I love fall! The landscape is beautiful and the air is so crisp. The thing I don’t love about fall is the fall yard work. I want to enjoy the season more and mulch and compost less. However, when Spring comes around again I’m always happy I did the work.
Everyone’s lawn is different, and depending on your own area, you will need to do different things. We basically use the grass clippings for compost and mulch the leaves. Mulching is really important to insulate the lawn. What happens in the winter- especially if you live in an area that’s prone to fluctuations in temperature – is that the roots of your grass will freeze and thaw, and that will cause the cells to expand and contract and become damaged. The mulch insulates the ground so it’s not so much affected by the fluctuations. If you have a lot of small leaves, they make great mulch, but with larger leaves like maple, it makes more sense to mow them into smaller bits and then spread that over the lawn.
Grass clippings work great in a compost pile as they’re small enough to fall down into cracks and as they decompose, they fill the soil with much needed nutrients. They’re all over the lawn anyway after the last cutting, so using them to generate better soil in the spring only makes sense. If you do decide to compost your grass clippings, remember to stay under 50% grass and to turn the pile every few days to keep it well oxygenated.
In an effort to get the work done a little bit sooner this year, I tried out the GreenWorks 80V Pro Cordless Lawn Mower. With only a 30 minute charge time and a 60 minute run time, it’s a real time saver for me, and I love that I’m not polluting the environment with a gas powered mower. I get the power of a gas mower without the hassle of fumes or pollution which makes me one happy eco-camper!
It’s so easy to change out the battery, too (duo batteries are available with Model GLM801601 or may be purchased separately if you’d like a spare.) Plus, the battery on the GreenWorks Mower is interchangeable with all of the GreenWorks 80V Pro Power Tools, so you can get all of your year-round yard work in with Hedge Trimmers, Chainsaws, Blowers and even the GreenWorks 89V Pro Snowblower. Watch as my hubby demonstrates how easy it is to power up your GreenWorks Mower with a fresh battery:
The GreenWorks 80V Pro Cordless Lawn Mower has a long list of desirable features including:
- Highest voltage in the industry, 80V Li-Ion offers up to 60 minutes of run time with fully charged 4ah battery
- (4AH Battery Sold Separately or With Lawn Mower Model GLM801602)
- 21-inch steel deck with 3-in-1 design for mulch, side discharge or rear bag capability
- Smart Cut™ Technology improves performance and extends run-time
- DigiPro™ digital controlled brushless motor for greater efficiency and higher performance
- Quiet operation and instant push button start
- 7-position single lever hieght adjustment for range of 1-3/8 inch to 3-3/4 inch cut
- 8 inch front wheels and 10 inch rear wheels
- Handle folds down easily for transportation and storage
- Rapid Charge of 30 minutes for 80V 2AH battery and 60 minutes for 80V 4AH battery
The 21 inch steel deck with 3-in-1 discharge makes short work of anything I have to get done. It’s got a push button start, because no one in 2015 should have to yank on a string to get the mower started. It’s also nice for people who don’t have a lot of cord-pulling strength as well as teenagers that claim the inability to start the mower is the reason they don’t want to do their chores!
Speaking of strength, it should be noted that this mower is not self-propelled, so you will need to exert a tiny bit of effort. It’s nice and lightweight though so it’s easy and if you want to put an even more positive spin on things, you can remember that pushing a mower burns a few more calories. (More calories burned in the fall equal more guilt-free pie to be eaten on Thanksgiving!) Another bonus for heath is that because it isn’t gas powered, there are no filthy emissions to fill your lungs. Overall, it’s a great mower, and it gets the job done easily and efficiently. It’s definitely getting a workout at my place.
Do you prep your lawn for winter?
My husband would love this and the other tools. He’s been looking for a cordless set. We are late prepping our lawn this year.