With fall maintenance projects in full swing, it’s time to talk about leaf blowers and particularly, vacuum models. If you don’t have a leaf blower or have been considering the merits of adding more cleanup tools to your service, this is a great place to start!

The Role of a Leaf Blower

Leaf blowers have a simple task: They get rid of debris. And contrary to what the name suggests, they can tackle a lot more than just leaves. They are useful for gathering up large amounts of leaves for easier disposal, blowing aside grass clippings after a large edging or mulching project, taking care of dust or pine needles and similar tasks where gathering or sweeping up debris would just take too long.

In other words, if your projects involve a lot of cleanup – especially during the fall – then a leaf blower can be a valuable addition. However, there’s another version of the leaf blower that deserves a closer look: The vacuum model, which has a much more specific focus.

When Leaf Blowers Need Vacuums

A leaf vacuum or garden vac is an attachment/mode that turns a leaf blower into a vacuum model that sucks away leaves and typically deposits them into a waste compartment. This vacuum option can make a useful addition to your toolset, especially for larger projects. Here’s where it can come in handy.

• Large, dry leaf cleanup: Vacuums aren’t the best option for wet leaves, but they actually act quickly when cleaning up large amounts of drier leaves. You can skip the “piles” stage and have the leaves go straight into the bag as you vacuum around the yard, paying special attention to trouble spots.
• Protecting flower beds: Delicate plants and landscaping don’t fare well under the powerful blasts of a leaf blower. A vacuum mode, however, can skirt between plants and snap up hard-to-reach leaves without ripping up plants.

• Gutter work: Some vacuums have specially designed components for vacuuming out gutters. Again, this works best on dry days, but in the right situation, it can be a valuable time saver.
• Mulching: Larger vacs frequently offer a mulching option that will shred the leaves as you vacuum them up, allowing you to use them as mulch later on. Not only does this allow you to advertise a more eco-friendly method of dealing with leaves, but you have the added benefit of using mulch to help protect fragile plants and grass from winter frosts.
• Cleaning other equipment: You may also want to use a vacuum unit to help clean out tractors, mowers and other equipment once they get coated with grass clippings. It’s an easy way to keep things clean and avoid tougher maintenance later on.

We proudly sell RedMax Backpack Blowers, contact us if you have any questions or if you’re interested in purchasing. For a closer look at the products and machines that your business needs, visit Commercial Lawn Equipment. And watch for our mobile showroom to get an up-close look at our products!

With autumn right around the corner, now is the best time to begin scheduling overseeding appointments with your residential and commercial clients to help keep their turf healthy, lush and thick in the months ahead. Choosing the optimal grass seed for every location and condition is key to maintaining a beautiful lawn, but beware — all grass seed is not equal. Every turf species and variety has unique qualities, growth patterns, and adaptation characteristics. While the Nashville area is located in a climate zone that is best-suited for cool season grasses, warm season varieties flourish just one climate zone away. So, how do you know which grass is best for your area? Here’s a handy guide to help you understand the best options for your overseeding.

Which Grass Species are Best For The Nashville Area?

While every turf need will be different depending on the location due to factors like water requirements, shade tolerance, maintenance requirements, foot traffic and use, there are a few kinds of grass that do well in this zone. Here are the five most common, and most reliably performing types of grasses for the Middle Tennessee area:

• Bermuda – A hardy, warm season grass.
• Tall Fescue – A bunch-like grass that tolerates heat, cold, shade and drought.
• Kentucky Bluegrass – A common cool-season grass.
• Zoysia – A creeping grass that stands up well to heat.
• Perennial Ryegrass – A quick-germinating cool season grass.

Meet Multiple Conditions with a Grass Blend

While there may be situations where different types of grasses, such as Zoysia or Bermuda need to be overseeded in specific areas due to hardiness or foot traffic abuse, generally a grass seed blend offers the best overall performance. A grass blend is a combination of multiple cultivars of the same variety of grass. Because each variety has specific characteristics and desirable traits, collectively they provide a uniform texture and look to the lawn, and they improve the quality of the turf. Instead of purchasing the same old seed mix, consider switching to our Commercial Lawn Equipment custom premium blend instead. Our triple blend features three types of tall fescue specifically formulated to meet the quality, hardiness, durability and growing condition challenges unique to the Nashville area.

What are the Benefits of a Custom Tall Fescue Blend?

