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Lawnmowers, lawnmowers, lawnmowers…Part 3: To mulch or not to mulch?

MAR

09^th

Posted by: James Williamson

Mulching, recycling, bio clipping… These will be familiar words to those of you that regularly consult gardening magazines or on-line forums relating to lawn care. However, if you don’t keep up to date with the latest gardening trends they may not mean much at all. In effect, with regards to grass cutting, they all mean the same thing; simply a means to return valuable nutrients back to your lawn using specialised lawn mowers. Recycling is a relatively new phenomenon in the UK, gaining popularity over the last 3 – 4 years due to a combination of environmental concerns and the desire for a simpler way to mow garden lawns. When practised properly, mulching can be hugely beneficial to your lawn. However, as is the case nowadays, a lot of conflicting advice relating to best mulching practice and type of lawnmower needed is muddying the waters as to how to achieve the best mulching results for your garden. In the following paragraphs we’ll take a look at some mulching myths and facts and also which lawnmowers you can expect to do the best job.

It will be easiest to briefly explain what mulching or recycling is and how it will bring benefits to you and your garden. Mulching lawn mowers help to maintain a healthy and green lawn by re-circulating and re-cutting the grass clippings under the mowing deck, producing fine mulch. This mulch is forcibly returned to the lawn where it rapidly decomposes, putting precious nutrients back into the soil. This helps save on chemical forms of fertilizer and so provides an environmental benefit to your garden. As a result you have no clippings to dispose of, which, happily means no more weekly trips to the tip or having piles of rotting grass in your garden. This, of course, has less of an impact on the environment (lessening road miles, black bag usage, less carbon released into the atmosphere from rotting vegetation etc.) and leaves you with a verdant and healthy lawn.

With the climate in the UK being particularly damp for much of the growing season and not necessarily ideal for mulching, many manufacturers are now producing lawnmowers that offer 3 in 1 versatility; these are standard rear-discharge lawn mowers supplied with a mulch plug or similar means of blocking the rear discharge chute, thus holding the grass clippings under the mowing deck. It needs to be pointed out, however, that this is a compromised design due to virtually all rear discharge lawnmowers cutting the grass clipping only once before disposal. Many of these lawnmowers are very fine machines though, such as the ‘Versamow’ series of lawnmowers from Honda, comprising the Honda HRX 537 HY Self-Propelled Lawnmower with hydrostatic drive, the Honda HRX 537 HZ Self-Propelled Lawnmower with hydrostatic drive and key starting and the Honda HRX 537 VY Self-Propelled Lawnmower with variable speed. These lawn mowers are in fact 4 in 1 machines with a lever located behind the engine, enabling the user to alter the rate at which the grass clippings are both recycled and collected concurrently. Amongst the manufacturers that take the mulch plug option are Hayter and Husqvarna. Both companies produce a large range of ‘3 in 1’ lawn mowers with Hayter offering the new Hayter R53S Recycling Lawnmower and Hayter R53A Recycling Lawnmower, built with steel and aluminium decks respectively; also equipped with 'Sens-a-speed' variable speed transmission, the lawn mower automatically adjusts to your walking pace through sensors mounted in the handlebars. More durable is the Hayter Ranger 3 in 1 Autodrive Lawnmower. Built with a die-cast aluminium deck and the option of using a side-discharge chute should the mowing conditions become heavy, a mulch plug is also supplied as standard.

