Leaf rake attachment mower. Getting attached to mower attachments

Getting attached to mower attachments

With the right attachment in the right application, lawn maintenance contractors can use their mowers to deliver additional services from one season to the next.

Lawn maintenance contractors have numerous mower attachments at their disposal, but a few stand out for their potential to drive both productivity and sales.

Dethatching during spring cleanup.

In Fort Atkinson, Wis., Rob Amadon of Rock River Lawn Care has been using an easy-to-install dethatcher on his front-mount zero-turn mower. This attachment simply hangs on the front of the deck.

“The way it is set up, I dethatch and mow at the same time,” Amadon says. “For the first pass over a lawn, I set the deck to around 3.5 inches with the dethatcher attached. Then I lift the dethatcher off, drop the deck a half-inch, and go over the lawn one more time. The mower’s integrated grass-catching system sucks everything up.”

Spring dethatching is a natural service add-on for existing maintenance customers. Amadon approaches it differently, though. Almost all of his spring dethatching customers are people he does not mow for.

Since Amadon catches his grass clippings, the properties he mows do not have heavy thatch buildup. So Amadon tends to pick up dethatching customers who use mowing contractors that do not bag. That’s an entirely new income stream to help kick off the season.

Up in the Northeast, spring dethatching is also a great opportunity for lawn maintenance contractors. Manny Carlino, owner of MR Landscape Design in Westfield, N.J., never had much luck with manufacturer-supplied dethatching units, though. So, he created his own.

“We’ve never found a more efficient way to clean up a lawn in the spring.” Manny Carlino, owner of MR Landscape Design

“I found that the dethatching unit that hangs on the front of the mower deck had really stiff tines,” Carlino says. “It did a good job of raking the lawn maybe too good. When we used them, they really scratched into the soil and kicked up a lot of dirt. A lot of that dirt got ingested into the blower fan on the mower which caused all kinds of problems.”

Carlino rigged up an alternative roughly 10 years ago. His crews have been using it ever since. The homemade dethatching attachment consists of six 24-inch leaf rake heads mounted to a frame made of square stock metal.

That frame attaches to a bracket that mounts on the front of the mower deck. The rake heads are positioned so that the shaft would be pointing away from the front of the mower. This allows the rake heads to rake the lawn while the mower drives forward.

“This does an excellent job of raking without kicking up so much dirt,” Carlino says. “The dethatcher can be easily raised and lowered as needed by a rope from the operator’s seat.”

To be precise, Carlino says his creation really can’t be referred to as a dethatcher. It is just a highly efficient, mower-propelled rake.

“We perform this service for all of our customers during spring cleanups,” Carlino says. “The attachment rakes up all the little gumballs and sticks that the mower won’t suck up. The tiny sticks get stuck in the tines. So, when the mower operator gets to one end of the lawn, he lifts the rake with the rope and gives it a little shake, so the sticks fall out.

“When the raking is completed, another employee goes out and manually rakes up those two windrows of sticks. We’ve never found a more efficient way to clean up a lawn in the spring.”

Fall leaves and aeration.

Rick Roulo, owner of Lawn Beautician in Hopewell, Va., says he could never find a bagging attachment that worked well with a riding mower. The wet leaves he needed to clean up in the fall kept clogging the chutes. A highly skilled mechanic, Roulo even tried rigging up some contraptions of his own. After a couple years of repeated trial and error, he gave up on the idea of bagging leaves with a mid-mount zero-turn.

“I decided that the most efficient way to do leaf cleanup was to get them into piles and suck them up with a big leaf vac,” Roulo says. Roulo’s crews tried walk-behind blowers, which worked very well. A better method proved to be a mower-mounted blade. “It was important that the blade was heavy-duty and could spring back a little, just like a snowplow,” Roulo says.

Roulo looks to one other mower attachment to help deliver fall services. Once again, after a lot of trial and error with different styles, he settled on a pull-behind drum aerator.

“We provide aeration services to the majority of our customers,” Roulo says. “By pulling a drum aerator behind a mower, we actually mow and aerate at the same time. So, we don’t really have any additional labor involved with aeration, at least on our large-acreage properties where we use the pull-behind.”

Additionally, Roulo says his pull-behind drum aerators are low-cost.

opportunities. Having a variety of attachments at your disposal can help you increase your client base.

“They are just big barrels filled with water,” Roulo says. “The tines themselves are core-type spikes. These aerators run and run and don’t seem to break. Other aerator attachments I’ve tried only lasted a few years.

