Posts Tagged ‘aerator’

Spreader Attachment for Stand-on Aerator Improves Profitability

Thursday, May 3rd, 2018

If you’re a professional landscaper or mower who offers aeration services, you probably have a two-step process, especially in the spring. First you aerate, then you use a spreader to overseed. This means two passes with two pieces of equipment, increasing your time on site, to say nothing of labor, fuel and operational costs. With Exmark’s new spreader attachment for the 24-inch and 30-inch Stand-on Aerators, it’s now possible to aerate and overseed in one pass. By combining two operations into one, operators can reduce costs and improve profitability.

The spreader attachment is simple to install, and can be removed quickly without tools, making it easy to handle on the job site. With a hopper capacity of 80 pounds of seed and speeds up to 7 mph, the Stand-on Aerator with spreader attachment will make short work of even the largest jobs, like playing fields, parks and cemeteries. For residential use, a hopper cover is standard, so seeds stay dry and contained during transportation or between uses.

Like all Exmark equipment, the spreader attachment features easy, intuitive controls that are easy to access. Operators can activate seed spinners or adjust spinner speed to increase broadcast width, as well as open and adjust the seed gate, on the fly, further increasing productivity. A manual blocker door provides increased operator control around flower beds, sidewalks, patios, or adjacent areas that don’t need overseeding.

Commercial mowing operations that add turf maintenance to their mowing services can see revenue and profits grow, and they position themselves to be more competitive in a crowded and competitive industry. By combining aeration and overseeding into one pass, they further increase the profitability of these services while reducing overall man-hours and equipment costs.

For a demo of the Exmark Stand-on Aerator and spreader attachment, contact your local Exmark dealer.

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Exmark Stand-On Aerator: New 24” Model for 2018

Tuesday, February 6th, 2018

Exmark’s Stand-On Aerator delivers industry-leading performance and maneuverability. Now, we’re adding a compact machine for lawn care professionals aerating smaller properties. The 24” Stand-On Aerator makes quick work of smaller lawns with less effort than a 21” walk-behind aerator.

With its simple, intuitive controls, all Exmark Stand-On Aerators are easy to operate and maneuver. Ergonomic handles relieve operator stress, allowing crew members to work comfortably over longer periods. Isolation bumpers on the operator platform reduce bumps and vibration, helping keep operators comfortable.  Intuitive controls mean less time training your crew, and more time working.

The core depth can easily be adjusted, without tools, from 0.5” to 5” in half inch increments, allowing for consistent core depth across the entire property. Tines are engaged and disengaged through a foot-activated hydraulic line, leaving the operator’s hands clear to maneuver the aerator. And the aerator’s zero-turning radius provides extreme maneuverability around trees, shrubs and other obstacles.

With its hydro drive system, the 24” Stand-On Aerator reduces horsepower requirements and improves operating efficiency. A Smart Controller provides in-depth and real-time intelligence, including machine hours, machine health, and maintenance reminders, on a LCD screen. It also allows the operator to control tine depth electronically, rather than stopping and manually adjusting the tines.

The 24” model will easily fit through 36” gates, providing crews access to areas that previously needed to be aerated with a 21” walk-behind aerator. On smaller lots, you’ll maintain maneuverability while increasing productivity over a walk behind. With speeds of up to 6.8 mph, your landscape crews will make short work of aerating tasks.

Adding additional lawn care services can be a great way to grow your business and profitability, especially when the equipment drives increased productivity and efficiency on the part of your crews. If you’re interested in adding either the 30” or the 24” Stand-On Aerator to your equipment fleet, talk to your local Exmark dealer.

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Make More Money with Exmark Stand-On Lawn Care Equipment

Wednesday, February 24th, 2016
Exmark Spreader-Sprayer

New, more productive machines such as this Exmark Stand-On Spreader-Sprayer not only make each worker more productive, they make the work easier to perform day-in and day-out.

According to the 2014 LM150 report from Landscape Management magazine, seven of the country’s top-25 landscape maintenance companies are also in the top-25 lawn care companies. As competition in the maintenance category increases, an increasing number of landscape maintenance professionals are adding lawn care services as a way to deliver increased customer satisfaction while also increasing profitability.

Thanks to recent advances in stand-on lawn care equipment such as aerators and spreader sprayer machines, landscape professionals can deliver high quality lawn care services more profitably than ever. New machines such as the Exmark spreader sprayer offer greater flexibility in the chemicals used for weed and pest control, allowing lawn care professionals to do more with each pass of the machine.

Exmark estimates the switch from a 21-inch walk-behind aerator to a 30-inch stand-on machine can be paid back in 2-3 weeks. Lawn care professional Kent Harlan said he has made enough money to pay for his $9,500 Exmark spreader sprayer in 2-3 days.

