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We hate to say the following words — but summer will soon be over and autumn is waiting just around the corner. Because of that, your lawn and garden need to be prepared for the upcoming cooler weather so you’ll have a lush, green yard next year. It doesn’t take too much work, as maintenance is far easier than letting things go and facing a mountain of work. In this Mower Source post, we’ll go over some of the things you’ll have to start looking at in the coming weeks to prepare your garden for the fall.
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Get Rid of the Weeds

By far, one of the most important things you can do for your lawn and garden is keeping it free of weeds. You can use pesticides, but there’s no guarantee you’ll hit every single pest. Plus, dousing your lawn and garden in pesticides doesn’t exactly provide a hospitable environment for grass and plants to grow and thrive.

As much as everyone hates pulling weeds, it’s really the best way to go. The thought of bending down and yanking weed after weed is something that few people look forward to, but that’s because they don’t do it right. Instead, follow these tips to make the job much easier:

  • Put on some good music to distract you from the task.
  • Pick a humid or damp day so the soil will be loose, making it easier to pull out the weeds. If that’s not possible, pour hot water over the weeds to loosen them up.
  • If the weeds aren’t buried in snugly, pull them from the base, making sure to get the root (or else they’ll regrow themselves).
  • If the weeds are buried snugly, use a small shovel or garden cultivator to loosen the soil, even pulling up clumps of soil just to ensure you’ve got the weed by the root.
  • Treat the Soil

    If you live in a northern state, like Wisconsin or Minnesota, you’re not used to year-long sunshine that’s strong and powerful. And if you go on vacation somewhere where the weather is like that, like Hawaii, then your skin will throw a little hissy fit. You know this, and prepare your skin by slathering on sunscreen.

    Do the same for your soil, giving it a protective coating for the impending cooler air. Soil particularly likes compost and cover crops, with a thin layer of topsoil raked over a little bonus. For your grass, wait until the leaves start falling and then use your lawn mower to turn it into mulch. These measures are a little bit of rejuvenation for your lawn and garden, and help prime it until the sun pokes out again next spring.

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    Plant Cool Season Grasses

    This tip applies to states where cooler weather is a regularity, not an exception. Putting in cool-season grasses — those that do the majority of their growing when the weather is cooler (not necessarily cold) rather than warmer. Some of the grasses you’ll be looking at include fescue and rye, and by planting before the frost hits, you’ll be giving the seeds a chance to spread and take root.

    You’ll also want to apply a slow-release fertilizer, giving your grasses an extra bit of carbohydrates so they can stay “fed” during the cold months. It’s not a necessary step to take, but it will give your lawn a boost in looking healthy come spring.

    And if you want to plant ornamental grasses for a gorgeous autumn look, try out fountain grass, red switch grass, feather reed grass or flame grass for amazing color and texture.

    Mower Source has you covered on everything that has to do with your yard, from how to mow your grass properly to what a great garden should — and can — look like. And on every product you buy from us, we’ll send it over right away without charging a dime for taxes (except MN) and shipping.
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    Nobody thinks they’ll ever get injured when mowing the lawn and not because they don’t misunderstand the injuries a lawn mower can cause, but because they think the accidents will always happen to someone else. But that’s not the case, as people get injured by lawn mowers everyday. Sometimes it’s because of lack of preparation, sometimes it’s because of distraction, and sometimes it’s because of truly unavoidable circumstances. Mower Source is here to look over some of the most common accidents that can happen with a lawn mower, and what you can do to minimize your chances of becoming a statistic.
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    Contact with the Rotating Blade

    You’re mowing along happily when suddenly, you notice the grass isn’t being cut anymore. So, in an attempt to get it going again, you turn the lawn mower off, reach underneath to clear a clump of clogged grass…and find out the blades haven’t stopped moving. This kind of accident can also occur if you reach into the discharge chute, and is incredibly preventable. Remember that just because you turned the lawn mower off, it doesn’t necessarily mean the blades won’t move of their own accord. Sometimes, there’s pressure holding them in a certain position and dislodging the object that’s pushing them back can cause a reverse reaction, causing the blades to move. Your best bet is to turn the machine off, unplug the cord (if it’s an electrical lawn mower), and then use a stick or broom handle to dislodge anything underneath or in the chute.

    Thrown Objects

    Let’s say you’re smart about not sticking your hand anywhere near the blades and know to use a stick instead — you’re still not out of the accident woods yet. Objects on your lawn that can’t get shredded by the blades — just about anything other than grass, small sticks, and paper — will ricochet off the blades and possibly up at you. And despite your best efforts to clear the lawn free of debris before you start, there can still be little objects laying hidden in the grass, like pieces of glass or small stones. Your best course of action is to walk around your lawn before you start, trying as best as you can to pick up anything that’s not grass.

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    Burns

    If you ride a motorcycle, then you know to be incredibly careful of the muffler when you dismount, because that thing gets incredibly hot, incredibly fast. Lawn mowers operate much the same way, heating up quickly and able to cause severe burns. Treat your lawn mower like an oven, and don’t touch until you’re absolutely sure it’s cooled down. Another kind of burn injury can be caused if gasoline leaks anywhere, and is sparked into a fire by the engine’s ignition system or battery. To prevent becoming seriously injured, make sure you have a fire extinguisher outside with you that can put out either electrical or gasoline fires.

    Back-Over Accidents

    If you use a riding lawn mower, then this type of accident is always a possibility. You don’t have a lot of visibility behind you, and with the amount of noise a riding mower makes, there’s always the chance of reversing over someone. To avoid this, always have your children or anyone else in plain sight before going backwards.

    And as sturdy as some riding mowers may be, they’re not completely immune from toppling over, such as on hills or bumpy spots on the lawn. To prevent this, go as steadily as you can, using a walk-behind mower if you have to on tricky bits. It may seem like a lot of extra work, but compared to the chance of severe injury caused by riding a lawn mower over trouble spots, it’s just a lot smarter to take a couple minutes extra.

    Mower Source knows that its readers are a smart, safe bunch, which is why we want you to check our selection of lawn mowers and accessories so you can practice these safety tips on top-of-the-line products. Order anything you want, and get free shipping to the lower 48 states.