Maintaining a lush, green lawn requires more than just sunshine and water. To achieve that perfectly manicured yard, you’ll need the right tools. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer variety of lawn care equipment available, leaving you wondering which tools are truly essential and which are simply nice-to-haves. This guide will walk you through the 11 most important Tools For Lawn Care that every homeowner should consider, along with key factors to think about before you invest.
Important Note: Choosing tools from the same brand, especially for battery-operated models, can be advantageous. Often, batteries are interchangeable across a brand’s product line, simplifying storage and charging. Bundling deals on same-brand tools like mowers, blowers, and trimmers can also offer cost savings.
Lawn Mower
You can’t have lawn care without a lawn mower. It’s the undisputed number one tool for maintaining a healthy lawn. During the active growing season, regular mowing, typically once or twice a week, is crucial. The lawn mower keeps your grass at the ideal height and encourages healthy growth.
When selecting a lawn mower, the options can be extensive. To make the best choice for your needs, consider these factors:
- Lawn Size: The size of your lawn is a primary factor. For larger properties, a ride-on mower can save considerable time and effort. For smaller yards, a walk-behind push mower or even a manual reel mower might be sufficient and more practical to store.
- Budget: Lawn mowers come in a wide price range. Reel mowers can be very affordable, while ride-on mowers represent a significant investment. Determine your budget upfront to narrow your choices effectively.
- Brand Preference: Personal preferences and brand reputation can play a role. Perhaps you’ve heard positive reviews about a particular brand, or you prefer to stick with brands you already own tools from for battery compatibility. Popular brands include Sun Joe, Black and Decker, Craftsman, Worx, and Ryobi, among many others.
- Power Source: Consider your preferred power source: electric or gas. Electric mowers are quieter and require less maintenance, available in corded or battery-powered options. Gas mowers offer more power and runtime but require more maintenance and produce emissions. Battery-powered mowers offer a balance of convenience and power.
Pro Tip: Opt for a mower with a mulching feature. Mulching mowers finely chop grass clippings and return them to the lawn as a natural fertilizer, enriching the soil with valuable nutrients.
String Trimmer
Photo Credit: Michelle Selzer / LawnStarter
While your lawn mower handles the majority of the grass cutting, a string trimmer is indispensable for those hard-to-reach areas. It’s perfect for tidying up edges around obstacles like playsets, flower beds, trees, and along fences or the foundation of your house.
A string trimmer, also commonly known as a weed wacker or weed eater, is versatile and effective for trimming grass and weeds in tight spots. Like lawn mowers, string trimmers come in various types:
- Corded Electric: Reliable power as long as you have access to an outlet. Best for smaller yards.
- Battery-Powered: Offer more mobility than corded models, with battery technology continually improving runtime and power.
- Gas-Powered: Provide the most power and are suitable for larger properties and heavier trimming tasks.
Edger
For a truly polished and professional-looking lawn, an edger is essential. An edger creates clean, defined lines along borders by cutting a neat trench between your lawn and garden beds, walkways, driveways, or patios. This separation enhances the visual appeal of your landscaping.
While some homeowners may use a string trimmer on its side as an edger, a dedicated edger tool delivers a far cleaner and more refined edge. Edgers come in different forms:
- Manual Edgers: Powered by human effort, manual edgers require more physical work but offer precision and are ideal for smaller areas. Types include spade edgers, roller edgers, and hand shears.
- Motorized Edgers: These edgers are powered for ease of use and efficiency, available in gas, corded electric, or battery-powered versions. Some string trimmers have edger attachments, while dedicated walk-behind wheeled edgers provide maximum power and efficiency for larger properties.
Blower
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A leaf blower is a fantastic tool for quick and easy cleanup after mowing and edging. It efficiently removes grass clippings from sidewalks, driveways, and patios, preventing them from being tracked indoors or becoming unsightly. Blowers are also invaluable in the fall for clearing leaves from your lawn. Leaving leaves on your lawn can block sunlight and air circulation, hindering the grass’s health. When choosing a leaf blower, consider:
- Air Volume (CFM) and Air Speed (MPH): Higher CFM and MPH ratings indicate more powerful blowing force.
- Type: Handheld blowers are lightweight and maneuverable for smaller tasks. Backpack blowers offer greater power and comfort for larger areas. Wheeled blowers provide maximum power for commercial or very large residential properties.
- Power Source: Similar to other tools, blowers come in corded electric, battery-powered, and gas options, each with its own trade-offs in terms of power, runtime, and convenience.
Spreader
A spreader is an indispensable tool for achieving even application of various lawn care products. It ensures consistent coverage of fertilizers, herbicides, grass seed for overseeding, granular pesticides, and soil amendments. Uniform application is crucial for effective treatment and preventing patchy results. Given its versatility, a spreader is a must-have tool for lawn care. Spreaders come in various types and sizes to suit different lawn sizes and needs:
- Hand-held Spreaders: Small and ideal for spot treatments or very small lawns.
- Walk-behind Spreaders: The most common type for residential lawns, available in broadcast spreaders (for wide coverage) and drop spreaders (for precise application).
- Chest/Shoulder-mounted Spreaders: Offer hands-free operation and are suitable for medium-sized lawns.
- Tow-behind Spreaders: Designed to be pulled behind a lawn tractor or ride-on mower, best for very large properties.
Maintenance Tip: Always thoroughly rinse your spreader after each use to prevent corrosion and ensure it functions properly for years to come.
Bonus Use: In regions with snow, your spreader can also be used to evenly distribute ice melt during winter, making it a year-round utility tool.
Gloves
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Protecting your hands is essential when handling lawn care chemicals and performing yard work. Gloves are a simple yet vital tool for lawn care and safety. They prevent direct contact with fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and ice melt, minimizing the risk of skin irritation or chemical exposure. Gloves also shield your hands from blisters, cuts, and scrapes while gardening and handling tools.
Garden gloves are widely available in a range of materials, sizes, and styles at home improvement stores and garden centers. Choose durable gloves that provide a good grip and fit comfortably.
Watering Tools
Reliable watering is fundamental to a healthy lawn. While rainfall is helpful, it’s not always consistent or sufficient. Having effective watering tools allows you to provide the necessary hydration to your lawn, especially during dry periods. Both cool-season and warm-season grasses typically require 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week during their active growth phases. Your watering options include:
- Sprinkler System: An in-ground sprinkler system provides automated and consistent watering, ideal for larger lawns and busy homeowners.
- Garden Hose with Watering Attachments: A versatile option for targeted watering. Use a hose reel for tidy storage and to prevent tripping hazards. Various watering attachments, like spray nozzles and wands, offer different spray patterns and reach.
Watering Tip: To gauge if you’re watering adequately, use a rain gauge or place a tin can in your yard while watering to measure the amount of water delivered. This ensures you’re providing the recommended amount of water without overwatering.
Basic Yard Hand Tools
Beyond powered equipment, a collection of basic hand tools is indispensable for various lawn care and landscaping tasks.
Hand-held Shovel
A hand-held shovel is a versatile tool with multiple uses in lawn care. It’s perfect for digging up sprinkler heads for repair, creating small planting holes for flowers or shrubs, and assisting in manual weed removal.
Full-Size Shovel
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A full-size shovel is essential for heavier digging and material moving tasks. Whether you’re planting a tree, transplanting shrubs, or moving larger quantities of soil, mulch, or compost, a full-size shovel provides the leverage and capacity you need. There are various types of garden shovels designed for different purposes, but a general-purpose shovel is a valuable addition to any tool shed.
Rakes
Rakes are essential tools for lawn care, but different types serve distinct purposes.
- Leaf Rake: Characterized by its wide, flexible tines, a leaf rake is designed for gathering leaves and light debris from the lawn without damaging the grass.
- Garden Rake (Bow Rake or Metal Rake): With its sturdy, rigid tines, a garden rake is used for heavier tasks like spreading mulch and soil, leveling ground, and removing stones and debris from soil. It’s not ideal for leaves as it can be too aggressive for delicate grass. Having both types of rakes ensures you’re equipped for various lawn and garden cleanup tasks.
Cutting Tools
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A variety of cutting tools are essential for maintaining the plants and shrubs around your lawn. Having a selection of shears, pruners, snips, and loppers ensures you’re prepared for different trimming and pruning tasks.
- Shears: Best for shaping hedges and trimming larger areas of foliage. Electric hedge trimmers are available for efficiency when dealing with extensive hedges.
- Pruners (Hand Pruners): The most common cutting tool for general trimming and pruning of bushes, shrubs, and smaller branches.
- Snips (Gardening Scissors): Offer a clean, precise cut, ideal for delicate stems, flowers, and herbs.
- Loppers (Lopping Shears): Larger than pruners with long handles for increased leverage and reach, allowing you to cut thicker branches and access higher areas. Evaluate your landscaping to determine which cutting tools best suit your needs.
When to Consider Professional Lawn Care
While these 11 tools cover the essentials for most lawn care tasks, some specialized equipment, such as aerators and dethatchers, are needed less frequently. For these less common tasks, renting the equipment or hiring a professional lawn care service might be more practical and cost-effective than purchasing specialized tools.
Furthermore, if you find yourself overwhelmed by the prospect of DIY lawn care, or if you simply prefer to spend your time on other things, consider contacting a local lawn care professional. They can handle mowing, edging, trimming, fertilization, and other lawn maintenance tasks, ensuring your lawn stays healthy and beautiful without the hassle and time commitment for you.
Main Image Credit: Pexels
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Janae Soules
Janae Soules has a newly discovered love of gardening with her kids. She enjoys spending time in nature hiking, biking, or playing sports. Posts by Janae Soules