In a competitive marketplace, the addition of lawn care services is a competitive advantage for an existing maintenance business. Today more than ever, customers want to hire a lawn care expert that can deliver a beautiful, manicured, weed-free yard. They don’t want to deal with one contractor for maintenance and another contractor for aeration, fertilization or weed control. As such, the opportunity exists to make more money for contractors willing to add the lawn care services customers want and need.

Today, it’s easier than ever to add lawn care services to an existing maintenance business. When deciding which services to add, listen to customer feedback to learn which services have the most demand.

EPSON018

Click the photo above to download the complete Lawn Care Services White Paper in Adobe PDF format.

Employee training is important for the quality delivery of lawn care services. Additionally, certification and licensing are required for landscape professionals looking to add fertilization or chemical application services. In most states, certification and licensing are coordinated by the Department of Agriculture, or Office of State Chemist.

FREE White Paper Download

Learn more about how you can increase customer satisfaction and make more money this season with Exmark stand-on lawn care equipment. We’ve published an informative white paper: “Increasing Profitability and Customer Satisfaction with Lawn Care Services,” available for FREE download at Exmark.com.

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Should You Aerate This Spring?

Monday, February 1st, 2016

Regardless of where you live and what type of turf grass you’re working with, aeration can help your lawn be healthier and more beautiful. The trick is knowing when it’s best to aerate, what equipment to use, and what else you can do to encourage the vigor of your grasses, while limiting weeds’ ability to gain a foothold in the lawn.

Exmark core aerator

Core aeration can be beneficial for most lawns if performed at the right time for the type of turf grass you’re working with.

According to Josh Friell, Ph. D, of The Toro Company’s Center for Advanced Turf Technology, aeration introduces temporary stress to the turf, and recovery time is closely linked to growing conditions and annual growth cycles. As a result, it’s important to keep those considerations in mind when determining an annual aerification plan.

When is the Best Time to Aerate?

Aeration is best performed just before or during periods of high growth, but not immediately preceding or during periods of stress to the lawn, whether from heat or drought. The type of grasses that make up your lawn will determine the best time of year to aerate.

If you’re working with cool season grasses, including bluegrass, creeping bent grass, fescue and ryegrass, it’s best to aerate during the growth periods in the spring and fall.

In the spring, wait until you’ve mowed the lawn a few times before aerating. This will ensure the lawn is growing fast enough to recover and take advantage of the increased pore space and air exchange at the root zone that aeration creates.

Exmark Spreader Sprayer

It’s a good idea to apply fertilizer and weed killer just after aeration to minimize the opportunity for weeds to take advantage of the short-term turf stress from aeration.

One caveat, says Friell, is that any disturbance of the root zone in the spring can increase weed competition by bringing buried seeds to the surface.

“You can reduce the potential for weed competition and increase the hardiness of the grasses by applying fertilizer and a pre-emergent weed killer following aeration. But don’t apply a weed killer if you plan to overseed following aeration, as it will prevent germination of the seed you put down.”

For warm season grasses such as Bermuda grass, buffalo grass, St. Augustine and zoysia grass, aeration can take place during warm times of the year between late-spring and early-autumn.

“Aeration should be performed early enough in the fall that the turf can recover before it needs to prepare for winter dormancy,” Friell said.

As for frequency, Friell said aeration should be performed at least once per year on most lawns, while twice annually is best for lawns with compacted soil, or soil with high clay content.

What To Do Before or After Aeration

Watering after aeration is always a good idea, as Friell said aeration should never be performed when turf is wet, or the dirt contains enough moisture to be muddy.

As mentioned earlier, the application of fertilizer and weed killer is beneficial shortly following aeration, but be sure to skip the weed killer if you’re going to overseed following aeration.

Friell said overseeding following aeration makes sense because seeds can take advantage of the disturbed surface to create better seed-to-soil contact.

“Better seed-to-soil contact means better conditions for successful germination.”

Learn More:

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Why You Should Aerate Your Lawn this Fall

Thursday, September 3rd, 2015

(StatePoint) Fall is a great time to aerate the lawn. Whether you do it yourself or hire a lawn care professional to do it for you, aeration at least once per year provides a number of benefits to your lawn, say experts.

Exmark Aerator

An increasing number of landscape professionals are turning to productivity-enhancing machines like this Exmark 30-inch Stand-On Aerator. The stand-on design also reduces operator wear and tear significantly.

The main benefit is to relieve compaction and increase pore space, which promotes gas exchange and microbial activity in the soil and creates a better, more supportive environment for lawn health and vitality. Aeration also promotes better soil drainage, which helps keep disease at bay and allows more water to percolate into the soil from rain or irrigation, meaning less runoff and more water getting where it needs to go.

“Ideal aeration timing depends on turf type and geography,” says Lloyd Von Scheliha of Exmark Manufacturing, a manufacturer of turf care equipment. “But annual aeration provides valuable agronomic benefits to virtually any turfgrass.”

