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Goodbye to Winter, Hello to Spring...

Quicken Jasmine

Hello Everyone and welcome to the fabulous month of March!

For this month's icebreaker, I thought that we could get the conversation going with some warm weather talk! What is the first sign of spring you notice each year?

For me, everything just seems a bit brighter and more vibrant! I also notice the birds are chirping again and the days are getting longer. Everyone has a bit of a pip in their step and time seems to move a bit quicker. (If you couldn't tell, I love Spring.. although Fall will forever have my heart) 😎

I can't wait to hear from all of you!

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Comments

Quicken Kristina

For me, the first sign of Spring I notice is the longer days. The sun still being up when I get off work is a pretty hard sign to miss.

Depending on the weather, wildlife getting more active and weeds making their triumphant return to the lawn are also fairly early indicators that Spring has arrived.

splasher

The neighbor mowing his grass even though it is still brown and nothing has grown since Fall and this is just south of the Mason Dixon line, not talking Florida.

Quicken Anja

Well, I noticed my first clue of Spring approaching yesterday when I spotted an elm seed bug on the outside of the house. Every year they’re a nuisance so it’s time to go buy stuff to spray our house and start containing it before it really becomes a problem.

Aside from the critters, the sun starts shining more, daylight sticks around a little longer, and the weather starts warming up slowly which my kids love as they begin wanting to be outside shooting hoops at the front of the house and wanting to go to the park more. 🙂

Palace

First thing I noticed about this spring was @splasher complaining about neighbor mowing his grass a 'bit early' in the season 😉 That is a bummer, plus neighbors who run leaf blowers around 6 AM; I've had some of those 🙄 Got me thinking I need to 'at least' mow my front yard, cause the weeds I call grass are sprouting up all over. So tried to crank up the ole mower, but thus-far only got a 'spit & sputter' out of it. Might be forced to break down and buy a new mower! Which I hate doing cause I'm cheap! After all, this mower is only around 10 years old! Don't worry though, I'm a bit further south. Won't hear my mower. Hint, tiny bit of this state has those warm waters of the "Gulf of America" lapping up on it's shores 🤣

splasher

Hold your horses there, @Palace. Where did I either indicate that I was complaining.

The question was:

What is the first sign of spring you notice each year?

The neighbor mowing the grass whether it needed it was mine. BTW, both of my lawnmowers are over 10 years old and run fine, but that may be because I maintain them properly.

jacobs

So tried to crank up the ole mower, but thus-far only got a 'spit & sputter' out of it. Might be forced to break down and buy a new mower!

I think my next mower will probably be an electric (battery-powered) one. They're a lot quieter and have less likelihood of engine problems, as well as being cleaner. I was skeptical of the power/duration last time I bought a mower, but I think they've improved enough to be a very viable choice unless you have a very large lawn to mow. But until my current one sputters and dies, I'll stick with it for a few more years.

Palace

Hey @splasher. Gee, I meant my response to you to be in the humorous & complimentary vein. Hat's off to you. Your post encouraged me to get off my backside & trim up my yard. As in Cool Hand Luke movie, guess what we have here on my part is a 'failure to communicate'? 😉 Congratulations on your mechanical skills, wish I had that gift. I'm still a'tinkering with my mower; maybe get it up & puttering about for a while longer? 🤣

splasher

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20479908#Comment_20479908

Have you looked at the price of the replacement batteries? They tend to be very proud of them based on the price and the mower that used this one needed two of them. At those prices, they should give away the mower and only charge you for the batteries which is the way I felt about the Sega and Nintendo game consoles.

I agree, electric is the way to go in the future, but the riding mowers needed for a larger yard are outrageous.

Palace

Well, got my little ole mower tuned up & going enough to cut the weeds in my front yard anyway. Seems the small plastic tube in fuel line has expanded a bit after the years, causing a tiny fuel leak, etc. Drove over to Home Depot to see if they had a replacement. No such luck. So, I just got some of that 'Liquid Rubber' in a tube & sealed that sucker up for a tighter fit; runs like a clock, at least for awhile? 🤣 I've got small yard, so usually buy the cheapest gas push mower around, cause electric mowers as mentioned aren't cheap. At my age need all the exercise I can get, and pushing a mower sure beats walking on a treadmill. Use to hate to cut grass as a kid, in my old age though its fun, since I'm not pushed 😉

jl747

Back in the days (60"s) we had a lawn mower that did not use gas or electric.
Eco friendly before its time.

