Professional landscapers use a range of commercial-grade mowing equipment to cut grass. When comparing riding mowers and push mowers, both have advantages, and experienced contractors have both types of mowers in their fleet. There are several factors to consider when selecting a mower: the size of the property, the terrain, the environment noise allowance and even your budget.Both riding and walk-behind mowers provide benefits in terms of time, money and results. A riding mower is appropriate for certain commercial properties, and a push mower is appropriate for others.
Riding Mowers
Zero-turn riding mowers are commonly used by commercial landscape companies because they are fast, and offer wide cutting paths. You’ll also see some riding lawn tractors out there, but those are mostly used by homeowners or in large, municipal applications where you’ll see batwing mowers cutting fields of grass. Zero-turn riding mowers have evolved a lot in the last decade. The fact that they offer independent suspension provides crews with greater comfort, and the high-quality cuts they provide make them more appealing to users. A riding mower comes in handy in the following situations:
- Open Wide Spaces – The cutting width on riding mowers is greater, so you’ll cut more grass, faster, than you would with a walk-behind mower. Ride-on mowers typically have cutting decks that are more than three times wider than a walk-behind mower. In terms of time and budget, efficiency matters when mowing a lot of grass. A riding mower can do the job in a few hours or less than a person walking a lawnmower across your commercial property.
- Slopes Or Flatlands – A riding mower should be used on flat ground or gently sloping terrain where there is no danger of rolling over. Mowing steep slopes is nothing new to a professional landscape contractor. They also always use riding mowers on a hillside to prevent slippin g. On grassy, steep hills, a walk-behind mower will provide more stability.
- Wet Thick Grass – Riding mowers are rugged machines that can cut very thick grass, even if it is wet from morning dew or recent rainfall. Commercial landscapers should avoid mowing wet grass as it can damage the turf, but damp grass can be mowed just fine with a riding mower. A walk-behind lawnmower is frequently clogged by damp turf, and the bag attachment can be difficult to push due to its weight.
Push Mowers
Mowing flexibility is provided by walk-behind or push mowers on commercial properties. Self-propelled push or walk-behind mowers are used on commercial properties and allow pro landscapers to mow in various ways. The reason is that riding mowers can fit through gates in some cases where riding mowers can’t.When a property has many landscape beds that interrupt grassy areas, walk-behind mowers are easy to maneuver and convenient. Here’s when it’s best to use a walk-behind mower:
- Spaces That Are Tight – When riding mowers are simply too large and difficult to maneuver, walk-behind mowers can squeeze through openings and in between closely laid landscape beds. Walk-behind mowers can also be used in lawn areas between hardscape and walkways.
- Twists And Turns – Mowing with push mowers is more effective when a landscape has curved edges or borders, such as walks, patios, driveways, etc.
- Steep Slopes – Landscaping crews can gain more control over steep slopes by using a walk-behind mower across a hillside. Although riding mowers can be used on gentle slopes, very steep hills may require a walk-behind mower.
Services for Commercial Lawns and Landscape contractos will evaluate your property so the lawn mowing crew is well-equipped to care for the grounds. In some cases, that means only using riding mowers or only using walk-behind mowers. Both types of mowers are occasionally used. This enables us to manage large, open spaces efficiently while maintaining tight, curved grass areas with attention to detail. Call Rentalex at (813)971-9990 anytime if you’re interested in renting a lawn mower.
