Home and Living

Most lawn and garden tools have at least some parts that are prone to rust. The alloys used typically contain iron, which combines readily with the oxygen in air and water and produces the familiar reddish paste, iron oxide. Iron oxide is rust. Actually any metal which oxidizes is said to be rusted, but aluminum oxide, zinc oxide and others are not usually a large problem with tools.

Sharp shears are a necessity to avoid ripping those stems rather than slicing them neatly. It also decreases the muscular effort required to make the cut, saving your hands. Fortunately, keeping shears sharp as new is simple with the proper tools and technique.

Having an array of lawn and garden tools is a must for proper care. But no matter how many hoes, shears or shovels you have one thing remains true: lawn care uses chemicals.

Most tools have metal parts, making them subject to oxidation that weakens them. Wooden parts, too, can suffer an early demise if the coating is worn off by neglect. Keeping lawn and garden tools including gloves clean maximizes their lifetime and usefulness.

What could be simpler than moving a lawnmower over the grass? Why would anyone need advice on that? Well, like anything, there’s always more to it than appears at first glance.

Shears are among the most versatile tools for lawn and garden care. Though similar to garden scissors, they differ in several important ways - ways that make life easier for home lawn care workers.

Apart from your lawnmower, the trimmer or edger may be the tool you use most. Very few lawnmowers will get everything, since most lawns butt up against a wall, patio bricks or have trees in the lawn. As a result, the only way to keep that lawn looking really neat is to finish the job with an edger of some kind.

The type of hose repair needed depends, of course, on the type of leak you have. Here are two different possibilities for a leak, and how to fix them.

For a variety of lawn and garden tasks, both shears and shovels are essential. In both cases, the tool is designed to remove unwanted plant and earth from one place, so you can put it in another.

The metal parts of shovels, hoes, pole saws and other lawn tools with wooden pole handles always seem to outlast the handle. A broken handle usually renders the tool useless. Sometimes total replacement is the least expensive alternative, but it can be frustrating when the tool is relatively new. To replace just the handle can be simple and inexpensive, and satisfying, with the right tools and technique.

A rotary-blade power mower cuts grass by slicing it off at high speed. The blades on many move around 2,500 revolutions per minute. But that high speed becomes ineffective if the blades are dull or nicked. Fortunately, keeping them sharp is easy and takes only a few minutes with the proper tools and technique.

If you have a small yard, or few deciduous (leafy) trees, a rake may be good enough for your needs. But larger properties, or those with several trees may be more easily cleared with a power assist from a leaf blower. Keep in mind, too, that your tree may not be the only one putting leaves in your yard or driveway. The neighbors can contribute, thanks to wind.

Spreaders are handy for laying down weed killer, fertilizer and other lawn care products that help you maintain the yard or garden. They come in two basic types - broadcast spreaders and drop spreaders - and you may find it helpful to have at least one of each.

A watering can sounds like such a simple device that one wonders how there can be any difficulty in picking one. But, thanks to the ingenuity of contemporary designers, there are a dozen varieties. One may suit your needs better than another.

Some people garden and perform lawn care their whole lives using no gloves at all. But apart from the calluses and the dirt, some of us mere mortals require a little help from technology. Fortunately, the technology of gloves has come a long way in the past 50 years.

A hose is indispensable for nearly every lawn and garden. Even in areas that get regular rain, there are often dry spells that can be dangerous for plants. No matter how good your automatic sprinkler design, there are usually areas that don’t get enough, causing dry spots. And, there’s no good substitute for cleaning up spills or mud run-off from the patio.

It’s only been just over a hundred fifty years since grass was cut with a hand scythe - if it was cut at all. That was about the extent of lawn care then. Now, there are a dozen tools - some hand, some power, that are considered essential for keeping that green carpet in shape.

Sooner or later, anyone who has to mow the lawn every week or two for several months will begin to long for a ridable mower. These small tractor-style units are a true blessing for anyone with a 1/4 acre or more to keep neat.

Invented in 1830, the original lawnmower would be recognizable to day. The same basic parts were in place at the beginning. Though not gas or electrically powered, the twisted set of blades did an admirable job of keeping grass low. The reel mower was a welcomed replacement for hand scythes, though of course it took a while to catch on.