“But these aerator barrels we use now will last until you’re dead. The design is just really simple. The only moving parts are two bearings. If a spike happens to break off, which is pretty rare, you can just weld it right back on.”

Snow removal.

Back up in Wisconsin, Amadon gets additional mileage out of his mower during the winter. He mounts a snowblower to his front-mount mower to make faster work of residential driveways.

“To make this work, it was really important to find a snowblower that was just the right size,” Amadon says. “With many of my residential accounts, quite a bit of sidewalk goes with the driveway. A lot of commercial-grade snowblower attachments are at least 60 inches. The one I use is only 42 inches, which is perfect for sidewalks.”

Weighing attachment alternatives.

Josh Doebert, owner of Atlantic Landscape Management in Chesapeake, Va., had used various mower attachments earlier in his career. But as of late, he just uses dedicated machines to dethatch, aerate and seed.

“We are performing those types of services for a lot of clients now,” Doebert says. “We prefer the convenience of just loading a dedicated machine onto a trailer. Taking attachments on and off all of the time can be a hassle.”

In the event that add-on services are performed intermittently, Doebert says renting could be a good option. Attachments require storage space, which a landscape contractor may not have. Renting a durable, dedicated machine could prove to be the most productive and cost-effective solution.

Productivity and cost-effectiveness are what it all comes down to. Sometimes a mower attachment is the answer – especially if it lets you put a mower back into production during “off” times of year.

importantly, if an attachment helps you deliver services better, faster and more efficiently, there is no stronger argument to be made for having it.

The author is a freelance writer based in Wisconsin.

Put away your rake and gather up leaves, acorns and grass in a heartbeat!

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Raking leaves, picking up lawn debris and keeping your lawn looking beautiful is a chore. Not only can it be hard on your back and joints, the tasks seem never-ending. Enter the lawn sweeper.

What is a Lawn Sweeper?

This machine can basically replace yourrake, as it can sweep up leaves, acorns, grass clippings and other debris.

Lawn Sweeper Reviews, a website with the tagline, “No Raking!,” offers honest reviews of lawn sweepers, and explains that there are two types of lawn sweepers: Tow-behind and push.

Tow-Behind Lawn Sweeper

A tow-behind lawn sweeper is usually pulled by a lawn tractor or a riding mower.

Push Lawn Sweeper

A push lawn sweeper is operated manually and is suited to people with smaller lawns or those who enjoy using yard work as a form of exercise.

A lawn sweeper has a rotating sweeping brush that gathers up the lawn debris into an attached hopper bag. When the bag fills up, you empty it into a lawn bag or compost pile. Simple!

Is a Lawn Sweeper Worth It?

If you have a big yard and dislike yard cleanup tasks, then perhaps a lawn sweeper is a good choice because it saves you hours of time (and sore muscles).

In addition to picking up debris, such as leaves and pine needles, lawn sweepers can also help you manage pine cones, acorns and twigs. Keep in mind that a lawn sweeper won’t pick up bigger sticks and branches, according to Epic Gardening, a website aimed at helping home gardeners. But, a lawn sweeper can help you clear out dust and dirt from your patio, walkway or driveway.

“People who get lawn sweepers report that they actually enjoy clearing their lawns, whereas they used to resist and even hate the chore before,” notes Lawn Sweeper Reviews. “The psychological benefits of owning a lawn sweeper are significant, including reduced stress and worry.”

Things to Consider Before You Buy a Lawn Sweeper

Lawn sweepers are available at home improvement stores such as Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Tractor Supply and Menards, as well as online retailers. You will also find that some stores rent lawn sweepers, so you can try one out before you buy.

What Is the Best Lawn Sweeper?

Tow-behind lawn sweepers generally cost 300 to 400. One of the top-rated models on Amazon is the Agri-Fab 44-inch lawn sweeper. You can learn more about it here.

“I have two big pin oaks and a maple,” explained one Amazon consumer. “The acorns are a pain to collect. But the sweeper grabs them up as well as the little spinners from the maple. It also handles long pine needles as well.”

Push models cost around 100 to 200. One of the top-rated models on Amazon is the less-than-70 Earthwise, 21-in. lawn sweeper (shown here).

“We have two honey locust trees out front,” said an Amazon consumer. “Come fall we have millions of tiny leaves. This sweeper has done an excellent job of picking them up, as well as our neighbor’s large leaves. Lightweight, holds enough, empties easily. Great!”

Best Lawn Sweeper for Acorns

The size of your lawn and the amount of acorns you have to clean up each year will determine the best lawn sweeper for acorns for you. If you have a really large lawn, this professional-grade Ohio Steel 50SWP26 Pro Sweeper will clean up acorns quickly and efficiently time and time again. For small yards, the best lawn sweeper for acorns is this Garden Weasel Nut Gatherer.

