Spring Lawn Care Checklist with STIHL Tools

Before your first cut of the season, give your STIHL lawn mower a thorough inspection. Change the engine oil if you did not do so in fall. A clean air filter is essential for proper combustion and power output — replace paper filters or wash foam filters with mild soap and let them dry completely. Inspect the spark plug for carbon buildup and replace if the electrode is worn.

Sharpen the blade. A dull blade tears grass rather than cutting it cleanly, which opens the door to fungal disease and brown tips. Remove the blade, file or grind the edge to factory angle, and balance it before reinstalling. While the blade is off, scrape the underside of the deck clean of old grass clippings and debris.

Resist the urge to scalp your lawn on the first mow of spring. Set your STIHL mower deck to the highest setting and take off no more than one-third of the grass blade length. Cutting too short too early shocks the grass and exposes the soil to weed seeds. For cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and fescue, maintain a height of 2.5 to 3.5 inches throughout spring.

Mow only when the grass is dry. Wet grass clumps under the deck, clogs the discharge chute, and leaves uneven patches. Early afternoon on a dry day is ideal. If you use a mulching kit, make sure the blades are sharp and the deck is clean — mulch quality depends on both factors.

After mowing, use a STIHL grass trimmer or edger to clean up borders, driveway edges, and fence lines. String trimmers with AutoCut heads make quick work of grass that the mower cannot reach. For crisp edges along sidewalks, a dedicated edger or the blade attachment on a KombiSystem tool gives a professional finish.

Finish the session with a STIHL leaf blower to clear clippings from paved surfaces, flower beds, and walkways. Blowing clippings back onto the lawn rather than bagging them returns nutrients to the soil. Use a gentle nozzle setting near mulch beds to avoid displacing decorative stone or lightweight mulch.