I bet the biggest debate in the yard care world is “is it better to mulch my clippings or catch them in the bag?” In fact, in my years in the lawn care industry, I have had customers swear by one way or the other and they just would not listen to reason! Let me break this down for ya ok?

Why Mulch Clippings When You Cut

Mulching lawn mowers are ones that clip the grass blades and then grind, slice and cut the pieces into super fine bits before dropping them back into the lawn. This is a very good and “green” practice because you are literally recycling the clippings back into the yard. Remember, 90% of the grass blade is water and the rest is organic nutrients. When you mulch with a properly powered mulching mower, those small clippings dry and shrivel up withing hours and drop their precious nutrients right into the lawn.

A common misconception with mulching is that doing it over and over all year will contribute to a lawn thatch buildup. This is a complete fallacy as I mentioned above, the clipping shrivel almost immediately. Now I will tell you that many homeowners go wrong by trying to convert a non-mulching mower into a mulching mower, and this is asking for problems.

What I mean is they take a cheap, bagging mower and take the bag off and let the clippings fall as they may. Problem here is the mower does not have a mulching blade so clumps drop out! Those clumps will contribute to thatch and kill sections of the lawn! ouch!!!

Another big issue I have seen is that people buy underpowered mulching mowers. Even if you have a mulching lawn mower with a good mulching blade, if it does not pack enough RPMs the bits will fall out in clumps. I dunno why, but many companies make mulching mowers that are just not powerful enough for thicker lawns. I always recommend you get a mulching mower that is a minimum of 5 horse power. This will be enough!

Wait, there are more things to consider: Even if you have a good mulching mower with plenty of power, if the lawn mower deck is not deep enough, the clippings will still fall out too quickly and clump! You want a deep deck!

That’s a lot to consider, so what is the best mulching mower? Look.

Why Catch Grass Clippings

Now that I have hopefully convinced you to mulch, there are a few situations where it will be best to catch and the first one is if your lawn mower is not able to mulch correctly (like I already talked about above). If you can’t go buy a new mower, then just keep catching, but DO NOT try and convert your mower… it ain’t gonna work and it’s a safety hazard anyway!

When to Catch Grass Clippings

I do want you to catch the clippings when you notice a lawn fungus or disease present. If this happens, you want to suck up the clippings and get rid of them. No sense is spreading the spores around. In addition, you need to catch if you have let the lawn grow too tall between cuttings. This can happen if you go on vacation in May, for example, and the lawn overgrows. In this case, even the best mulching mower will leave clumps, so you should catch the stuff just to be safe.

I also recommend you catch at least every 3rd or 4th mowing and use the grass clippings as mulch around annual flowers in your garden. Grass clippings will do a nice job of holding in moisture around annuals. I don’t think grass is a good mulch for regular shrub beds, but it works well for annual flowers.

So what do you think? Wanna argue with me? Go ahead, I’m good with it… maybe you guys can give me some better tips?

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When George Bailey first appears in the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, he and a bunch of other boys are sliding down a snowy hill on their snow shovels (I guess their parents couldn’t afford sleds or toboggans). That’s about the only fun use to which snow shovels have ever been put, as far as I know.

For with that one exception, snow shovels signify nothing but drudgery. Worse yet, to those who suffer from bad backs, snow shovels are nothing less than instruments of torture. The human frame simply isn’t designed for extended periods of snow shoveling. It was with these thoughts in mind that I recently tested three different Ames True Temper snow shovels:

1. An Avalanche Ergo Plus ergonomic snow shovel
2. A Snow Blazer wide-grip snow shovel
3. A Penguin VersaGrip snow pusher

Snow pushers would seem, at first glance, to be a wonderful alternative for people with bad backs. With their wide, curved blades, snow pushers act like human-powered plows. Although you can toss snow with them in a pinch, that’s not really what snow pushers are designed for: the shape of their blades makes lifting and flinging snow with them somewhat more difficult. Instead, as their name suggests, the idea with snow pushers is to push the snow out of the way.

