Our friends over at John Deere sent us some great lawn care information that we wanted to share with everyone before Labor Day. There is no audio or video with this post. A survey with Harris Interactive found out that 79% of homeowners and renters in the U.S. are planning to mow their lawns in preparation for entertaining at home this Labor Day.

Here are some quick do’s and don’ts from the experts at John Deere for an envious lawn this holiday weekend:

Pre Labor Day Lawn Care Do’s

• Adjust the height of the mower deck to mow only the top one-third of the blade of grass. This helps encourage a deep root system and keeps the lawn looking and feeling healthy.
• Mow in the mid to late-morning, when it’s cool and dry. After the morning dew dries off is the best time for the grass–it isn’t suffering from afternoon sun stress, but it isn’t so damp that grass clumps form in the blades.
• Water your lawn if you notice curling grass blades or “footprinting.” If you’re dealing with drought, mow on the high side.

Pre Labor Day Lawn Care Don’ts

• Fertilize just yet. It can help revitalize a stressed lawn but it takes time, and the lawn should stay clear of activity for several days to allow the fertilizer to penetrate.
• Cut your grass too short. Higher heights usually look better, provide for a deeper root system, and help prevent from invading weeds.
• Mow the same direction every time. This will leave streaks and striped lines that grow back irregularly and look rather unsightly.

Handyguys Try Out Some Riding Mowers

The Handyguys are falling behind on the honey do list  because this year’s mowing season is taking all of their free time. Pennsylvania has been hit by lots of rain — making for nice fast growing lawns — but that comes with long hours of mowing.

Handyguy Paul is researching a riding mower to replace his slow walk behind but is undecided as to the best model. Should he get a traditional lawn tractor or one of the zero turn radius models? To help Paul decide, the Handyguys called on John Deere to provide some samples for us to test. Listen to our podcast (Click Play) to hear analysis of these mowers  Also, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

Click on the Image to see a larger version of the mowers we tested.

John Deere was kind enough to loan us two models to try out. They didn’t sponsor this show nor did they let us keep the mowers.  Darn!  The two mowers were the Z445 with 54″ high capacity deck, the Zero Turn Radius ZTR model, and the X324 Tractor

So, how did they test these mowers?  The first test was in a field that only gets mowed four or five times a year and has some tall grass and weeds. The second test was a residential property with some hills and a number of different obstacles from trees, deck stairs, flower beds, walks, etc. The third test was a larger residential property, also with some slope in sections but with deck posts to mow around and also flower beds, walks, a play area and so forth.

The Handyguys started in the open field which was a good way to start. The ZTR takes several minutes to get used to the hand controls. To go forward with a ZTR you push both bars forward, to reverse pull both bars back. One forward and the other back and you pivot. You can easily make slight adjustments to your direction or you can also make sharp turns.

Once they got used to the handling of the ZTR, they were moving briskly through the field with no problems.  They noticed that this ZTR was significantly faster than the tractor (not that the Handyguys tried to race these mowers… we would never do that!).

The X324 has a steering wheel and gas pedal (actually two pedals… forward and reverse). This will be familiar to anyone who can drive a car. Its a very natural driving position and takes very little time to become proficient. One interesting feature that the Handyguys quickly appreciated on the X324 tractor was 4 wheel steering. The tractor could cut around a 9″ tree! The four wheel steer made it extremely maneuverable in tight spaces.

Handyguy Paul contends that the tractor is a must have fashion accessory for those living in the “exoburbs”.  He felt a little too much like a landscaper on the ZTR. For Paul, its all about looking cool when you mow your grass! All kidding aside – there are some advantages to a tractor for many people. The tractor supports a wider variety of accessories. Things from snow throwers, shovels, sweepers, baggers, aerators, carts, snow blades, and spreaders can all be attached to a tractor such as the X324. If we were just mowing grass, and had a lot to do, the ZTR is a hands down winner.

You can hear the full discussion by listening to the podcast. Also, if you want to see the mowers in action make sure you check out the video we put up last week.

The Handyguys begin their show discussing some new green lawn tools. Their conversation was prompted by an article in the Wall Street Journal regarding some new “green” lawn tools written by Gwendolyn (Wendy) Bounds. She even tested out a new battery operated riding mower. Her video is a must view if you are considering one of these.

Certificate of Use Requirements

The Handyguys then discuss the topic of “Certificate of Use”. What’s that? In many townships across the country they are requiring certain safety items to be present in a home before a sale can proceed. Sometimes the upgrades can be difficult, expensive or just a pain.

