A robot lawn mower is not that uncommon nowadays, but I have to admit that it’s still creepy to watch how a robotic land mower seems to go straight at you with three blades spinning at 5,800 rpm. The good news is that there are ways to make sure your robotic landmower doesn’t scare your guests (or you) while it’s doing its work around your garden.

It’s not surprising how some people are still hesitant about getting a robotic land mower. A robot wielding sharp blades is the stuff of nightmares and you’re just about ready to install one on your lawn. But the good news is that even the statistics agree that robotic land mowers are safe. According to Ames Tiedeman, National Sales Manager for Systems Trading Corp., the US distributor for the Friendly Robotics Robomower, over 72,000 emergency room visits involved lawn mowers in 2005.  Not a single case involved robotic lawn mowers.

These robotic mowers have safety features and triggers that automatically shut the system off when there’s trouble. It doesn’t hurt to learn more about the safety features so you should study the manual and ask around for advice before getting your own robotic land mower.

There are robotic land mowers that turn the blade rotation off at 16 degrees, which is not even high enough to get a hand under.  Moreover, the blades are too far back and kept inside a chamber so that not even a small hand could touch them. User-friendly land mowers are also child-safe, so you need not worry about home accidents.

Push and riding lawn mowers have safety devices that are easily disabled, while those of a robotic lawn mower features are not easily disabled. The tilt detection features are a part of the main board and even the blade resistance is monitored so closely by the system that it would take creativity, not stupidity, to get yourself injured by using a robotic land mower. The software is automatic and can stop all activity if even a hint of a threat is detected. Sonar detection systems slow the mower down if any moving objects get too close to it. Touch sensors are also installed to make sure the mower moves away from a stationary object instead of ramming through it.

Flying debris need not be a problem to because most of the robotic landmower nowadays are designed for mulching. This means pebbles and small rocks do not get tossed very far from the unit at high or low velocity. Pets are relatively safe around a robotic land mower. In fact, if we really study the statistics, it’s the mower that’s in danger of getting attacked and chewed up by pets, not the other way around.

If you’re still apprehensive about mower safety, you can simply set the mower to operate at night when everyone is sleeping.

Drought is never a good thing, whether for people or for lawns. When the temperature outside hits the 40 degrees Celsius, you know your lawn is in trouble. If you do not install some precautionary measures, you might end up losing your investment to the heat of the summer season. The truth is, a temporary heat spell is not too difficult to handle. Here are more recommendations for you to take care of your lawn.

Help your lawn survive using these tips:

1. Modify the blade height on your mower. Raised blades means taller grass. While you want your lawn to look clean and manicured, taller grass provides more protection from direct sunlight. Taller grass also grow deeper roots. This means more water in the soil for your small ecosystem to consume. If you have an abundance of these grasses on your lawn, it will be more weather-hardy when the air temperature gets any hotter.

2. Don’t be too free with bagging the clippings just yet. If you want an excuse to be lazy when it comes to cleaning the clippings, this is it. Grass clippings can provide more moisture, not to mention nutrients, to your lawn soil. This creates a barrier between the soil and the hot atmosphere.

3. Aeration twice a year will keep the soil maintained. You can keep out thatch from taking root and the roots of your usual plants can grow deeper in aerated soil.

4. Make sure the blades on your lawn mower are sharp. Dull blades can put stress on your grass. Stressed grasses need extra TLC in terms of water and nutrients, which is more difficult during summertime when the water evaporates as soon as you apply it.

5. Avoid too much evaporation of water by watering your plants during the early morning when the sun is less nasty. Water evaporates quickly in the heat, which means good news for those doing their laundry outside, but bad news for you if you water your lawn when it’s too hot.

6. Soaker hoses can be used to water your lawn. A drip type irrigation system can do wonders in terms of water management. It is more efficient during summertime. A hose is left to drip water on the ground throughout the day. The amount is just enough to keep replenishing water, but not enough to create a flood. This way, the water is soaked up by the roots, and not left on the leaves to dry up.