With that in mind, here are some tips from the experts at Exmark to get the most benefits from aeration:

• Timing: Ideally, aeration should take place during times of active growth to help with recovery. Avoid aeration during times of heat stress or times preceding dormancy. It’s typically best to aerate cool season grasses in the spring or fall, while with warm season grasses, it’s best to aerate in late spring or early fall.

• Proper equipment: Use gear that meets the needs of your lawn. For example, Exmark offers a 30-inch Stand-On aerator that makes quick work of even large properties with the ability to easily maneuver around landscape features.

• Follow-up: After aeration, it’s a good idea to water the lawn, as well as a good time to apply fertilizer or overseed if needed. Be careful not to apply a pre-emergent if you plan to overseed, however, as it will prevent the new seed from growing.

Don’t let this important, but often overlooked lawn care task escape your attention this season. At the ideal time for your lawn, either take it upon yourself or hire a professional to give your grass a better chance at thriving.

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Spotlight: Exmark 30-inch Stand-On Aerator

Sunday, July 5th, 2015

Exmark 30inchStandOnAerator_smHR

With an efficient stand-on design and the ability to aerate at up to 7 mph with fingertip control, the Exmark 30-inch Stand-On Aerator product page raises the bar for aerating productivity and ease-of-use.

Productivity is the key to profitability, and the Exmark 30-inch Stand-On Aerator delivers for your business. The stand-on design, cushioned operator platform and intuitive controls reduce operator fatigue and maximize productivity for every operator, every day.

Exmark Coring Tines

1,200 pounds of hydraulic pressure drives the 48 coring tines into the ground with incredible consistency.

The hydraulic tine actuation system delivers an incredible 1,200 pounds of down force for consistent core depth and the ability to pull up to 5-inch plugs. Hydraulics are fully-integrated, so there’s zero hoses to break or replace, and a clean, purposeful and ergonomic control layout is incredibly easy to use.

Free-floating center tines allow turning with tines engaged without damaging turf, with the ability to perform zero-turns with the tines raised. The Exmark design also offers incredible traction on a wide variety of turf, courtesy of a combined wheel- and tine-drive system that delivers infinite speed control up to 7mph.

Here’s Exmark Product Manager, Lloyd VonScheliha, with more on the 30-inch Stand-On Aerator:

Learn more about the opportunity lawn care services could represent for your business with our Lawn Care Services White Paper (Adobe PDF format), or visit Exmark Turf Management Products.

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Increase Profitability and Customer Satisfaction with Lawn Care Services

Tuesday, November 4th, 2014
New stand-on machines including spreader sprayers and aerators increase productivity and reduce employee fatigue, which leads to increased revenue and profitabilty.

New stand-on machines increase the profitability of lawn care services by increasing the productivity each employee is capable of, while reducing employee fatigue to make performing the services more sustainable.

According to the 2014 LM150 report from Landscape Management magazine, seven of the country’s top-25 landscape maintenance companies are also in the top-25 lawn care companies. As competition in the maintenance category increases, an increasing number of landscape maintenance professionals are adding lawn care services as a way to deliver increased customer satisfaction while also increasing profitability.

Thanks to recent advances in stand-on lawn care equipment such as aerators and spreader sprayer machines, landscape professionals can deliver high quality lawn care services more profitably than ever. New machines such as the Exmark spreader sprayer offer greater flexibility in the chemicals used for weed and pest control, allowing lawn care professionals to do more with each pass of the machine.

The addition of high-quality lawn care services can help to grow maintenance business and grow your status as an expert at delivering beautiful, well-manicured landscapes among your customers.

The addition of high-quality lawn care services can help to grow maintenance business and grow your status as an expert at delivering beautiful, well-manicured landscapes among your customers.

Exmark estimates the switch from a 21-inch walk-behind aerator to a 30-inch stand-on machine can be paid back in 2-3 weeks. Lawn care professional Kent Harlan said he has made enough money to pay for his $9,500 Exmark spreader sprayer in 2-3 days.

In a competitive marketplace, the addition of lawn care services is a competitive advantage for an existing maintenance business. Today more than ever, customers want to hire a lawn care expert that can deliver a beautiful, manicured, weed-free yard. They don’t want to deal with one contractor for maintenance and another contractor for aeration, fertilization or weed control. As such, the opportunity exists to make more money for contractors willing to add the lawn care services customers want and need.

Today, it’s easier than ever to add lawn care services to an existing maintenance business.

When deciding which services to add, listen to customer feedback to learn which services have the most demand.

Employee training is important for the quality delivery of lawn care services. Additionally, certification and licensing are required for landscape professionals looking to add fertilization or chemical application services. In most states, certification and licensing are coordinated by the Department of Agriculture, or Office of State Chemist.

Download the complete Lawn Care Services white paperEPSON018 (in Adobe PDF format).

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