by Kelly Johnson
ABC Newspapers staff writer

Many homeowners take great care to keep their lawn green well into the end of the summer growing season.

But while they may spend hours watering and fertilizing their lawns, they often forget another important step to keeping a healthy, green lawn.

A sharp lawn mower blade is an essential key to maintaining a healthy looking lawn.

Mowing with a dull blade will tear the end of the tiny blades of grass. This gives the lawn a dry appearance even though it may be quite moist.

Cutting with a dull blade may also help disease get into the lawn because of the weakened blades of grass.

Preventing such problems is easy enough for average homeowners to do it themselves in about 30 minutes.

Begin the process by removing the lawn mower’s spark plug wire to prevent the mower from accidentally starting.

Then, take off the blade, using a wrench to remove the nut that secures the blade to the main part of the lawn mower.

To keep the lawn mower blade from moving, wedge a piece of lumber between the blade and the mower.

Sharpen the blade using a file or grindstone.

It is important to keep the blade’s edge at about a 45-degree angle, following the angle of the existing edge.

Remember to even out any rough spots while sharpening the blade.

Before replacing the lawn mower blade, check the blade’s balance. A blade must be balanced for the lawn mower to run smoothly.

To check the blade’s balance, support the blade under its center with a rod or narrow horizontal support.

Then spin the blade to check its balance.

Before replacing the blade, remove any chunks of grass or dirt that have accumulated under the lawn mower.

Replace the blade by securing the nut that holds it to the main part of the lawn mower. Then, replace the spark plug wire.

Lawn mower blades should be sharpened every month or two to keep the mower cutting properly.