Weekly Special: 10% Off Service!

This Week's Special
Every week we offer a special, discount, coupon, or great deal for our amazing customers! Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our blog or e-newsletter to make sure you don't miss a deal. 

10% OFF SERVICE ON ONE MACHINE!*

Be sure to print off the coupon below to get the special!

*See store associate for details. Limit one coupon per customer. Must present coupon at time of purchase to receive discount. Valid March 11, 2011 through March 17, 2011 on qualified equipment. Cannot be combined with other coupons, discounts, or specials. Terms subject to change without notice. 

 

You're invited....

How to Fix Water Flow/Drainage Issues in Your Yard

That rainy spring weather lets you know that winter is on the way out and summer is on the way in. It also might let you know about issues with water flow and drainage in your yard. If you're dealing with standing water, puddles that won't go away, or little rivers in the wrong places, you need to deal with the problem. Leaving that water where it is can leave you with muddy areas that won't grow plants or grass. in summer, those spots of standing water will become breeding ground for insects.

Fix it now, and you won't have to worry about it when the temperature starts climbing.

First Things First
Before you run outside with a shovel, take some time to figure out what's causing the drainage issue. Do you have good drainage up to a point, and then a blockage? Is there not any clear drainage marked out in which to direct water flow? Are there low areas in your yard that are acting as water basins?

Strategies for Fixing Water Flow Problems

1. Fill the low areas.
One of the simplest and easiest fixes, bringing in soil, sand, gravel, sawdust, or other organic matter to fill up low areas can be enough to eliminate puddles and standing water. Be sure you bring in enough fill; some will wash away, and the rest will settle as time goes by, which can leave you with a slightly higher area still holding water. Pack down the material you use and fill enough that you have a bit of a rise; as the material settles, the area will flatten out.

2. Clean out blockage.
If you have an otherwise flowing pathway for water, follow it to the blockage and you can eliminate the source of the water problem. Often roots, rocks, branches, or debris can simply pile up in unseen areas and then cause the water flow to back up and spread out into nearby low-lying areas. Clean out the most direct drainage path and see if that fixes the problem.

3. Redirect the water.
Water is going to automatically flow from high ground to low ground via the path of least resistance. If you're stepping into a river across your front yard or sidewalk, the answer is to create an easier path for water to follow so it doesn't end up in your walk way. You can do so by noting where the water originates (the highest nearby point) and digging a trench from that point, along the line you want the water to follow to the lowest point, drain, or ditch. Digging by hand (shovel) is time-consuming but if you're only a short bit to do, can definitely be done in an afternoon or so. Consider renting out the Dingo with the trencher attachment if you want to save your time and back muscles, or if the trench needs to extend more than a few feet in length.

4. Install a French drain.
For low-lying areas that can't be fixed by adding fill of some kind (too large, bottom of the hill), you might consider installing a French drain. A French drain is simply a hole or trench dug into the low-lying area; dig it several feet deep in the place where water normally collects. Lay down a layer of landscaper's fabric, then a thick layer of gravel. Cover it with soil and mulch or seed the area to keep it from staying muddy. Water that normally collects will have a thick layer of gravel to drain into at the natural collection point.

Image: GollyGforce.

March Commercial Special: Free Commercial Rush Status!

February's Commercial Special of the Month: 
Every month we present a special deal for our commercial customers.  Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our blog or e-newsletter to make sure you don't miss a deal. 

Free Commercial Rush status 

on service for one machine.*

See details below, and be sure to print the coupon 

to bring in to the store to get your special!

*See store associate for details. Limit one coupon per commercial customer for the month of March, 2011. Must present coupon at time of service to receive free Commercial Rush status. Valid March 1, 2011 through March 31, 2011. Cannot be combined with other coupons, discounts, or specials. Terms subject to change without notice. 

Weekly Special: $19.99 Oil Change/Lubrication Special

This Week's Special:
Every week we offer a special, discount, coupon, or great deal for our amazing customers! Friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our blog or e-newsletter to make sure you don't miss a deal. 

$19.99 Oil Change and General Lubrication special on one piece of power equipment.*

Be sure to print off the coupon below to get the special!

