Wednesday 1 December 2010

How to operate Your Mower Safely

1. Do not operate the engine in a confined space where dangerous carbon
monoxide fumes can collect.
2. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.
3. If possible avoid operating the equipment on wet grass.
4. Always be sure of your footing on slopes.
5. Walk, never run and do not allow yourself to be pulled along by the lawnmower.
6. Mow across the face of slopes, never up and down.
7. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes.
8. Do not mow on slopes of more than 20 degrees.
9. Exercise extreme caution when pulling the lawnmower towards you.
10. Stop the blade if the lawnmower has to be tilted for transportation when crossing
surfaces other than grass, and when transporting the lawnmower to and from the
area to be mown.
11. Never operate the lawnmower with defective guards, or without safety devices,
such as the stone-guard and/or grass-catcher, in place.
12. Do not change the engine governor settings or over-rev the engine.
13. On power-driven models, disengage the drive clutch before starting the engine.
14. Start the engine carefully, following the instructions and keeping feet well away
from the blade.
15. Do not tilt the lawnmower when starting the engine. Start the engine on a flat
surface that is free of obstacles and tall grass.
16. Do not put your hands or feet near or under rotating parts.

Thursday 25 November 2010

Preparation Safety

1. While mowing, always wear sturdy footwear and long trousers. Do not
operate the lawnmower when bare foot or wearing open sandals. Avoid
loose clothing that may snag on moving parts.

2. Thoroughly inspect the area where the lawnmower is to be used and remove all
objects which may be thrown by the machine or damage the cutter assembly and
the engine (stones, sticks, metal wire, bones, etc).

3. WARNING: DANGER! Engine fuel is highly inflammable:
• Store fuel in containers specifically designed for this purpose;
• Refuel using a funnel and outdoors only – do not smoke while
refuelling or whenever handling the fuel;
• Add fuel before starting the engine – never remove the cap of the fuel
tank or add fuel while the engine is running or when the engine is hot;
• If fuel is spilled, do not attempt to start the engine but move the machine
away from the area of the spillage and avoid creating any source of
ignition until the fuel has evaporated and the vapour has dispersed;
• Replace all fuel tanks’ and retainers’ caps securely.

4. Substitute faulty silencers. Never use the lawnmower without a silencer.

5. Before use, always inspect the lawnmower, especially the condition of the
blades, and check that the screws and cutting assembly are not worn or
damaged. Replace worn or damaged blades and screws in sets to preserve
balance.

6. Before mowing, attach the discharge opening guards (grass-catcher or stoneguard).

Tuesday 16 November 2010

Maintaining a Wild Flower Garden

Maintenance is an essential ingredient in the creation of successful wildflower planting.
Weed Control: A monthly program of weed control is essential to ensure a satisfactory display of wildflowers year after year. Weeds should be eliminated as soon as they can be recognized, either by pulling or spot-spraying with a general herbicide..
Fertilization: Fertilizers are usually not necessary for wildflower plantings. However, if soil fertility is very low, a low nitrogen fertilizer can be used, or add organic matter such as compost.
Autumn Mowing and Cleanup: If a neat appearance is desired after the wildflowers have gone to seed, mow them to a height of four to six inches. The Mountfield SP535HW  lawnmower is the perfect mower for this job, due to the oversized rear wheels which extend their cutting height range.

Thursday 4 November 2010

Autumn Leaves

It’s at this time of year that many gardeners are busy clearing the leaves off their lawns, sometimes an infuriating task as the leaves are back as thick as ever the moment the wind blows!

Using your Mountfield lawn mower to help with this task is much easier and quicker than the traditional leaf rake, simply raise the height of cut above the normal cutting height to allow room for the leaves to pass under the cutting deck and with the engine running at normal mowing speed the blades will vacuum up and shred the leaves before blowing them into the collector.

Not only does this save time and effort with the rake, the leaves are chopped into small pieces which speeds up the composting process and leaves do make excellent compost for the garden.

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Create a Healthier Lawn with a Mulching Lawn Mower


Mulching lawn mowers recycle grass clippings by finely cutting and re-cutting the grass concealing cuttings within the standing grass to wilt and decompose thereby feeding the soil. Recycling or mulching the grass in this way also saves time as there's no more stopping to empty the grass collector - no more bagging up clippings and taking them to the tip, or having unsightly piles of rotting grass around your garden either.