New gas, new plug, sharp blade.

Yes, those three things cover 90% of startup issues after winter.

Old gas is the number one culprit. It goes bad in a few months, gums up the carburetor, and makes your mower cough or refuse to start. Drain it completely (or run it dry before storage), then fill with fresh gas. Add fuel stabilizer if you want to be fancy. E10 gas is fine, E15 is not.

Spark plugs are cheap and easy. Pull the old one, gap the new one to spec (usually 0.030"), screw it in. While you’re at it, check the air filter — clean it if it’s foam, replace it if it’s paper and dirty.

Sharpen the blade. A dull blade tears grass instead of cutting it, leaving a brown, ragged lawn. A file or a bench grinder does the job in ten minutes. If you don’t have the tools, a hardware