 

*See store associate for details. Does not include cost of oil and disposal. Limit one coupon per customer. Must present coupon at time of purchase to receive discount. Valid March 4, 2011 through March 10, 2011. Cannot be combined with other coupons, discounts, or specials. Terms subject to change without notice. 

Product Highlight: Stihl Hedge Trimmers

With the weather the crazy way it's been lately (that's Missouri, for you), we're not really sure whether we should talk about lawn mowers or snow blowers.

 

So we're taking the middle ground...

Today's product highlight: Hedge Trimmers.

Did you know that...

Early spring is a good time to do initial, light pruning on your trees and trim those hedges and shrubs so they grow into the shape you want them to have this summer? 

Did you know that...

Stihl makes hedge trimming easy, even (dare we say it) fun?

The HS 45 Hedge Trimmer

This is the home owner's best friend. Goodbye, cheap and unwieldy pruning shears that rust closed every winter. Hello, gas-powered hedge-trimming power. This little beauty is light weight, easy to use, easy to handle, and powerfully effective for trimming hedges, shrubs, bushes, and doing light pruning of trees. 

 

Features

• 18" or 24" inch blade version 
• Stihl Homescaper series engine 
• Blade lock for safer starts and for moving from one plant to another 
• Reciprocating, dual-sided blades

Starts at $289.99

The HL 45 Extended Reach Hedge Trimmer

When most of your trimming and pruning requires a step ladder, this is the hedge trimmer you need to invest in. With the lengthier design and lighter weight gear box, the HL 45 gives you extended reach so you don't have to balance on a step stool with a sharp object in your hands. Instead, stay safely on the ground and just let the HL 45 do the reaching and working for you.  

Features

• Powered by STIHL HomeScaper Series™ engine 
• 20" blade with fixed 0º angle 
• New lighter weight durable gearbox

Starts at $339.99

How to Keep Your Power Equipment Running

Power equipment like lawn mowers, chain saws, snow blowers, trimmers, and blowers all require regular maintenance if you want them to keep working and get a good long life out of them. It's easy to forget that they're machines with wear-and-tear parts, and there's a little bit more to the upkeep than just putting fresh fuel in the tank before you use the equipment.

To keep your power equipment running in top shape, for all types of yard and garden power equipment, you'll want to pay attention to these areas:

The Fuel System
The main thing to remember about a fuel system in power equipment is that the fuel you're purchasing won't stay fresh very long. Due to the high levels of ethanol in gas, the fuel quickly disintegrates and can leave a sticky, nasty varnish all inside the fuel system of your lawn mower or snow blower. The small parts involved in the fuel system of any piece of power equipment don't appreciate this varnish, and it can cause serious problems. You might find that your machine won't start, or that it will start and then die out, or that you have a kind of up-and-down thing happening, with the engine revving up and then nearly dying out.

The easiest way to make sure you don't get that varnish in your machine's fuel system is to add fuel stabilizer to all the fuel you purchase. At Arco Lawn, we carry individual packs that make it quick and mess-free (no measuring) as well as larger bottles with easy ratios to follow for adding to gas cans.

The Lubrication System
For 2-cycle machines such as trimmers, blowers, and chain saws, you know you need to add oil to the gas so the machine's engine gets adequate lubrication. Be sure of two things: first, that you're using the right kind of oil and second, that you're adding it in the correct ratio for your machine. For Stihl equipment, which we carry at Arco, there are small and large bottles of 2-cycle oil. If you don't want to mess with measuring, get the smaller bottles and add the whole thing to the appropriate amount of fuel in your gas can. You'll have your pre-mixed fuel ready to go when you're ready to use your equipment.

The Maintenance Parts
It's easy to forget, but some engine parts aren't meant to last forever. Spark plugs and air filters are parts which get a lot of wear and tear and should be replaced every season. Other commonly replaced maintenance parts include self-propel cables, fuel lines, and, of course, the chain on your chain saw and the blade on your mower will need to be regularly sharpened for best performance. Use our quick and easy Parts Look Up online system to find the parts you need for your machine.

We're happy to help you figure out what you need to do to keep your power equipment in working order. Feel free to stop by our store {14657 Manchester Road, Ballwin, MO 63069}, give us a call {636-394-0044}, or leave your question on our blog or Facebook page.

Image courtesy of tourist_on_earth.