Lawncare for Health
-
I read this weekend that using a human-powered reel mower instead of a gas mower, a 180-lb man will burn 500 calories per hour. As a sidenote, your grass will look 10x better as well. I used a reel mower all last year, and have been cheating this year and using a gas-powered rotary mower- no comparison. My backyard went from thick and happy to brown, stressed and weedy.
I'm not trading in my weed whacker for a scythe, though. I do have a life.
Dave
-
I remember as a kid in Texas having to do the trimming with small shears, basically scissors.
http://images.orgill.com/200x200/6997597.jpg
We had St. Augustine grass and I hated every min. of it... the cutting, not the grass. I wish St. Augustine grew here in Madison. -
I actually own a scythe. It's probably 50 years old and unfortunately it seems to have been designed for someone shorter than me. When I try to use it the angle of the blade is a little off and won't cut very well. Years ago I tried one that suited my stature better and it was very easy to use.
Anyways, I'm ready for being a Grim Reaper for Halloween.
I like the idea of using a reel mower for exercise. Cool. Besides getting fit, it is also much better for the environment.
Regards, Ross
-
I looked at a manual reel mower this weekend at a local hardware store. $500 bucks. Man I just don't know. our yard is flat and not that small. It takes me about 25 min to mow with a push mower, no I looked at a manual reel mower this weekend at a local hardware store. $500 bucks.
-
I used one for the last three years on my yard in town. The Scotts Classic.
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/scotclasreel.html
Problem is after three years it got dull and I couldn't find anybody in town that would sharpen the blades. I tried the do it yourself kit, but could never get the nice edge on it. I'm back to the gas and oil-spewing 5HP Briggs and Stratton for now.
The reel mowers, if adjusted correctly will cut the grass like scissors and leave it happy and disease-free. Don't let the weeds get to long though.
-
I'll keep searching. Surely someone in town has one cheaper. Thanks for the link, I can do $129.
-
Lee Valley Tools sell some nice models: http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.as ... 60&p=51170
They also have a sharpening kit for Jeff.
-
You could always buy a goat. Then it would take you no time at all to mow the lawn, plus you get free low fat goat's milk as a by product. You get to keep fit by chasing it off the flower beds.
-
The only problem with that Alan is that we have had maybe 1/2" of rain in 3 months so the goat would starve.
My grass is "crunchy" under the feet. -
@ross macintosh said:
Lee Valley Tools sell some nice models: http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&cat=2,2160&p=51170
They also have a sharpening kit for Jeff.
I tried the sharpening kits, but the edges did not cut it, pun intended.
Advertisement