Edition 33: Winter Maintenance. 

While the lawns are taking it easy, now’s the perfect time to show a little love to the machines that make the magic happen.

Whether you're using your trusty rotary, a ride on, a cylinder mower or hauling a full kit of sprayers and trimmers, Winter is the time to hit pause and do the maintenance you never have the time for during the madness of spring and summer.

 

If using a rotary, check underneath the deck for dried grass as moisture leads to rust and corrosion.
 

Check and change the oil.
 

Check Spark Plugs and filters.
 

Inspect any belts, chains, cables. These can degrade over time and lose tension which can alter the performance of your machine, even make it unsafe.

Check and (if needed) change blades. Sharp blades reduce the harm done to your lawn while mowing, reduce the effort for you while mowing and reduce the load on the machine minimising wear and tear.
 

If you have a cylinder mower now is the time to check the adjustment on your reel to bed knife clearance. Sharpening bed knifes, and back lapping reels is a great way to ensure the first cut of spring is a good one! 

Another tip is to apply a light application of White Oil, applied through a spray bottle, to help the prevention of surface rust occurring. 

If it has been a little while, take the mower a professional to grind and sharpen.  

 

Blowers, line trimmers and edges all require the same checks as your mower. this avoids any nasty issues popping up when the time comes to get them back up and running regularly. 

 

Hopefully these are still getting a run applying the Winter Glow Bundle and Hicure but now is still the best time of year to inspect the lines, pumps, and nozzles for any issues, or signs of wear and tear, and look to remedy them now, before the become a bigger issue. 

 

This is more about the storage of batteries but do not leave them in your equipment or on charge, this can greatly diminish the life cycle of the battery. Again check any belts or moving parts for signs of damage or degradation. 

 

Better storage of your equipment can also prevent issues happening. if  you are not using your mower all winter, draining the fuel or adding stabiliser can prevent corrosion. 

storing in a cool dry and covered location will also protect your equipment from rust. 

 

A little bit of pain now in the slower times of the year can prevent a great deal of headaches during the growing season. While it may seem over the top, it is better to have the tools "out of action" while they are not needed, rather than something catastrophic happening during the growing season.