As you give your lawn a much needed trim, your lawn mower starts acting strangely. The next thing you know, the lawn mower isn’t as effective as it used to be. If this happens, you might need to get it repaired.

There are several signs your lawn mower may need repair. These signs include squeaking noises, smoke and vibrations.

1. You Start Hearing Odd Noises

Machines weren’t built to last forever, and lawn mowers are no exception. One of the most notable signs that you need to repair your lawn mower is when it starts making odd sounds. Lawn mowers are supposed to only make a humming sound while it’s being used. It might make a few other noises like a rattling or knocking sound. However, it should not happen every time you use it.

Lawn mowers that are past their life expectancy are more likely to make these sounds, so naturally, you’d just replace them. However, if your lawn mower is relatively new and it is making these sounds, you’ll need to get it repaired.

2. Oil Starts to Leak Out

When a lawn mower starts leaking out oil while you’re using it, you need to get it repaired immediately. There are a few causes of an oil leakage including a ruptured reservoir, a clog or a broken ring seal.

Do not continue using the lawn mower if it’s leaking oil. It is a major health risk and can cause serious injury. But fortunately, fixing an oil leak is simple. In most cases, you just need to replace an internal component.

3. The Vibration Is Getting Out of Hand

If there is one thing to associate a lawn mower with, it’s definitely the vibration. Now, having a lawn mower vibrate is normal because it has an engine inside of it. What’s not normal is when it vibrates too much. When the engine starts to vibrate too much and starts to make whirring sounds, that’s how you know there’s an issue. A lawn mower that is vibrating excessively is a sign that one of its components is bent, damaged or broken entirely.

Having a faulty lawn mower is one of the biggest headaches a homeowner can face. But luckily, it’s one of the easiest fixes. As long as you tackle the problem early, you’ll have very little to worry about. However, if the problem is too severe, repairing it might be out of the question.

Mulch is an organic mixture that provides nutrients to your soil. Nutrients get depleted with each growth cycle, and renewing them helps all types of plants grow more vigorously. Because mulch uses natural, organic materials, it is also safer for your family and pets. Here are some tips on how to use mulch in your yard and enjoy healthy and hardy plants.

Types of Mulch to Use in Your Yard

There are several types of mulch that you can use in your yard. Organic mulches include one or a combination of chopped leaves, straw, grass clippings, compost, wood chips, shredded bark, sawdust, pine needles and shredded newspaper. There are also some inorganic mulch options. Those include landscape fabric and black plastic. Although both types of mulch can reduce the number of weeds in your lawn, only the organic type of mulch improves your soil. If you want to add more nutrients, texture and organic material to your soil, it is best to use one or more of the plant material options. Some types of plants benefit from a very specific type of mulch. For example, vegetable gardens do well with leaf mulch. Roses thrive with pine needle mulch.

Where to Put Mulch in Your Yard

There are several places in your yard that can benefit from mulching. Perennial plants should have a layer of six to 12 inches of mulch around their bases in the autumn. Once new growth begins in the spring, the mulch should be moved away from the fresh growth. Your garden bed will also benefit from a thick layer of mulch. You can put a covering of 12 inches of mulch onto your garden bed for the autumn. In the spring, till it into the soil. Mulch can also be added to your compost bin. It is also important to know where not to put mulch in your yard. Avoid putting mulch directly against the trunks of trees. It could cause the trunks to rot. Keep mulch at least 12 inches away from tree trunks.

How Much Mulch to Use

Using the right amount of mulch is important. In a compost bin, use about two to three inches of mulch for each equally thick layer of kitchen waste or other organic material. Around sensitive plants, use about 12 inches of mulch. If you use mulch around growing plants, only use a thin layer. The thin layer will reduce weed growth without encouraging root or stem rot.

How to Safely Handle Mulch

When adding mulch to your garden, compost bin or flowering plants, it is important to do so safely. Wear gloves on your hands in order to protect yourself from cuts or abrasions. If you use pine needle, wood chip or sawdust mulch or as a component in combined mulch, be sure to wear eye protection. If you have allergies to mold, consider wearing a face mask when handling mulch. A dust or face mask reduces mold exposure.