I must say, though, that as someone who lives in a region that receives a lot of snow, using snow pushers has never made much sense to me. For where do you push the snow so that it will be “out of the way?” If you push it off your driveway onto the edge of an adjacent lawn area, you’ll create a wall of snow lining the driveway. Where I live, that wall of snow will soon become a wall of ice. So while pushing the snow onto the lawn may work for the first storm, where do you push the snow for the rest of the winter? And if your response is, “Well, just push the snow from that first snowstorm way out into the middle of the lawn, so it will be out of the way,” I have two objections:

1. Doing so may damage your lawn
2. It seems like a lot of work to me!

But those of you who, unlike me, live in regions with minimal snowfall may be interested in the Penguin VersaGrip snow pusher. The plastic (poly) blade is 24″ wide X 11.5″ long and its edge is protected by a steel wear strip. Durability is further enhanced by a steel core shaft. But it’s the wide-grip handle of the product that gives the VersaGrip its name. The handle of this snow pusher is designed so as to accommodate two gloved hands and a variety of grips. For a picture, click the image above right to open my mini-photo gallery.

If, like me, you have no use for snow pushers but do find the wide-grip handle of the VersaGrip appealing, you may be interested in another Ames True Temper product: the Snow Blazer snow shovel. It boasts the same unusually-shaped handle as the VersaGrip, along with the same steel core shaft. The blade is also plastic and protected by a steel wear strip.

But the blade on the Snow Blazer snow shovel is 19″ wide X 13.5 inches long, giving it the shape of the more typical snow shovel. However, it differs from the common flat-blade snow shovels in that the sides and back are taller, creating more of a “scoop.” Because of their scoop-like blades, the Snow Blazer snow shovels could double as snow pushers in a pinch. Yet it’s still easy to toss snow with them. I think of the Snow Blazer as a nice compromise between snow pushers and standard snow shovels.

The Avalanche Ergo Plus ergonomic snow shovel is a much different product, despite also having a plastic blade with more of a “scoop” than do flat-blade snow shovels. Yes, as you can see from the picture (above right), the Avalanche is one of those funny ergonomic snow shovels with the bent shaft.

The edge of the Avalanche’s blade is protected not by steel, but by a nylon wear strip, so that you can shovel snow off decks without worrying about damaging the wood. If you don’t have a deck, the wear strip will at least extend the life of the blade a bit. Of course, you’ll wear down the wear strip in no time if you try to break ice with these snow shovels.

On the subject of breaking ice, by the way, let me reveal a little secret. Despite the skepticism one hears about breaking ice with plastic snow shovels, I’ve been doing it for many years and have had very little breakage (on the snow shovels, I mean, not the ice!). If you’d rather not chance it, though, just use ice melt products as an alternative.

But first and foremost, these ergonomic snow shovels are about ease of use — and avoiding back injuries. No steel core shaft here: this ergonomic snow shovel has an aluminum shaft, making it as light as possible. Reducing the weight of a snow shovel is one way to minimize the stress shoveling imposes on your back.

More importantly, the bent shaft is supposed to allow you to keep your back straight while shoveling, as you can get a good grip on the shaft without having to reach down too far. Nonetheless, when shopping for such ergonomic snow shovels, pick them up first and go through the motions of shoveling, to see if they’re the right length for you. The one I tested wasn’t quite long enough for someone of my height, meaning the temptation to bend my back was still there — thus defeating the purpose behind the ergonomic design.

If you truly dislike plastic blades and seek an alternative that’s still lightweight, another Ames True Temper ergonomic snow shovel (sometimes advertised as a “snow pusher,” it’s really a snow shovel), the Aluminum Ergo Articblast, bears an aluminum blade.

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Snow removal injuries

One of the more common causes of back injuries during the winter months is snow removal. Using the wrong body mechanics when shoveling snow can put undue stress on the spine and lead to muscle strains, falls, or more serious back injuries.

The following snow removal tips can help you to avoid low back injuries and pain during the snowy winter season.

Pick the right snow shovel
An ergonomic snow shovel can help take some of the effort out of your snow removal chores. A shovel with a curved handle or an adjustable handle length will minimize painful bending, requiring you to bend your knees only slightly and arch your back very slightly while keeping the shovel blade on the ground. In addition, a small, lightweight, plastic blade helps reduce the amount of weight that you are moving.

