Posts Tagged ‘Best Commercial Mowers’

Take Back Your Weekends Contest – Grand Prize Winner

Sunday, September 20th, 2015

Take Back Your Weekends header

TBYW winner, Walt A.

At the helm of his new Exmark Lazer Z, Walt prepares to take back his weekends.

Since the launch of our Take Back Your Weekends video contest back in April, we have been amazed by the creativity and production talent seen in the submissions. One thing is clear; taking back your weekends is a concept quite a few of you have put significant thought into!

Congratulations to grand prize winner, Walt A. of Kentucky. Walt is taking home a new Exmark Lazer Z X-Series mower, and judging from his video submission, he knows just how he’ll use the extra time his Exmark will give him.

Check out the grand prize winning video:
(Note: reload the page if video does not appear below)

View the entire list of winners, as well as highlights from the 2015 Take Back Your Weekends contest submissions at Exmark.com/TBYW.

When to Stop Mowing Your Lawn for the Season

Thursday, September 17th, 2015

In most parts of the country, turf grass growth slows to a crawl as the temperatures cool in the fall. A common question from our customers is when to stop mowing their lawn for the season.

As you might imagine, there’s really not one date where you can say “it’s time to stop”. That said, with a little knowledge of what to look for, it can be a relatively easy question to answer for yourself.

What to Look For

As with many lawn-related questions, the answer to when you should stop mowing is rooted in your geography and the prevailing weather pattern your area is experiencing.

Aeration -- when to stop mowing

Aeration in the fall helps reduce soil compaction and encourages root growth of cool-season turf types.

According to research published by Cornell University, top-growth (growth above ground) of the lawn slows to a virtual standstill after about 10 days with average daily temperatures below 50 degrees F. At this point, the turf grasses will focus on root growth until the ground freezes.¹

You’ve likely notice the decrease in your lawn’s growth as cooler fall temperatures settle in. By keeping tabs on your local weather, you’ll be able to determine when your daily average temperature goes below 50 degrees F.

Though mowing frequency may decrease significantly, folks who live in warmer parts of the country may end up continuing to mow throughout the year, if simply to keep the lawn looking well-kept. That said, those of us in the upper two-thirds of the country will inevitably end up putting the mower away for a few months.

Cooler Temps = Less Frequency & Lower Cutting Height

when to stop mowing lawn

The annual growth cycle of cool-season grasses. Source: Cornell University

As temperatures drop and your mowing frequency decreases, you’ll want to finish the transition to the low-end of the cutting height window for your turf grass type. This prepares the lawn for winter by reducing its exposure above ground and encouraging the active root growth that takes place in cooler temperatures.

According to the Iowa State University Extension, you should cut your lawn to 2-2.5 inches for Kentucky bluegrass or tall fescue, and 1.5-2 inches for perennial ryegrass or creeping red fescue.²

Fall is a Good Time to Fertilize

Fall dethatching -- when to stop mowing

Early-fall is also a good time to perform dethatching on cool-season grasses.

As you transition your cutting height to the lower end of your cut height window, you might also want to consider fertilizing your lawn. This supports the active root growth that’s taking place and fortifies your lawn so it stays healthy through the winter and greens up quickly next spring.

If you still have questions about when to stop mowing, or how to prepare your lawn for winter, contact your local Extension agency or a local landscape professional. Both can be valuable references as you work towards a more beautiful lawn.

Citations and References:

  • ¹ “How Grass Grows“, Cornell University. Cornell University, n.d. Web. 31 Aug 2015
  • ² Agnew, Michael and Christians, Nick. “Mowing Your Lawn“, Iowa State University Extension. Iowa State University, revised August 2009. Web. 31 Aug 2015

Mower Settings for Late Summer and Early Fall Lawn Care

Wednesday, August 19th, 2015

Mower settings are a hot topic of debate for some, but a few basic guidelines can help keep your lawn healthy and weed-free throughout the year. Today, we’ll talk about the seasonal cycle of mower height settings, with a particular focus on lawn mower settings for cooler late-summer and early-fall cutting conditions.

Mower settings for late-summer

Your ideal cutting height range will depend on the type of grasses you’re cutting.

Ultimately, your ideal mower height settings vary with the type of grass you’re cutting and the time of year. While it’s typical to cut cool season grasses a little longer, in the 2 to 4 inch range, warm season grasses can be cut to as short as one inch, sometimes less. Consultation with your local county extension office or lawn care professional can help you dial in your mower height settings based on region and grass type.

The seasonal cycle explained

While turf types may vary, the method for setting mower height is similar within the ‘ideal’ range of the grass you’re mowing. Here in the Midwest, Kentucky Bluegrass is prevalent, which typically thrives when cut to a height of 2-3 inches. With Kentucky Bluegrass, set the mower at roughly two inches in the spring, and as the weather warms up in July and August, gradually increase mower height to a maximum of 3 inches.

Mowing grass higher in the heat of the summer helps keep vital moisture in the ground for your lawn to use, reducing the need for water.

With the transition to fall, the days get shorter and begin to cool off. As they do, it makes sense to lower mower height gradually, so it’s on the low end of your ‘ideal’ height range just before the first freeze, or you see your coldest annual temperatures. Doing so helps to prevent fungus growth over winter months.

Lawn care rules to remember

Mower settings

As your daily temperatures decrease from their seasonal peak, you can begin to lower your cutting deck incrementally until you reach the low end of your ideal height range.

As you transition to mowing grass shorter, don’t forget the ‘Rule of Thirds’. That is, never cut more than one-third of the total length of the grass. If you’re starting with three-inch tall grass, don’t mow shorter than two inches in one cutting.

