aerating 60,000 sq. ft per hour. The Perfaerator’s 12 camshaft-driven tines deliver a 41.5” turf aeration pattern and penetrate the soil to remove cores up to 2.5” long. The PTO-driven tines are easily raised and lowered with a foot pedal and level, enabling the unit to skip over sidewalks and sprinkler heads without slowing down. For secure transportation, the unit can be locked into a raised position.

Aeration Tip

No matter what aerator you choose to enhance a lawn’s health, remember this tip: Watering the lawn to a depth of 3 inches the evening before aerating will enable the aerator to perform at its optimum while delivering the nutrients, water and oxygen all healthy lawns rely on.

Fauteux Mini Moteur is holding a dealer open house on April 27th. With parts and repair services in place along with their wide range of mowers, including Walker, Fauteux Mini Moteur is prepared to help their customers with all their lawn equipment needs.

Stop by Fauteux Mini Moteur or give them a call at 450-646-6976.

Jump over to our Dealer Open House listing to find a open houses near you or visit our Find a Dealer section and locate the shop closest to you.

Whether you’re a homeowner or tend commercial properties, Billy Goat lawn equipment offers exclusively designed products that will help you maintain the lawn of your dreams, all year long.

Billy goat is a specialty product manufacturer that began making litter vacuums in 1969. After designing and manufacturing two vacuums, the family-owned company expanded to building blowers, truck loaders and eventually got into specialty mowing and renovation products.

In the last six years, Billy Goat has re-introduced, redesigned and re-engineered every product it makes.

“We are a leader in the industry, not a follower,” states representative Jeff Hill. “We are an innovator. People tend to copy us rather than us tending to do what somebody else does.”

Let’s take a look at just a few Billy Goat products and some of the features that are exclusive to the brand.

Home Pro Mower

For the discerning homeowner, the HomePro 34 (HP3400) lawn mower is a great choice.

“It’s a 34” lawn mower, so it cuts 61% faster than traditional 21” mowers because it cuts a wider swath. It’s also easy to use and easy to maneuver,” says Jeff.

Another great feature of the HomePro 34 is the fabricated deck, which is deeper than other molded decks. This deeper deck gives the lawn mower blades more room to process the grass. It also allows you the opportunity to put in more baffling, so you can vacuum the grass and get a cleaner cut.

“That’s what gives your lawn the stripes you often see on commercial lawns. This gives the homeowner the opportunity to have a commercial quality cut lawn at a homeowner’s price,” explains Jeff.

Self-Propelled Overseeders

The OS900SPS and OS900SPH self-propelled hydrostatic drive overseeders have many features exclusive to Billy Goat. One great feature is the floating cutting head with a 22” slicing reel that maintains contact with the contours of your lawn.

“Sometimes lawns have imperfections or contours in them. Every other overseeder out there will tend to furrow or blast through that contour because the head does not flex,” Jeff says.

Wasted grass seed is wasted money. Exclusive to Billy Goat is the Auto Drop System that conserves seed and saves money by automatically starting and stopping seed drop with the bale engagement, which prevents ‘end of run’ seed piling.

“A lot of machines out there don’t do that. With them, the seed box function and the tine function are completely separate, so there’s an extra step to change the seed box opening. What people tend to do with other machines is to not close the seed box, so you end up dropping extra seed. The Billy Goat Auto Drop System helps you save a lot of seed over the course of the season.”

Jeff added that the self-propelled overseeder is the easiest machine on the market to operate.

“When we design a machine, we look at it from the end user’s perspective. We want it to be easy to use, and we want someone to be able to stand behind the machine and be able to easily figure it out. We don’t want a need to have 10 minutes of training to get it going.”

PR Power Rakes

The PR550 and PR550H power rakes weigh more than competitive units and maintain better contact with the thatch layer, which means less of the surging and stalling commonly found in lighter weight units.

“The power rake is very heavy duty unit that’s built tough. We use the best bearings you can buy for it because it’s a ground engaged piece of equipment that’s always down in the dirt and the moisture. The bearings can get filthy and get a lot of crud on them. That crud stays there until you clean the unit, so quality bearings are an important feature.”

Another Billy Goat power rake feature is the Height Control lever, making it an ideal for professionals and homeowners alike.

“What that does is allow you to adjust the height to exactly where it needs to be. For instance, if you are a commercial user and own one of these machines, or a homeowner who rents the machine, you have the ability to adjust the height to the individual lawn, so that you can do the perfect job.”

No matter what your lawn maintenance needs, whether it’s seeding, mowing, raking, aerating, sod cutting, vacuuming, blowing or loading, Billy Goat lawn equipment products are built to handle the job.

Grass grows at different rates based on the season and weather conditions and it needs more structural or root growth based on those same seasons. Using the correct cutting height for the right situation is key for a healthy lawn year-round.

The Right Grass Cutting Height for the Right Season

There are three growing seasons for grass. Spring, summer and fall all see their fair share of growth but all at different rates with different nutritional needs.

Let’s take a look at the three seasons in question and their individual requirements.

Spring

In springtime your grass is busy re-establishing itself and it needs all the help it can get. Cutting grass too low in spring makes it difficult to grow a healthy root structure. Taller blades absorb more sunlight and energy, preparing them for the long, hot summer ahead.