The Handyguys discuss many of the common elements in a Certificate of Use inspection. This inspection is not to be confused with a code inspection that may be required during a major remodel. Below is some language from a typical requirements document from a local township.

Minimum Life Safety Requirements

1. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (G.F.C.I’s) receptacles are required for receptacles located in bathrooms, powder rooms, garages, outside receptacles, vicinity of pools, saunas etc. and in kitchens where the receptacles are within six (6) feet of the waters edge of the sink. A receptacle with a single yolk that is dedicated for an appliance need not have a GFCI installed.
2. Smoke detectors are to be installed, in working order, in each bedroom, in the vicinity of the bedrooms and each floor of the dwelling including basements. In a split-level dwelling without an intervening door between adjacent levels, smoke detectors are required in the vicinity of the bedrooms and the lower level that is one story below the upper level. If an intervening door exists between adjacent levels, a smoke detector shall be installed on each level.
3. At least one operable carbon monoxide detector shall be installed in the hallway in the vicinity of the bedroom area of the dwelling.
4. For dwellings equipped with a fire suppression or sprinkler system, the applicant shall provide documentation that the system has been inspected and certified within the past 12 months by a certified inspection agency.
5. Sidewalks, driveway aprons and curbs must be in good condition. Out of level, fragmented or otherwise deteriorated sidewalks, driveway aprons and curbs must be removed and replaced. Patching shall not be permitted.
6. House numbers must be affixed on the outside of the dwelling so that they are visible from the street. The house numbers must be three and one half (3 ½) inches in height.

Sanitary Sewer Infiltration Prevention

1. Sump pumps and floor drains are to be discharged to the exterior of the dwelling. Sump pumps and floor drains connected to the sanitary sewer are illegal and must be corrected.
2. Roof drains and yard drains shall not be connected to the sanitary sewer.
3. The sewer lateral curb trap vent pipe must be six (6) inches above grade and have a secure vent cap or box. If the curb trap vent pipe is not exposed, the vent pipe must be located, raised and installed with a Philadelphia Regulation vent box. In the event that t curb trap vent cannot be located, the applicant shall obtain a registered plumber to provide documentation that the curb trap vent could not be located.

The Handyguys talk home improvement and keeping a green and weed free lawn.

Now that you have your mower ready for the new season (after listening to show #14), it is time to discuss proper lawn care. Anyone can hire a lawn service, but the Handyguys prefer the DIY method. Get down to the home center, buy your weed and feed, and start fertilizing before the summer heat strikes. Listen to the podcast for all of the details.

Before beginning your lawn care program (or even if you have already started), it is good to conduct a soil test to determine that status of your soil. The results from a soil test will reveal what nutrients your lawn requires and whether you need to add lime or sulfur to achieve the proper pH.

You can add specific ingredients in your fertilizer plan or just follow a seasonal plan from a company like Scotts or Vigoro. These products should be designed for your region of the country.

Some folks prefer more organic methods of lawn care. More information on organic products can be found here:

Dirt Doctor

Richsoil

The fertilizer programs will only address weeds and nutrients. You may also have specific pests or disease. A healthy lawn is the best defense against lawn disease. Lawn pests include moles, grubs and even mold. Controlling grubs will eliminate a food source for the moles. Watering properly will prevent mold and fungus.

Both Handyguy Brian and Handyguy Paul recommend a broadcast spreader for DIY fertilizer applications.

So, how much should you water? The Handyguys, and their expert advisers, recommend about 1” of water per week. This means watering the entire inch at one time in early AM or late afternoon. Do not water at night as this can promote fungus. How do you determine you have applied 1” of water? You can use a rain gauge, a fancy timer, or you can just put out a soup can when you water and when it has an inch of water in it you are done. The rain gauge in the picture is only $1.99 in our store and comes with a separate sprinkler gauge. Just click here for the rain gauge. Don’t forget to factor in the water from the rain. A deep soak like this will help promote deep root growth.

What is the proper height to mow for a health lawn? It depends on the type of grass. Generally speaking you want to mow at 3” and never cut more than a third of the blade at one time.

But if you really want to get lawn care right… listen to our podcast.

Please note an error in the podcast: Paul incorrectly states that your second fertilizer application should occur before “Labor Day”. He meant to say “Memorial Day” and that is what he thought he said… but I guess recordings don’t lie!