Best Lawn Sweeper for Leaves

For cleaning up a lot of leaves, check out the Brinly STS-427LXH lawn sweeper. It features six high-velocity brushes that pick up a lot of debris in fewer passes. No only is this the best lawn sweeper for leaves, it also does an excellent job picking up pine needles and old grass clippings after dethatching.

Best Lawn Sweeper for Sticks and Twigs

Note, lawn sweepers are not meant to clean up large branches and rocks, so be sure to pick those up by hand before going over your lawn with a sweeper. The Agri-Fab lawn sweeper, mentioned above, is the best lawn sweeper for small sticks and twigs as well as other lawn debris. One of the best features of this sweeper is that it can be folded up for compact storage without requiring any tools.

Rachel Brougham lived through a major home renovation in 2019, knows the ups and downs of home improvement, and loves sharing tips with readers. A veteran journalist of both print and television, she’s won several awards for her writing and has covered everything from the environment and education to health care, politics and food. She’s written for several publications beyond newspapers including Bob Vila, Taste of Home and Minnesota Parent, and she currently writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column. Her memoir, Widowland, about the sudden loss of her husband, was published in 2022. She specializes in everything from home decor and design to lawn and garden, product reviews and pet care. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her tending to her garden (both vegetables and native plants), playing with her dog, watching sports with her family or getting some exercise. A native of Michigan, she currently lives in Minneapolis. An avid user of Instagram, you can follow her @RachBrougham.

Leaf rake attachment mower

For many years, folks asked me: “Don’t you have a company logo?” And we really didn’t, as I just never took the time to come up with one…we just had “Earth Tools” written out in a blocky font, and that passed for a logo.

Finally, though, I decided to put some effort into it, and I hired my sister-in-law Trina Peiffer (my wife’s twin sister) to make a line drawing of the Earth Tools sign we have here at the shop. This sign is made out of a 4-foot length of Eastern Red Cedar log; the letters are carved with a chain saw.

I made this sign about 15 years ago (below is a photo). I figured this was a logo with some “meaning”…not just some arbitrary design. Hope you like it!

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NEW: REGIONAL DELIVERY SERVICE!!

We are now offering a “regional” delivery service for tractor implement orders within a 400-road-mile radius of our location in Owenton KY. Earth Tools’ owner’s Father-in-law (Charles) will be doing the deliveries. Charges for this service will be a bit more than for shipping by truck freight (call for a quote to your specific location), but delivery will be with a pickup truck (and trailer, if needed) that can get to most any location – unlike a semi-truck. Also, scheduling of the delivery will be more flexible, to better meet your needs. “perks” of this service are that the equipment will be FULLY assembled, and Charlie will show you basic operation of the tractor. Minimum merchandise order for this service: 6500. Call for a delivery quote!

Why are new BCS tractors BLACK or SILVER?

Beginning in late 2017, the BCS factory started a new “paint scheme” for their tractors and implements: The tractors are just painted BLACK, and the BCS-branded implements are painted SILVER. (and in 2023, the tractor bodies started coming through SILVER as well) So, on the tractors, the only blue parts are now the plastic “beauty” shrouds for the handlebars.

WHY?

Because the BCS factory in Italy produces 3 brands of walk-behind tractors on the same assembly line: BCS, Ferrari, and Pasquali (BCS purchased these other 2 companies in the 1990s…and no, this is NOT the automotive “Ferrari!”). Historically, they had different paint-lines for each tractor and implement line (Blue for BCS, Green for Ferrari, and Yellow for Pasquali)…but sometime in 2017, they decided to optimize efficiency by painting all the tractors and implements “neutral” colors and just letting the plastic shrouds and decals delineate what brand tractor it would be. Hence, non-blue BCS tractors started appearing in the USA in early 2018. (We have told BCS that we think this is a bad idea. the blue was a color most people associated with BCS, and now, if the plastic beauty shrouds are discarded or lost, there is no color for brand recognition, and that would hurt them more in the long run than the few bucks a tractor they’re saving by not having separate paint lines in their factory. We’ll see if they ever bring the Blue back. )

Built well enough for everyday agricultural use, this mini-baler produces a 40 to 60 pound (depending on moisture of hay and how tight you roll it) bale measuring 21” x 23”, every 60 seconds. Bales are formed by a series of chain-driven aluminum rollers around the circumference of the bale chamber no belts or bands to dry-rot or need adjustment. The drive chains are much heavier-duty than you would think necessary, no more power than these little tractors have… but that’s a good representation of how the CAEB company over-builds this thing.