Our premium grass seed mixture is made of Shortstop III, Blade Runner II, and Venture tall Fescue varieties in equal portions, which creates a vibrant, healthy green lawn with a consistent appearance. Each of these types of turf addresses particular challenges in the Southeast, such as fungal issues that commonly thrive in humid weather.

• Blade Runner II has great density, which provides tolerance to shade as well as heat stress. It boasts an excellent National Turfgrass Evaluation Program rating for summer turf density, ensuring your client’s turf will be as thick and lush at the peak of summer heat as it is in the spring and fall.
• The blend’s toughest variety is Venture. Rated excellent for heat tolerance by the NTEP, Venture is shade tolerant and provides resistance to red thread, Pythium and brown patch.
• Shortstop III offers excellent disease resistance as well as good wear resistance when fully established. Because it’s low-growing, it shows less reaction to mowing and fills in gaps left by the other two varieties.

The blend of these three varieties is spectacular at handling heat stress, disease, and shady conditions. Venture and Blade Runner II both have a high wear tolerance, resulting in a turf that can handle heavy foot traffic.

If you’re looking for a hardy, dense, great-looking turf, talk to a lawn care specialist at the Commercial Lawn Equipment showroom today to learn more about this exciting tall fescue grass seed blend.

Creating and maintaining the perfect lawn requires the right equipment. Once you’ve found the best mower for your needs, it is essential to keep that piece of equipment in good working condition. Mower engines use oil to lubricate interior components, and that oil needs to be changed on a regular basis. Very few drivers overlook the importance of having their auto oil changed on regular schedule, yet many people fail to extend the same level of care to their mowers. The team at Commercial Lawn Equipment offers the following guide to knowing when, how and why to change your mower’s oil.

Why is it Important to Change the Oil in a Mower?

Just like a car engine, your lawn mower engine relies on proper lubrication to keep moving parts functioning as intended. Mower oil provides that lubrication, and when oil levels get low, the engine could experience damage. Running oil that is contaminated, burnt or otherwise compromised will have a negative impact on the oil’s ability to serve its function. Changing the oil is the best way to make sure that your mower engine is functioning properly and is ready to serve your needs for many years to come.

How Frequently Should Mower Oil be Changed?

It is important to change the oil at the beginning of the mowing season. Once mowing is in full swing, a good rule of thumb is to change the oil after every five hours of mower operation. If it is difficult to gauge the amount of time spent mowing, simply plan to change the oil once a month or bi-weekly, depending on how frequently you run your equipment.

What is the Process for Checking the Oil in a Lawn Mower?

First, locate the oil fill cap on the surface of the engine. It should be located across from the spark plug. Use a rag or paper towel to carefully clean the area around the plug to prevent dirt and debris from contaminating the oil. Remove the cap and wipe the dipstick clean before reinserting and removing once again. Check that the oil level displays between the marks on the dipstick, and look for any signs of discoloration or debris.

How is the Oil Changed in Lawn Mowers?

Changing the oil in your lawn mower is a simpler process than changing the oil in your car or truck. Start by ensuring the mower is not running, and disconnect or remove the spark plug. Next, locate the drain plug and position the mower over a catch basin. Remove the drain plug and allow the old oil to drain completely. Wipe the area with a clean cloth, and replace the drain plug. Check the owner’s manual to determine the correct oil type to use, then fill with the designated quantity. Finally, allow the motor to run for a few moments to distribute the new oil throughout the engine. Exmark Original Premium Engine Oil is an excellent option and offers a synthetic formulation with zinc and phosphorous as well as anti-corrosive additives to keep your engine running smoothly. At Commercial Lawn Equipment, we carry a number of options from the Exmark line.

Nothing beats the scent of freshly cut grass. Once the lawn has been cut, many people wonder what should be done with the clippings. The team at Commercial Lawn Equipment would like to offer the following tips about how to handle grass clippings and save you time.

Is it Harmful to Leave Grass Clippings on the Lawn?

In the very recent past, the thought of leaving grass clippings behind was something that virtually no respectable homeowner would practice. Those who had bagging mowers used them, and those who didn’t got out the rake and cleared the lawn of any signs of grass clipping waste. Those clippings were neatly deposited in bags and left at the curb for collection, or placed in a compost pile. Today, however, more and more people are learning of the nutrition boost that comes from leaving lawn clippings right where they fall, and what was once considered the height of lazy landscaping is now an environmentally-friendly and lawn-enhancing routine.