Got a lot of exercise using one like this. You also had to rake up the clippings.

Palace

Hey, I was thinking seriously about buying an updated version of those 'old-time' push mowers pictured in @jl747 post. Do you, jl747 use the one pictured in post? Anyone else ever used one? I remember my Pa-Pa (Grand-Dad) back in 1950's using one, and allowing me to 'help him push it' along, since I was only about 5 year old 🤣 Gee, those were the days 😢 I checked online few years back, and read some reviews that the blades could get out of line after using them awhile, and needed to be adjusted frequently? Also that some were hard to push, compared to others; plus some were better made, thus more durable than others. Anyone out there used one or has additional info about that type mower??

jl747

@Palace

No, I don't mow any lawns. I live in an apartment.

Jon

@Palace We had one of those when I was a kid. I don’t recall it requiring a lot of maintenance but OTOH I wouldn’t have been the one doing that. As for being hard to push, as the grass gets longer & more dense the effort required to cut through it goes up so you might end up mowing a little more frequently than with a powered mower. I recall as a pre-teen struggling with it sometimes & having to back up to get a running start at particularly difficult spots.

Palace

Thanks @Jon for info. I've checked again online about 'reel mowers'. At Bob Vila's website he's rated the Top Push Reel Mowers thusly: 1 Fiskars Stay Sharp 2. Craftsman 3. Great States. Fiskars reel mower cost about as much as a cheap gas push mower. I guess though if I could just get 2 or 3 years out of it before mechanical problems, mower would more than pay for itself in that it doesn't need gas, oil, filters, spark plugs, etc.? Provided of course I don't keel over trying to push it around 😉 I do a lot of hiking though, in decent shape for shape I'm in, so think I can manage it. On all the 'reel mowers' it's recommended to cut your grass weekly. Don't allow it to get to high. Anyone use or know of someone who's bought and used a Fiskars Reel Mower? Anyway, to stay on topic, in case you haven't figured it out yet? My first sign of spring is not that the 'rent is to high', but that 'My Grass Is To HIGH' 🤣

Quicken Jasmine

Alright guys,

So here is what I have gathered, the first sign of Spring is… LAWN MOWERS. 😂

Chris_QPW

@Palace if you get your reel mower sharpened and keep it out of the rain so it doesn't rust, it can last a lifetime. I had to use a push reel mower when I was a kid because my older brother almost chopped off his toe with the gas-powered reel mower we had at the time. Luckily, he had thick hiking boots on. The front lawn had a real steep incline, so it wasn't really his fault, but my dad got rid of the mower right after that. The only problem with the push reel mower was that my dad didn't know to get is sharpened each year (I don't know how good the "Stay Sharp" works these days, but back then they needed sharpening once a session).

We used that until my dad got an electric mower (long extension cord), but by that time I wasn't mowing the lawn, it had been passed on to my younger brother.

Palace

Thanks @Chris_QPW I'm still pondering whether to take the deep dive and go for the 'Reel Push Mower'. At least will wait until this mower I presently have bites the dust, which might not be to long with my rubber band, band-aid, super glue type repairs I'm proficient at 🙃 Like you mentioned, keep it out of rain and lubed up every so often it can last a lifetime. I've already out-lived 'age wise' my Pa-Pa who let me help push his ole reel mower back in 1950's. So if I got 10 years out of a 'Reel Push Mower' that's super. Cause it might still be going strong, but don't know about me 🤣

Palace

@Quicken Jasmine With all respect, FIRST sign of spring for us Outdoor Manly Men isn't really lawn mowers, though we do like them 😉 Why, just as I was cutting my grass along the roadside few days ago, guess what? As the Eagles sang awhile back "What Fine Sight did I see? Why, it was a Little Ole Lady, in her Tiny Electric Car, slowing down to take a 👀 at me! So we're just Taking It Easy, hope she won't blow my cover"? 🤣 PS. On serious note. Tell that precious young lady of yours hello. Boys are great, but little girls like you've got are the Topper!

stonecarver

For me, it is the emergence of daffodils.

jacobs

For me, it is the emergence of daffodils.

