Help me, people with a backyard!

I had this debate with my husband. He wanted to get an electirc mower with a bagging attachment to mow a patch of grass that is 6x8. I suggested a weed wacker or a good old-fashioned push mower.

The bottom line is you can cut the grass on a 15x20 lot pretty easily with a weed wacker, especially if you've practiced a little and gotten a good feel for how long you want the grass. If you're not seeking to have the yard look like the infield at Shea, weed wackers are fine. My folks yard was 20x60 and I used to cut the entire thing with one. It's a little hard on the back and arms, but nothing that will kill you.

However, if you are planning on raking and bagging cuttings, you may want to get a mower that has a bagging attachment. The biggest problem is storage because even the smallest gas movers take up a bit of space. They also are a bitch to get up an down stairs, so also take into account where you'll keep the equipment as well.

As my folks got older (and I stopped being free labor) they got an electric mower, and a 60ft extension cord, which my dad swore by. It was a little heavy, but they stored it in the extension on the back of the house and just pushed it out and plugged it in when they were ready to go.

push mowers are fan-tas-tic, and light to push
(okay, it's been about 10 years since I did this)
you could find an old one, and get the blades sharpened by the knife truck for a complete old-timey experience

Don't know if they are still sold, but my guess is yes.

Congratulations on the backyard - it is second only to an in-house washing machine for skyrocketing quality of life

or....you can do what I did and get rid of it entirely AND brick it out. My area is approx 15x45, a portion is covered by a deck above (that area is concrete) the rest of my yard is bricked, with 2ft surrounding on the sides for vegetables and plants, the furthermost area is about 4ft deep for plants (and a spot for ma' dog to poop)
unless you adore the grass, bricking/pavers are easier to maintain and will definitely bring up your property value. gorgeous!

I'll add another vote for the push mower. My lawn is about the same size as yours and it takes no time and doesn't take much effort (as long as you mow regularly)

My old apartment had a small backyard with fairly patchy grass and about a third of the space taken up by a stone patio and we just used a weed whacker. Worked fine for us. I think it just depends on how much you want to spend and how much storage space you have.

linusvanpelt wrote: Push mower, which you shd be able to get at Lowe's or Home Depot. It's just more pleasant, and the job will take you about 3 minutes.

I agree, those things are almost fun.

Yavel wrote: I have a yard about the same size as yours and prefer the weed wacker w/ extension cord. It gets the job done quicker, and the grass looks more uniform. With the push mower, the grass often flops over and doesn't get cut. Also, you can't cut right up to the edge. I used to have to cut the grass along the edges with hand shears.

I like the floppy grass. In fact I planted one of those eco-friendly, "no-mow" types of fescue, which thrives with little water, grows long and flops over in lush, pretty (to me) piles and therefore requires relatively little maintenance. (Despite the name it's not really "no mow," but I don't have to mow too often, and it also does well in shade, which most Brooklyn backyards have.)

The knife truck has made a few passes on my street in WT recently.

It's red and rings a bell - like an ice cream truck but with a different jingle.

I bought one of those push mowers this summer but it rips up patches of my sad little "lawn." I think I let the grass get too long and the mower can't cope. I had better luck in the past with the weed whacker. Takes 10 minutes and the results look nicer.