Special request
Sometimes I can’t say ‘no’ and I do requests for my clients that don’t really make sense logistically. Like today, my vaccination day. Since I got my second COVID shot only blocks away, I stopped by my client’s place to cut his small lawns and eliminate crack weeds from his stone patio.
The lovely young doctor who administered my shot had advised me against heavy lifting; she didn’t say anything about mowing lawns.
Now, because it wouldn’t make sense for me to go get a mower just for a small job, I was stuck with using my client’s ten-year-old mower. And every time I use this antique, I promise myself I will write a blog about it.
Slow, slow, slow
Mowing with an old mower is slow. The opening and the bag itself are very narrow which leads to frequent clogging, stopping and bag emptying. And I hate to spend extra time on a job when I don’t have to, especially after getting vaccinated and not really knowing how my body would react.
I’m also spoiled because, as a landscape professional, I get to use the best commercial machines which are powerful and well-maintained.
The sinner confesses
Once I finished mowing, my client emerged from his house, visibly excited to get his landscaping looking good on a long weekend. After some small talk, he casually asked me about his blades. Do they need to be sharpened? He hasn’t sharpened or changed them since he bought the unit. That was ten years ago. Seriously? No wonder it’s a struggle.
Every time the lawn edges get long and the crack weeds look like they might produce seeds, the dude calls me in. In between my services, he takes out his antique with dull, rounded blades and goes to it.
Keep it sharp
Mower blades must be kept sharp; and the frequency depends on actual use. Professionals change mower blades every two days or once a week. That’s because sharp blades give us a great cut. Dull blades on the other hand, shred the grass blades; and the clippings don’t fly into our mower bags as well. Thus the constant clogging and cleaning.
The same principle applies to pruning tools like hand snips, shear blades and chainsaws. We must make precise, sharp cuts without shredding plant tissues. It’s also more fun. Have you tried shearing cedar hedges (Thuja occidentalis) with dull blades? It’s a nightmare. That’s why I travel with my own shearing attachment because I know it’s sharp and good to go.
Be a pro
Keep your mower blades sharp at all times. You can buy a grinder and safety goggles and do it yourself; or, you can pay someone to sharpen them for you. Having spare blades is also a great idea.
My client’s blades will be sharpened soon but it may be hard to source out new blades for his ten year old mower.
