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Now that spring has officially sprung, it’s time to get started on all the yard work that’s piled up through the winter months.
Depending on what type of lawn you have, you may be looking at a good bit of labor in your near future. One of the problems with a large space, especially in a more rural area, is having the equipment on hand to get everything done.
Thankfully, you don’t have to drop a few thousand dollars on equipment you plan to use once or twice a year. You can simply rent whatever it is you need at a fraction of the cost. Renting can be a big game changer, especially since it expands what you can get done.
Here are just a few useful pieces of equipment to consider using this spring:
Posthole Diggers
Digging out postholes can be backbreaking work, whether you’re trying to get the job down with a shovel or with an old-fashioned wood and metal posthole digger. Powered posthole diggers are an option to consider. They make the work much easier and faster, especially if you plan to put up a large fenced-in area.
Trailer-mounted posthole diggers are easy to use and don’t require extra people to operate. All that’s needed is extra muscle to move them around, and you’re good to go. In fact, the moving takes longer that drilling the actual holes. A powered posthole digger can be expected to run about $50 for two hours and can drill about eight holes an hour.
Stump Grinders
Getting rid of stumps is a difficult process. The old way of burning and digging them out is complicated, but stump grinders often cost a lot. It might be cheaper to hire a professional service to get rid of the stumps for you, but this is still an expensive option.
The best financial option by far is to rent the equipment and do the job yourself. Just be sure to remove any rocks visible around the stump before starting the process. Prices usually range from $35 to $80 for two hours, but that’s more than enough time in most situations to get the job done.
Brush Chippers
Clearing out brush is yet another tedious process that comes with having a large yard. Cutting it all down and burning everything isn’t exactly the best option for most people, so a brush chipper might be a wise investment. Depending on the lawn and what you want to do with it, you can easily rent a brush chipper for your project.
Tillers
If you’re thinking about making a garden, you’ll need a tiller. Depending on what kind of work you want to do, size and horsepower matter. A simple garden won’t need much, maybe a 1.5-horsepower model, but a large one is a different story.
If you want something very large, you’ll need to get a tiller that can do the job right the entire time you’re working. They can be rented at 13 horsepower, able and ready to till areas larger than 1,500 square feet. If you had a lot of work to do, this is the best bet.
Sod Cutters
If you’re looking for something that won’t chop into the ground but just take up the grass on top, you’ll need a sod cutter.
These can be used to plant new grass or make room for a different project. Whatever your reason, sod cutters are available to rent in all sorts of styles and designs. It all depends on the cutting depth you want and the area of land you’re planning to cut into.
Chainsaws
A chainsaw is likely something you’ll find yourself buying eventually depending on the type of yard you have. They have a lot of uses, especially during natural disasters. Still, they are available to rent if the need for them doesn’t arise very often. For about $65 a day, you can use a chainsaw for whatever project you have at the moment.
Renting Options
Most hardware stores offer power tools and yard equipment rentals, but their prices might be difficult to work with. If shopping around doesn’t work, there are apps for you to rent or lend tools and equipment directly with other people. Toolsity allows you to rent from nearby residents.
Get to Work
Once you have all the equipment you need, there are no more excuses to put off the job at hand. It makes things much easier than the older, backbreaking ways. Keeping technology on hand makes the work fly by, allowing you to get more done.
Whatever you were putting off for next year might actually have a chance this season. Just remember to work smarter, not harder.
Kayla Matthews writes and blogs about healthy living, sustainable consumption, eco-friendly practices and green energy. In the past, her work has also been featured on Grit, Mother Earth Living, Blue And Green Tomorrow, Dwell and Houzz. To read more from Kayla, follow her productivity and lifestyle blog, Productivity Theory.