An automatic oiling system for the drive chains is standard equipment. The Baler forms “soft-core” bales which allows some circulation of air through the bale center while the outside of the bale is rolled tight to shed moisture if left outside. Bales are wrapped with a self-sticking UV resistant nylon net-wrap.

The number of bales you can make on one roll of net-wrap varies according to the “lap” setting you choose on the Baler: The most common is the “2.5 lap” setting, which will do about 325 – 350 bales per roll and results in a nice, durable bale… but, if you’re not handling the bales much and really want to conserve the netting, the “1.5 lap” setting will get you about 500 bales per roll. The 3.5 lap setting consumes more netting, and would only be used for wrapping very “crumbly” materials like grass clippings or leaves. (For those concerned with the amount of waste generated by the disposable net-wrap: The total weight / mass of material used for the net-wrap is the same or less per pound of hay baled compared to the polypropylene twine commonly used on square balers. [This calculation done at the “2.5 lap” setting for net-wrap…on the “1.5 lap” setting, the amount used will be considerably less in mass than poly twine])

An indicator on the side of the machine tells the operator when the bale is fully formed, at which point the operator pulls a single lever which trips the net-wrapping, wrap-cutting and chamber-opening cycle. The operator then sets the bale out of the chamber, closes the chamber, and resumes baling. As with the hayrake/tedder, the front wheels steer to guide the machine with a steering rod that comes out to the operator. This baler will bale hay, leaves, and even pine needles as long as the material is dry (green hay can be made into silage using the CAEB Bale Wrapper [it is OK for the material being baled to have INTERNAL moisture if you are going to make haylage/silage with the bale wrapper, but EXTERNAL moisture on the material being baled is a problem, as it will cause plugging and can lead to baler damage!]). The baler comes with one roll of net-wrap, a built-in bale counter, automatic chain oiler, parking brake and male a quick-coupling built into the PTO hookup flange. Requires tractor be equipped with female quick-coupling. (NOTE: We randomly test new balers here at Earth Tools before we ship them, to make sure they are working properly…we put ONE BALE through them. So, if you see a bit of hay on your new baler, this is why!)

The CAEB baler works well on pine straw (needles)as well. [Older red baler pictured]

Warranty Information

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Note: Same warranty for all new CRAFTSMAN® models (Model # starting with “CMHT”) and older models (Model # starting with “9”). No proof of purchase required. Return damaged product to a stocking Retail Partner or contact Customer Care at (888) 331-4569 or using the form here for details.

THIS WARRANTY EXCLUDES ALL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from State to State.

Simple Design(e.g. Oil Filter Wrench, 32-Blade Feeler Gauge, 4 pc. Pry Bar Set, Battery Terminal Brush, Battery Terminal Spreader, Gasket Scraper, 2 pc. Magnetic Bowl Set, Magnetic Pickup Tool 2-lb, Wire Spark Plug Gauge, Oil Filter Wrench, Digital Tire Gauge)

Note: Same warranty for all new CRAFTSMAN® models (Model # starting with “CMMT”) and older models (Model # starting with “9”). No proof of purchase required. Return damaged product to a stocking Retail Partner or contact Customer Care at (888) 331-4569 or using the form here for details.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from State to State.

LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTYIf a product from the product lines below states that it comes with a limited lifetime warranty and fails to perform due to defects in material or workmanship, we will replace it. This warranty is extended only to the original end-user purchaser of the product.

Simple Design(e.g. Oil Filter Wrench, 32-Blade Feeler Gauge, 4 pc. Pry Bar Set, Battery Terminal Brush, Battery Terminal Spreader, Gasket Scraper, 2 pc. Magnetic Bowl Set, Magnetic Pickup Tool 2-lb, Wire Spark Plug Gauge, Oil Filter Wrench, Digital Tire Gauge)

Note: Same warranty for all new CRAFTSMAN® models (Model # starting with “CMMT”) and older models (Model # starting with “9”). Because we cannot control the quality of products sold by unauthorized sellers, this warranty applies only if the product was purchased from us or one of our authorized sellers, unless otherwise prohibited by law. We reserve the right to reject warranty claims for products purchased from unauthorized sellers, including unauthorized internet sites. Proof of purchase showing when and where you purchased the product may be required. Return damaged product to a stocking authorized Retail Partner or contact Customer Care at (888) 331-4569 or using the form here.

THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTIES. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY. WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.SOME STATES AND COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE AND COUNTRY TO COUNTRY.