After 15-20 years of grass cutting service, I decided to give up on my mower. While it always ran once it was repaired (beyond tune ups and oil changes), it was old, considerably rusted and has definitely had its share of issues since 2008. I finally declared it not worth fixing one more time when, just exiting the gate for the first go-round of the mowing season, the pull cord broke. Fixable? Of course -- for about $90. Fixable by the owner? My knowledge of mowers doesn't extend much beyond pull safety bar to handle, pull starter cord, mow and don't reach under the machine while the blade is in motion. They weren't teaching small engine repair to girls when I was in school and, much as I'm now a smart, independent woman capable of learning the task, I'm not really inclined to challenge the sexist notion of it being male territory to fix such things. Me cook, Tarzan. You make noisy grass-eating beast all better.
With the decision made to go to a brand spankin' new mower, it was time to do the research. The nerd was now in her element. Riding mowers were out outright. There are parts of my yard which really should be dealt with by goats. It may be small in size, but 'uneven' is a good choice of word to describe it. So is 'hilly'. "Mountainous terrain' is the best phrase when trying to mow it, though. Much as my neighbors sometimes think their riding mowers are ATVs, they're not. Going ass over (mower) teakettle down one of the slopes of my yard holds no appeal, especially if pinned under the mower immediately after the fall. Uh, no. Push mower it is.
In an uneven yard that is an experimental weed factory and isn't as regularly mowed as other people's plots of land, gas power is best. The engines are able to deal with 6-8" crabgrass better than an electric or cordless type mower ever could. Self-propelled mowers, either one speed or the nicer variable speed models which allow you to walk leisurely or practically jog while cutting grass, were wonderful to ponder and drool over, but they added $75 to $125 to the price every time, regardless of the brand. Having the clippings bagged neatly behind the mower also sounded nice, but with my yard, it would mean several stops during the course of the mow to plunk the grass clump in some remote area of my yard to compost, likely an uphill walk. Since mowing is already an aerobic chore that I can't stand, why do I want to add to it? Besides. letting grass clippings lie where sliced off is actually good for the lawn, especially when one doesn't get out there and spread fertilizer and weed killer combos, which I don't. I like an organically grown, biodiverse lawn -- that's my lazy yard maintenance statement and I'm sticking to it.
Honda, Toro, Troy-Bilt, Husqvarna, Lawn Boy, Lawn Machine and others all got my appraising look-over of online specs and reviews as well as longing looks and touches up close and personal at several stores. There was also the occasional whimper while looking at the price tag. Yes, cost was also part of the equation. If it wasn't, there was a Honda variable speed, self-propelled mower with my name on it. Yes, Honda won the battle of the mowers, but not the war. In the end, I went back to the brand that had lasted all these years in my yard -- a Sears Craftsman. Some may scoff and say there are better and I would agree. But, with the exception of being self-propelled, it does everything I need for it to do -- and very well, I might add -- and was $200 less than its preferred cousin.
So, I begin the mowing season with a new grass cutter. It may be noisy. It may make me sweat to push it to all points of my property, up hill and down, that I wish to walk through without losing sight of my feet. It may make me grimace to periodically clean out the green grass biomass that invitably develops under the beast when I wait too long between mowings. It may make me cringe to keep it properly fed with gas and oil. But now, I have a machine with no ills that will likely stay that way for at least a few seasons. I have no excuse to not go forth and mow.
Wait, it's raining. Aww, too bad. Maybe tomorrow, grass-eating beast.
3 comments:
This is probably a silly question, but how big is your lot? I haven't any idea what your house looks like, let alone how much land it sits upon.
I'm sure there's some zen-like quality of riding a mower over a fairly level terrain. I'll never know from first-hand experience, and like you, I think using one on a slope is probably the first step toward a trip to the ER.
May your new beastie give you long and faithful service. Wish I could give you a neighborhood boy (or a hunk) who wanted to mow your yard (for free) to go along with the well-wishes.
Property is a little less than an acre in size. I estimate that I mow only about a third of it. Given the terrain, it sort of feels like I'm doing the whole thing.
Kids willing to mow lawns for summer money have pretty much gone the way of the dodo, at least in these parts. Even willing adults are few and far between, which is surprising in the present economic times, and they're not always available when the lawn has a growth spurt. Lawn and landscaping services are not budget-friendly, but they would be the best chance of getting a hunk to sit and "supervise", eh?
Our neighborhood kid moved out last Winter when his parents divorced. Both my next door neighbor and I had relied upon his services, so we're all kind of bummed.
On the other hand, while I'm grunting and swearing out there, I think about the $20 I'm not paying. It's a small comfort. Very, very small.
Our yard is about 1/4 of an acre, but it's made up of hilly spots, huge roots, a couple of small gullies, and is more of an obstacle course than anything else. I feel your pain. Also, since we're a bit further south than you are, our growing season is longer. I've already mown the yard 5 times. I use the mulching feature of the mower, but you can't wait too long between cuttings when doing that or you just suffocate the grass.
Meh.
Post a Comment