Spring means the return of many things, such as warmer weather, migrating birds, colorful tree and flower blossoms, and for better or worse — lawn care.
Daniel Lorentz, owner of Lorentz Small Engines at 522 North G St. in Poplar Bluff has a number of helpful tips to keep your yard equipment in top operation and your grass looking like you hired a professional.
For the traditional push mower, Lorentz recommends full maintenance early in the mowing season.
This service includes sharpening blades, changing the oil, replacing the spark plug and air filter, and filling the tank with fresh gasoline.
He recommends never using gasoline with ethanol in small engines, only high-octane fuel with no ethanol. Even then he also advises the use of a gasoline stabilizer additive.
“Regular gasoline is hard on a small engine,” Lorentz says.
“Ethanol burns hotter but not cleaner,” he says. “It draws in moisture that can damage pistons and cylinders.”
He also says to always use an impact wrench when removing and replacing a mower blade. Hand-tightening a mower blade risks the blade flying off, which can potentially cause serious injury and property damage.
For riding mowers, the service recommended is the same, but with the addition of checking the battery, the belts and pulleys on the mower deck, and the tire inflation.
“Tire inflation is important, especially if you want an even cut on your lawn,” Lorentz says.
He recommends inflation of 12 pounds psi in the front and 10 pounds psi on the back.
Once you start cutting grass, Lorentz says to be sure to use a water hose or air blower to remove all grass clippings from the mower deck after each use to extend the life of the mechanism.
If you need to get your riding mower serviced or to order parts, be sure to get the model and serial number off the mower, which can usually be found under the operator’s seat.
Growing in popularity are zero-turn radius riding mowers, or ZTRs. These mowers are more expensive, but they may be worth the investment for some homeowners.
“The perks of a ZTR are in time saved,” Lorentz says. “It cuts mowing time in half in most cases.”
If you’ve never used a ZTR, Lorentz suggests finding a large open area to drive around and get used to the way it operates.
For those who are thinking about buying a used mower, Lorentz suggests that the level of knowledge and trust about the person selling, along with their reputation and word of mouth about their used mowers, is the best way to find reliable equipment.
He also emphasizes that once you purchase a used mower, getting it serviced is an effective way of maximizing its use and value.
No lawn looks fully finished without edging and trimming, which is where line trimmers are essential equipment.
Once again, Lorentz stresses that a high-quality zero ethanol gasoline is essential, along with a high-quality oil for the two-cycle engine.
Rather than mixing gasoline and oil yourself, Lorentz suggests a premixed gas/oil fuel ideally suited for use in line trimmers.
If you’re wondering how important a sharp mower blade really is, Lorentz answers, “How good do you want your lawn to look?”
A properly sharpened blade will smoothly cut off the top layer of grass with no fraying.
How often to sharpen the blade depends on ground quality. Sand, rocks, and sticks all shorten the life of a blade, requiring more frequent sharpening and replacement.
For new lawn equipment or service on existing mowers, trimmers, tillers, and chain saws, Lorentz Small Engines is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday during the spring and summer from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Their phone number is 573-718-1300.