10 Rental Items for Your Spring Lawn and Garden Projects
Spring has officially sprung. That means it’s the perfect time to get started on all the lawn care and gardening projects that have piled up over winter.
Luckily, you don’t have to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars to buy the equipment you’ll only end up using once or twice a year. Renting the tools and equipment you need to tackle your spring lawn and garden projects will ensure you have the right tools for the job. You’ll also have access to expert advice on operating the equipment to help get your jobs done quickly and safely.
When you’re ready to start sprucing up your yard and preparing your garden for summer, simply contact your local ARA-affiliated rental store for the tools and equipment you need.
Here are 10 rental items to consider to make your spring yard prep as easy, fast and efficient as possible:
Dethatcher — Renting a dethatcher (also known as a power rake) can help you get a jumpstart on a gorgeous lawn. A dethatcher uses a series of vertical blades to cut through and loosen a lawn’s old thatch (dead grass, leaves and stems), bring it to the lawn surface so it can be removed and make way for new growth. Renting a dethatcher is a good option in mid to late spring when grass is actively growing and able to recover fast. What’s more, the dead, organic material pulled up from your lawn can then be used for fertilizer to help with quicker growth.
Aerator — After you’re finished dethatching your lawn, it’s a great idea to follow up with an aerator, which will incorporate holes into your lawn. This promotes a healthy, beautiful lawn by allowing water, air and nutrients to more easily reach your lawn’s root system.
Handheld Hedge Trimmer — Renting a cordless, battery-powered trimmer is a great option for cutting or pruning hedges or bushes and giving your yard a neat, well-groomed appearance. High-quality trimmers are powerful tools that can easily cut through twigs and vines, and they allow you to perfectly shape and manicure your hedges and bushes to your desired shape and size.
Lawn Edger — As your grass flourishes, rent a lawn edger to put the finishing touches on your lawn’s manicure. A lawn edger allows you to maneuver around your lawn quickly and easily and cut clean lines along any edge. This tool helps you effortlessly work around gardens, driveways and sidewalks and allows you to cut the grass to the desired length around different areas of your yard.
Shovel — If you are working on an outdoor garden, flowerbeds or landscaping around your house and yard, it’s important to have a shovel on hand. From digging into soil to planting flowers to lifting sod to moving soil or fertilizer from one spot to another, a shovel is a must-have tool for any garden or lawn care job that involves moving dirt. A shovel is a tool that many people have on hand, but if you don’t, you can rent one at an extremely affordable price.
Tiller — If you want to give your shovel (and your back) a rest, rent a tiller (or rotary tiller) to prepare your soil for a new garden or sod installation. Tilling is necessary because soil is often compacted, rocky or full of weeds, which doesn’t make it ideal for growing vegetables, plants, flowers or grass. The tiller blades loosen dirt and rocks and can also mix in soil additives, compost and fertilizer. Tillers are easy to maneuver because they move in forward and reverse direction. They allow you to prepare large patches of land in less time for the things you want to plant. This tool is essential since it reduces the work time and can dig far deeper than you would be able to with a shovel.
Wheelbarrow — A wheelbarrow is another essential item you’ll need for your spring yard prep. You can use it to move around mulch, soil and compost, and it can haul your other tools to help you work more efficiently. Move your heavy loads even faster with an electric wheelbarrow rental, designed for excellent traction, control and maneuverability.
Chainsaw — A reliable rented chainsaw provides more raw power and efficiency than most other power tools. It can help you complete your spring lawn care and landscaping projects quickly and easily, saving you a lot of time and energy. Whether you’re cutting up a fallen tree, pruning branches or demolishing an old shed, a chainsaw’s sharp teeth and spinning chain can cut through wood in seconds, finishing a task that would take much longer with a manual saw.
Posthole Digger — Whether you’re trying to dig out postholes with a shovel or an old-fashioned wood and metal posthole digger, it can be tedious, back-breaking work. So, consider renting a high-quality posthole digger or even a powered posthole digger to make the task much faster and easier, especially if you plan to install a fence around a large area.
Pressure Washer — Lawn and garden prep can leave your sidewalks and driveway a mess. A pressure washer rental is the perfect tool for cleaning up your sidewalks, driveway, siding, deck and patio, and can achieve a much deeper and more thorough clean than by just using a garden hose. It’s also the perfect tool for quickly removing the dirt, grime and mildew from the outside of your house.
Foster a gorgeous lawn and grow a great garden this year. Contact your local ARA-affiliated rental store for the tools and equipment you need to help speed up your spring yard and garden projects and ease the burden on your body. Simply use the Rental Store Locator above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I rent or buy the tools I need for my spring lawn and garden care?
Renting the tools and equipment you need for your spring lawn care projects is highly efficient and cost-effective. You’ll be utilizing commercial-quality equipment at a fraction of the cost of buying it, and you won’t have the hassle of storing and maintaining it. That means you’ll have extra storage space in your garage or shed. What’s more, you’ll have the added value of expert advice on how to best use the equipment.
How do I rejuvenate my lawn in spring?
Prep and reawaken your lawn for the warmer months ahead with a few steps:
1. Get rid of weeds. If hand weeding, be sure to get the roots or the weeds will just come back. Large areas may be tackled with a spray-on selective herbicide, which kills the weeds but not the grass.
2. Aerate the soil. The soil under your grass may be compacted. Rent an aerator to open up the soil and let air, moisture and nutrients into your lawn.
3. Fix any bare patches. First, remove the dead grass from the bare spot. You can replant small spots with grass seed or runners from a healthy area of the lawn; larger areas are best filled in using new sod that you can simply roll out like a carpet.
4. Fertilize your lawn to give it the necessary nutrients to start growing into thicker, greener lawn come summer. A fertilizer spreader rental helps to spread the fertilizer evenly and efficiently.
When should I start spring gardening?
It’s best to start gardening in mid-spring. Halfway through the season, you should start seeing your landscape take shape as more and more bulbs, perennials, shrubs and trees start growing and even blooming again. And, once you have most of the cleanup done, you can begin adding new plants to your garden.