Helping a housebound relative with a bit of a neglected garden.

Firstly, is it advisable to strim grass on a lawn/edging/borders while it's
wet? It's been raining on and off and it's damp.

Secondly, what's the tactic for badly overgrown grass/weeds? On average it's
about 6 inches high but higher in places. I was thinking of taking it all
down a few inches, then giving it a couple of days to get upright again,
then taking it down to a sensible level. Any point to this, or should I just
go at it and do it in one hit?

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 21 May 2013 12:06:33 +0100, "Mentalguy2k8"
wrote:

Helping a housebound relative with a bit of a neglected garden.

Firstly, is it advisable to strim grass on a lawn/edging/borders while
it's
wet? It's been raining on and off and it's damp.

Secondly, what's the tactic for badly overgrown grass/weeds? On average
it's
about 6 inches high but higher in places. I was thinking of taking it all
down a few inches, then giving it a couple of days to get upright again,
then taking it down to a sensible level. Any point to this, or should I
just
go at it and do it in one hit?

In response to both questions I would say a lot depends on the power
of your strimmer. If it's a relatively low-powered electric job, then
it's more likely to struggle with both wet and long grass and need two
attempts than a petrol strimmer. If it's the latter, I'd just do both
all in one go (I gave up on electric strimmers some years ago). I see
no particular problem in strimming wet grass, other than it may build
up on the shield on the strimmer head and you may need to clean it off
occasionally. Whether you'd be worried by the risk of electric shock
with an electric strimmer and wet grass, I'll let you decide, but in
any circumstance you should be using an appropriate circuit breaker
just in case.

Thanks Chris. I just wondered if it made any difference to anything if I cut
when it was wet, I'm not looking forward to cleaning me and the strimmer
afterwards....

I'll be using an extension reel with a built-in circuit breaker anyway. Now
it's stopped spitting I'll go out there and see what happens,

In article ,
"Mentalguy2k8" wrote:

......
I'll be using an extension reel with a built-in circuit breaker anyway. Now
it's stopped spitting I'll go out there and see what happens,

What happened? :-)

Bit late for advice now, but my 2p would have been: get a face mask
(like the pros wear), and wear a boiler suit! I've been strimming wet
stuff recently: my clothes were covered in shredded vegetation,
including the mask I was wearing, which shows how painful (or dangerous,
even) strimming can be.

I was using a 2-stroke, mind, so it could be that an electric one
doesn't present as much of a danger to eyesight!

John

On Tue, 21 May 2013 20:07:04 +0100, Another John
wrote:


I was using a 2-stroke, mind, so it could be that an electric one
doesn't present as much of a danger to eyesight!

John

By comparison, electric strimmers (even the biggest) are weaklings! I
know you know but a few Garden Banter readers may pick this post up.

All too often, people graduate from electric to petrol (or jump
straight in) and don't listen to the "wear safety equipment" message.
Not just the face. Petrol gear will throw up all sorts of things. I've
chipped the car's paintwork.

Proper footwear, not just goggles but a proper full face protector.
Full leg protection, never shorts. If you wear specs, they won't
protect you. A stone thrown up can smash a specs lens and the only
place the shards will go is into your eye!

Whilst an RCD will power off an electrical tool, you need to turn off
a petrol one! And the petrol ones use thicker cutting line which also
makes a difference.

If you've never used a petrol strimmer, DON'T use a petrol brush
cutter!

Pole pruners are not chainsaws - they do not have a brake so can carry
on chopping through your leg or arm!

Seen it and don't want to see it again!


--
Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Hobbling along and Urgling from the East end of
Swansea Bay

Jake wrote:
On Tue, 21 May 2013 20:07:04 +0100, Another John
wrote:


I was using a 2-stroke, mind, so it could be that an electric one
doesn't present as much of a danger to eyesight!

John

By comparison, electric strimmers (even the biggest) are weaklings! I
know you know but a few Garden Banter readers may pick this post up.

Depends how big, my Ryobi electric 'head' is just as powerful, if not a
little more powerful than the petrol powered heads. It should be
because it's 1000 watts and that's pretty close to the 1hp of the petrol
ones.

--
Chris Green
·

On 21/05/2013 21:23, wrote:
Jake wrote:
On Tue, 21 May 2013 20:07:04 +0100, Another John
wrote:


I was using a 2-stroke, mind, so it could be that an electric one
doesn't present as much of a danger to eyesight!

John

By comparison, electric strimmers (even the biggest) are weaklings! I
know you know but a few Garden Banter readers may pick this post up.

Depends how big, my Ryobi electric 'head' is just as powerful, if not a
little more powerful than the petrol powered heads. It should be
because it's 1000 watts and that's pretty close to the 1hp of the petrol
ones.

If the weeds include nettles they can be a PITA. Being very tough the
tend to wrap around the head, causing problems. Frequent clearing of the
head is the order of the day.

Broadback wrote:
On 21/05/2013 21:23, wrote:
Jake wrote:
On Tue, 21 May 2013 20:07:04 +0100, Another John
wrote:


I was using a 2-stroke, mind, so it could be that an electric one
doesn't present as much of a danger to eyesight!

John

By comparison, electric strimmers (even the biggest) are weaklings! I
know you know but a few Garden Banter readers may pick this post up.

Depends how big, my Ryobi electric 'head' is just as powerful, if not a
little more powerful than the petrol powered heads. It should be
because it's 1000 watts and that's pretty close to the 1hp of the petrol
ones.

