So, we need a lawnmower. We've been borrowing an electric one when the lawns need mowing, but we really need to get our own soon. I'm turning into more and more of a hippy and am seriously considering a push mower (i.e. non-powered).
Does anyone have one, and are they effective, or a giant pain in the bum? I know it'll take me a bit longer to do the lawns, but really we don't have that much space, and I don't mind the tradeoff really...
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"The last time I went to buy petrol, they wouldn't tell me the mix ratio as they might get into trouble! I didn't have a mobile at the time to call anyone, and it put me off mowing altogether"
So your mower was a two stroke mower? most mower are four stroke meaning the oil is mixed automatically in an oil chamber over time while you are operating the machine, you can get two stroke mowers but they are not as common and they are not as efficent on fuel, they are a lot more powerfull though, we had one we used at one of my previous jobs, it was a self propelled mower and it sliced through puffy kukuya with ease.
I wouldnt ask someone at the garage for ratios and advice on mowers its kind of unfair to expect them to know the specifications of your machine! ask an expert at the mower shop or look up the mower on the internet they usually have a manual online.
Thanks a lot for the very generous offer Laurie, but I live in Hawke's Bay so it'd be a bit hard for me to take you up on it!
Laurie Kearns said:
Hi Sonya I have an old but going flymo (which oddly enough has wheels) it is taking up space in my garage/man cave. you'd be doing me a favor if you would like to take it away, I realise it is electric and not truly "hippy" but at least it does'nt run on old dinosaur remains.
Hi Sonya
I have an old but going flymo (which oddly enough has wheels) it is taking up space in my garage/man cave.
you'd be doing me a favor if you would like to take it away, I realise it is electric and not truly "hippy" but at least it does'nt run on old dinosaur remains.
Yeah, Earl, I have thought of doing more with the land but to be honest, we're only planning on staying here another year and I'd rather put my time and money into working on the beds that I already have, and then into creating what I _really_ want in a working garden once we buy a property.
Earl Mardle said:
Sonya said:
I'd love to, Earl, but it's a rental so I've done pretty much all I can with the back yard... I've dug 3 big beds into it as it is! >
Just a thought, have you asked your landlord? I'd bet there are some landlords who would understand that having a tenant who develops gardens and orchards on their property is adding value in two ways.
1. It makes your tenancy more sustainable
2. It makes re-letting the place easier when you move on to people who would love a working garden - something that will become very attractive as the current madness rolls out.
I'd love to, Earl, but it's a rental so I've done pretty much all I can with the back yard... I've dug 3 big beds into it as it is! >
Just a thought, have you asked your landlord? I'd bet there are some landlords who would understand that having a tenant who develops gardens and orchards on their property is adding value in two ways.
1. It makes your tenancy more sustainable
2. It makes re-letting the place easier when you move on to people who would love a working garden - something that will become very attractive as the current madness rolls out.
I'd love to, Earl, but it's a rental so I've done pretty much all I can with the back yard... I've dug 3 big beds into it as it is!
Earl Mardle said:
Better still, get rid of the weeds/lawn and grow something useful.
We are growing rhubarb and broad beans in part of ours at the moment, took a nice crop of Pumpkins and Zucchini, some corn and a few melons out of it. In the end we plan to have it turned into an orchard.
Better still, get rid of the weeds/lawn and grow something useful.
We are growing rhubarb and broad beans in part of ours at the moment, took a nice crop of Pumpkins and Zucchini, some corn and a few melons out of it. In the end we plan to have it turned into an orchard.
Thanks everyone for the comments. It's given me a lot to think about - seems very silly to make a push mower with blades that can't be sharpened! What's the point of that?
Thanks Hester, I'd love to borrow your one and give it a try... And yeah, I thought the exercise would be good. :)
Hi Sonya
I have a push mower you can try.
It used to be my preferred option when I lived at propertiesthat had regular shaped smaller lawn areas. Gary loves engines, and our grass area IS rather large.(We are working on reducing it by making more and more garden plots.We plan eventually to have very little grass and much more food!)
I really enjoyed push mowing-good exercise and very satisfying.
We have been using a psuh mower for the last 6 months. By "we" I mean my fiancee. We only have a small patch of lawn, about 10x5 metres. Our biggest problem is that it doesn't effectivley get into the edges- which means overgrown edges and weed pulling or whacking. Because it only cuts when the blade is moving, it doesn't cut when pushed up against something eg the fence, unlike a motor mower which the blade is constantly revolving. It works just fine over places where the concrete and grass meet- if you have a lawn predominantly edged by that maybe it's the way to go. Also consider the relatively low set up cost- less than $100 on a good sale. If you use it for a year then decide to upgrade, no great loss. Pluss it's a great work out (though I would say only takes a little longer to mow the lawn than a motormower would.
Hope that helps, feel feel to ask for any clarification!
Replies
So your mower was a two stroke mower? most mower are four stroke meaning the oil is mixed automatically in an oil chamber over time while you are operating the machine, you can get two stroke mowers but they are not as common and they are not as efficent on fuel, they are a lot more powerfull though, we had one we used at one of my previous jobs, it was a self propelled mower and it sliced through puffy kukuya with ease.
I wouldnt ask someone at the garage for ratios and advice on mowers its kind of unfair to expect them to know the specifications of your machine! ask an expert at the mower shop or look up the mower on the internet they usually have a manual online.
Laurie Kearns said:
I have an old but going flymo (which oddly enough has wheels) it is taking up space in my garage/man cave.
you'd be doing me a favor if you would like to take it away, I realise it is electric and not truly "hippy" but at least it does'nt run on old dinosaur remains.
Earl Mardle said:
Just a thought, have you asked your landlord? I'd bet there are some landlords who would understand that having a tenant who develops gardens and orchards on their property is adding value in two ways.
1. It makes your tenancy more sustainable
2. It makes re-letting the place easier when you move on to people who would love a working garden - something that will become very attractive as the current madness rolls out.
Just a thought.
Earl Mardle said:
We are growing rhubarb and broad beans in part of ours at the moment, took a nice crop of Pumpkins and Zucchini, some corn and a few melons out of it. In the end we plan to have it turned into an orchard.
If nothing else, bury it under 10cm of mulch.
Thanks Hester, I'd love to borrow your one and give it a try... And yeah, I thought the exercise would be good. :)
I have a push mower you can try.
It used to be my preferred option when I lived at propertiesthat had regular shaped smaller lawn areas. Gary loves engines, and our grass area IS rather large.(We are working on reducing it by making more and more garden plots.We plan eventually to have very little grass and much more food!)
I really enjoyed push mowing-good exercise and very satisfying.
Hope that helps, feel feel to ask for any clarification!
Jess