Water makes grass grow, right? Right. But, too much water can be very detrimental to the health of the grass.

Fortunately there are steps you can take to be sure that you are properly watering your lawn.

Here are some tips to ensure that your lawn is getting adequate water.

Too Much Water....

It's a thing. Here are the signs that your lawn is getting too much water!

• Your lawn will be soggy even hours after watering
• You may notice fungus growth(this can also be caused by watering too late in the day)
• Runoff is occurring
• If your lawn is wilted, but you water it frequently, you are over watering your lawn.

The Proper Technique

There are certain things that you can do to be sure that you are properly watering your lawn.

When To Water

There are right and wrong times to water. First off, you should only water you lawn when it is needed. Watering while your grass is still wet is not ideal for your lawn. You want to let it dry.

Next, don't water your lawn while it's raining. Seems like common sense, but if you have sprinklers on a timer, you may forget to turn them off when it's raining. You don't want to be that guy in the neighborhood that wastes water by running sprinklers during rain.

Finally, water as early in the morning as you can. Watering early in the morning allows time for the water to settle in before it would evaporate in the afternoon sun. You might think, why not water at night? Well, if you water at night the water will sit on the grass for quite some time, and since the grass is not getting dried out at all, there is an increased chance that fungus will grow.

How much water should you use? How often?

You shouldn't water your lawn more than 2-3 times a week,  about a half of a inch of water should be applied each time. Make sure that water is being evenly distributed across your lawn.

If you have a sprinkler, or even if you have a hose a way to test how long it takes to get a half inch of water is to place a dish somewhere in the area that is receiving water and see how long it takes to get a half an inch of water in the container.

Once you know how long it takes you can set the timer on your sprinklers or know roughly how long you need to water your grass for.

Make sure that you follow these tips to be sure that your grass is getting a good, healthy amount of water to keep it nice and green!

Bonus!

A test to see if your lawn has had enough water is to see if you can stick a 6" screw driver into the ground fairly easily, this will show that the water has reached the root systems, which is most important!

Featured Parts:

• Sprinklers
• Hoses
• Water Timers
• Spray Nozzles
• Hose Connectors
• Hose Repair

One of the most popular features with new lawn mowers is whether or not they can mulch the grass you cut. So what's so great about mulching and why should you get on board with this trend?

What is Mulch?

First, let’s discuss what mulch is. You're probably familiar with the type of mulch that is put around your flower beds and the bases of trees. These days, that type of mulch seems to not only be there to be functional, but also to be decorative.

Mulch is a material that you put down to insulate the soil bed of a plant, protect the plant's moisture, and enrich the soil with nutrients (in the case of organic mulch) as it decomposes. Mulch can be in the form of leaves, bark, peat, or in our case, grass clippings.

Mulched grass is grass clippings that have been cut and re-cut into very small pieces that can easily drop between the grass blades in your lawn to the soil bed below. There it starts to break down, giving its nutrients back to the soil and back to your yard.

How does mulching occur?

If you want the quick and dirty of mulching your clippings, just rip off your grass bag and mow your grass, letting the discharged cuttings fall on the lawn. If you have a mulching mower, just set it to mulch and go.

But how does a mulching mower differ from a non-mulching, bag-less mower? A mulching mower has a mulching blade that attempts to cause clippings to fly upwards into the mowing deck where they will return to the blade to be cut again, over and over.

A mulching mower's deck is also made to not have a discharge location, or, as in many popular mowers, the mulching mower has a cover on the discharge location.
This keeps the clippings inside the mower's deck to get chopped up smaller and smaller.

Since there is all this extra cutting, a mulching mower's blade is usually spinning faster than a normal mower's. Extra speed and power allow the mower to power through the extra workload, but it means you will also want to monitor your blade’s sharpness. Keep a sharp mulching blade for optimal performance.

Benefits of Mulching

The major benefit in mulching is that it returns nutrients to your lawn, so your grass can grow healthy and thick. It also keeps the soil moist and covered to keep the temperature down. You may not need to fertilize as much, since you'll be gaining so much from the mulched clippings.

Mulching with your mower means you don't have to dispose of grass clippings, and you don't have to take time to empty your grass bag. That's less space in a landfill taken up with cut grass and less money you may have to pay for someone to dispose of your yard waste.

Everyone can mow their grass, but these 5 tips will take you from mowing like an amateur to mowing like an experienced groundskeeper.

1. Don't mow wet grass.

Mowing your lawn when it is wet is not a good idea for several reasons. First, the quality of cut will be affected, because it is tougher for the mowing blade to maintain its speed. This is due to wet clippings clumping together and impeding its progress.

Second, the clumping negatively affects the mower's ability to mulch and chop up the clippings into finer pieces.
Large clumps are then left in the grass for you to rake up, or get stuck inside the deck to bog down your mower even more.

Third, a slower turning mower blade will result in a poor cut quality. This can also mean your blade is not actually cutting the grass blades, but tearing them in half. You'll learn why that's really bad later in this article.

If you have to mow wet grass, follow these tips. Reduce the width of your cutting path to half, so less grass is being cut at one time. Bag your clippings instead of mulching to cut down on clumps being left behind and to reduce excess sticky clippings circulating in the deck.

2. Cut your lawn according to conditions.

Your lawn's height should change as the overall conditions change. Your lawn height should be longer during times of stress and shorter, if desired, during more normal and optimum growing conditions.

Some typical stresses and risks for your lawn include drought, disease, recovering from transplant (sod), and newly planted / growing grass. Longer grass will allow root systems to more fully develop so your lawn is more drought resistant.

Longer grass also allows for less sun penetration to the soil. This means your soil doesn't dry out as quickly, weeds don't get sunlight as they try to break through, and the grass can partially shade itself from the sun's intense rays.

So, be aware of your conditions. If you want short grass, make sure the weather and the current health of your lawn supports it. If it doesn't, let it grow a little bit more.

3. Cut your grass using the 150% rule.

The length you cut your grass is very important, so always cut your grass at or before it reaches 150% of your desired cutting height. This can also be called the 1/3 rule, meaning don't cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade when you mow your lawn. So, if you want 1 inch grass, cut it when it reaches or before it reaches 1.5 inches.

Cutting off too much of the grass leaf during mowing causes shock to the plant, resulting in halted growth. This shock can also leave your grass open to more damage from conditions, disease, and lead to a thinning lawn.

If your grass grows fast and you don't want to be out mowing all the time, consider choosing a longer length for your lawn. You'll have more time between mowing and you won't be jeopardizing the health of your lawn.

4. Mulch your clippings, bag when necessary.

You should always try to mulch instead of bag your clippings. This returns valuable nutrients to your lawn, promoting thicker healthier grass. But, if you're not adhering to the 150% rule (1/3 rule), you might not be helping your lawn.

If you've let your grass grow too long and end up cutting more than 1/3 of the grass's length, you run the risk of having large clippings blocking sunlight to your remaining living grass. In this situation, it is better to bag your clippings, or even rake your lawn, if necessary.

Short, finely cut grass clippings make great fertilizer for your lawn. They are better able to fall between the remaining blades of grass to the soil bed to be absorbed. If you are unable to mulch or you can't have visible clippings, you should definitely bag.

5. Keep your mower blade sharp

This may be number 5, but it is extremely important to keep your lawn mower's blade sharp. It greatly affects the quality of your cut and therefore affects the quality of your lawn's health.

Grass is a plant and you are basically pruning every blade of it when you mow your lawn. A sharp blade produces a clean cut that seals quickly. A dull blade, tears through a blade of grass leaving a ragged edge.

The shredded top left by a dull mower blade will brown, and if all of your grass is ragged, the overall color quality of your lawn will be impacted. Not only will the look be affected, but the grass blade will have a large open wound better allowing disease to enter it.

The ragged edged cut to your grass leaf can also cause shock to the plant, impacting its resiliency and growth. To rehash, a sharp blade creates a crisp, clean cut that will seal quickly and allow the plant to get back to its business of growing.

A sharp blade is also necessary when mulching to chop clippings into finer pieces fit for lawn mulch.

To check to see if your blade is sharp enough, inspect your lawn after mowing. Look closely at the tops of blades of grass that have been cut. Are they ragged or are they cut cleanly? If they are ragged, it's time to sharpen or replace your lawn mower blade.

It's spring time again and you can't wait to break out the power equipment you purchased last year to tame the jungle that's beginning to overtake your property.

More importantly, you get to show off in front of your neighbors.

You rode your lawn mower like a King on his horse, proudly waving to your loyal subjects as they kneeled before your lawn. Occasionally you would stop and converse with the common folk, just to satisfy their envious desires. But, nothing could keep you away for too long.

Even the string trimmer and leaf blower seemed like toys you could play with for hours. But it's time to get down to business. You've got a huge barbeque to host this weekend.

Lifting the garage door and rolling out your riding mower, it begins to shine with pride in the sunlight. What a machine! Nothing could ruin this day.

Anxious to hear the engine purr you press the start button, the engine sputters and then conks out. Not a big deal, maybe it was just a fluke. You attempt to start it three more times, but the same thing happens. It doesn't start!

The Walk of Shame

With no time to spare, you are forced to take the walk of shame. With your head hung low, you shuffle your way through the neighbor's yard and shamefully knock on the front door, making sure no one else sees you. Asking to borrow their lawn mower is like asking for a kidney. You reluctantly use their mower, knowing that they're inside snickering at you.

After the grass is cut, you at least get to have some fun with your string trimmer and leaf blower, right? Wrong, they won't start either. Just a few sputters of life then total silence. There's plenty of gas in the tanks, so why is your next-to-new power equipment rebelling?

Coincidence or Not?

There's a similar reason why all of your power equipment is failing to start. It's not the amount of fuel in the tanks, it's the fuel itself. The gas in your tanks has gone bad, preventing start up. Over the winter, the gas in the tanks slowly became stale. These days, ethanol is the leading cause of this stale gas.

What is Ethanol?

Today, many fuel sources contain E10 ethanol additive (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline). Ethanol is a by-product of various agricultural crops, such as corn. Since ethanol is considered a renewable energy resource, it's blended with gasoline; thus it attempts to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Similar to alcohol, ethanol is a very powerful solvent. It can dissolve some solid materials like plastic, steel, aluminum, rubber, and fiberglass. Small engines are not built to run on this ethanol-gasoline blend. Ethanol is prone to absorbing water, which everyone should know is bad for your fuel and your engine.

The one-two punch of water absorption and dissolving power can wreak havoc on your small engine parts. Plastic fuel lines or plastic fuel tanks begin disintegrating, leaving a gummy-like substance to muck up your engine parts, especially your carburetor. These damages can turn into expensive repairs, all due to the E10 ethanol additive in the fuel.

Prevent Ethanol Destruction

Dirty Carburetor with Crystallized Varnish Deposits

Keep your ethanol-blended gas from going bad by only buying a 30 day supply of fuel. E10 has a shelf life of 90 to 100 days once it leaves the refinery. By the time you pump it from the gas station, it may only have 30 days of life left.

That's only 1 month! To be safe, assume your fuel has a shelf life of 1 month.

The fuel that was in your lawnmower, string trimmer, and leaf blower had probably been sitting for over 3 months, correct?

One way you can increase the life of your fuel, especially E10, is to use a fuel stabilizer like Sta-Bil, Startron, or Seafoam the same day you purchase the fuel.

A fuel stabilizer acts as a shield around your fuel, preventing it from degradation and oxidation over longer periods of time. A good fuel stabilizer can lengthen your fuel's shelf life up to 5 times.

You do the math! How long does your supply last now? You'll be reducing engine damage and you'll stop worrying that your fuel will go bad at the end of each month.

Buy Fresh

A busy reputable gas station sells more gas, so they will have the freshest fuel. If accessible, use gasoline without ethanol. Keep an eye out for "ethanol free gasoline" or search the Internet to locate distributors in your area. Maybe your neighbors know a good place.