What do Clippings Provide for My Lawn?

Most conventional lawns are very high maintenance when it comes to nutrient and water needs. By leaving clippings in place, homeowners are providing a boost of nitrogen right where it is most needed. In fact, it is estimated that regular mowing combined with letting clippings integrate back into the lawn can cut your annual fertilization requirements by as much as a third. That means fewer chemicals, less time spent feeding your lawn and more money in your pocket.

Isn’t Thatch a Problem?

Lawn thatch is a condition where excessive levels of partially decomposed grass accumulate between the roots of the lawn and the surface of the soil. Thatch prevents adequate light from reaching the soil and can be a problem that requires thatch-removal efforts. However, the idea that leaving lawn clippings behind will cause thatch is a myth. As long as the clippings are short and not clumped together, they will quickly become integrated into the soil.

When is it Better to Bag?

It must be noted that leaving lawn clippings in place is not always the best course of action. When the lawn has been allowed to grow very tall, excessive amounts of cut grass will be left behind the next time the lawn is mowed. That may leave more clippings than can be evenly integrated into the existing lawn, and those clippings should be removed. If the lawn is mowed while wet, then the clippings will stick together in clumps, and prevent adequate sunlight, air and water from reaching the lawn. Clippings that are collected and bagged make great additions to a compost pile, where the nitrogen boost can help balance “brown” materials like dried leaves and small twigs. That said, when your lawn is mowed regularly and only when the grass is dry, there should never be a need to remove the clippings.

At Commercial Lawn Equipment, we are always here to help you reach your landscaping goals. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns that you may have, and we look forward to helping you find the lawn care tools and equipment you need to keep your lawn looking great.

There is nothing that spoils a beautiful, lush, green expanse of lawn than dead, brown spots caused by dog urine and feces. If you own dogs, then you’re probably well aware of how hard their waste can be on the landscape. Brown spots and dead grass are a direct result of animals using the lawn as their bathroom.

Lawn damage may not be visible immediately. Some spots on the lawn may begin to look especially green due to the nitrogen acting as fertilizer for the grass, but once it begins accumulating you’ll start to notice that the dog waste is killing it. This accumulation of nitrogen is commonly called “urine burn,” which occurs when too much fertilizer is applied to one spot. This effect can become more serious during dry spells or when the lawn is stressed. If urine burn is not addressed immediately, the area will typically require sod or need to be reseeded. If the damage is extensive, some landscapers recommend removing and replacing the soil underneath the damaged grass as well, since it likely has a buildup of nitrogen in it.

Preventing Lawn Damage

There are several ways you can ensure that your lawn doesn’t literally “go to the dogs.” Here are a few lawn tips to prevent pet waste damage to the grass.

• Add water – Many veterinarians recommend adding water to a dog’s pet food to dilute their urine. That will cause it to have more of a fertilizing effect and less of a nitrogen overload. Also, watering or spraying the areas of the lawn the pet tends to use frequently with a hose will help dilute some harmful effects of the urine. There are also commercial products available at most pet stores that can be added to the dog’s food which will help reduce the harmful effects to lawns.
• Remove poop promptly – The best way to prevent waste from damaging a beautiful lawn is to pick it up promptly, so it doesn’t have the time to cause damage by breaking down into the grass. Pet owners should pick up feces as soon as they’re deposited, but if they can’t, they should be cleaned up weekly. The longer the waste stays on the grass, the more likely it is to degrade into the soil and cause browning and spotting.
• Adjust your lawn care – You should avoid fertilizing, or fertilize less, in areas where the dog is urinating, which will help avoid lawn burn from over-fertilization. Selecting the right grass for your climate that is resistant to nitrogen excess will result in a greener, spot-free lawn. Some grasses, such as Bermuda and Kentucky bluegrass are more sensitive to pet waste. If necessary, replant the area with more urine-resistant, hardy grasses such as fescues and rye grasses.
• Designate a dog relief area – Dogs can be trained to use specific areas to relieve themselves. Create a dog-friendly space with pea gravel or mulch and add a “marking post” to encourage them to use that area. There are commercial products on the market that contain pheromones that can make the training easier.

At Commercial Lawn Equipment, we know that a beautiful landscape has grass that is healthy and green. We are always here to answer any questions you may have about lawn care and landscaping issues. Call us today for help with all your landscaping needs.