If the weeds include nettles they can be a PITA. Being very tough the
tend to wrap around the head, causing problems. Frequent clearing of the
head is the order of the day.

By 'head' I mean the thing at the *top* end with the motor. These are
Ryobi expand-it machines so there's a power head (I have both electric
and petrol) and several bottom ends which are strimmer, brush cutter,
cultivator, hedge trimmer, lopper, etc. They can be powered by either
the electric head or the petrol one and, as I said, there's not much to
choose between the two as regards power.

--
Chris Green
·

In message , Jake
writes

I was using a 2-stroke, mind, so it could be that an electric one
doesn't present as much of a danger to eyesight!


By comparison, electric strimmers (even the biggest) are weaklings! I
know you know but a few Garden Banter readers may pick this post up.

All too often, people graduate from electric to petrol (or jump
straight in) and don't listen to the "wear safety equipment" message.
Not just the face. Petrol gear will throw up all sorts of things. I've
chipped the car's paintwork.

Proper footwear, not just goggles but a proper full face protector.
Full leg protection, never shorts. If you wear specs, they won't
protect you. A stone thrown up can smash a specs lens and the only
place the shards will go is into your eye!

Only if you still have glass lenses in your spectacles. I haven't been
offered glass lenses for around twenty years. Not that I would want
glass now - too heavy. My lenses are made from the same material as eye
protectors.

David
--
David Rance writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France

On 23/05/2013 10:12, David Rance wrote:
In message , Jake
writes

I was using a 2-stroke, mind, so it could be that an electric one
doesn't present as much of a danger to eyesight!


By comparison, electric strimmers (even the biggest) are weaklings! I
know you know but a few Garden Banter readers may pick this post up.

All too often, people graduate from electric to petrol (or jump
straight in) and don't listen to the "wear safety equipment" message.
Not just the face. Petrol gear will throw up all sorts of things. I've
chipped the car's paintwork.

Proper footwear, not just goggles but a proper full face protector.
Full leg protection, never shorts. If you wear specs, they won't
protect you. A stone thrown up can smash a specs lens and the only
place the shards will go is into your eye!

Only if you still have glass lenses in your spectacles. I haven't been
offered glass lenses for around twenty years. Not that I would want
glass now - too heavy. My lenses are made from the same material as eye
protectors.

David

I still have triplex lenses as they are shatter proof and don't scratch
when you wipe dust off them,
I tried those new fangled Plastic things but when I was rotovating dry
soil the dust had to be wiped off together with the sweat and within
weeks the lenses were so badly scratched that they were almost useless.
David @ a very mixed up part of Swansea Bay where we have had several
heavy showers, sunshine and very strong gusts of wind so far today, and
its a lot colder than the last few days.

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 12:06:33 PM UTC+1, Mentalguy2k8 wrote:
Helping a housebound relative with a bit of a neglected garden. Firstly, is it advisable to strim grass on a lawn/edging/borders while it's wet? It's been raining on and off and it's damp. Secondly, what's the tactic for badly overgrown grass/weeds? On average it's about 6 inches high but higher in places. I was thinking of taking it all down a few inches, then giving it a couple of days to get upright again, then taking it down to a sensible level. Any point to this, or should I just go at it and do it in one hit?

6" is not much, use a normal petrol mower. The drier the better of course.

In article ,
lid says...

In message , Jake
writes

I was using a 2-stroke, mind, so it could be that an electric one
doesn't present as much of a danger to eyesight!


By comparison, electric strimmers (even the biggest) are weaklings! I
know you know but a few Garden Banter readers may pick this post up.

All too often, people graduate from electric to petrol (or jump
straight in) and don't listen to the "wear safety equipment" message.
Not just the face. Petrol gear will throw up all sorts of things. I've
chipped the car's paintwork.

Proper footwear, not just goggles but a proper full face protector.
Full leg protection, never shorts. If you wear specs, they won't
protect you. A stone thrown up can smash a specs lens and the only
place the shards will go is into your eye!

Only if you still have glass lenses in your spectacles. I haven't been
offered glass lenses for around twenty years. Not that I would want
glass now - too heavy. My lenses are made from the same material as eye
protectors.

Which will scratch if hit by a flying sharp.

Years back I got an inexplicable weeping rash across the front of my
neck. GP Dr took one look and said " Classic strimmer stripe. I bet
you've just bought a new strimmer and are using it with a face mask".

I had. From then on I also wore a neck scarf.. essential to ward off
worse debris than grass sap; such as a fine spray of minced frog and
dog shit :-(

Janet

On 23/05/2013 14:45, zaax wrote:
On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 12:06:33 PM UTC+1, Mentalguy2k8 wrote:
Helping a housebound relative with a bit of a neglected garden. Firstly, is it advisable to strim grass on a lawn/edging/borders while it's wet? It's been raining on and off and it's damp. Secondly, what's the tactic for badly overgrown grass/weeds? On average it's about 6 inches high but higher in places. I was thinking of taking it all down a few inches, then giving it a couple of days to get upright again, then taking it down to a sensible level. Any point to this, or should I just go at it and do it in one hit?

6" is not much, use a normal petrol mower. The drier the better of course.




To add to that and answer your second question; there is no reason why
you shouldn't mow twice, even with a thorough first cut. Longish, damp
grass often has pockets of flattened turf which will spring up as the
grass dries out and the air gets to it.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay