Best lawn mowers & tractors according to redditors

My sentiments exactly. Apparently you can get them on Amazon.

Oh they exist.

Wow, you're a genius.

http://www.amazon.com/Agri-Fab-45-0218-26-Inch-Push-Sweeper/dp/B00004RANC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450377224&sr=8-1&keywords=lawn+sweeper

A robot lawn mower that can be programmed to cut the grass.

I bought this one it works great as long as you stick to a regular cutting schedule. If you let the grass get too long it will grow too far above a certain point on the reel and will just lay the grass over instead of cutting it leaving you with a really patchy cut and more work to do.
Other than that it's quite satisfying. I always found it nice and relaxing to cut the grass without the noise of a motor.

Edit: corrected hyperlink

They just released this one. Should work for him.


https://www.amazon.com/Troy-Bilt-42-inch-7-Speed-Discharge-Tractor/dp/B01BY9Z41U/ref=zg_bs_3753701_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WE8MDZXXCM99ARPZDBPZ

And this is the mowing robot from 2018.

Dethatching

I rented a slice seeder last year and found it did a decent enough job of removing thatch. Plan on doing it again this year but three passes:

1. First pass with no seed. Quickly comb over with a rake then clean up with a push lawn sweeper (I got this shitty overpriced thing but it was soooo useful. If i had a mower with a bagger attachment, I would've just used that instead to bag the debris).
   
2. Second pass with 1.5 lbs/1000sqft of seed going North-South
   
3. Third pass with 1.5 lbs/1000sqft of seed going East-West.
   
   I like using the slice seeder because if I broadcast the seeds, birds with just eat them up.
   
   Seed and Fertilizer
   
   You should put down starter fertilizer at the same time you put down your seed. The most important thing at this point proper watering schedule!
   
   Seed Mix
   > I want something that looks decent but is good against summer droughts and not too delicate.
   
   We all want this haha. I'm going for a more disease-resistant mix this year, so I customized my own mix of grass breeds:
   
   

• 30% Bewitched Kentucky bluegrass
  
• 30% Diva Kentucky Bluegrass
  
• 20% Zodiac chewings fescue
  
• 10% Spartan II hard fescue
  
• 10% Beacon hard fescue
  
  It is a little (a lot) expensive but I'm only year #2 into my lawn renovation. My lawn is only 4000 sqft and most box-store products are sized for 5000sqft so its not "expensive" for me to experiment.
  
  You probably want a KBG/Rye mix. If theres any shade on your lawn, make sure there's at least 10% fine-fescue in your seed mix.

Neither

No lie, I use that type of mower. Keeps the legs strong.

Mostly, I really like to build and fix stuff. I don't really care whether it's the HTML of a website or the stem of a shower faucet -- it's just the act of figuring something out and making it better that I like, for whatever reason.

I have a small collection of tools -- a power drill, some gardening stuff, etc. I also have a bass guitar, but I bought one of these itty-bitty little headphone amps so I don't piss off the roomies and also so I don't have to lug an amp around everywhere -- since they're pretty much just an empty box with a speaker in it anyway.

I also like reading, but (partially thanks to Reddit, I'm sure) my attention span is so short that sitting down and reading is tough, so I've gotten rid of pretty much all of my books and opted instead for audiobooks. There are great sites like librivox.org where you can download oodles of classics read aloud for free. Currently I'm listening to all 65 hours of 'Atlas Shrugged' while I fold Noteboards, a product I created and sell (also thanks to Reddit). Also, nothing beats the time I drove across the country by myself listening to 'The Godfather' and 'Fight Club' and zooming through the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Death Valley.

Singing is also really fun, and takes zero space. When I'm not listening to audiobooks, I'm singing along to musicals ('Book of Mormon' today) or 90s rock.

The stuff that takes up the most room is my push-reel lawn mower which is easy to disassemble, and my healthy collection of Nerf guns.

EDIT: I also do some graphic design. This graphics tablet is tiny and flexible, and works great.

No, this is a lawn mower:
http://www.amazon.com/Great-States-415-16-16-Inch-Standard/dp/B00002N691/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1279647414&sr=1-12

Here you go. Minimal maintenance, minimal work.

Grass likes being cut.

I'm by no means an expert, so please take this advice with a grain of salt. Also, this is a bit long so I made a TL;DR at the end. I live in Southern Indiana, but I've recently taken an interest in fixing our new front yard. I will do my best to keep this advice as general as possible. I think you might have a week or two left to try my steps, if you want to take this approach. I think your temps are still low enough that the grass hasn't hit the spring "growth and changes" yet. However, if you can't get it in the next few weeks, you might have to plan out your fall steps during this summer, and then around Sept(?) you could dethatch, rent a plug aerator, overseed, and cover the seed with some top soil and wait. Over winter those seeds are supposed to lay dormant until next spring. However, I'm not about fertilizer in the fall, so you'd have to look up info on that.

My general rule is to try to follow the overall starter advice from The Lawn Care Nut, which is mainly "know your lawn square footage, and break it into zones", "have a plan and try to stick to it", and then "mow extra high and very often" (most important one, IMO). For me, it's 3 zones of Front, Side, and Back. It's ~13,000 sq ft total, but this year I focused on the side (~1,750 sq ft), and the front yard (~3,600 sq ft). So a little over 5,300 sq ft when I'm talking about effort/hours/costs/etc.

Be aware if you do follow these steps, your yard will look like CRAP for a few weeks... But after 14-21 days, I REALLY think it will turn around!

As far my spring starter-plan/steps, I used:

• Mow extremely low as you get into the first few mows of the year (with bagger on, so no clippings or grass are left that you'd have to pick up anyway)
  
  • Don't do this if you have already mowed more than 4-5 times in the regular mowing session... Any later and it means your grass is already in the initial growing stage and it won't help that much. If that's the case, you'll have to wait until next year.
    
  • From your pictures, it looks like it hasn't hit that "missed your window" stage, so I think could still try these steps.
    
• Dethatch and clean off all the debris
  
  • I had a gift card for amazon, so I got the $100 dethatcher. Use the recommended gauge for extension cord size and this thing really does work!
    
  • You can rent a power rake, or a pull behind dethatcher.
    
  • You could manually rake the yard too, but ohhh boy do I recommend against that unless you're an athlete or crazy.
    
  • The key here is to get down to where you see at least MOSTLY dirt in the bare patches, and make sure that you don't have areas of covered dirt where grass can't grow. New seed won't take, and existing grass would rarely want to spread to that area and break up the thatch/matted stuff, so exposing it is key.
    
• Use bagger mower or leaf blower to remove thatch!
  
  • I found this tip online and I REALLY recommend it. Raking it by hand is EXTREMELY difficult and time consuming. I'm not "in the best shape", but I'm not in the worst shape either... 31 years old, and sure I like beer when yard working, but HOLY CRAP that's rough. I only did manual raking for the 1,750 area and I was sore for days. My bagger mower worked really well for cleaning the front yard. It almost creates a vacuum to pick up the stuff so it worked well.
    
• Rough rake up a few bare spots
  
  • I then applied higher quality soil in a few lower holes/areas. (~3 bags of this stuff. As a spot-fill type situation. Good quality soil, but I wouldn't buy a lot of this for an entire yard, because of price.)
    
• Overseed the HECK out of it.
  
  • My rule was that I would rather spend $40 per big bag of seed, and overseed TOO much, rather than underseed and regret it for an entire year. I think it worked well.
    
  • I used this Landscapers Mix because it had the best blend of Tall Fescue and KYB. I read somewhere that if you want a tall fescue filled yard that works well, you need a blend with at least about 20% KYB so that early germination helps.
    
• Fertilizer
  
  • I used this one that I found at Menard's and used based on the very high Nitrogen content (35-0-6)
    
    • I recommend learning about the numbers on fertilizer so that you can safely and properly fertilize moving forward. Yes, a soil sample would probably be VERY beneficial, and eventually should be done.... But if you have never used any fertilizer on your yard, it's more than likely at least missing Nitrogen. I highly suspect that our previous owners had NEVER fertilized, so I knew any/high Nitrogen would be better than nothing. Also, it's my understanding that nitrogen is not replenished naturally in soil without something to help it. So that's why most fertilizers focus on it as the main key ingredient.
      
• Cover any large bare spots with high quality top soil or something to help keep the seeds safe!
  
  • Damn birds... They're vicious when you put out seed!
    
• Water, water, water...
  
  • Water immediately after, and then daily after that.
    
  • I watered at least once a day. I never watered more than 2 times a day, but I got lucky with rain... I have to temporarily travel daily for work, so I'm away from the house for 11-12 hours a day during this time. Even so, I've been able to water it at least once a day with good results.
    
  • The watering phase should last at least 7-10 days, at minimum. But, I still water it pretty freely and it's been 18 days. I will probably keep it well watered for the next month or two, so that it doesn't ever truly "dry out" more than an inch or two that is exposed to the sun/heat. I want to ensure proper growth, even if it means mowing a lot more.
    
  • I have had success both when watering in a morning, or if I was forced to water after work. I rarely get home before 7pm, so watering happens right around dusk, or even after dark depending on how tolerant my wife is about letting me get outside and get things done. :) I've not had any bad things yet. Maybe I've gotten lucky, but without an irrigation system, I am just doing the best I can by watering when I get the chance to do it.
    
• Mow high and VERY often!!!
  
  • I mow on Wednesdays and Weekends. (Move it a day in either direction if i have to for weather)
    
  • I use my push mower for these 2 front/side areas, and I keep it on the highest setting. I bag my clippings, because I know really just how much thatch I pulled out of these two areas... I want a good healthy lawn established before I even think about putting any clippings back on there.
    
  • Just a general ol' push mower, nothing fancy. I sharpened the blade at the start of March(ish), and will probably touch it up again in a few weeks.
    
    Other than that, I simply try to spot check weeds. I did learn a few things that I will keep using throughout the year. This includes overseeding again in the fall to make my spring start a bit easier next year. I do also plan on re-applying some mid-strength (10-10-10, maybe?) fertilizer in about 6-8 weeks... I think it will need to be a lot softer/lighter of an application because of the heat we can get during Indiana summers.
    
    I think your temps are/have been fairly close to ours in Indiana. So if you're willing to put in a few evenings or a weekend of some pretty hard work, then remember to water it all afterwards daily, I think you can turn your yard around!! Below I will put a few before(ish) and current/"after" pictures to help give you an idea of the "bad times" and then also how great it can also turn out!
    
    ​
    
    Before picture. I only took pictures after dethatching and picking up the excess grass/thatch. This was April 27th, 2019. - https://imgur.com/a/SMv4FsL
    
    During, which was about 14-15 days in... Regular spring growth and I already had little germination sprouts! This was May 11th, 2019. - https://imgur.com/a/xvnExPH
    
    Taken yesterday. Not much change from the 11th, but it still looks like it's growing, in my opinion. May 13th, 2019. - https://imgur.com/a/3iH1VfW
    
    For posterity, this is most of the front yard. Work was done May 4th-6th... Taken May 13th, 2019, at 9:21pm, sorry for the low quality. - https://imgur.com/a/G6OdDaj
    
    ​
    
    I hope this helps! I know I feel very proud of my progress so far, especially being the first year. Normally it's about a 2 year process to turn a yard around, IIRC. I think I got lucky with mediocre spring temps and decent amount of rain so far!
    
    ​
    
    ​
    
    TL;DR - If mid-late spring temps and rain allow, mow on lowest setting, dethatch until you see bare soil in patch spots, rough any bare spots that you won't cover with soil, overseed the HECK out of it, fertilizer with high nitrogen (35-0-6 worked well for me in Indiana with a "never before fertilized lawn"), cover as many bare spots as you can with high quality soil, and water water water! (At least once a day for a few weeks, if not more. I think the more you water "evenly", or at least once daily, the more chance your grass will grow like crazy! At least that's my theory...)

Here are some basic steps:

(1) Buy SpeedZone and a sprayer. Mix and blanket spray AS SOON AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, being sure to not cut or water your lawn for two before or after application. SpeedZone won't kill all of your weeds - grasy ones like crabgrass and nutsedge are able to dodge it - but it will quickly kill the overwhelming majority and the coming cold weather will kill the rest.

(2) Wait two weeks. During this time gradually reduce your height of cut to as low as you can take your grass without damaging it, probably somewhere around 2". Bag clippings for these mows. Also, spend some time budgeting for and researching your next steps.

(3) At the two week point, mow a final time. If you can afford to, rent or buy a dethatcher and dethatch your lawn to get rid of all the dead grass and weeds. (If you do this, be sure to rake up or use your mower to vacuum up all of the dead stuff). Also - if you can afford to and have the time - rent a core aerator. Move quickly on both steps, try to get them done in the same day. If you aerate and your lawn isn't enormous, I'd recommend raking up the cores and tossing them but that certainly isn't mandatory.

(4) Hopefully in that two week waiting period you researched seed. Now is time to throw'er down. Use a spreader and apply seed. If your lawn was REALLY 60% weeds then you will want to put down about 1.5 times more seed than is recommended on the bag for overseeding. Tamp or roll your seed into your soil. Top with Scotts Starter Plus Weed Preventer. Cover with a light covering of peat moss, EZ straw or some seeding mulch. The latter are particularly helpful if you have hills or slopes that you are planning to overseed.

(5) WATER. The number of times you water and amount you water will depend a lot on your individual property. Make sure the soil is damp but not muddy at all points. For me that usually amounts to short waterings at 7am, 11am, 3pm and 7pm. Water more frequently or deeper if it is atypically hot.

(6) Wait as long as you can to mow. Three weeks would be great, but isn't always doable, particularly if you have an HOA ready to violate you for overgrown grass. When you do mow, you can use either mower, though the reel mower might be a little lighter and hence gentler on the new grass. Either way, you want to get on and get off as quickly as possible and avoid making any abrupt turns that could rip the new seedlings out of the soil.

(7) This could be the most important one of all... next spring, probably around the first week of April, apply a pre-emergent. This will prevent many - though certainly not all - weeds from showing up in your lawn.

Hope this helps.

I use one very similar to this one but is no longer made. Here is a picture of it. I got it second hand from a company called Building Value. They focus on the "reuse" in "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle."

I have this reel mower for sale. I only used it twice and I'll sell it to you for $60. Works great, I just decided I liked using my weed whacker for everything.

Or $1398 if you're willing to settle for the 310. https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-AM310-Robotic-Mower-Install/dp/B07B1HW5QS/

The lawn’s am interesting one for me. Someone put a flyer on my door the other day saying they’d cut both lawns for $35. Okay, let’s use that as a base. Let’s say I expect to cut my lawn every two weeks all season long, a season lasts 9 months (because Texas), and I seek a <2 year ROI. Over 2 years I would pay them 35*52*.75*2/2=$1365. I can buy a robotic lawn mower for $1000... so why not do that?

I ultimately didn’t, deciding that mowing the lawn myself was worth the precious little exercise it offered me, but I’ll probably regret that once summer hits....

Look into Snapper Brand, my had has had one for over 10 years, gets used every week in the summer and it’s still going strong. I just started taking over cutting the grass because my dad is having health issues and I’m pretty rough on it and it should have given out on me a few times where it diddnt haha. It’s just the bare basic brand. Brake/clutch 5speed/reverse Bagger, engine, electric start, basic steering wheel adjustable cutting height. All easy things to fix too if something fucks up. Like I had to replace maybe a 50¢ cotter pin that held the thing that held the blade up a few years back and that’s the most we have put into it- I support snapper brand it’s great if they’re still around EDIT: they are and Came out with a newer model but is the same but looks newer. 2.1k totally worth it amazon

You are not allowed to wash your car at home independend of the day of the week, because you have no oil filter and other filters for the drain water.

And gardening, cleaning your house .. is alowed on sundays, but
there are so called Ruhezeiten, in which you should not make a lot of noise, like using the lawn mower. The Sunday as a whole is such a Ruhezeit. (well you could also mow the lawn with somethin like this and no one will complain (except you because of the work))

Solution: Speak with your neighboors, we have no problems with our neighboors in regard to noise.

nope, it's a special tool, very similar to a slit-seeder but without the seeding capability. Think of it basically tilling up your soil without ripping out your turf. It cuts into the soil just enough to allow seeds to fall past the turf\thatch and onto the soil, which is essential to effective germination.

You can either rent one or buy one. I opted to get one 2-years ago and I feel like my purchase has been worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Joe-AJ801E-Dethatcher-Collection/dp/B01FEATL2I

The collection bag is completely useless.

I actually just saw that the Lawn Care Ginja did a review on this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnOrrtLEX7w

TLDR of the video: it doesn't compare to the commercial version, but for ~$130 compared to ~$3000 it's totally worth it, he came away impressed.

As you do more research, you'll be tempted to till your lawn. Don't. Using a power rake and core aeration is a better option.

You can rent a power rake but it was cheap enough on Amazon to buy one for future use, so I went for that.

This is what I bought last year for $100.
Sun Joe AJ801E 12 Amp 12.6"... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FEATL2I?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

SunJoe is a good brand. I had an issue with the first one I bought and they sent me a warranty replacement without a hassle.

Core aeration machines are too expensive to buy (couple thousand dollars), so renting or hiring someone to do it is the best option. The machines are big and heavy, so make sure you have room in your car before renting it.

When you buy battery powered tools for your lawn, consider the whole system the company sells. You want to find a brand of tools you'll buy everything from, so the tools can share batteries. Sometimes the battery and charger is half the price of the tool. If you already have a battery from a different tool, you can buy a version without the battery and save that money.

Look at GreenWorks line of lawn tools. They have a good range of products. Once you have a charger and battery, you can buy the other tools without that and save. Though, I like to have two batteries in case I run out of juice in the middle of a task.

you're welcome

$500+ for that bag-a-nut, I think I'd try the $50-80 option first
https://amazon.com/dp/B009L1LJZE
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004RANC

Centipede responds well to a little moisture management in the dry season and the use of neonicitinoids... you can apply them about 3 feet away from the flower beds because the grass can actually distribute its own water.

Remember not to let it consume the topsoil, use regular milorganite applications and spread and beat in a little potting soil or cheap peat before snowfall. Cheap peat is easier, you just sprinkle it on before your second to last mowing and let the mulching work it in.

Sharpening the mower blade and running it at a lower speed, just like with StAugustinegrass, works well on Centipedegrass. So does reel mowing with units like https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Inch-StaySharp-Reel-Mower/dp/B01N7K4BNX/ref=sr_1_33?ie=UTF8&qid=1496661112&sr=8-33&keywords=fiskars in 14 inch swaths if you're feeling athletic.

Sharp clean cut at appropriate height is always the first step in lawn care and sharp blades do better clipping puree

Just wanted to edit this because it looked like a robot posted it. But: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SJEUFF4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_pkr0Bb4TX869Y

Oh Lordy, I just looked and you can buy them new from Walmart, Home Depot, and Amazon. Why?! https://www.amazon.com/American-Lawn-Mower-1204-14-14-Inch/dp/B00004RA3F/

I bought a battery-powered mower last summer when we bought our house. I'm now in the market for a gas mower.

This is what I bought. The problem is mainly that the run time is so far short of what I need for my yard; realistically I need 2-3 charges to do the whole thing, depending on how long the grass is. Unfortunately I don't know my acreage so I get that's not very helpful to you.

The other problem is power - there just isn't that much. If I let the grass go for too long (10-14 days in the growing season), I just can't do it with my mower and have to pay someone. Plus there is sometimes a bit of a mohawk down the center of what I've mowed, I think due to the dual blades.

You can cure these issues by spending tons of money; either hundreds more for a second set of batteries or even more than that for a truly-powerful electric mower, but I'm not really looking to spend that kind of money.

All that being said, battery-powered is still fine if your yard is small enough. It really is so much more pleasant than dealing with a gas mower. I'll be sad to make the switch back over.

GreenWorks 27022 10 Amp 14" Corded Dethatcher/Scarifier

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004RA3F/

It's funny that you say that: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SJEUFF4/

The Fiskars StaySharp reel mower can be set to 4":

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N7K4BNX

I have one and like it well enough when it's set to 3.5" or lower. That's because most grass tends to flop over when taller than that. I got it because I had dreams of keeping my lawn at 4" to 4.5" but have since scaled back those ambitions to a mere 3.65" that my rotary mower cuts at followed by light trims with the reel mower at 3.5" or 3".

I have an eight year old Black and Decker CM1000. It is a little underpowered and has more trouble cutting overgrown, thick grass than a gas powered mower would; same for tallish, wet grass. But for normal, weekly (or bi-weekly) mowing it cuts well and is no different than a gas mower, imo. My yard takes about 20 min to mow and I use the bag to collect clippings instead of mulching.

It is nice to not have to worry about having gas, old gas, changing the oil (and winterizing), and changing the spark plug. For a replacement mower, I have been looking at the Makita XML02Z almost entirely because it uses the same batteries as their hand tools.

You're looking for a reel lawn mower. This one looks like it's got good reviews

As a new homeowner, I too took an interest in my lawn this year. I find dethatching (I did it by raking) helps A LOT in getting rid of debris and allow the water to penetrate the soil. With the debris gone my grass filled up all the empty/bald spots with ease. I didn't need to overseed. Instead of renting an aerator, I hired a person who came and aerated my lawn, the cost came up to only $25 more than a rental.

I purchased a special rake for about $25 that is too heavy to be use http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ames-19-Tine-Adjustable-Thatch-Rake-1915100/202057292

I used this rake instead and found it much easier. http://www.sears.com/ames-co-24inch-clog-free-poly-rake/p-SPM3030238302?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1


Also, I did a round of Bonus-S which fertilize and killed some weeds. (Manually pulling up the big weeds gave me the best results)


But a month ago, I purchased a dethacther machine but has yet to use it http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030BG1HM/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1410976076&sr=1&keywords=dethatcher

I know you asking for a gas mower However I recently got a new mower as all my other ones I inherited over the years crapped out and I couldn't find the right parts for the life of me... And after reading about all the mowers out there 40v 60v 80v all had sub standard mowing and took multiple passes that the gas mowers would do in 1. Which lead me to the light commercial category and the 120v yard force.

In the end I went with the 120v yard force lawn mower. This mower is a beast and performs as well if not better than any 5-6hp gas mower I've owned (craftsman, Honda, and toro). The reviews I read (and hands on experience since owning it) said it was great with none of the cons the 40-80v had. Note: 80v mowers are right where they start getting better but they still struggle on thick patches.

Came with 2 batteries. I can do 3-4 Mows on a single battery charge of my 2000 sqft lawn. Takes a single pass. I bag my grass and throw it into a compost pile but from what I've heard the mulching ability is good.

Yard Force Lithium-Ion 22" Self-Propelled 3-in-1 Mower with Torque-Sense Control - 2 Batteries & Fast Charger included https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074KNZMWG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_g1czDbW0R8T0Y

There are good electric mowers you just gotta pony up and pay for the premium to get the torque needed to do the job right. Or go gas...

But with climate change and the likes and how lawn mower engines produce a lot of emissions it was worth the premium for me. Plus I'll never have to buy gas again to mow my lawn!

https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-362050-1001-StaySharp-Mower-Black/dp/B01N7K4BNX/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_86_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=NKP3HHVSV8SG4K1NTKDJ

Got mine used for a season for far less...$90 maybe? I see them on Craigslist a lot. It's a bit more work maybe (especially when it's growing quickly since you have less leeway as far as max length and cut length) and you don't get the same laser-level cut but the crappy yard around this house we bought last summer has a nice dense green turf now and all of my neighbors have brown patches and leggy clumps of grass. Only thing we did was spread some compost mix around to level out some divots and start using the reel. For the .25 acre I have to deal with the silence, lack of mess and maintenance, and results definitely outweigh the con of the extra effort.

I wish they made a rider I can use weed eater string for blades on. Like this: Remington RM1159 Walk-Behind High-Wheeled String Trimmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J2VVU0M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4ZIqDbGP69N8C

This explains it pretty well

Keep in mind they're fixing up one that went well past it's routine maintenance. Usually you can use a tool that came with the sharpening kit which turn the blades by hand instead of with a drill. What took them 5 minutes with a drill would normally take 30 seconds by hand if you did it once a year.

This is the kit I use - It was $15 when I bought it

And here's my mower It's also down in price. I paid almost $80 (It's around $60 now :/)

I love my mower, but if I could change anything I probably would have gotten an 18 inch model. With a 5,000sf lawn I can do it all in under 30 minutes. I'm pretty happy about that, but it'd be nice if it took a little less time.

Great States 415-16 16-Inch, 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower, 16-Inch, 5-Blade, Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002N691/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_W9uhDbZAG5WVH

Push reel lawnmower

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00SJEUFF4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491434423&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=autonomous+lawn+mower&dpPl=1&dpID=41ZI592duxL&ref=plSrch if my yard was smaller I would 100% buy (I'm a controls engineer )

Yup just bout one!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01FEATL2I/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Landroid-Robotic-Mower-28-volt-WG794/dp/B00SJEUFF4

Seems like this is posted every couple of days...

Here is a direct link (without the affiliate ID from the OP) to purchase:

https://www.amazon.com/Greenworks-14-Inch-Corded-Dethatcher-27022/dp/B0030BG1HM/

Get one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030BG1HM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's like running a vacuum cleaner over your lawn (easier than a mower because it's so light).

I'm no expert, but I got this one off Amazon almost 2 years ago and have had zero issues. Blades still as sharp as when I got it

Poulan Pro 961420135 CleanScape 21 Inch 140cc Front Wheel Drive Mower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019DY7J0C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XmieBb0HHY64D

https://www.amazon.com/Landroid-Robotic-Mower-28-volt-WG794/dp/B00SJEUFF4

You can purchase it from Amazon. Installation for another $300 or you can install it yourself.
For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-967623405-Automower-Robotic-Install/dp/B01CUV9IJA/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1525284221&sr=1-4&keywords=Husqvarna+automower

Actually $85 new is as low as its been in over 12 months, and within $5 of all time low price sold by amazon directly. https://camelcamelcamel.com/Greenworks-14-Inch-Corded-Dethatcher-27022/product/B0030BG1HM

Got mine from amazon warehouse few weeks back, for $90 with tax, 'used' but was actually pristine. Works great, I would simply not have been able to clear out the years of thatch buildup without it. You do need a good 14-16 awg extension cord.

But yah, the affiliate spam is getting out of hand here.

1. Mow with the bag to collect the seeds.
   
2. Spray the lawn with this:
   https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ortho-Weed-B-Gon-32-oz-Max-Plus-Crabgrass-Control-Concentrate-990601015/203686902
   and this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ortho-Dial-N-Spray-Hose-End-Sprayer-0841001/204758731
   Or use this to keep it simple:
   https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ortho-Weed-B-Gon-32-oz-Max-Plus-Ready-To-Spray-Crabgrass-Control-999411015/203132407
   
   
3. Buy a spreader and put down some Milorganite fertilizer.
   
4. Put down seed in the fall.
   
5. Optional: Purchase a dethatcher and remove all the dead grass.
   https://www.amazon.com/Greenworks-14-Inch-Corded-Dethatcher-27022/dp/B0030BG1HM

Reel mower.

This guy:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004RA3F

I personally think the modern ones are better, because the technology has improved over time. I use this one. But I would recommend getting one of the 18" ones so that you don't have to make as many passes. My friend has this one and he really likes it. Just make sure that you keep the blades clean and oiled after you cut the lawn and they'll stay sharp for a really long time. Btw, reel mowers are best when your lawn is flat and smooth. If it's very lumpy, then you'll get really frustrated.

I got mine off Amazon for 60$. Works great. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004RA3F/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503067160&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=lawn+mower+push&psc=1

I returned the Ego and got a Yardforce. Dumb name but my grass is thicker and the ego didn't have enough power. Yard Force Lithium-Ion 22" Self-Propelled 3-in-1 Mower with Torque-Sense Control - 2 Batteries & Fast Charger included https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074KNZMWG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ucYUDbE3T5M1E

They do, and they're rather expensive.

