Choosing Professional Landscaping Machinery
There has never been a better time to be involved in the landscaping industry, the technology for professional landscaping equipment has come on leaps and bounds over the past decade. The rise of automotive machinery and now battery powered equipment has seen the landscaping trade really reach a new level in effectiveness and productivity.
The new levels of technology within the sector have also been coupled with mass production with all leading manufacturers which now means there are so many options for any one piece of machinery. This is huge for landscapers as they now have multiple options when choosing what piece of kit to invest in, however, the influx of options now leaves many with the dilemma of picking the correct piece of machinery for their needs.
The team here at PSD have put together the ultimate guide for choosing the correct piece of professional landscaping equipment, in this blog we’ll discuss what type of machinery fits what types of jobs and how to make sure you’re buying a quality piece of kit with what to look out for and what to avoid in your search.
Get organised
The first step on the journey to purchasing a piece of landscaping machinery should be to make a detailed list of everything you need your machine to be able to do, writing a list of what you need will be important throughout the process to make sure you can keep a clear idea in your mind of what you are after, when the next sparkly new release is put in front of you it might seem like a no brainer, however, making sure any machinery you look at meets the parameters of your list of needs may make the new sparkly option irrelevant to what you’re in the market for.
Do your research
Now that you’ve got a list of needs it’s time to take time to do the correct research to find the perfect piece for you, the first question you need to ask yourself is ‘how long am I going to need this machine’ if its only for a short period of time or a temporary job then it may be advantageous to begin looking at hiring equipment rather than purchasing out right.
Whilst you’re going about your research it’s always beneficial to speak with a dealership, trusted dealers will be able to give you more information, in detail on any specific machinery you’re looking at whilst also giving you other relevant options to look at! You may find a dealer’s extensive knowledge on the industry can lead to them suggesting a machine you’ve not yet heard of which might be perfect for the job you need it for.
Run the numbers
Once you’re at the stage where you have a few front runners to choose from when buying landscape machinery, it's important to compare, comparing the financials, specifications, and structural integrity of the machines should be the defining detail it takes for your decision.
This approach removes favouritism of a certain brand or model and ensures that you’re getting the maximum return possible for your investment.
What machine do you need?
First thing to consider when designating a type of machine for a job is the size of the equipment, for example, are you capable of manoeuvring the machinery from location to location and physically, when in use.
If your landscaping needs cover a smaller, more manageable area then maybe you need to look at landscaping equipment such as industrial garden shredders or if you’re in the market for a machine able to cover larger areas and more strenuous jobs then more heavy-duty machines will be more appropriate.
A few pieces of equipment we thought should be featured due to their manageability and effectiveness are as follows:
- Professional Lawn Mowers
- Mulching Mowers
- Walk Behind Flail Mowers
- Ride-On Brush cutters
- Weed Clearing Machines
Machine Capacity
Saving time and keeping to a schedule is the name of the game in the landscaping industry to ensure productivity levels are high for a job, that is why considering the capacity of a machine is vital to ensuring you purchase the correct piece of landscaping machinery.
Considering the amount of land to be worked on is important, if you’re working on a smaller plot with more simple tasks then this will rarely be a question needed to be asked, however, for larger plots you must make sure that a machine is able to handle the amount of work to ensure your plans stay on track and aren’t held up by a struggling machine.
Machine types
For those new to the industry, we wanted to touch on what machine you should be looking at for the job you’re carrying out.
Lawn Mowers
An often popular machine for professional landscapers are lhe professional lawn mowers from Italian based manufacturer GRIN if you are a professional landscaper or gardener that need's a lawn mower that will cut perfectly even in damp wet conditions and that are easy to manoeuvre the GRIN professional lawn mowers are robust and reliable and are designed to have a long service life.
Walk Behind Flail Mowers
If you’re dealing with overgrown grass and areas too rough for a standard mower then the walk behind flail mower is a much more versatile machine which everyone in the market for landscape machinery should consider.
Brush cutters
The range of ride on brush cutters is massive but we like the Japanese Canycom models which are specifically designed to cut long grass and brash on both steep slopes and rough terrain, but when equipped with an optional mulching kit they deliver excellent cutting results on lawns so there is no need to use a lawn tractor which in dense long grass will cause clogged mower decks, smoking belts and bent blades. Canycom ride on brush cutters can outperform lawn tractors and are capable of much more than other ride-on brush cutters on the market. We are also big fans of the EcoTech Walk Behind Brush Cutters which operate similar to the ride-on’s in a walk behind fashion, fantastic for those treacherous, rougher areas.
Green Waste Shredders
The Eliet - Green Waste Shredder, which are ideal for shredding green waste, residual waste and wood and timber waste as well as for general wood shredding. Our Eliet and TS Industrie range of shredder's suit a large range of customers from the domestic user with a large garden right up to large estate owners and local authorities who need large, towed chippers for heavy duty professional use. Not many people are aware of the versatility of the Green Waste Shredder, saving time and resources a shredder can make waste of far more materials than your standard chipper.
Lawn Care
Lawn care equipment such as scarifiers, seeders and turf cutters will always be a fundamental piece of equipment in the landscaping industry, if you make sure you go with a trusted manufacturer, supplied from a reputable dealer you will almost have no worries with machines like these.
To conclude, you should always remember the fundamentals of purchasing a machine which is price, capacity and speaking with a dealer and you should do just fine in picking which machine is best for you, if you are in the market and need any help please feel free to send us any questions you have by clicking here.
