# What would you tell your sister?



## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

My sister likes my lawn and wants to do the same thing. Of course.

She asked how to do it and after I got just two minutes into it, she changed the subject. Of course.

If you had just five minutes and wanted to get someone off to a solid start, what would you tell them? Like that guy at the big box studying fertilizer labels...


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## ryeguy (Sep 28, 2017)

Mow high. Don't bag, mulch. Follow the Milorganite program described on the bags (4x yearly) since it's foolproof (no burning) and easy to follow since it uses holidays as fert-down days. Water deeply and infrequently and not at night. Have her use the premix weed b gon for spot control. Maybe teach her how to identify common weeds that need weed b gon cco (clover, etc).


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Well if after two minutes someone's eyes glaze over from boredom I would just say......TruGreen.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Assuming they don't do anything as far as fertilizer yet: Milorganite in early June, and again in early September at a heavier rate for our general area. They can also do a synthetic in mid or late Sept. at half the bag rate in addition. September is the most important month to fertilize in the Northeast, imho.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

I agree with ryeguy. I work retail and often wrap yardwork or mowing into small talk. A lady asked me and I told her. Mulch mow, tallest or 2nd from tallest, and often (every 3-6 days depending on schedule and growth) with sharp blades. She asked "oh you can sharpen the blades?" I told her buy a spare and have local hardware shop sharpen them for her. Then she always will have a spare sharp blade. "I wonder if my retired neighbor would sharpen them for me. He's into those kinds of things."

Then I told her extra credit is Milorganite.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

JohnP said:


> I agree with ryeguy. I work retail and often wrap yardwork or mowing into small talk. A lady asked me and I told her. Mulch mow, tallest or 2nd from tallest, and often (every 3-6 days depending on schedule and growth) with sharp blades. She asked "oh you can sharpen the blades?" I told her buy a spare and have local hardware shop sharpen them for her. Then she always will have a spare sharp blade. "I wonder if my retired neighbor would sharpen them for me. He's into those kinds of things."
> 
> Then I told her extra credit is Milorganite.


I agree, ryeguy's Milo suggestion was perfect for fertilizer. Your write-up is funny. I think sharpening is more effort than is worth it given that a new blade is something like $10 bucks.

Again, funny post!


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

@BXMurphy what do you do throw 3 sets of blades away each year?


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Jconnelly6b said:


> @BXMurphy what do you do throw 3 sets of blades away each year?


No. One blade. Maybe.

I should keep reminding myself that not everyone has a small city lot of 2,500 SF turf. You guys with the giant lawns amaze me. Those kinds of lawns around here are landmarks.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

New blades are never sharp.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

g-man said:


> New blades are never sharp.


I just put a new blade on the other night. It was sharp*er* than my old blade but not as sharp as the old blade was when I got it back.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

If you zoom in on your image you will see the blades being torn.

This video shows a way to get a blade sharp (hand file). How to Sharpen and balance a lawn mower blade


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

g-man said:


> If you zoom in on your image you will see the blades being torn.
> 
> This video shows a way to get a blade sharp (hand file). How to Sharpen and balance a lawn mower blade


That's not necessarily a dull blade but also an effect of a rotary mower. I've had blades freshly sharpened by a local shop and I still have occasionally torn looking leaf blades.


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## LawnNerd (Sep 2, 2017)

Fresh blade that i sharpen still causing tears. Im beginning to think my mower isn't powerful enough. Under powered mowers will also cause tearing.

But yea, BX I just told my Neighbor yesterday to use Milo and mow at the highest setting on his mower. If he wants more, he'll ask, as I'm always outside in mine.t


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

BXMurphy said:


> If you had just five minutes and wanted to get someone off to a solid start, what would you tell them?


Easy one: I would tell them how TO JOIN TLF !!!!!!!!!!!!!  :lol: :thumbup:


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

pennstater2005 said:


> That's not necessarily a dull blade but also an effect of a rotary mower. I've had blades freshly sharpened by a local shop and I still have occasionally torn looking leaf blades.


This is not my experience with my rotary. Try the file method and proper rpm. I could here the noise of the blade cutting and it sound different to me. Like a high pitch singing.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

g-man said:


> New blades are never sharp.


What? WHAT?!?

Now what? Who sharpens blades?


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## Alpine (Mar 15, 2018)

I agree with all of the good advice so far. Sharp blade and mow high - most people just scalp their lawns and then it burns in the heat of summer. Easy of the fertilizer during the summer. I get a kick out of the big fertilizer companies that want you to keep buying all the "steps" - even when it's 90 degrees. Go with slow release low nitrogen like Milo.


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## jessehurlburt (Oct 18, 2017)

BXMurphy said:


> g-man said:
> 
> 
> > New blades are never sharp.
> ...


I bought an angle grinder from Walmart for $15 and it came with the correct grinding wheel. It was a breeze to sharpen and yeterday was my first mow with a truly sharp blade. You can hear the difference like gman says.


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## probasestealer (Apr 19, 2018)

2 sets of blades is key. But if they are damaged i just buy a new set.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

g-man said:


> If you zoom in on your image you will see the blades being torn.
> 
> This video shows a way to get a blade sharp (hand file). How to Sharpen and balance a lawn mower blade


Yeah that's why I shared that image. 

@BXMurphy Around here there's Do It Best, True Value and Ace that all offer it. Just call ahead to make sure.

I have an angle grinder but need to practice first before I trust myself.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

LawnNerd said:


> But yea, BX I just told my Neighbor yesterday to use Milo and mow at the highest setting on his mower. If he wants more, he'll ask, as I'm always outside in mine.t


Yeh, you are right. Just the Milorganite thing... It is exotic enough to make them think they are "doing something" but it won't get them in trouble.

I will also agree the learning the very basics of mowing, mulching, and watering. GrassDaddy had a REAL nice YouTube on that which I thought was well-done.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

JohnP said:


> I have an angle grinder but need to practice first before I trust myself.


I'm with you!

Boy, I'm glad I'm reading all this! I thought my plan for buying a new blade every year was all I needed! I always wondered why it came out of the package looking blunt but I just trusted that they knew what they were doing.

Can hear a difference, huh? Singing, huh? I want me some of that.

Thanks!


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I don't trust myself with a grinder. It is too easy to do too much and screw it up. The file allows you to check and go more even.


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

Use a flap disk with the angle grinder. Much slower and easier to control, and gets a sharper edge. I can post a few pictures of my setup if there's interest?

I believe I use an 80 grit flap disk. I also use a wire brush to get all the gunked up grass off the top and bottom of the blades. Entire process takes 15 minutes for both the mowers (3 blades)


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

Good thread.
For advice, I usually say something like, "a good place to begin is cutting between 3-4 inches, watering in the morning, and fertilizing in the fall. You can also control weeds with mixes at Lowes." I keep it as simple as possible, while also hinting that the advice is only a point of entry.

Nice to hear perspectives on sharpening. I bought this months ago, but I haven't used it yet.
https://accusharp.com/product/006/
I'm not optimistic, but I am willing to be surprised. 
I have a file as an alternative. I'm also getting ready to invest in an impact wrench to loosen up the blades on the Gravely (impossible to turn by hand--and when flat on my back :? )


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## j4c11 (Apr 30, 2017)

My neighbor had a patch of dead grass that I helped reseed. I dethatched, used my top rated seed, sprayed fungicide, Tenacity, top notch seeding job. He didn't keep up with the watering so it came in patchy, and then failed to keep up with the weeds, so it got overrun. Today it looks exactly the way it did before we started last fall - dead.

The lesson: the most important thing in lawn care is you - the lawn keeper. You can't teach people how to care, or how to be passionate, or even just diligent. Good practices are worth nothing if they're not practiced.


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

j4c11 said:


> My neighbor had a patch of dead grass that I helped reseed. I dethatched, used my top rated seed, sprayed fungicide, Tenacity, top notch seeding job. He didn't keep up with the watering so it came in patchy, and then failed to keep up with the weeds, so it got overrun. Today it looks exactly the way it did before we started last fall - dead.
> 
> The lesson: the most important thing in lawn care is you - the lawn keeper. You can't teach people how to care, or how to be passionate, or even just diligent. Good practices are worth nothing if they're not practiced.


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

j4c11 said:


> The lesson: the most important thing in lawn care is you - the lawn keeper. You can't teach people how to care, or how to be passionate, or even just diligent. Good practices are worth nothing if they're not practiced.


My neighbor pays a professional lawn care company but doesn't water. He does the same with hanging baskets. Everything dies. Lawn looks like crap. It actually looked better before the lawn care company came in. I think this year he's going to buy a hose. You have to get the hose wet, right?


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## sicride (Nov 8, 2017)

I'd tell her, "Don't do it! It's expensive and hard work. Look at mine instead because I'm a sucker for punishment."

I believe that to be a true statement for everyone of us here.


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