Agreed. The price fluctuates from $80-110. Works great and you'll save big in the long run.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0030BG1HM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503582352&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=greenworks+dethatcher&dpPl=1&dpID=41qswmv3RAL&ref=plSrch

That stuff has been in stores for years.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SJEUFF4/

Yeah you are going to want to get that stuff out of there asap. I picked up an Agri-fab lawn sweeper for renovation work that does a decent job with leaves once you start to rake them up:
https://www.amazon.com/Agri-Fab-45-0218-26-Inch-Push-Sweeper/dp/B00004RANC?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_3016425011

It does an amazing job with thatch and lawn clippings, and does a pretty good job with leaves as long as they aren't super thin, then it only does a so-so job. The biggest secret with it is to get the sweeper set just right and the angle of attack that you hold the push bar at, and the angle you lean your body into it.

As others have said get the material out, put down a pre-emergent and follow a fertilization program and weed control program until late summer, then do a seeding with a top dressing. use a leaf blower to keep the leaves at bay while your new turf comes in, and keep the leaves off through the winter.

For areas like this that are going to get constant damage from leaves I recommend a type of turf grass blend that has the ability to self repair. You are in the same zone as I am, so I've had a ton of success with these two:

https://www.outsidepride.com/seed/grass-seed/fescue-grass-seed/combat-extreme-fescue-grass-seed.html

and

https://www.outsidepride.com/seed/grass-seed/bluegrass-seed/kentucky-bluegrass-hybrid.html

I use both typically overseeded on top of each other, with the bluegrass going down first and two weeks later the The Combat Extreme. The Combat Extreme comes in within 7 days or so and I also use that for filling any holes in the spring. They blend well together after around 7 months, and both self repair if properly cared for. (note that bluegrass seed is super tiny, so 5lbs of seed covers a lot more area than 5lbs of the combat extreme, hence the price difference.)

I expected a reel mower http://www.amazon.com/Great-States-415-16-16-Inch-Standard/dp/B00002N691/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1279647414&sr=1-12

I have the Sun Joe, they're nearly identical from watching the Test and Lawn Ginja on you tube. He has a couple of reviews. Good stuff. I love mine, especially for the money with what it can do. The sun joe comes with an interchangeable scarifier attachment in addition to the dethatcher it ships with. The scarifier attachment is awesome for planting seed. Could not be happier for 125 bucks. Apparently it's a hot item since the price is up to 158 - https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Joe-AJ801E-Dethatcher-Collection/dp/B01FEATL2I/ref=sr_1_3?crid=CE3ZR4CQTHZZ&keywords=sunjoe+dethatcher&qid=1562640773&s=gateway&sprefix=sunjoe+det%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-3

Haha, yeah. My mower was ~1800 lbs shipped so I assume that's actually a pretty reasonable rate for expedited freight on something that large.

I assume he (has to be he...) used a riding mower with a reel cutter, but if you did it by hand a push mower is as cheap as mowers come. And modern ones are so light compared to the old cast steal ones. https://www.amazon.com/American-Lawn-Mower-1204-14-14-Inch/dp/B00004RA3F/ref=asc_df_B00004RA3F/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198060922766&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8440192074820352189&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002004&hvtargid=pla-343143228714&psc=1

I'd suggest buying one with a couple of neighbors - it's what I did. I heard the blades are worthless. Dethatching regularly in the fall is good for your yard. I also aerate and it does nothing for the thatch. We bought this one. It works great. It's corded so that's a bit of a pain.

How would a Poulan Pro like this compare to the Craftsman with Kohler engine?
https://www.amazon.com/Poulan-Pro-961120134-PR500N21SH-Discharge/dp/B019DY7JZW/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1495335621&sr=8-7&keywords=Poulan+pro

Got excited about the lawnmower, can't say I wasn't surprised about the price (not the exact same one though)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SJEUFF4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_h7s3AbR62FT2N

For manual stomp aerator, are you talking about something like this? I was told that things like this are essentially worthless because they don't pull any plugs.

What about this for a dethatcher?

https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-StaySharp-Mower-Width-362050-1001/dp/B01N7K4BNX

It's brand new

https://www.amazon.com/Greenworks-14-Inch-Corded-Dethatcher-27022/dp/B0030BG1HM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=greenworks+dethatcher&qid=1562685350&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Actually there are some available for just $1,000. Although you might be better off getting one with a larger battery.

You could have let a robot take care of it for you

I'm not saying that telemarketers are necessary, but there are a lot of folks making a living talking on the telephone whose days are numbered.

You realize that there are already autonomous trucks operating in oil fields as we speak, right? Or that the insurance firms are already trying to figure out how they'll deal with driverless vehicles when they hit the road?

Meanwhile, a Chinese construction firm is in the process of rolling out 3D printed buildings, and have stated that the technology reduces labor needs by 70 - 80%.

And then there's the "lawn roomba" that you can already buy on amazon, but don't worry, they also come in professional grade versions if you're dealing with large areas.

