| To succeed in the lawn care business you need to | | | | For more serious lawn care business operators |
| have the right commercial equipment. Having the | | | | 'Ride on' mowers are the next logical step up. |
| right equipment makes you more professional and | | | | While not quite as flexible as 'walk behind' mowers |
| productive. | | | | in that they are not suited to hilly terrain and |
| While you can start out in lawn care with a basic | | | | smaller areas these mowers generally make the |
| push mower that you can cart around in a station | | | | operator much more productive on an average |
| wagon or with a small trailer, it is the operators | | | | lawn surface. ZTR (Zero Turn Radius) mowers |
| with small trucks and commercial mowers that | | | | are the best when it comes to 'ride on' mowers |
| distinguish themselves as the 'six figure' operators. | | | | due to their power, features and maneuverability |
| This article looks at some of the basic equipment | | | | (they can turn on a dime). |
| that you will need to be successful cutting grass | | | | For a one man operator, owning a combination of |
| for a living. | | | | a 'walk behind' mower and a 'ride on' mower is |
| Your largest purchase when it comes to | | | | best for maximizing productivity on all lawn |
| equipment will be your vehicle. Look at the | | | | shapes and contours. |
| dimensions and weight of some of the | | | | Other required lawn care equipment includes |
| commercial mowers that you are interested in | | | | trimmers and edgers, necessary for cutting grass |
| and make sure that you have a truck or van and | | | | in places that the lawn mower cannot reach such |
| trailer that can take the load securely as well as | | | | as along concrete driveway edges and around |
| making packing and unpacking convenient. Once | | | | letterboxes. Blowers are also useful for removing |
| you have decided what equipment you will | | | | grass clippings and leaves from paths, driveways |
| purchase you should consider having racks | | | | and pavements to leave a customers property |
| installed into the vehicle for safely storing and | | | | looking neat and tidy. |
| locking the equipment. | | | | Lastly, you should make sure that you have the |
| In terms of lawn mowers, the basic 'walk behind' | | | | appropriate safety equipment including safety |
| lawn mower is an industry standard and comes in | | | | glasses, hearing protection, gloves and work boots |
| many varieties ranging from the typical consumer | | | | with a steel cap in the toes. |
| lawn mowers up to some quite advanced | | | | While not all of this is essential for a new operator |
| commercial types. These mowers are practical, | | | | starting out in the grass cutting business you |
| maneuverable and good for most residential jobs. | | | | should aim to have a commercial lawn mower or |
| Some commercial 'walk behind' mowers are able | | | | 'ride on' mower sometime within your first year |
| to tow a small platform called a Velke which | | | | of business so that you are productive and |
| allows the operator to stand on a small platform | | | | distinguish yourself as a professional, giving you |
| and be slowly pulled along by the mower, thus | | | | the best chance of making 'six figures' in the lawn |
| saving on energy. | | | | care business. |