7. Fertilizing your lawn makes it more susceptible to heat. Fertilizers in the soil means you will need to water more.

Nitrogen is one of the most important minerals that plants need to grow. Nitrogen is best used with potassium and phosphorus, but on its own, it can be used to make your crops behave and look a certain way. First of all, it has something to do with chlorophyll production. The better your soil’s nitrogen balance is, the greener your plants’ leaves will look. If you want your lawn to be healthy, you should know the basics of nitrogen fertilizer application.

First of all, is your lawn lacking in nitrogen? There are some signs that your plants may be deficient in nitrogen if you observe them closely. If leaves turn yellow despite watering, your soil’s natural nitrogen reserves may be insufficient to meet the minimum requirement that your plants need. If grasses do not grow fast or become susceptible to diseases, the soil’s nitrogen deposits may be depleted.

Here are some tips for you if you are planning on applying nitrogen on your own…

There are three popular types of nitrogen fertilizers used widely for maintaining gardens. First is Isobutyledenedinurea (IBDU), which is a slow release fertilizer. It can be used to nourish your grass over a long period of time. This is one of the most expensive types of nitrogen fertilizer. Secondly, there is sulfur-coated urea.

The sulfur coating decomposes easily, but there are certain subtypes to this. The rate of uptake by the plant depends on how fast the sulfur coating dissolves. Sulfur-coated urea is temperature dependent, which means the nitrogen will be released faster when the temperature is warm, and when the lawn is wet. Pure urea is the least expensive nitrogen fertilizer that you can use on your plant. It can be used instantly, which means the nutrient is immediately available to your plants when you apply.

With proper care and the right equipment, you can have that gorgeous lawn of your dreams. With equipment, we mean the tools and gadgets you use directly to maintain the beauty of your lawn. Choosing the right lawn mower for your landscape isn’t difficult, but there are a few tips you can follow to make sure you get the best one…

Take note of cutting quality. A good lawn mower should cut the grass and not tear or rip it out. A good way to ensure this is to find out if a mower is especially designed for flats or slopes. There are some mowers that are great for flat areas but not for sloping gardens. You may need to change settings if the mower can work anywhere.

If your lawn is on a slope, the best kind of land mower you should purchase is one with high wheels. The high wheels make the mower easier to move up and down the slope. You can also consider a cordless or electric mulching lawn mower. These mower types are designed to avoid too much mess when you’re maintaining or mulching your lawn. There’s another type of land mower that will not contribute to air pollution, and this is called the reel lawn mower.

After you’ve selected the best lawn mower for your garden, read the manual and ask the service man for specialized instructions on how to maintain your lawn mower. Some home owners use the same land mower that their parents or grandparents used. The secret to this kind of longevity is maintenance and servicing. Choose a brand that’s fairly common so that you don’t have to search far and wide for spare parts if you need to fix something in your mower. Spark plugs should be cleaned or replaced for good firing and nuts and bolts should be checked and tightened where necessary.

The underside decking should be checked and cleaned all through the mowing season to eliminate grass and dirt that have accumulated. This is not only for the maintenance of your mower. This is also to prevent grass diseases, pests and what-not from spreading across your lawn.

Start cleaning the deck of the lawnmower by emptying the gas tank and making sure that the spark plug is not connected.  Tilt the mower and spray liberally with water. Use a hose to clean off the rest of the dirt and grass that got stuck. You should not use the mower right after you’ve cleaned it. Instead, make sure to dry the mower after you have finished rinsing it off.

While cleaning the land mower should be done regularly, fixes and maintenance can be done twice a year, or quarterly. It depends on how much you work your mower. Check the oil and air filters. Make sure the parts are not rusted. Filters may be foam or paper, so you’d better check with the technician if you want to change filters. It’s like caring for a car, in a way.

Another crucial thing that you have to remember is the blade of the mower. Sharp blades will cut the grass, while a dull blade will simply uproot your plants. File your blades yourself, or have a professional do it for you.