Swedish manufacturer Husqvarna produce some excellent ‘3 in 1’ lawnmowers, referred to as ‘TrioClip’ lawnmowers. The Husqvarna R 150 SV Lawnmower is a very sturdy machine with a solid aluminium deck and double ball bearing mounted wheels and variable speed transmission. The Husqvarna R 152SVH Lawnmower benefits from being fitted with the excellent Honda GCV160 OHC petrol engine and offers a more cost effective steel deck with side-discharge chute, also with variable speed transmission. However, to benefit from best mulching results it is absolutely necessary to purchase a ‘true’ mulching lawn mower with a dedicated mulching deck. Specifically designed mulching mowers will recycle grass much better than conventional collecting mowers that are later converted to mulching mode using a mulch-plug. The reason for this is in the cutting deck design. The deck on dedicated recycling lawn mowers is aerodynamically designed on the underside to make the air, and the grass cuttings suspended in the air, travel in two directions. At the same time as the air and grass clippings move in a rotary direction around the inside of the deck, they also travel in a vortex which allows the grass to pass through the cutting cycle multiple times. Ultimately both the air and mulched grass particles are forced from the cutting deck with a positive downward pressure, whereby the mulched particles of grass are forced into the base of the turf. It is in the base of the turf where the particles are broken down by micro-organisms and turned into valuable nutrients for your lawn. In addition to specially designed cutting decks, mulching mowers also feature a specially designed blade, often with twin edges, further enhancing the under-deck dynamics and chopping performance.

More and more manufacturers are producing stand-alone mulching machines, many of which are equipped with a side-discharge chute just in case the mowing conditions are a bit too lush and heavy for quality mulching. These machines can often double-up as rough ground mowers, ideal for orchards and less than tidy verges. One such machine is the new Honda HRS536 SDE Mulching Lawnmower, which, with a lightweight, aerodynamically designed steel mulching deck and side-discharge option makes it ideal for homeowners with mixed grounds where collection of the grass clippings would be less than ideal. Not necessarily a true mulching lawnmower but more of an all terrain grass cutter is the Hayter Hayterette that has been going strong, almost unchanged, for 50 years. Four swinging blades, specifically designed to deal with rough grass, will leave a rough mulch on less formal areas and at the same time protect the engine crankshaft from damage. For truly professional quality mulching results look no further than the Husqvarna M 53S Pro Mulching Lawnmower and the Husqvarna M 48 Pro Mulching Lawnmower; ‘BioClip’ mulching technology ensures that the cutting results are at their optimum, even in damp conditions that can cause chopped clippings to stick to the underside of the cutting deck. Both machines are equipped with robust, cast aluminium mulching decks, vibration dampened handlebars and double ball bearing mounted wheels. The Husqvarna M 53S Pro benefits from the addition of a self-drive mechanism.

Whichever machine or mulching method you chose, the general rule of thumb is for mulching to take 30% less time than conventional lawn mowing with grass collection, due to the lack of stops to empty the grass collector. If you follow the steps below, you should be on your way to a lush green lawn this summer:

· Follow the ‘one-third’ rule. Never cut more than the top third of the grass, even if the grass is 6 inches long. The best mulching decks can’t cope with a grass clipping overload!
· Leave grass about half an inch longer than you would normally if you were discharging or collecting the clippings. This helps retain moisture and suppress weed growth.
· Keep your mower blades sharp. Mulching will dull blades faster than other methods of mowing. Also, keep the underside of the mowing deck clean with a nylon brush. This is essential as it maintains the vital ingredient for successful mulching; airflow.
· Water the lawn after mulching, not before. Soaking the lawn after mulching makes clippings settle better and speeds up decomposition. Also, wet grass sticks to your lawnmower, lessening the quality of mulching.
· Reduce fertiliser usage. Research suggests that 121lbs of nitrogen; 112lbs of potash and 38lbs of phosphate are available from ½ acre of mulched lawn clippings in one year.

If you have any queries or doubts about any aspect of lawn care, please don’t hesitate to call us at LawnMowersDirect on 01603 458 916. Until our next blog, enjoy your garden and happy mulching.

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Lawnmowers, lawnmowers, lawnmowers…Part 2

MAR

01^st

Posted by: James Williamson

In our last entry we looked at the merits of buying a rotary rear roller lawn mower with the intention of demystifying a style of machine that can cause a little confusion for some potential buyers. This time around we’ll examine a selection of the vast range of 4 wheel rotary lawnmowers available today and hopefully guide you to making the right choice for your particular lawn care needs.

