Yard Care Equipment Everyone Homeowner Should Have

Items You'll Want to Own: Lawn mower String trimmer Pressure washer Portable generator Spreader (Broadcast/Rotary or Drop Hand Pruners & Loppers Tree Saw Shovels (Round Point and Square Point) Rakes (Metal and Plastic or Wooden) Hand tools (Weed digger, Trowels) Sprinkler and Hose Wheel Barrow Gloves (Light Duty and Heavy Duty) Safety Glasses Ear Protection

Important Information: Always: Read and retain the owner’s manual for any outdoor power equipment you purchase. Wear appropriate clothing and work shoes (not sandals or open-toed shoes) when working in your yard.

Things to Consider: As a new homeowner, there are certain basic tools and equipment you should have to make yard care easier. Purchase high-quality equipment for trouble-free use season after season.

Lawn Mower

Your lawn mower is crucial when it comes to maintaining your yard. Depending upon the size and terrain of your yard, there are several types of mowers and engine sizes to choose from.

For a yard that is generally flat and a quarter acre or less in size, consider a push mower. For a yard one-quarter acre or more with a rough or sloping terrain, consider a self-propelled walk-behind mower with a larger engine. Consider deck size and the number of flower beds, etc. you’ll need to mow around. The smaller the deck size, the easier it’ll be to trim around objects in your yard. A mulching feature is very useful—it finely chops grass clippings as you mow, returning them to your lawn as a natural fertilizer.

String Trimmer

A string trimmer will help you keep your yard looking tidy around trees, fence posts and other landscape features. You can choose a trimmer with either a 2-cycle or 4-cycle engine. Advantages of a 4-cycle engine are that it doesn’t require mixing gasoline and oil, just like your lawn mower, and it is more powerful. For a trimmer with a 2-cycle engine, you must mix the correct amounts of gasoline and oil for fuel, so you will need a separate gasoline can just for this. Trimmers also are available with a curved shaft or a straight shaft, which can make reaching under shrubs easier. Optional attachments are available for some trimmers, such as a blade for cutting heavy brush (edger, brushcutter, blower, cultivator, pruner).

Pressure Washer

A pressure washer has many uses around the home and yard. You can easily wash your deck, patio or driveway, clean the siding on your house, wash your car or boat—there are dozens of uses. The cleaning power of a pressure washer depends on two things: its water pressure measured in pounds per square inch (PSI) and water flow, measured in gallons per minute (GPM).

Portable Generator

A portable generator is your emergency power source when power goes out at your home. Generators come in different sizes and are capable of powering your sump pump and lights in a power outage to running several appliances at the same time, including your refrigerator and air conditioning unit. Generators are also useful for camping trips, powering tools in remote areas of the yard, etc.

Spreader

There are two types of spreaders to choose from for fertilizing and seeding your yard. A broadcast spreader, also called a rotary spreader, casts fertilizer or seed in both directions as you walk behind it. It covers more ground, more quickly than a drop spreader. A drop spreader drops fertilizer or seed directly below the bin as you walk. This type is best on windy days, ensuring the seed or fertilizer ends up exactly where you want it. For more information on applying fertilizer to your lawn, see our tutorial on this topic.

Pruners

There are many different types of pruners you may want to own, depending upon your landscape. Loppers are long-handled pruners that are very useful for cutting branches and stems up to about two inches in diameter. Smaller hand pruners are used for trimming perennials and very thin branches.

Tree Saw

If you have trees in your yard, a tree saw will come in handy. This saw has cutting teeth that vary in size and shape to allow you to quickly and cleanly cut through green wood.

.Shovels

You should have at least two types of shovels: a round-point shovel to easily penetrate soil to dig holes, and a square-point shovel for scraping, scooping soil, and creating a cleanly-cut edge around flower beds.

Rakes

You should have two types of rakes: A metal rake is a general utility rake useful for preparing soil before you plant—rake away small stones and debris and level the soil. A lightweight wooden or plastic fan rake is used for raking leaves in fall and comes in handy for spring lawn and flowerbed clean-up.

Gardening Hand Tools

You can purchase these tools individually or as a set. A garden trowel is used for digging small holes to plant flowers; a weed digger to uproot unwanted weeds in flower beds or in the lawn; and a hand cultivator it looks like a small metal rake for loosening soil and removing leaves in tight areas for tending flower beds.

Sprinklers and Garden Hose

Choose sprinklers based on the size and shape of your yard. A rotating, or orbiting sprinkler is a good choice for a square yard. An oscillating sprinkler, which swings from side to side, works well in narrow areas and can be set to control the direction of the water application. When choosing a garden hose, look for a flexible, heavy-duty hose (at least 6-ply) which will remain kink-free when you use it.

Wheel Barrow or Garden Cart

For hauling dirt, mulch, debris, plants this yard care companion can save you a trip to the chiropractor. Durable plastic wheel barrows and garden carts are relatively light-weight and will never rust.

Personal Attire

Finally, don’t forget work gloves to protect your hands and knee pads to make kneeling more comfortable. Always remember to protect your eyes with a pair of safety glasses when using your string trimmer or pressure washer or when working with any power equipment.