The first is to move the mowing deck to its highest setting. Mow the lawn tall. The longer you allow the grass leaves to grow, the more energy they can produce for their roots. The more energy in the roots, the healthier the grass plant will be and the thicker it will grow. Thick grass plants shade the soil more than thin, spindly grass plants and this shade stops weed seeds from germinating. So to slow down weed infestations, mow the grass as tall as you can.

Another thing you can do is sharpen the mower blades. Not only does a sharp blade cut better, it also uses ten percent less energy to do its job. Ten percent of the cost of the gasoline you use to mow your lawn will easily pay for a sharpening job on the mower deck. Your grass will also be healthier as the grass blades will be cut instead of whacked and ripped. Clean cuts are said to heal faster and allow fewer fungal infestations on the leaf wounds. And finally, sharp blades make it easier for the lawn mower engine to turn the blades. Sharp blades lengthen the life of the engine and if you've ever had to rebuild a motor or buy a new one, you can appreciate how much you'll save by using sharp blades.

And last but not least, buy yourself a good hat that shades both your forehead and the back of your neck. If you're like me, there's a noticeable reduction in the amount of hair protecting my head from sunburn and a good hat to block harmful UV rays is now necessary for garden work.