A 4-wheel rotary lawn mower is a more flexible machine than a rear-roller rotary mower or cylinder lawnmower; having those four wheels can open up a greater range of grass-care applications. The flexibility offered from using a 4-wheeled lawnmower means that a variety of grass conditions can be maintained with one machine. Orchards, verges, underneath hedgerows and other less formal areas can be mown with the same machine that will also leave a pleasing finish on more manicured lawns. The size of your garden, the grass conditions and the style in which you wish to mow your grass will dictate which lawnmower you ultimately choose to buy.

Small urban and town gardens may well benefit from a compact, quiet lawnmower such as the Bosch Rotak 320 Electric Rotary Lawnmower, which, with its 1000 watt electric motor and 28 litre grass catcher is ideal if you need to keep the noise down for the neighbours. Slightly larger and more powerful is the Hayter Spirit 41 Four Wheeled Petrol Lawnmower. Designed for small lawns and gardens where value for money is a priority, it offers excellent performance with a 3-year warranty to match. At this point it is worth thinking about whether a push or self-propelled lawnmower is best for your garden, or, more importantly, your own physical abilities. Push lawnmowers require physical effort to move along and are normally available in 16” or 18” cutting widths. If your grass is rough and undulating, spread over a large area or you are no longer in peak physical condition, you may prefer a self-propelled lawn mower that drives itself. Sometimes less is more; a push machine is lighter, it will keep you in shape and is more manoeuvrable than a self-propelled mower that provides effortless grass cutting over long mowing sessions.

The Honda Izy range of 4-wheel rotary mowers has an attractive modern look that will appeal to all, comprising five machines in total. The 16” Honda Izy HRG415PD Petrol Lawnmower is an excellent, easy starting lawnmower with Honda’s renowned build quality, also available in a self-propelled version, the Honda Izy HRG415SD Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower. Both machines provide exceptional performance with specially designed cutter decks that offer superior grass collection capabilities and easy to empty, 50 litre mesh grass bags. Hertfordshire based Hayter offer two excellent 18” lawn mowers, one push, the Hayter Motif 48 Push Lawnmower and the self-propelled Hayter Motif 48 Autodrive Lawn Mower; each model is supplied with a Honda GCV 135 petrol engine and benefits from single lever height of cut adjustment providing eight cutting heights between 25mm – 55mm. Another excellent feature is the lifetime crankshaft warranty, made possible due to Hayter’s unique cutter blade friction disc. A smaller 16” push version is also available, the Hayter Motif 41 Push Lawnmower. As a rule of thumb, a 16” push lawnmower is ideal for flat lawns of a compact nature whereas 18” push lawnmowers are good for lawns no more than ½ tennis court in size. Once the going gets tough or the lawn area increases, opt for an 18” self-propelled mower instead.

Staying with 18” lawn mowers for a moment longer, Honda offer two machines from the excellent Izy range that will suit the needs of the vast majority of homeowners. The Honda Izy HRG465PD Petrol Lawnmower is an 18” push lawn mower with a high quality steel mowing deck, 55 litre mesh grass collector and 6 cutting heights, all fitted as standard; its self propelled twin, the Honda Izy HRG465SD Petrol Lawnmower offers the same specification with the addition of self-drive. Also from Honda and coming with a 17” polystrong cutting deck is the Honda HRX426SX Petrol Lawnmower. From Honda’s top of the range domestic series of machines, the HRX426SX provides an excellent mowing experience with one-touch folding handlebars, Roto-Stop blade-break technology and a large 60-litre mesh grass bag for extra convenience. Also from the Honda HRX range of lawnmowers are the Honda HRX476SX Petrol Lawnmower and Honda HRX476HX Petrol Lawnmower. Both machines have a 19” polymer cutting deck, Roto-Stop blade break technology for super-safe emptying of the 73-litre grass collector and central height of cut adjustment. The HRX476HX has the added advantage of hydrostatic drive, allowing you to adjust your mowing pace without slowing the engine down, thereby achieving an excellent, consistent finish to your lawn. If you prefer a more traditionally built lawn mower, Hayter produce the robust Hayter Ranger 48 Lawnmower. Manufactured with a 19" aluminium cutting deck and powered by a Briggs and Stratton Series 650 petrol engine, autodrive is standard on this machine. Well-sized lawns and mixed areas of grass, up to a tennis court in size, can be easily maintained.

