lawn care packages

over the winter i'm looking into ways to improve the business and the services i offer, in the spring i'll be buying a new lawn mower to help with my efficiency and i'm hoping to offer lawn care packages as a seperate service to the existing maintenance. i have a scotts evergreen drop spreader that i get on with and i get good results from it, i use evergreen fertilizers but are there any other brands that are equally as efficient. also is there a table to convert the rate settings on the spreader to approximate gram per sq m. eg the scotts autumn/winter feed i bought a month or so ago said set the spreader to setting 5 but if i use another brand they arent going to have those settings on.

Views: 526

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by ken stewart on December 15, 2011 at 15:26

if you are using a granular fertiliser i would invest in a broadcast spreader also go to www.amenity.co.uk and look at there products very good. all good spreaders will comewith a calibration chart ,hope that helps

15jr56izhj6c2Permalink Reply by 15jr56izhj6c2 on December 15, 2011 at 15:33

from what I have read, many guys in the US rate the Lesco push spreader highly (not sure if they are freely available here in the UK) .... does a 10 o'clock to 3 o'clock spread (if that makes sense)

As for mowers, look at buying 2nd hand and having it fully serviced ... I left a bid at auction on saturday, but was outbid for another Etesia pro (with the 6Hp Kawasaki motor) .... sold for £150 (had I asked to bid live, or been at auction, I would have gone much higher)

http://www.peacockauction.co.uk/pages/catalogues/index.html (lot 4548) (10 december)

and many scoff and laugh when I say I bought one for £10 from the tip .... and also bought a honda for £10 and a Torro Heavy duty for £10 .... all that was wrong was that one front wheel had come off, but the previous owner included that

worth the risk, and does the same job as the new ones ...

try these guys for fertilizers (someone on this forum recomended then a few days ago)

http://www.sherriff-amenity.com/index.asp?upid=40&msid=3

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Matt Brown on December 15, 2011 at 15:43

i have an etesia 56 with a 6hp i think. its a 2 stroke great mower but a bit heavy and some of my existing gardens it would be a bit awkward to get through all the gates, paths and steps. i'm going to get a viking 19 inch roller mower

Permalink Reply by ken stewart on December 15, 2011 at 15:52

viking mowers are very good but i prefer to go with proven golf course makes eg toro ransomes john deere jacobsen just my opinion though
 
Matt Brown said:

i have an etesia 56 with a 6hp i think. its a 2 stroke great mower but a bit heavy and some of my existing gardens it would be a bit awkward to get through all the gates, paths and steps. i'm going to get a viking 19 inch roller mower

Permalink Reply by Matt Brown on December 15, 2011 at 16:26

i wont have a toro my last one went out for the scrap man, the wheels went wobbly the deck twisted (not through abuse or hitting anything) the repair shop said to sort the wheels i'd need 4 new wheels and 4 new bolts to go with them! it saw very little use, the handles were almost ready to snap and the cables snapped and so did the plastic bit where the drive cable attached to the handle. i'm not saying they are all so poorly made but mine was.

Permalink Reply by ken stewart on December 15, 2011 at 16:37

try a demo on john deere r43rve 17inch roller mower variable speed bought one 3 months ago
Matt Brown said:

i wont have a toro my last one went out for the scrap man, the wheels went wobbly the deck twisted (not through abuse or hitting anything) the repair shop said to sort the wheels i'd need 4 new wheels and 4 new bolts to go with them! it saw very little use, the handles were almost ready to snap and the cables snapped and so did the plastic bit where the drive cable attached to the handle. i'm not saying they are all so poorly made but mine was.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gary RK on December 15, 2011 at 16:48

Matt,

Scotts Pro if you can afford it or thoroughly recommended Scotts Edgeguard spreader (has useful limit plate you can select for use along borders etc)

Good benefit is that most fert brands (we use RT) reference their product spreader settings to the Scotts machines (ie Scotts, ALS and RT show calibration, settings etc) on bag and in catalogs and product sheets. RT & ALS catalogs are good reference material.

We have used with great success the 'newer' Scotts range of Landscaper Pro Ferts

Permalink Reply by Matt Brown on December 15, 2011 at 17:59

this is a link to the spreader that i use, ive had great results up to now with it but ive only ever used evergreen ferts in it. i dont want to comprimise in quality but if i could get the ferts a little cheaper for a different brand then i would welcome that. at one of my customers i use rigby taylor ferts but they insist i use their broadcast spreader but i havent used it for a few months as they get their labourer to do it.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gary RK on December 15, 2011 at 18:36

Matt, IMHO these spreaders have a limited application. They can cause problems with coverage and generally mean you will take more time to cover an area. You have be careful about overlap etc. I also believe most commercial ferts wont have calibration settings for such spreaders (?)

Broadcast spreaders I feel are more effective and productive. The Scotts Edgeguard is not too expensive (~£100+vat ?) and may be a good investment if you venture further down that route


Premium SupplierPermalink Reply by Ofer El-hashahar on December 15, 2011 at 19:54

1. If you do want to buy sec one on ebay- look for auctions that finish in the middle of the week, at working hours.- usually ends up much much cheaper - sometimes with no other competitors.

2. I work with 2 small lawn care firms- supplying edgings for them.

If it is something you would like to offer your customers, as a wholesaler, I can offer you good discounts

you can profit on the product+ labour- if wish, contact me -I will be happy to assist- if you find it helpful.

Permalink Reply by Matt Brown on December 15, 2011 at 21:56

i installed some lawn edging for someone a few months back it was a plastic strip with triangle flaps on the top that you pegged into the grass and allow it to grow through then the plastic side you buried below ground level. it seemed to go down ok but i havent been back to see how it is as it was a one off job

Permalink Reply by Steven Lillycrop on December 16, 2011 at 15:17

I had major issues with my viking! bought in may, used it for about 8 hours and the blade boss shaft snapped! lucky it has warrenty but it was with the dealer for a month being fixed. If i was using it every day I would of needed another mower to replace it. Luckily I do have a good selection of mowers and this was just an adition to my fleet. After google searches it seems quite a common fault

Sal

Matt Brown said:

i have an etesia 56 with a 6hp i think. its a 2 stroke great mower but a bit heavy and some of my existing gardens it would be a bit awkward to get through all the gates, paths and steps. i'm going to get a viking 19 inch roller mower

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

What's hot this week? 

1 I'm going to be a dad again.

I'm going to be a dad again.
2 Why do we under-sell ourselves?

Why do we under-sell ourselves?
3 Raise the horticulture minimum wage for the sake of the industry and its practitioners

Raise the horticulture minimum wage for the sake of the industry and its practitioners
4 What is the 'low price' point for domestic equipment?

What is the 'low price' point for domestic equipment?
5 Theft Warning of tools, plant & equipment....

Theft Warning of tools, plant & equipment....

© 2013   Landscape Juice ® Limited - Registered in England 08356644

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service