Maintenance This Fall Will Make a Difference Next Spring

(ARA) - Many homeowners enthusiastically care for their lawns and gardens during the spring and summer months but tend to neglect them during the fall. After all, there’s no need to spend time maintaining the yard with winter on its way, right? Wrong.

In fact, fall is the ideal time to repair the harsh summer damage and prepare for the cold, damp days that lie ahead. The care given before its winter dormancy can significantly impact the way a lawn and garden will look during the next growing season.

According to Popular Mechanics, one of the most common mistakes people make while preparing their lawns for winter is allowing tree leaves and other debris to smother the grass and block the sun, which is essential to lawn growth. A heavy layer of leaves often becomes matted and can lead to winter or early spring diseases.

With homeowners today leading hectic, stressful lives, few people have the free time or patience to deal with the daunting task of raking. Or they simply have more trees than a lawn mower can handle for leaf control. A blower is a helpful addition to any homeowner’s lawn care arsenal, especially during times of fall restoration, and can be used for cleaning out flower beds and underneath hedges, as well as the general lawn. To maximize fall cleanup results using a leaf blower, experts suggest that homeowners:

Choose a model that offers easy starts — One of the most common consumer complaints regarding outdoor handheld power equipment is rough or non-existent starts. So look for models with an advanced starting system like the Craftsman 4-Cycle Blower/Vac with an Incredi-Pull Starting System with MAX FIRE Ignition or the Troy-Bilt Backpack Blower with a compression release system. With the adaptation of 4-cycle technology blower/vacs start easier than their 2-cycle counterparts.

Check local noise and emissions ordinances — Because most standard, 2-cycle leaf blowers typically create significant noise and emissions, some communities have banned blowers or limited sound and emission levels. With 4-cycle engines, however, users can cut emissions in half and drastically reduce noise — typically down to 75 to 79 decibels as opposed to a 2-cycle engine’s 95 or higher decibel level (comparable to a motorcycle).

Protect plants and mulch with a variable-speed blower — The true performance feature to look for in a blower is the cubic feet per minute (cfm) — the measure of how much air is applied and the most important factor in moving leaves or yard debris.

Look for vibration-dampening features — Users of 2-cycle equipment may be familiar with the uncomfortable vibration experienced when using a typical leaf blower. But with 4-cycle engines, vibration is suppressed for increased control and comfort.

Save time by performing two jobs with one tool — For those interested in turning fallen leaves into mulch, experts recommend a blower/vac with a mulching ratio of at least 3:1. With a one-bushel vacuum bag capacity, the Craftsman automatically mulches debris at a 10:1 reduction ratio.

Those who breathe a sigh of relief from the myth that lawn care can subside in the fall should consider how restoring it now will save work in the spring. And homeowners will find that making an investment in 4-cycle equipment to tackle seasonal chores will not only be rewarding next spring, but also while performing tasks in the coming months.

For more information on the benefits of 4-cycle handheld equipment for fall cleanup, please visit www.mtdproducts.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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