The biggest gardens need the largest 4-wheel rotary lawnmowers, usually measuring 21” in width. At the lower end of the price range, although not lacking in quality by any means, are the steel deck lawnmowers from Hayter and Honda. The Hayter Motif 53 Autodrive Lawn Mower and Honda HRG536SD IZY Petrol Lawnmower offer very similar performance levels; both are supplied with superb Honda GCV 160 petrol engines. The Hayter Motif 53 has the advantage of single point height of cut adjustment and a friction disc that gives a full lifetime guarantee from engine crankshaft damage. Plus sides for the Honda Izy 53 include a slightly larger grass collector at 61 litres and lower cutting height of 20mm compared to the 25mm of the Hayter machine.

Robust, hard-wearing lawn mowers that are designed for commercial and professional operators are often a good choice for homeowners that have a varied garden landscape that includes very mixed areas of grass including large orchards, small meadows, arboretums and gentle banking. Capable of enormous amounts of work, professional 4 wheel rotary lawn mowers are often expensive but can prove to be a worthwhile, long-term investment; commercial grade engines far outlast their domestic counterparts and heavy duty deck materials are capable of taking much abuse. The Hayter Ranger 53 Pro Autodrive Variable Speed Lawnmower is a very reasonably priced commercial grade lawnmower with several heavy duty features including a Briggs and Stratton Series 825 OHV petrol engine, front bumper bar, handlebar support struts and lifetime crankshaft guarantee. More expensive in the Hayter range is the aptly named Hayter Heavy Duty 21” Autodrive Lawnmower. A specially designed, heavy-duty, 6mm aluminium deck and extra large discharge chute promotes exceptional airflow and maximum suction of grass clippings whilst the cool running Kawasaki FJ180V petrol engine provides unbeatable performance. Hydrostatic shaft-drive, heavy duty alloy deck, heavy gauge handlebar tubing with support brackets and a front bumper bar are a few of the features that make the Honda HRH536HX Petrol Lawnmower the only choice for many professional landscapers; equipped with a Honda GXV 163cc OHV petrol engine and Roto-Stop blade break technology, it is tried and tested over many years of hard commercial use.

By choosing the appropriate machine for your gardening needs you can be sure that mowing your grass will become less of a chore and nothing will please you more than looking back at a neat and tidy finish to your lawn. If you are at all unsure of which lawnmower is best for you, please be sure to call us at LawnMowersDirect on 01603 458 916 for plenty of free advice. Next time we’ll be looking at the subject of mulching and whether a dedicated mulching mower is better than a hybrid alternative…

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Lawnmowers, lawnmowers, lawnmowers…Part 1

FEB

17^th

Posted by: James Williamson

At first, we may think that buying a new lawnmower is an easy task; jumping into the car and popping down to the garden centre may be your first choice or you may prefer to browse and purchase on-line. However, it soon becomes apparent that the choice of machinery on offer nowadays is quite overwhelming and may leave you wondering which way to turn: rear-roller, four-wheel rotary, cylinder mower, electric or petrol, to mulch or not to mulch and so on…Over the next few weeks we’ll attempt to shed some light on which lawn mower will best suit your needs with regards to your budget, the grass conditions at your property and your overall gardening aspirations.

Many people like the idea of having a formal, striped finish to their lawn or grass area, keen to replicate the look of a top quality tennis court or bowling green; this being the case, we will start our series of advice notes by looking at rear roller rotary lawnmowers. The ultra short grass finishes we see at top sporting events is achieved with petrol cylinder mowers that literally shave the grass with a scissor-like action. These machines will be covered in a later blog as they are generally not suitable for most lawn types, requiring a very even top surface to the grass, which is where a rear-roller rotary mower comes into its element. The cutting blade on rotary lawnmowers is usually a rotating metal bar, horizontal to the grass surface that chops the growing grass to a desired height. It is this cutting style that makes a rotary lawn mower suitable for less than perfect lawns.

If your lawn or area of grass has a reasonably even top surface a rear roller rotary machine will be fine. The surface needs to be even to prevent the rear-roller wobbling from side to side so endeavour to check for tree roots or drain covers that may be hidden away; gentle undulations and slopes will not cause a problem. Generally speaking, the smaller the lawn, the smaller the lawnmower needed to maintain it, remembering that tight corners and awkward landscaping will call for extra manoeuvrability. A flat, even lawn of no more than a tennis court in size is the ideal territory for a small 16” petrol rear-roller machine such as the entry level Hayter Spirit 41 Push Rear Roller Mower, aimed at first time buyers or for those on a tight budget. A tough ABS polymer external cover and under deck in combination with an aluminium chassis keeps both the weight and price down. If quality is paramount the more expensive but also more durable 16” Hayter Harrier 41 Push Lawnmower will be your first choice; a powerful Briggs and Stratton Series 650 engine guarantees reliable performance and a full aluminium deck provides corrosion resistant longevity. The excellent 17” Honda HRX 426 QX Self-Propelled Roller Lawnmower has the added benefit of a single speed drive system, useful if your garden contains the odd undulation or gentle slope. Supplied as standard with Honda’s industry leading 7 year domestic use warranty and the Honda 160cc OHC Easy Start petrol engine, ease of use and peace of mind are never far away.

Continuing the theme of small rear-roller rotary mowers with self-drive systems, Hayter also offer the economically priced Hayter Spirit 41 Autodrive Petrol Rear Roller Mower and the Hayter Harrier 41 Autodrive Variable Speed Lawnmower that allows the operator to adjust their groundspeed between 1.5 mph to 3 mph to suit mowing conditions or a particular part of their garden. The highest specification machine in the Harrier 41 stable is the Hayter Harrier 41 Autodrive Electric Start Variable Speed Lawnmower. The key start mechanism works in the same way as that fitted to your car with a small battery mounted onto the mower deck providing an electrical charge, particularly useful if you have a shoulder problem or are perhaps a more mature gardener. If you’re keen not to use petrol machinery due to the noise or emissions produced, those of you with particularly small grass areas may prefer the 14” Hayter Envoy 36 Electric Push Lawnmower or the slightly larger Hayter Spirit 41 Electric Push Lawnmower, both equipped with top quality induction motors offering quiet yet reliable performance.

At this point we must stress one great advantage that rear-roller lawnmowers have over standard 4-wheel rotary machines and that is their ability to mow right up to the edges of flowerbeds and borders. The front wheels are inset from the outer deck and rear roller, allowing the roller to support the lawnmower when the front wheels are in line with the border edge, however large the machine may be. If you own a medium to large sized garden, maybe up to a tennis court in size, a lawn mower with a 19” cutting width will be a fine choice. Honda produces the fantastic Honda HRX 476 QX Roller Rotary Mower; features to benefit any garden are the extremely durable polymer cutting deck and Roto-stop blade break that lets the operator empty the grass collector without the need to stop the engine. The Hayter Harrier 48 BBC Autodrive Variable Speed Lawnmower also has the blade-break-clutch system as standard, which, alongside the variable speed gearing makes it very easy to transport this lawnmower from different areas of your garden and not have to stop and start the engine. Also in the award-winning Hayter Harrier 48 range are the standard Hayter Harrier 48 Autodrive Variable Speed Lawnmower and the effortlessly easy to start Hayter Harrier 48 Autodrive Electric Start Variable Speed Lawnmower, both supplied with Briggs and Stratton Series 650 petrol engines.

