Chainsaws tend to require more maintenance than most other lawn and garden equipment. Proper maintenance will not only prolong the life of the saw and make it easier to start but will also make your work easier.

Chainsaws are popular homeowner tools. When selecting a chainsaw, consider the power requirements and safety features.

Walk-behind rotary lawnmowers can handle clippings in one of three ways: they can mulch them, bag them or discharge them to the side. Some mowers can do any of the three with minimal adjustment. Any of the three modes can be useful in some situations.

Walk-behind home lawnmowers are covered by safety standards and regulations, but the real responsibility for safety rests with you, the operator.

If you have a small lawn and are willing to get a little exercise while mowing, a good manual push mower can be a good alternative to a powered mower.

Many people use a rotary cutter (often referred to by the copyrighted name “Bush Hog”) to cut grass and weeds, but, in too many cases, the implement is not correctly adjusted. This can cause premature wear, poor quality of cut, and an excessive power requirement.

Mid-mount mowers for lawn, garden, and compact tractors typically have (two or) three blades and are designed for quality mowing of turfgrass. They are not designed to cut tall, weedy grass. They have multiple gage wheels and rollers that allow a relatively low cutting height with minimal scalping.

Many growers pick up plastic mulch but several machines are available for this job. Work at the LSU AgCenter has demonstrated that, in some cases, plastic mulch can be picked up by a hay baler.

Although most people opt for small engine-driven generators, there are some real advantages to a generator that connects to a tractor power-take-off (PTO).

Most garden tools have fixed handles. Some tools, however, are available as separate handle and toolhead components that can be interchanged.