Riding Lawn Mowers
Daniel Roshard
Riding lawn mowers become a necessity for many homeowners for a
variety of reasons. For example, maybe you have moved and your
lawn is just too big for a push lawn mower or health reasons
have made a riding lawn mower an absolute must have. Whatever
reasons you have for needing a new riding lawn mower, you
should be aware of few things you need to know when it is time
to buy.
First, you should have a good idea of your yard size. This will
help you determine the engine size and cutting width you need in
your riding lawn mower. As a general rule of thumb, if you have
a lawn that is a half to one acre in size, you should get an
engine with a minimum of 14 ½ horsepower and with a cutting
width maximum of 42 inches. If you have a lawn the size of one
to two acres, you will generally need a cutting width of 42 to
46 inches and your engine will need to be between 14 and 16
horsepower. A lawn of more than three acres and you will need
what is called a garden tractor. This will need a cutting width
of 46 to 54 inches and the engine will have to be 18 to 24
horsepower.
Your next decision will be whether you should buy a riding lawn
mower or a garden tractor. Both do the same basic function of
mowing your lawn. However, the garden tractor can be used to
pull a variety of yard attachments. For example, you could pull
a tiller, disc harrow, a plow. You can even use a snow plow or
snow blower with it. The garden tractor is perfect for those
big mowing jobs as well.
Once you have taken care of the bigger decisions, the easier
ones are next to come. You need to choose whether you want an
automatic riding lawn mower or a gear driven one. Your choice
should be based on the amount of obstacles you have in your
lawn. A gear driven lawn mower would be good for lawns with
little obstacles, while an automatic is perfect for those with
many.
You can then choose mulching, bagging, cylinder types and any
attachments you want with your riding lawn mower.
It is also important that you follow safety precautions when
using any riding lawn mower. Make sure all potentially
hazardous debris and other items are clear out of the yard.
This includes pine cones, rocks, and other debris. Also, avoid
allowing children to ride on or operate the riding lawn mower.
Children can easily fall off the lawn mower often resulting in
injurious or fatal accidents occurring. You should also avoid
running the lawn mower next to anyone and make sure children
are not playing in the area you are mowing.
By choosing the right riding lawn mower and following the
proper safety precautions, you will be able to enjoy your
riding lawn mower for years to come.
About The Author: Daniel Roshard is a designer that has been
enchanted by outdoors and garden design, he is currently
writing Lawn Mower articles for
http://lawnmower.zupatips.com/
See Also:
Index of Lawn Mowers & Lawn Care
Index of Gardens & Gardening
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