For the commercial user or owner of particularly large areas of grass where a formal finish is desired, both Hayter and Honda offer up some impressive machinery. Powered by the extremely fuel efficient and emission friendly Briggs and Stratton Series 825 petrol engines, the Hayter Harrier 48 Pro and complete Hayter Harrier 56 stable of rear roller lawnmowers come as standard with a full one year commercial warranty, offering professional gardeners and landscapers complete peace of mind with their purchase. The Hayter Harrier 48 Pro also has the benefit of support struts on the handlebars and a front bumper guard. The Hayter Harrier 56 Autodrive Variable Speed Lawnmower, Hayter Harrier 56 Autodrive Electric Start Variable Speed Lawnmower and Hayter Harrier 56 BBC Autodrive Lawnmower also have the advantage of a 3-year domestic use warranty. As with all mowers in the Harrier range, excluding those with the blade break clutch facility, these machines have a lifetime guarantee against the engine crankshaft bending thanks to the unique Hayter Friction Disc.

A guide to large rear-roller lawn mowers wouldn’t be complete without including the near bomb-proof Honda HRH 536 QX Roller Rotary Mower, fully shaft-driven and complete with 1-year commercial warranty and heavy duty gearbox, it has proven itself in the harshest environments for years. Also from Honda and slightly less heavy duty is the Honda HRD 536 QX Rear Roller Rotary Lawnmower, supplied with the unsurpassed Honda 163cc OHV four-stroke petrol engine and 7 year domestic use warranty.

Hopefully our first lawnmower guide of 2010 will give you a little more confidence in making the right choice when looking at rear-roller lawnmowers. Our next entry will look at 4-wheel rotary lawn mowers in more detail. In the meantime please call us at LawnMowersDirect on 01603 458 916 if you have any queries regarding your lawn care needs, we’ll be delighted to help.

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The Advantages Of Bosch Lawnmowers

FEB

10^th

Posted by: James Williamson

Robert Bosch GmbH was founded in Stuttgart,1886, with the view to creating a workshop for ‘precision mechanics and electrical engineering’. Today the very same company is doing just that, manufacturing products ranging from power tools to washing machines and lawnmowers. All products carrying the Bosch name are made to a high standard, offering both longevity of service and value for money. The Bosch range of gardening products has steadily grown over recent years and now includes some leading products in their field, especially the Rotak stable of electric rear-roller rotary lawn mowers.

The classic and probably most popular machine from this range is the Bosch Rotak 40 Electric Rotary Mower. The ideal machine for the average suburban garden, the Bosch Rotak 40 offers excellent cutting power from the 1700 watt Bosch Powerdrive motor that produces exceptional torque due to clever reduction gearing. Slightly larger is the Bosch Rotak 43 Electric Rotary Mower with a 43cm cutting width; fitted with the same high torque motor as the Rotak 40, it will easily cope with your lawn on returning from your summer holidays! Both machines have 50-litre collection boxes as standard and the ability to mow right up to the edges of fences and flowerbeds thanks to the in-set front wheels and unique grass combs attached to the side of the mowing deck.

Smaller and slightly lighter than the above-mentioned models are the Bosch Rotak 36 Electric Rotary Mower and Bosch Rotak 34 Electric Rotary Mower; 40% lighter than similarly designed machines with a weight of only 10.5kg and conveniently placed carry handles, these are ideal lawnmowers for homeowners with small, terraced lawns or gardens with lots of obstacles in situ. A variety of grass conditions can be maintained and finishes achieved with the centrally controlled height of cut adjustment, providing 10 increments covering heights between 20mm – 70mm; the added benefit of the rear-roller, standard on all full size Rotak lawn mowers, leaves a neatly defined stripe on your lawn. We mustn’t end the review of the Bosch electric rotary mowers without mentioning the Bosch Rotak 320 Electric Rotary Mower, which, uniquely in the Bosch Rotak range is a 4-wheel rotary lawnmower. Equipped with a 1000-watt motor and 32cm blade it is ideal for the smallest of lawn areas where routine maintenance takes priority over style.

Over recent times the engineers at Bosch head quarters have taken the cordless, battery-powered lawnmower to new heights of design and performance. The cordless rear roller rotary lawnmower range from Bosch now comprises three models, the Bosch Rotak 34 LI Cordless Lawn Mower, the Bosch Rotak 37 LI Cordless Lawn Mower and the Bosch Rotak 43 LI Cordless Lawn Mower. All machines in the Rotak cordless lawn mower range produce the same mowing performance as the equivalent corded machine, yet without the annoying and often dangerous trailing electrical cable. Lithium-Ion battery technology is the outstanding feature of these lawn mowers; the Rotak 43 LI is supplied with two 36-volt batteries, capable of cutting 150m³ to 300m³ per battery with no self-discharge or memory effect. Another great advantage of the Li-Ion batteries are the recharge times; fully charged from empty in only one hour and up to 80% in only 30 minutes! Adding to these already impressive features is the ‘Efficient Energy Management’ system that can increase the running time by 10% - 20%, depending on the lawn and mowing conditions. Last, and probably most important of all, the Bosch Rotak Lithium-Ion lawn mowers use very small amounts of energy in comparison to petrol lawnmowers, causing ten times less CO₂ emissions.

If you’re on the lookout for a new lawn mower this season and feel like making an environmentally sound investment you need look no further than the range of Rotak lawnmowers from Bosch. They are designed and engineered to service the modern gardener with performance, energy efficiency and durability guaranteed. Please feel free to call us at LawnMowersDirect on tel. 01603 458 916 should you wish to discuss any aspect of the Bosch lawn mower range. One of our trained sales staff will be happy to advise you.

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Which Rotavator, Tiller or Cultivator?

FEB

03^rd

Posted by: James Williamson

When the days start to become noticeably longer and the first signs of spring are only a few weeks away, it is the wise vegetable grower and allotment gardener that turns their mind to the task of soil preparation for the coming season. Needless to say this usually involves a lot of hard work, some of which can be avoided with the use of specific types of garden machinery. Help is at hand in the form of tillers, cultivators and rotavators (all earth turning devices that perform a similar task). In this post we’ll endeavour to shed some light on which machine may suit your needs best.

The size of your garden or vegetable plot will determine what size and style of machine you need to complete the job; it is also worth considering how often you will use the machine so you can better match the engine size according to intended usage. If you have a smaller-sized vegetable patch or even flower beds and border areas that need attention, a small-sized cultivator, often referred to as a mini tiller, will suffice. These compact tillers are usually very lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, a prime example being the best selling Honda FG110 Tiller with a dry weight of only 13kg. This petrol-powered mini-tiller is equipped with a worm gear transmission that provides extra torque and performance under demanding conditions. Another small-sized petrol tiller well worth considering is the Honda FG201 Tiller with a slightly larger working width and larger engine, making it suitable for more regular use or on small areas where the soil is considered to be slightly heavy. Benefits to make use of with both of these machines are the conveniently placed carry-handles that, in combination with the fold-down handlebars, make these mini garden tillers excellent to transport in a car boot; especially useful for allotment workers. Another excellent compact tiller in this category is the Husqvarna T300RS equipped with a Robin-Subaru engine and worm gear transmission for reliability. Also available for all of these mini tillers are the comprehensive range of lawn-care accessories from the relative manufacturer, turning your petrol powered mini garden tiller into a complete lawn–care tool.

Allotment societies and gardeners lucky enough to have larger-sized vegetable gardens and plots will benefit from bigger, more powerful mid-tine rotavators that are capable of working in varying conditions and soil types. The Husqvarna T50RS Cultivator is an excellent example, offering powerful performance with the inclusion of a reverse gear to aid manoeuvrability and crop protection discs for inter-row work. Slightly smaller is the Honda F220 Tiller; with a weight of 29kg and tilling width of 545mm it offers terrific all-round performance. Keen vegetable growers will appreciate the extra power and performance of the Honda FG315 Tiller equipped with a powerful 135cc OHC petrol engine; the 800mm working width of this machine will tackle large vegetable patches with ease. For those of you searching for a super-powerful garden cultivator or tiller that’s destined for some seriously hard work the Honda FE500 Tiller fits the bill. Plots with varying conditions and soil types won’t slow this tiller down and an extra feature of this machine is the 31 ° handlebar swing-mechanism (left or right) so you can avoid walking on your freshly turned soil!

Now we move onto cultivating equipment designed for contractors and professional gardeners or those maintaining market gardens; in other words, people requiring large-sized professional rotavators and rear-tine tillers. Machinery in this category is capable of dealing with heavy, compacted soils and breaking-up virgin ground when necessary. The new Husqvarna TR 430 is a heavy-duty cultivator replacing the classic Husqvarna CRT 51 that has provided stirling service over many seasons. Equipped with rear-mounted, counter-rotating tines and large wheels with deeply grooved chevron tyres, it is suitable for a variety of tasks where power and durability are paramount. Horticultural tasks demanding a truly adaptable, robust top-end cultivator will suit the Honda F510 Tiller perfectly. A wide working width of 660mm can be extended to 940mm with special extension tines whilst a further range of optional accessories, including a cultivation unit provide the professional gardener with the ultimate heavy-duty rotavator. Supplied with transportation wheels as standard, adjustable, y-shaped loop handlebars and 3 forward and one reverse gear, this heavy-duty tiller could possibly be at the top of every professional horticulturalist’s wish list!

Whatever your cultivating needs or tasks may be over the coming weeks please feel free to call us at LawnMowersDirect on 01603 458 916 where our fully trained and qualified sales team will be happy to advise you on your forthcoming purchase. Whether it’s an allotment cultivator/tiller that you’re after where versatility and compact storage is important or a rotavator where power and manoeuvrability are key features, we’ll be happy to advise.

Be sure to check back soon for more product features and articles over the coming gardening year…

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Which Lawnmower?

MAY

22^nd

Posted by: David Chisholm

Advice on choosing a lawnmower

When choosing a lawnmower for your garden there are a number of points to consider:-

The size of your lawn
The quality of the finished cut you are looking for
The ease of use of the mower

Rotary Lawnmowers
Rotary lawnmowers use a rotating blade to cut the grass and are designed for medium to large lawns. They can cope with both rough and smooth lawns, but will not give the higher quality of cut that a cylinder mower will give you. When fitted with a roller they will give you that classic striped effect to your lawn.

Cylinder Lawnmowers
Cylinder lawnmowers use a cylinder of blades and a scissor like cutting action to give the finest of cuts to your lawn. As the lawn mower goes forward a horizontally mounted cylinder rotates with a series of cutting blades on its surface trimming the grass to the desired height.

Hover Lawnmowers
Hover Lawnmowers float of a layer of air generated by a rotating blade. The blade will chop the grass, helping to pulp and compact the grass cuttings into mulch. They are ideal for sloping areas. As they have no wheels you will find they are easier to manoeuvre. The disadvantage to a hover is that they will not give you as a higher quality of cut as a cylinder mower.

Size of your lawn
Very Small Lawn - We would recommend a push cylinder mower.
Smaller Lawns (up to 300 sq metres) - We generally recommend that you get a mower with a cutting width of 12 to 17 inches. Electric and battery mowers are more suitable for smaller gardens.
Medium Lawns (300 - 600 sq metres) - We generally recommend that you get a mower with a cutting width of 17 to 19 inches.
Larger Lawns (600 sq metres plus) - We recommend that you get a mower with a cutting width of 20 to 22 inches.
Orchards - We recommend our Rough Cutter Range.

Fine and Informal lawns
The use of four wheeled mowers would be the advice we would give if you were not looking for such a finer cut to your lawn.

Striped Finish, Borders, Flower Beds & Edges
If you are looking for that traditional stripped finish or need to cut close to edges and borders then you need a cylinder or rear roller rotary mower.

Ease of Use
A push mower will help keep you fit as you are physically pushing the mower along, whereas a self-propelled mower does the work for you

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