OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Welcome to Outdoorking Forum HELP Area Introductions JamesM - Perth - Just joined + story

Hey crew, was browsing around for some lawn/garden/mower info and found this site, which looks pretty cool to me.

I have a small block (400sqm) with a really small garden and patch of lawn (front and rear). I've been in the place for around 5 years and haven't really paid much attention to the garden/lawns, etc. Just enough to keep them looking clean.

I had a mower guy come every fortnight and mow/edge my lawns for $20... after a while he stopped coming, didn't say anything, just didn't come any more. My neighbours (who's lawn he also mowed) dipped out as well. I know he's still around, I've seen his truck driving around the place. I spose I little estate just isn't important to him any more. Bummer, he was a top guy.

So no lawn mowing for around a year at my place. I'd loan the neighbours mower occasionally to chop back the "havok". I've always been embaressed to ask the neighbours for their mower. I hate it.

I turned 30 this past week, perhaps I'm growing up, who knows, but I'm starting to notice my house and gardens more and more. (less partying and more responsibility perhaps?) Maybe I'm just breaking out of my laziness. Or maybe it's because my wife is pregnant with our first baby and I've woken up, who knows.

I bit the bullet and set out to get a mower and edger and make an effort to "repair" the patchy, partially dead lawn about two weeks ago.

I was looking at some cheap rotor mowers, 4 and 2 stroke, like from bunnings, and some cheap chinese edger. My father in law (who has a Scott Bonnar reel mower) said to look out for some good condition used equipment instead. Rather than buying some chinese stuff.

I found a bloke in the local rag flogging his three-wheel 4-stroke edger. He said on the phone it ran nice and had a B&S motor on it. I took the 40 min drive to have a looksy. It was in good condition, however it had a Kawasaki motor on it. After speaking with the father in law he said they're a great motor. I checked it out, it ran clean, idled like a dream, etc. I bought it for $250.

While I was at this blokes place, I asked if he was selling any mowers, he said he was. He had two, a Scott Bonnar 45, and a Victa Imperial (i think, was smaller). He showed me both, the SB mower was in good nic and ran lovely, the victa ran fine but looked a bit off with a heap of rust in it. He wanted $550 for the SB, I didn't have enough cash on me so I passed up on it.

Two days went past, after more discussion with the father in law he said I should go back and get the SB mower from this bloke. So I did, I phoned him, said I'd grab it on the w'end, the rest is history.

I've mowed and edged twice with the gear, it's strong, and great. I must say it's probably overkill for my (VERY) small lawn.

Front lawn is maybe 8x5m, rear lawn is 5x5 square patch. It's silly small.

In two weeks I've aerated the lawns with a hand aerator, fertilised with some fish emulsion and bailey's brilliance, and watered as per my water restrictions. It's coming up nice, already the patches are filling in, and it's looking greener. I must say I'm proud so far that the effort I've put in has paid off. Looks like I might get some neighbourhood respect for Christmas this year (laugh).

Next step is to try and find out what kind of lawn I have. I have no idea. It was there when the builder built the house for us. What I do know is he didn't prep the land very well before laying lawn, there's all kinds of rocks/boulders under the lawn just ask my aerator! hah. Perhaps I can take a photo of it and post it up here. I'd like to find out the ideal fertiliser for the lawn, maybe PH test it or something.

One small hassle I'm having is that the front yard is on a pretty serious slope (maybe 30-40deg) which not only makes mowing interesting, but isn't good for watering and getting the water to really soak into the lawn up near the top. I hope the recent aerating will help with this.

Out the back the small 5x5 lawn thats there I currently have fenced off from the dog (border collie). He's much happier when it's open to him, but unfortunately he's the one that destroyed it in the first place (wizz and stoolz everywhere!). I'd love to get some tips on lawns + dogs. Maybe more training is in order (he's 1yo), or maybe if I'm fast enough at collecting his stool it wont ruin the lawn, I don't know!

I also picked up a cheap line trimmer on Sunday from Bunnings, just a homelite 26cc job (i think). It was $119. I got it home, filled her up, primed it and ran it, and it goes well, it's probably overkill for my very small yards, but it saves me getting down on my hands and knee's with some scissors to cut around a tree, light post, fence, etc.

A couple of months ago, my front verge was so weed infested that I got mad and lashed out with a sprayer full of round-up. I killed off the whole verge, lawn and all. (if you could call it lawn). Once dead I de-thatched (went mental with a hoe/rake) and fertilised/watered it. it's definitely coming up with some nice green grass but it's mainly just soil at the moment. I'm wondering if I should top-dress it. Maybe someone can offer advice here. I can get a photo....

anyway, thats the story of my last few weeks of green-thumbing and lawn-motoring.. hehe, it's been fun so far, even if my body is saying "please do not move for a long period of time so I can repair"....

James

sh1t, did I write all that? oopsy! haha enjoy

Hi James i`m in perth and laid a new lawn about 18 mths ago it is empress zoysia great for perth conditions deep rooted less water and slow growing {depending on amount of fertliser}, there is also another variety of zoysia called empire zoysia its great on sloping ground have a look at westland turf website thats where i got my turf from, good luck and welcome to the site.

James I have some suggestions on what you can do to improve your lawn.

One suggestion with your front lawn on the slope would be to use a small amount of dish washing detergent (mixed with water) in a watering and apply about every two weeks for about two months. When you hose the lawn the water will soak in and not just run off and you can also do the same with the back lawn.

This is one of the cheapest ways rather than buying expensive chemicals to do the same thing.

The Scott Bonnar is a really good machine for lawns as it cuts the lawn like a pair of scissors and does not rip it like the rotary lawnmower. You will notice the difference with how green the lawn grows as well.

Anyway hope all goes well with your lawn project and would love to see before and after pictures if you can put them up on the forum.

G'day JamesM, and a big warm welcome to the forum.Great to see that you have bought yourself a Model 45 Scotty,I think your dad-in-law guided you well there; carefully maintained it will give you years of mowing pleasure and grass cut like it should be with the classic stripes as well!! I have almost finished restoring/reconditioning my Scotty 45 and have posted some pics at topic Old Mower Photos on this forum for those interested.
Best of luck with the lawn and once again, welcome.
Kindest Regards, Darryl

Hi jamesM, Welcome Mate, I Enjoyed Your story.Toroman