Yard Maintenance Tools

Yard maintenance tools enable you to keep your lawn and garden healthy and neat. While some tools prove impractical to buy, there are a handful of essentials you should own. These tools help improve the soil, cut lawns, and distribute grass seed. 

Mowers

Lawn mowers provide lawns with a uniform cut and appearance. Although battery and electic powered mowers are available, gas-powered rotary mowers are the most popular on the market. Manual reel mowers work by way of the operator's own muscle power. They are much less popular, but recommended for warm-season grasses due to their precise cutting action.  

Dethatchers

Dethatchers pull thatch to the surface so that air and water penetrate the soil. Vertical mowers clear thatch from large lawns efficiently, using solidly attached knife-like blades. Power rakes demonstrate the same cut and pull action of vertical mowers, but feature loosely swinging blades. Since the costs of vertical mowers and power rakes are rarely justified, most homeowners add dethatching attachments to conventional lawn mowers.

Aerators

Aerators relieve small areas of compaction in the soil. Some models include solid tines and just punch small holes in the soil. Other models include hollow tines that remove plugs from the soil and deposit them on the lawn. Since lawns only require aeration every two to three years, it is best to hire a lawn care company to perform this service. 

Trimmers and Edgers

String trimmers cut grass and weeds at lawn edges and other areas that are difficult to mow. Trimmers have a long handle with a motor and a rapidly spinning string. Power-edgers function like string trimmers, but have metal blades and vertical cutting heads. Manual hand-edgers are also available. Trimmers and edgers are especially recommended for warm-season grasses that escape into neighboring areas.     

Spreaders

Spreaders distribute fertilizer, herbicide and seed. The two most common forms include broadcast and drop spreaders. Broadcast spreaders throw seed with a propeller-like motion. They work well for large yards where quick coverage is desired. Drop spreaders drop fertilizer from a hopper. They function well in small areas where precise coverage is required. 

Blowers

Blowers shoot air to disperse leaves and grass clippings along driveways and paths. Handheld models operate by gasoline or electric power. Backpack models strickly operate on gasoline. Some models function as vacuums that suck up leaves and clippings for easy mulching and bagging.