Set your blades a little higher than average in springtime and let your grass build up a healthy base before you lower your cutting blades to a shorter height. Try not to go lower than 1 inch in early spring. Close cropping can kill young grass.

Summer

Cropping your grass close to the ground is more sustainable in the summer than any other month. Your grass has had time to grow thick and healthy and its a long way until the colder months start setting in.

Keeping your grass short in summer months means less water to keep it green, and right when water is the hardest to come by, or expensive to sprinkle. Mid-June is generally the time when you’ll lower the blades with weather and conditions being a bit of a modifying factor.

Keep your grass low straight through to early September and then let nature be your guide. When the temperature starts dropping start adding height to your grass again. Even in summer ¾ of an inch is the lowest settings to safely use.

Fall

Now that we’re nearing the end of our growing season it’s time to once again readjust the blade height on our lawnmowers. Basically, the grass height should be the inverse of temperatures. As temperatures rise in summer your blade height lowers and, of course, as temperatures lower again in fall the blade height rises.

Keeping an extra bit of length on the grass helps it retain nutrients and survive the harsh cold of winter. Grass cut too short in fall runs the risk of dying from exposure which could lead to reseeding in the spring.

Quick Tips

• Never cut more than 33% off of the tops of grass blades
• Different grass types can have different requirements. Know your type
• Generally grass should be cut between ¾ inch to 1 ½ inches
• Seasonal and weather factors make a difference. Healthy rain and sunlight cycles make for increased growing while droughts can limit the growth altogether

Now you know the how, when and why of grass cutting height throughout all the growing months. A quick blade adjustment is all it takes to keep your grass growing strong.

If you found this article helpful then you’ll love these informative pieces below.

Spring Lawn Care Basics
Fall Lawn Mower Maintenance
Fighting Winter Grass Damage
Watering the Lawn Properly

When it comes to watering though, that’s exactly what many of us do. In fact, most of us overwater our lawns in the mistaken belief that more water equals a more lush lawn. Rather, too much water can cause thatching, fertilizer leaching and increased disease, problems we’ve worked so hard to avoid. Overwatering lawns can also cause the soil to become so compact and dense that it can’t absorb more water.

So just how much water does your lawn really need? Most healthy established lawns need only 2-3 cm of water each week, including rainfall. New grass seed or sod requires 2-3 cm of water several times a week for at least three weeks to become established.

When to Water

The best time of day to water is in the early morning when evaporation is at a minimum, but be sure your lawn even needs watering before turning on that sprinkler.

How can you tell when your lawn needs water? Look for the signs. An extremely dry lawn may appear yellowish or you may even notice areas of the lawn have taken on a blue-green haze, especially near sidewalks, driveways, under trees and on slopes.

Another good indicator of a dry lawn is grass that looks wilted and footprints that don’t spring back shortly after they are made. If the lawn feels spongy when you walk on it, the lawn is too wet and needs no water.

Watering Techniques

Hose watering is really only suitable for small areas. A sprinkler attachment provides adequate coverage for an average-size lawn, while an underground irrigation system is the most efficient method for large lawns.

If using sprinklers, the most efficient types are those that shoot low to the ground. Oscillating and fan-type sprinklers lose a lot of water to evaporation and wind drift before the water even hits the ground.

Keep in mind different areas of the lawn may need different amounts of water. For example, areas near buildings, curbs and sidewalks will need more water than low-lying or shaded areas.

The time of year can also dictate how you water. Those dog days of summer when the ground can become so hard-packed it’s like walking on cement may require cycle watering to help eliminate the problem of runoff. Cycle watering simply means watering your lawn in several spaced out intervals so the ground has time to absorb the water.

A few more helpful hints

• Water deeply: Wet the ground to a depth of about 10-20 cm because roots seek out water and not enough water equals shallow roots susceptible to drought and disease.
• Water infrequently: Yes, you want about 2-3 cm of water per week, but short frequent waterings also leads to shallow root growth.
• Aerate if necessary: Overwatering fills the air spaces in soil, depriving your lawn of much needed oxygen. Proper lawn aeration takes care of the problem without injuring the turf.

So we know our lawns need that 2-3 cm of water, but how do you figure out how long it takes to apply that volume of water? Use a rain gauge. Don’t spend money on some fancy device, simply put several straight-sided tins cans around the property before watering. Turn your sprinkler on for 15 minutes then check the level of water in the cans. If the sprinkler delivered 1 cm in 15 minutes, you will need about another half hour of watering to get the required 2-3 cm.

One final tip: Different grasses have different watering needs. For example, ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass and Bentgrass could brown after 5-7 days without water, while carpet grass and Fine Fescue can go as long as 8-12 days without water. The hardiest, such as Bahia grass and Buffalo grass can go as long as 12-21 days before browning.

A healthy, vibrant lawn is a joy to behold, so don’t let all your hard work be defeated by poor watering practices. Proper lawn watering is key to preventing problems, meaning less work and more enjoyment.

If you found this helpful than maybe you’d like to learn some more. Click on the links below to get all the info you need to properly maintain your lawn year-round.

Fighting Winter Grass Damage
Spring Lawn Care Basics
Weeding, Weed Prevention and Weed-Care