Simplify Lawncare Like a Champ
What motivates you to keep up with your lawn? Do you want to win Best Lawn in the Neighborhood, make the HOA happy, or maintain the property value of your home? You might just want to feel good, and maybe a little proud of yourself, too, when you drive up to your house.
You might be interested to learn that keeping your lawn maintained helps the environment. A well-maintained lawn can slow stormwater runoff, reduce noise pollution, keep soil structure loose and open, and clean the air.
No matter what motivates you to maintain your yard, having the proper equipment for each outdoor task will help you avoid frustration while saving you time and effort.
Professional landscapers have the right equipment for each job. Why shouldn’t you?
No matter what outdoor outcome you’re hoping for, Champion has a tool to help you get there more efficiently.
After you mow, you’re going to need to trim the parts of your lawn and garden that your mower can’t reach. A string trimmer, also known as a weedeater or a weed wacker adds a neat, finishing touch to a freshly cut lawn. Gas-powered trimmers are ergonomic and lightweight and can help you get the manicured look you want for your lawn.
A curved shaft trimmer feels balanced and lets you see and maneuver around objects in your yard as you trim around flower beds and under bushes. A straight shaft trimmer provides a longer reach and helps you trim in tight areas with confidence.
If you want to give your lawn that professionally edged look with minimal effort, consider a walk-behind edger. Who knew that taking a walk could transform your yard from overgrown to edged in no time? A curb hop wheel adjustment feature makes it easy to edge along your curb, and if you want a special, decorative edge along your flower beds or mulched areas, you’ll love the fact that you can adjust the blade bevel angle up to 15 degrees to the right or left.
After mowing, trimming, and sawing, there is usually debris that needs to be taken care of. Having a leaf blower handy can transform an hour-long raking or bagging chore into a simple 15-minute task. A handheld blower is an ergonomic and efficient way to clear away yard debris with minimum effort. You can choose from a lightweight handheld blower, a backpack blower, or a walk-behind leaf blower. Backpack blowers and walk-behind blowers are excellent tools for moving large volumes of garden and yard debris quickly. If you leave your rake in the garage and choose a blower, you can be sure you’ll save your back and have time left over for other things you want to do.
Maintaining and Storing Your Equipment
Now that your garage is neatly equipped with everything you need to have a great-looking lawn, you’ll want to be sure you maintain your equipment well so it will be ready to operate when you need it.
If your equipment has a 2-stroke engine, remember this: Premix. Make sure you never mix the oil and fuel in the product’s fuel tank. Read the manufacturer’s directions carefully and always premix the oil and fuel in a separate container first, then add the mixture to the fuel tank on the product.
If your equipment has a 4-stroke engine like the walk-behind edger, you will not mix oil and gasoline. Follow the directions in your owner’s manual for adding oil and fuel separately, and after use, be sure to store your equipment the right way to save yourself time and trouble later on.
Before storing your equipment for an extended period of time, we recommend you either drain the fuel from the machine or use a fuel stabilizing additive. If you’re getting equipment out of storage in the springtime, do a spring check-up of all your equipment in case you stored your tools with gasoline in the engine. Gasoline that’s been sitting in an engine for an extended time can cause issues with your equipment so it may not be ready for use when you need it.
Depending on the type of equipment, you may also need to check the oil and change it before the beginning of the season. If your equipment has an air filter, take the time to clean and inspect it, and replace it if necessary.
Do your tools have pull cords? If you’ve ever experienced a pull cord breaking when you’re ready to get down to work, you know how frustrating that can be. Pull out all your cords periodically and inspect the entire length and check for cuts, breaks, or fraying. Save yourself a lot of time and trouble later by replacing the cord immediately if you notice any damage.
Check your edger blades to make sure they’re sharp and mounted correctly, and be sure your weedeater spool has plenty of string. It’s also wise to check your tools to be sure all the bolts and fasteners are tight.