Javier wrote:
Next year I will be taking care of the lawn rather than using a local
lawn services, I simply can't afford it any more. Besides my lawn
mower, edge trimmer and leaf blower are there any other tools that I
need in order to keep my lawn healthy? I leave in North Eastern, NJ.

If you were using a lawn service why did you invest in all those
tools?

Actually without knowing the size, configuration, and composition of
your lawn, and what level of appearance you consider acceptible, no
one can offer you more than wild speculation... there are lawns and
there are LAWNS. If what you have is like a typical 1/4 acre
surburban lot and don't mind the unevenness and wheel marks left by a
rotary push mower, and don't have much border to edge, and don't much
care about weeds, and have 2-3 hours each week to spare then by all
means do your own lawn. But you still won't save any money. The
typical lawn service on Long Island, NY (where lawns are king) charges
like $30/wk for the lawn I described... you can't purchase, maintain,
and fuel the equipment for $30/wk. Fuel these days costs more than
mere pennies. Even a dinky generic push mower runs like $300 and
costs like $50 to maintain each season, and lucky if it lasts a season
before it doesn't start so good and the wheels fall off. Edgers cost
as much but when not abused last a long time, same with blowers and
string trimmers, but still need maintenance and fuel. Blades need
replacement, mufflers need replacement, oil needs changing, 2 cycle
fuel needs mixing... and fuel can't be saved very long, and even
string trimmer string costs. And all this equipment needs through and
regular cleaning (more time), hasta take at least a half hour to clean
under a push mower, gotta wait till it cools first too. And you need
a place to store it all. And unless you have a half acre or two I'm
not even gonna go into riding mowers and lawn tractors. And mulching
mowers are fine, but you can't have a nice looking lawn if you mulch
every cut... when you mulch you need to know the seeding habits of
every plant composing your lawn including the weeds. I mulch all my
cuts because I have what's known around here as a country lawn,
whatever grows. But I mow ten acres of lawn every week, and my
mulching mower cuts a 7 foot swarth, and still takes me all day just
for the large areas. For the smaller areas and edges I have a smaller
mower (54"), and I have a push mower for small spaces, and a string
trimmer, and a blower, and all kinds of hand tools. Mowing large
areas takes large blocks of time, and even larger blocks of cash to
buy the large equipment. Anything over a half acre you really need a
riding mower, and even the typical Home Depot type garden tractors
fitted with a mower can handle no more than like 2-3 acres.... and
those toy r us thingies will be lucky to last two seasons before they
need replacement... those tiny gasolene air cooled engines just can't
handle all those hours, not even if your ground is level and you don't
weigh much... struggling up a slight grade with a 200 pounder on its
back and
trying to mow at the same time is beyond its ability. Those things
you see lined up in front of the big box hardware emporiums are all
toys.

It doesn't pay for me to maintain my equipment myself, but still I bet
it costs me more for servicing than the average surburbanite pays
their lawn service. I only wish I could find a lawn service, but no
such thing exists around here for the size lawn I have.