Important Tips for Storage

There's a beneficial way to store your equipment if it won't be used for more than a month. Most importantly, remove and dispose of the old fuel in your machine. Here's a step-by-step guide on proper procedures for storing small engine equipment.

Be sure to refer to your equipment's owner's manual for any recommendations or procedures.

Conclusion & Your Thoughts

If you want to become King and rule your kingdom again, take these E10 precautions seriously. Don't use old gas, and add fuel stabilizer to your supply.

The piercing sounds of screams blast your eardrums, awakening you from your dream of winning the Best Lawn Award.

You fly downstairs, and in the heat of the moment, you drop-kick the door and rush outside.

There, lining the sidewalk in front of the yard are your neighbors, quivering in fear as if they've seen a ghost. Horror in their eyes as they stare at your lawn.

What is so Horrifying?

It's happening! Your lawn is becoming a breading and feeding ground for Zombies.

No, not actual flesh-eating Zombies. We're talking about a Zombie Lawn where Zombie Grass is a damaging, disfiguring, discoloring, and life-threatening monster.

Think it's a joke? Your lawn looked spectacular two days ago after a fresh mow, but now it looks like the living dead; part-living and part dead.

It's terrorizing your lawn and your screaming neighbors. What will cure the affected?

What Does It Look Like?

If you dare take a closer look, the tips of the Zombie Grass blades have a rough and ragged edge that has turned a brownish color, which is not the desired vibrant green grass you dream about. When you see that the tips of your grass are browning, check for the jagged torn edges of the grass blade.

Why Does It Look so Hideous?

When grass is roughly shredded or torn instead of finely cut, this increases the grasses recovery time after mowing. This slows proper growth and leaves the grass exposed to further heat stress, disease, insect damage, and discoloration. It's like cutting off a Zombie's leg. You would slow him down, but he would keep on moving; just like the grass would slow its growth, but still be alive.

What Causes It?

What is causing the possible end to your award-winning lawn? The truth is, grass edges become ragged when they are cut with dull mower blades. The dull blades rip and tear the grass apart, rather than leaving a smooth even cut. Sounds like torture doesn’t it? Well, your grass is suffering.

Let's Slay Some Zombies.

Think of how you would kill a Zombie. They basically have to have their heads cut off. Using a dull ax, sword, or meat cleaver would require a couple whacks to completely sever its head off. No one likes seeing a Zombie with its jagged head dangling on the side. Now, if you strike its head with a sharp ax, sword, or meat cleaver, the darn head will practically jump off its body. Check out that nice clean cut you made! Let's do the same with your grass.

How Can You Cure the Affected?

So, you want to know how to prevent or cure the Zombie Grass Epidemic. It's brainless! Use a sharp mower blade. A sharp mower blade leaves a clean fine cut on the grass blades, helping the cut seal more quickly. The quicker the grass can heal, the quicker it can continue to properly live and grow. Guard your lawn with the sharpest blade you have.

Replace or Sharpen?

Purchasing a new set of mower blades or choosing to sharpen your current ones, depends on cost-effectiveness or personal preference. Many times, a new set of mower blades cost less than having them sharpened professionally.

If you decide to test out your DIY sharpening skills, make sure you consider all safety precautions. You wouldn't want to turn into that Zombie with its head cut off. Here's how to remove a lawn mower blade.

A good test to see if your blade is sharp is to run a piece of paper along the blade edge. If the blade cuts the paper evenly, you've done a great job.

Do You Have the Cure?

You are now equipped with the Zombie Grass cure. Your Lawn's life is in your hands. Recommended replacement and/or sharpening for lawn mower blades depend on usage and lawn size. If you choose to have your 1st set sharpened, make sure you always have 2nd set of mower blades to use.

Closely watch over your lawn ever so often and you will be able to determine if your mower blade is becoming dull.

Act Now!

So don't wait! You can be the hero by replacing or sharpening your mower blades before The Morning of the Zombie Lawn happens to you. Check out our huge selection of Lawn Mower Blades.