And which type of lawnmower do you use on them: rotary, electric or gas? 🤣🤣

Palace

Speaking of the emergence of funky looking crud blooming this springtime. My yard has all kinds of weeds I call grass. I have no idea what they are? For example, got one that grows closely imbedded in ground that spreads out in a circle, while a tall, thorny weed sprouts tall in the middle 😕 Another similar, growing closely imbedded in ground. Totally flat, no weed sprout in middle, but the entire clump is covered in microscopic thorns that are barely discernable to the naked eye. As cutting grass noticed it, and even wearing gloves, when I stopped to attempt to pull it out by the roots; those tiny thorns still pricked me 🙃 Then of course, that long stem weed with the little 'dust ball' on top that flies all over the place when agitated 😁 And don't forget the clover. All over the place! I have a cousin, he cuts his grass even though allergic to 100's of grasses. Wears a special mask (looks like a gas mask) as he motor-putters about on riding lawn mower. Now, that's a real man for you? 🤣

Jim_Harman

Clover is good! It fixes nitrogen so you don't need as much fertilizer.

And if you find one with 4 leaves, it is your lucky day!

Gadgetgal

Longer days and the sounds of lawn mowers. 😁

Palace

Yea, @Jim_Harman your right about Clover being considered lucky by some. Didn't know about the nitrogen part, thanks, so will leave them be. As for as fertilizer, don't choose to use it. These weeds grow enough as it is 😉 When about 8 years, found a 4 leaf clover while playing in yard with cute little neighbor girl 😘 Best I remember, gave it to her; she then jumped up and ran home to show it to her mother. She and her family moved away about month later. Never saw or heard from her since. So much for luck 🤣 Anyway, just remembered the name of one of the prominent weeds in my yard. Dandelions. All over the place!

Chris_QPW

Yes, Dandelions are your "dust balls" when they get to the point where they release their seeds. As kids we used to love to pick them and blow on them.

jacobs

Dandelions, and other broadleaf weeds, are pretty easily treated if you want to be rid of them.

Quicken Kristina

I like dandelions, but since they have that nasty habit of sharing themselves with the whole neighborhood, I eliminate the ones in the yard and grow some indoors instead. Mowing the lawn (with a gas mower) does help reduce the spread of dandelions by beheading them before they go to seed, but I typically have to resort to manual removal to make any significant dent in their numbers.

Palace

@Quicken Kristina To get rid of weeds the manual way, (without pesticides) I'm still using the device my Dad made years ago before he passed on 😢 It's simply a long pipe he found lying around the garage. On one end he fashioned a small prong-like device on the end (like a tiny shovel, with a split halfway up in middle). Just simply walk around your yard, locate that pesky weed, insert the tiny shovel end directly in middle of weed and lift up quickly. Bingo, out pops weed from your yard, root and all! Think you can buy them somewhere, if you don't wish to make your own.

Frankx

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20479908#Comment_20479908

Well my mower (a gasoline self-propelled Toro) died last Fall. So I splurged and bought a new electric mower this year. And this one is a riding mower! Can't wait to try it out!

Frankx

Palace

Frankx, If you get a chance, let us know how your new electric riding mower works out for you. Curious to know how long battery last & how long to charge, etc. if you wish to share that information. BTW, a guy I meet around here loves to tinker around with computer stuff. He mentioned a modification added to his gas riding mower. Made it himself. It's a small computer that's programmed to his yard specifically that allows the gas mower to cut his yard without any human onboard. Like an IRobot Rumba 🤔 Hopefully, this mower knows it place, & doesn't 'take off' on it's own all over the countryside 😯 He does live in the country though, not in residential area. Also, if anyone want's to see something funny about riding lawn mowers; watch the old I Love Lucy Show (Riding Lawn Mower Episode) if you want a belly laugh 🤣