Winter
Tips and Reminders
Lawnmower Tune-up
Weather and Storm Damage
Winter Protection
Winter Pruning
By following the steps below you can easily bring your
lawn mower's engine back to
life and keep your mower running stronger, longer.
Begin by starting the engine on your lawn mower and running
it until warm and the fuel tank is empty.
Disconnect the spark plug wire to prevent the lawn mower
from starting accidentally.
Clean around the oil fill and remove the dipstick. Depending
on your type of machine, the oil may be drained by removing an Oil
Drain Plug located under the mower housing just above the blade. To
get to it, put your lawn mower up on a couple of cinder blocks. Then,
with a basin to catch the used oil, remove the plug and allow the oil
to drain until it stops dripping out of the mower.
Put the Oil Drain Plug back in then refill the engine
with oil. Use the Oil Dip Stick as a guide and only add oil up
to the "Full" mark on the dipstick. Oil capacity is
approximately 20 ounces on most lawnmower engines.
Take the lawn mower off the blocks and remove the spark
plug. Before installing the new plug, check its gap (refer to your
owners manual for specifications), most Briggs & Stratton engines
require a spark plug gap of 0.030" or 0.75mm. After checking the
gap, screw the new spark plug in finger tight then tighten 1/4 to 1/3
turn more with your socket, but do not put the spark plug wire back
on just yet!
Now you may take out the old air filter and replace it
with the new one. A new high efficiency air filter helps your
lawn mower's engine perform at its peak. Be sure to saturate
new foam filters with fresh engine oil, wrap in a clean cloth, and
squeeze to remove the excess oil before installing. If you have a Cartridge
air filter (as illustrated, right), skip this step.
If your lawn mower blade is chipped, dented, bent, cracked
or dull now is an excellent time to replace it.
A study at the University of Nebraska proves that gas-powered
mowers with sharp blades use roughly 20-percent less fuel than mowers
with dull blades. Plus, sharp blades slice grass tips cleanly so your
lawn looks better and is less susceptible to disease.
Be sure the Spark Plug Wire is disconnected then tip
your lawn mower on its side.
Use a piece of wood to block the blade and keep it from
rotating while you work to remove it. An old blade may have jagged
edges that can cut you if you are not careful so be sure to wear gloves
when handling it to protect your hands. It also would be a good idea
to keep the gloves on when handling the new blade since it definitely
will be sharp.
Remove the bolt that holds the old blade. Mount
the new blade with the curved edges toward the housing. If the blade
is installed wrong it will not cut correctly and may cause an accident.
Fasten the new blade using the original washers and bolt.
Tighten the bolt that holds the blade to a torque of 30 pounds (set
your torque wrench to thirty pounds then tightened the bolt one click. Do
not click it again as you eventually will ruin your torque wrench if
you continue to give "just one more click to be sure").
© Copyright 1999--2002 FloridaGardener.com
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One of the biggest challenges facing the tree and
shrub care division is trying to figure out the effects that Mother
Nature has on the overall health of our landscapes. Many times during
winter we have seen our temperatures climb well into the 50 degree
range, we can have above or below average snowfall, or we can see terrible
ice and wind storms. Any of these circumstances can create visible
short-term damage, but the real damage will be long-term.
Warm winter temperatures can have several effects
on the landscape. Warm temperatures can cause premature Spring blooming.
Once early bloom starts, the blooms are highly susceptible to frost
damage. This should be considered this Spring when you begin to wonder
why a particular plant didn't flower as much as in the past or not
at all. A sudden warm spell can cause frost cracking of the trunk.
The evidence may not be visible for several years after the original
damage was done. Inadequate snow fall also plays a significant part
in plant health. Snow is an excellent insulator. It helps to protect
root systems much in the same way a properly applied mulch will. It
will help protect root systems by reducing the extreme temperature
swings and help to hold moisture in the soil. Snow cover will also
help to insulate and protect the low growing trees and shrubs from
winter desiccation. Desiccation also plays an important part in Integrated
Pest Management (I.P.M.). Just as a plant can suffer desiccation,
so too can our insect population. A mild winter means that more of
the overwintering eggs will survive and potentially lead to an increase
in our insect activity this season. Both our problem insects and our
beneficial insects.
Wind and ice storms will also cause damage to the
landscape. Uprooting trees, toppled trees, broken and damaged limbs
are some of the typical damages we see immediately. Uprooted trees
should be properly replanted as soon as possible to reduce further
root desiccation and damage. Quite often, restaking is not the solution.
Long-term effects can be seen later on as a result of a disrupted root
system. Root systems that have been disrupted will have a tendency
to show drought like symptoms earlier than others. Damaged limbs should
be properly removed as soon as possible to reduce rot, decay, dieback,
death or more significant damage later on.
Regular inspections of your plant material will
help to control the problem insects as well as promote the beneficial
insects. Storm damaged plant material can be identified and the necessary
management strategies can be taken to enhance the health of the landscapes.
If you need more help or information with this
topic or any other lawn or tree care questions, please contact
us.
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Desiccation is the term often used to describe the
damage to trees and shrubs that has resulted from our harsh winter
weather. Frozen ground can deprive plants of their natural ability
to absorb moisture from the soil. The drying winds of winter compound
the problem, resulting in excessive moisture loss that can cause severe
stress, shock, wilting and even plant failure.
Anti-Desiccants are materials that can be applied
to help reduce the amount of moisture lost. These materials, when applied,
form a protective coating on the foliage to help minimize the damages
caused by the drying winter winds. The first treatment should be in
late fall and a follow up visit in mid-winter. These treatments work
well on most evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas, hollies, boxwood and
many other ornamentals.
If you need more help or information with this
topic or any other lawn or tree care questions, please contact
us.
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Winter pruning will help any landscape to look its best
and achieve its maximum potential. Proper pruning works to establish
a consistent growth pattern and appearance to the entire landscape
site. Several factors must be considered in order to do this.
Visual beauty is enhanced when plants are maintained
in their natural shape and proper size.
Removal of oversized branches, redirecting growth and
raising of the canopy restores the natural form of trees and shrubs.
Restores the natural structure of the tree or shrub by
removing crossing, distorted, diseased or damaged branches.
Promotes better air circulation through selective removal
of dense branches. This helps to reduce insect and disease pressures.
If you need more help or information with this
topic or any other lawn or tree care questions, please contact
us.
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