Wash and dry your lawn mower after the mowing season is over. A power blower can be very helpful in removing grass and debris from the underside of your lawn mower and other hard to reach areas. If your lawn mower engine is air-cooled, use a stick or wooden dowel to remove any residue from the cooling fins. If you have a lawn mower with a water-cooled engine, check the coolant level and fill the reservoir if needed. Clean the radiator cooling fins with a strong jet of water. You should also drain the fuel tank and replace the fuel filter. The air filter housing should be cleaned and the air filter replaced.

Remember to check the spark plug(s) for corrosion and wear. Don’t attempt to clean the spark plug if it is showing some wear. It is cheap and easy to replace the spark plug. Be sure to remove any debris before removing the spark plug and by using a bit of anti-seize compound when you replace the old spark plug, you will ensure easier removal next year. Clean and lubricate the throttle linkages and the choke, and apply grease to the mower deck and all the fittings. This will be easier if you remove the mower deck and you can sharpen the blades while the mower deck is off. Sharpening the blades after each mowing season will give you a better cut next year and save you the trouble of having to sharpen them in the spring.

Clean the battery terminals and replace your old lawn mower battery if necessary. You can help prevent corrosion of the terminals if you apply grease to the posts at the end of each mowing season. Change the oil in the engine crankcase and replace the oil filter. You should also drain the gas from your lawn mower before storing it for the winter. During the long summer mowing season, remember to wash your lawn mower and remove any debris after the mower has cooled. Keeping your lawn mower clean will add years to its life and make routine maintenance tasks a lot easier.

Lawn mowing is a job most of us face each and every year. A lawn mower that runs great and is well maintained will make this job more enjoyable and easier all summer long. A yearly check up for your lawn mower is the perfect way to prolong its life and keep it running like new, and your lawn will look great when you mow with a machine that is in top working condition. Your lawn mower will perform at the highest level possible if you remember to perform these simple maintenance tasks each and every year. During the summer months periodically check the oil and the condition of the air and fuel filters. You will save money and your lawn mower will work great for years to come

Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher, offering information on swisher mowers and gardening advice [http://www.gardening-365.com]

Source: EzineArticles.com

You need to put your time and energies into growing your lawn business or landscape business. This needs to be directed toward advertising, marketing, or other services.

Good employees are needed to run the daily activities of a lawn business.The things you are doing now.Filling your labor or management position is crucial for your continued growth.

Some people tell me that it’s tough or scary to let the employees run a large part of the business.

Yes, it may be uncomfortable but you need to ask yourself “Do I want to be doing the same activity in my business 5, 10, or 15 years from now?” If you do that’s fine.

So what we have are 2 choices

1. Do the same activity in your business years from now that you are doing today

2. Put some major responsibility on the eployees and GROW your business.

Number 2 is not easy and can be difficult and stressful.

You have to, have to, have to think about the FUTURE and the end result.

Your business should not become dependent on you. Additionally, I’ve seen many employees actually do a better job in the position the owner gave up than the owner.

The owner should spend time

1) Advertising

2) Marketing

3) Making the business more profitable

4) Building relationships w/ customers

5) Internet and website6) Adding additional services

Write a plan and clear objective of how to make a successful lawnbusiness run without you.

Don’t just turn your employees lose and say go get em.Make sure they all know their job. Everything will work much smoother thisway.

Give employees titles and certain responsibilities, and hold them accountable. Titles can make employees feel wanted and appreciated. When they do something good, acknowledge it and praise them. If they screw up, introduce them to a better way to avoid the problem the next time. Encourage them to ask questions.Tell them there are no stupid questions just stupid mistakes.

You must listen to their needs not just hear what they are saying. Ask them occasionally, “Do you see any areas that can be improved upon or do you have any suggestions to make the business run smoother?” Ask them about the chemistry of the crew such as “Is there someone here slowing the crew down or is a disruption to the performance?”

We talked about the comfort zone earlier. I want to share with a short story..

There was a native tribe in South America who had been dying prematurely from a strange sickness for many generations.Scientists were sent in to find out the cause of the strange disease. It was finally discovered that the disease was caused by the bite of an insect, which lives in the walls of their homes.The natives had several options:

(a) They can destroy the insects with insecticides

(b) They can destroy and rebuild their homes

(c) They can move to another location where there are no such insects

(d) They can continue to live at the same place and die early, as they had been doing for generations.

The saddest thing is that they chose to remain as they were and died early.

THE POINT IS- It is sad that most people have fear and don’t like change. They are comfortable with what they are, where they are, and they would rather die than change. The comfort zone is a dangerous place to be in, and you may not even realize that you are in it.

You have all this money invested in equipment and if you are doing the same activity in the business that you really aren’t happy doing, you have actually “Bought Yourself a Job.” Please don’t make that mistake.

Source: EzineArticles.com