Also, avoid mowing during times of heat stress, or extreme wet. Instead, mow just before a forecast rain to allow the freshly cut grass to soak the moisture in.

As soon as the weather begins to cool from its seasonal peak, it’s time to begin adjusting your mower settings for late summer and early fall lawn care. You’ll help your lawn be healthier and more beautiful all year long.

References & Additional resources:

  1. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/gardening/what-is-the-ideal-height-to-cut-the-grass
  2. http://outdoorswithdave.com/landscaping/mowing-your-lawn
  3. http://www.safelawns.org/blog/2012/05/13-essential-mowing-tips-first-and-foremost-keep-the-blade-sharp-set-high/
  4. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/mowing-lawn-turf

Exmark Employee Profile: Lenny Mangnall

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

Lenny Mangnall of Exmark

Where are you from?

I’ve lived 50 miles from Beatrice, Nebraska my whole life. I currently live about ten miles away, with my wonderful wife and my three boys, ages nine to sixteen.

Tell us about what you do at Exmark.

I work in customer service, which has two groups: customer care and technical service. I’m in technical service, where we focus on the technical aspect of the product, and assisting our distributors. Typically we’re on the road about 50 percent of the time January through March. We go to different regions and do hands-on sessions on-location at dealers, making sure they are up to speed on our latest products.

For the rest of the year, we’re tied to the phone the majority of the time. For instance, last year Exmark customer service took 6,500 phone calls. If there’s a major issue we can’t resolve over the phone, we hop on a plane and go out to help resolve the problem firsthand.

The main parts of our job are preparing our service people with hands-on service and knowledge, and answering the customers’ needs. We combine those two and become both the voice of the service guy and the eyes of the customer.

What’s your favorite thing about working with Exmark?

This industry is amazing, full of such great people. I’ve built amazing relationships with end users, dealers, and distributor partners. It’s something that I look forward to each day.

At Exmark, we focus on doing the right thing and developing partnerships with our distributors, dealers, and our end users. By working together and helping our partners, whether distributors, dealers or end users, we’re making our own jobs a little easier in the long run. We’re all interrelated.

What do you like to do in your free time?

With three boys at home, I don’t have much free time! But my main passion for the last 7-8 years has been coaching baseball for my boys. It’s so much fun. The organization does it right. Even though we want to win, the more important priority is building character. And the people are great. There’s nothing better than getting a group of parents and kids together and watching them grow together as a secondary family.

If you could have lunch with any person, who would it be?

I’d like to talk to somebody who lived through the Great Depression or The Dust Bowl. We take so many things for granted and must remember to be careful with what we continue to take from Mother Nature. Any person that lived through such trying times and fought through that: it’s just remarkable to me. Those people just didn’t have the same benefits we do today. You see pictures of what they went through with the Dust Bowl and it’s remarkable they could persevere. We take a lot of things for granted today.

What’s something surprising about you not many people know about?

I graduated in a class of just 8 people. When I was in 6th grade, the entire school from kindergarten to 12th grade had about 110 people in it so I knew everybody by name. Most people are surprised to hear that.

Lenny Mangnall has been a member of the Exmark family for 17 years.

Exmark Employee Profile: David Rayburn

Monday, July 13th, 2015

 

David Rayburn, Exmark

Exmark Logistics Manager, David Rayburn, stands with Logistics Coordinator, Patty Kaufman (middle) and IS Supervisor, Liz Daubendiek.

Where are you from?

I was born in Wisconsin and my family moved here when I was small. I went into the service for two years and then moved back to Nebraska after I got married. We’ve now lived here for the last 34 years.

Tell us about what you do at Exmark.

I manage the product planning process— also known as forecast– for Exmark products. My team consists of myself and our logistics coordinator. We receive direction from marketing for the product need and bring everything down to the specific quarter to meet the financial plan. The production facility then takes the plan and breaks it down. That’s how the production flows.

What’s your favorite thing about working with Exmark?

There’s a passion and a knowledge that people have here and it makes work very enjoyable. When we talk as a team or go through different groups, everyone is knowledgeable about their areas; they have expertise. It’s fun to work with people like that. You don’t have to repeat yourself a lot because everybody knows what they’re doing. Everyone is passionate and easy to get along with.

What do you like to do in your free time?

My family and I like to go camping, fishing, and boating. We take trips to Minnesota and North Dakota to fish and camp as much as we can during the year. But with the weather lately, it’s been tough. At least the rain is good for business in the long run.

What initially drew you to Exmark?

Both my son and daughter work here at Exmark. My son started here first and then my daughter came here after college. After that, Exmark hired me. It’s funny because normally the kids follow the parents into a company but it was the reverse for me. I started off working on the floor in the plant and was able to transition into different areas. After 13 years, I’m now in this position. I’ve been very fortunate. They’ve been very good to me.

If you could have lunch with any person, who would it be?

Probably John F. Kennedy. When I was in grade school, he was running for president and he was one of the first ones where I was old enough to understand a little bit about what was going on. During his election, Bobby Kennedy came through my town. I was in fifth grade, and I skipped school so I could listen to his speech. That’s somebody I would like to understand.

What’s something surprising about you not many people know about?

For the last 27 years, I’ve been doing a yearly reenactment for the Pony Express Association. Every year in June, we’ll ride a horse and carry the mail from Sacramento California to St. Joseph, Missouri, like they did on the original Pony Express back in the 1800’s. We do it in nine days and it’s pretty cool. We try to stay as close to the original trail as we can.

David Rayburn has been a member of the Exmark team for 13 years.