I know people want to trot out the Luddite fallacy every time someone says that 'robots will take our jobs', but there are some really smart folks who are pretty convinced that this time it's going to be different.

And it's not even that robots will take all of the jobs, but automation is going to begin hollowing out the employment market soon (and already is), and thanks to Moore's law, once it starts in earnest, it will only pick up speed.

Keep an eye out for Garage sales, and such for the off chance they got something manual or electric(I doubt anyone would be dropping theirs)
Otherwise, In terms of getting an alternatively powered one, These are cheapest I saw on Amazon at the moment:

14-inch blade Hand Reel Mower
14-inch 12 Amp Electric Mower
You should be able to find cheaper if you try look, but I don't have time for such right now, location is a big factor of course.


Depending on the size of you lawn, a Weed Wacker should be substantial(I believe that is what is usually used around public building), and as long as you properly dispose of the blade wire, it should be better, even if it's fueled, although of course, electric is better.


For alternatives to a grass lawn, there are lots of articles on the matter, commonly suggesting things such as astroturf, rock gardens, native gardens and such.


If you are part of a villa, in which the owner insists, you could try bring up concern over gas mowers with council, but you might not want to till you at least get to know about it, otherwise, if the owner seems an understanding guy, try bring it up with them.

Just get one of these. When I get a house and move out of my apartment, that is going to be one of my first purchases. I mowed the lawn enough when I lived when my parents. Never again!

I bought this electric dethatcher and it works great!

Well worth the money for the time it saves and back pain it prevents.

I paid about $120 for the Greenworks model on Amazon, link below.

After I bought mine, I saw a similar model from SunJoe with a scarifier for a similar price. I would consider that also if it's still available.
https://www.amazon.com/Greenworks-14-Inch-Corded-Dethatcher-27022/dp/B0030BG1HM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=sunjoe+dethatcher&qid=1571326740&sprefix=sunjo&sr=8-3

you could 'mud jack' the sidewalk to raise it

I've got kinda the same thing going on where most of my soil is at least an inch higher than the sidewalk, then when seeding or putting down fert a lot of it washes off the 'crown' ... I did get the Sun Joe to use the veri-cutter to keep going over it to loosen up just the top layer and that helped to smooth it some and lower slightly, so maybe I'll do that twice a year for a few seasons, as I have two corners on my lot(so sidewalk on three sides .. 86 squares!) but on one stretch of sidewalk the dirt is a good 3~4 inches above the sidewalk surface(plus the sidewalk squares are uneven, and slant a little to one side) so I'm really considering having at least that part of the walk raised up and leveled - I have not called them yet to see how affordable it is(saw a truck in town one day that advertised mud jacking on the side of it, so I know you can hire it out) but I've seen youtubes where people have lifted walkway slabs with two bottle jacks on the sides and a brace between them above the slab with straps going down and around or hooks to grab the edges, then put sand/dirt/gravel or whatever under it before setting them back down ... there is also a method where they just inject expanding foam, and that lifts them up

I have a drainage ditch that I needed to mow on a corner house with a slope of 30 degrees in some places.

I was looking at several options and ultimately decided on getting an all wheel drive mower.
If the ditch wasn't so close to the street and I had more money I would have really liked to give one of those robot mowers a shot.
Something like this - https://www.amazon.com/Landroid-Robotic-Mower-28-volt-WG794/dp/B00SJEUFF4


Of course there's always the redneck way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2WIqmUuXD8

Is you slope steeper than 20 degrees? Almost all riding mowers do recommend mowing on anything higher than 20 to 25 degrees.

On sale right now for $79.16 on Amazon. Price will jump up to $100+ in August or September.


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You are welcome.

Technically... https://www.amazon.com/Landroid-Robotic-Mower-28-volt-WG794/dp/B00SJEUFF4

I personally wouldn't spend $180 on batteries for a mower that old, especially if you aren't totally sure what's wrong with it. You can get what appears to be the new version for $280. You could probably sell the old mower for $50-100.

If you're looking for a dethatcher take a look at this one. I just bought this a couple weeks ago and used it on my front lawn. Worked pretty well for what I wanted it for and opened up the soil a bit. Got mine for about $100.

Greenworks Dethatcher

Youtube Review - Greenworks compared to Bluebird power rake.

https://www.amazon.com/GreenWorks-27022-Amp-Corded-Dethatcher/dp/B0030BG1HM/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1497161676&sr=1-1&keywords=dethatcher


Buy this, it saved my Empire Zoysia. I over fertilized a couple years ago, that causes thatch problems along with over watering.

Now, I use 13-13-13 once per month (April through August), and my yard has recovered almost fully from the thatch damage.

1" blade height is ideal.

Dude; spend $90 more and enjoy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FEATL2I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://amazon.com/dp/B01CUV9IJA/ref=asc_df_B01CUV9IJA5151475/

This idea could be used on a bigger scale in a field. Where is your god now old man?