Warm up thoroughly
Cold, tight muscles are more prone to injury than warmed up, flexible muscles. Do your back a favor by warming up for five to ten minutes before shoveling or any strenuous activity. Get your blood moving with a brisk walk, marching in place, or another full-body activity. Then, stretch your low back and hamstrings (the large muscles in the back of the thigh) with some gentle stretching exercises. Limber up your arms and shoulders with a body hug.

Pace yourself during snow removal
Removing small amounts of snow frequently is less strenuous than removing a large pile at once. If possible, removing snow over a period of days will lessen the strain on the back and arms. In deep snow, remove a few inches at a time, rather than attempting to shovel the full depth at once. When shoveling, take a break for a minute or two every 10-15 minutes or if you feel overworked at any point. Use this opportunity to stretch your arms, shoulders, and back to keep them warm and flexible.

Use ergonomic lifting techniques
Whenever possible, push the snow to one side rather than lifting it. When lifting the snow shovel is necessary, make sure to use ergonomic lifting techniques:

• Always face towards the object you intend to lift
• Bend at the hips, not the low back, and push the chest out, pointing forward. Then, bend your knees and lift with your leg muscles, keeping your back straight
• Keep your loads light and do not lift an object that is too heavy for you
• If you must lift a shovel full, grip the shovel with one hand as close to the blade as comfortably possible and the other hand on the handle (handle and arm length will vary the technique)
• Avoid twisting the back to move your object to its new location – always pivot your whole body to face the new direction
• Keep the heaviest part of the object close to your body at your center of gravity
• Walk to the new location to deposit the item rather than reaching or tossing

When gripping the shovel, keep your hands about 12 inches apart to provide greater stability and minimize the chances of injuring your low back.

Keep your feet on the ground
Slippery conditions while shoveling can lead to slipping and/or falls and strains that can injure your back. Shoes or boots with good treads will help to minimize injuries from slipping. Spreading sand, rock salt, or kitty litter on your sidewalk or driveway will increase traction and reduce the likelihood of slipping on the ice.

If possible, stop shoveling – use a snow blower instead. When used correctly, a snow blower can put less stress on your low back than shoveling. Avoid stressing your back by using the power of your legs to push the snow blower while keeping your back straight and knees bent.

Be a good neighbor
Elderly residents or residents with health problems that prevent them from shoveling snow may need help with their snow removal. Using your new knowledge about ergonomic snow shoveling, you can help your neighbors remain active and mobile during the winter months and help prevent them from sustaining an injury from icy walkways or trying to remove the snow themselves. If low back pain, recent back injury, or another back condition makes shoveling a hazardous task for you, ask for help from your neighbors or a snow removal service rather than attempting to remove the snow yourself.

These tips can help to make snow removal less of a strain on your low back. Keeping these guidelines in mind during the winter season will lessen the chances of a new back injury or worsening your low back pain while shoveling, and hopefully make your winter a healthier and more enjoyable experience.

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There are several ways to successfully weed a garden, adding a good heavy layer of mulch will cut down on weeds but the most successful way is the old fashioned way, pulling them by hand. Hand weeding is the easiest, quickest and by far the most convenient way to eliminate weeds from your garden. The best tool however to use when hand weeding is a hand small hand hoe for those stubborn larger weed that have taken a good root hold. If you have a vegetable garden that has long rows of plants then a traditional Draw Hoe will be best in removing weeds.

If weeds have begun to grow between the rows I suggest a Warren Hoe, it has a sharp pointed blade that just right for removing small weeds in between rows and making furrows. If you have a large area that needs weeding use a Dutch hoe it easy to use with a simple pushes and pulls action.

Large stubborn weeds may sometimes require several applications of a good Herbicide or even chemicals to get rid of them completely. The use of herbicides however is tricky because you have to be careful as to spray the individual plant to prevent the spray from getting unto other vegetation. If your only other option is to kill the vegetation and all around it, then there are many sprays on the market that can do the job.

Persistent weeds like Dandelions, Poison Ivy, Creeping Buttercup, Plantain and Pearlwort may and usually require several applications before they are eradicated completely. If your garden is in an area where mulching isn’t very feasible then hoeing is still the best way to keep the area clear from weeds.

If you decide to uses sprays to kill weeds, do your spraying on a day when there is little wind to help prevent insecticides from traveling to and killing your garden and ornamental plants. As with any spray the most effective way to use them is by simply following the manufacturer’s suggestions.

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