When you’re done mowing for the season is over, properly store your lawn mower for the winter by removing the oil and gas. You can also wipe down the exterior before storage.

Even if the rule of thumb for watering your lawn is an inch to one inch and a half per week, you should know that the type of soil in your lawn, the amount of sunshine, and the climate all play a role. The important thing is that you water in a correct manner. Deep watering means infrequently running the sprinklers but spewing out a good amount so that the grasses will have deeper roots.

For the usual depth of an inch to one inch and a half per week, you can do it in 2 splits or once a week. It is recommended that you don’t sprinkle water just a little each day, or else you will have shallow roots. Drought is often the result of sparse watering or sprinkling too little water frequently.

For sandy soil, the best way is to water your lawn two times a week because sandy soil drains faster. If this happens, the water will soak through the sandy soil fast and settle deeper than the roots can reach. If your lawn soil is made up of heavy clay, you must water thrice a week because water is not absorbed by clay soils well.

It’s difficult to measure the exact amount of water your lawn receives particularly when you’re using automatic sprinkler systems. One way to measure how much water your lawn is getting is to place a few plastic tubs around the lawn. Using these tubs, you will know how much water your sprinklers put out in an hour. Let the sprinklers stay for a few hours to measure how much water your lawn is getting and then you can modify your watering time accordingly. One more advantage of doing this is that you will be able to find out if watering is even all over the yard. It would be a bad thing if there were spots your sprinklers don’t reach.

The early morning is the best time to water. During this time, the sun is not at its peak and all the water can be soaked up by the soil with minimum evaporation. Watering at night may lead to grass diseases because the soil stays wet longer during the night.

If it’s summer, or the weather is particularly hot, increase your mowing height so that your lawn’s soil and the roots of your grasses are less stressed. It is also advisable to leave grass clippings on the yard. The remaining moisture in the clippings will benefit your lawn.

If you have a nice looking yard right now, you probably know that it’s pretty difficult to maintain. If you’ve ever thought about sleeping in without worrying about how messy your yard would look if you don’t mow it this week, a robotic lawn mower may be the best backyard gadget for you.

Robotic lawn mowers can do the job, charge itself and do it all over again without fail. It’s battery operated so you don’t have to worry about paying for gas or oil to keep it going. You can pretty much install it then leave it alone, except for the times when you have to replace the blades or the batteries. They can work in any weather because of the water-proof feature.

One thing you have to take care of, however, is the perimeter wire. This can be installed by a professional, or you can install it yourself. The wire has to be buried into the ground, around two inches deep. This wire will tell the robotic lawn mower the boundary of the lot it should mow.

When the robotic mower senses the wire, it will immediately turn around to avoid crossing the invisible line. But, accidents happen and sometimes the signal from the wire gets “ignored” by your automatic mower. Don’t worry when this happens because the mower will instantly shut down when it accidentally crosses the perimeter wire.

The best thing about it is that you can set a routine for mowing. The mower doesn’t emit annoying sounds, so you can set the mower to do the job during night time. This is perfect if you have kids that love to play in the yard during the day.

When the appointed time comes, the mower will move away from the charger and start mowing. There are some mowers that go back and forth, while there are some that move randomly. When the battery reaches a critical level, the mower automatically moves towards the charger.

You can choose from a variety of designs. All robotic lawn mowers nowadays have features that are meant to attract customers. Some designs are aesthetically pleasing, while some are rather plain.

When you buy your robotic mower, you should ask about auto-charging. Not all robotic lawnmowers go back to the charger automatically. A sensor for rain or puddle should also be present. It’s annoying if you have to “rescue your mower” from a soft spot on your lawn because there’s no sensor for wet or soft soil patches.

Robotic lawn mowers are practical, but not everyone has a unit yet. That’s why it’s not surprising if the neighbors stand around to watch it work if you schedule the mowing during daytime.