Mowing with STIHL
Here at my farm, I always try to impress upon my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew to "use the right tool for the right job" - for efficiency and for safety. Among our favorites are the durable, easy-to-use items from STIHL.
I've been using STIHL products for a long time. STIHL is recognized as a worldwide leader in outdoor power equipment and offers an extensive lineup of different pieces including professional-grade chainsaws, blowers, trimmers, pressure washers, and so much more. Last week, I received several of STIHL's new mowers - both gas powered and battery operated. They're great for using in large lawn spaces as well as any flat, narrow, tight areas around my home. They're easy to maneuver and provide good, precise cuts.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- It was so nice to have STIHL Territory Manager Michael Calyer and STIHL Regional Sales Manager Robert Pulver come by the farm to teach me and my crew all about the newest mower models.
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- Here are three STIHL zero-turn mowers – the RZA 748 and the RZA 760, which are both run on batteries, and the RZ 560 K gas powered mower.
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- The zero-turn mowers are excellent for my large lawn spaces, such as this one between my long pergola and my orchard. This gas-powered unit is built for durability.
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- The rear has a space for supplies, a trailer hitch for towing additional accessories, and safety bars around the rear base and above the unit. The safety bar above protects the operator during a rollover.
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- The controls are easy to access and use…
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- Adjustments to cutting can be done easily while seated.
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- Padded handles offer comfort while operating. And a flexible side rubber discharge chute for grass clippings is within good view from the seat.
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- In addition, a majority of STIHL products sold in America are made in America.
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- These specific units are from a local distributer, Ossining Lawn Mower.
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- For tight places, such as between my raised garden beds, we use push mowers. A push mower is a walk behind unit that an operator pushes forward or backward to mow the lawn. Here are STIHL’s RM 756 gas mower and two RMA 453 PV battery mowers.
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- All these mowers are built with professional grade use in mind – powerful, efficient, and long lasting.
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- This mower is lightweight, making it easy to maneuver. And the controls are built to be ergonomic in design, so it is comfortable to use all day.
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- This 22-inch gas powered push mower provides really sharp, accurate cutting and easy bagging.
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- It’s also easy to fill from the top of the unit.
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- Adan Morales is my resident mower. He knows exactly which mowers are best for every area of the farm. Here he is mowing the strips of grass on one side of my pergola. Another benefit of this mower is that it is equipped with a blade brake clutch system that allows one to stop the blade without restarting the engine to remove obstacles in the path.
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- There is a mono-comfort handlebar, which is sturdy and secure. It also has a large capacity foldable fabric grass bag that is easy to empty.
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- This machine has a cutting height range from .98 to 3.54 inches to accommodate a variety of different grass types, terrains, and weather conditions.
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- Here is Adan on the gas powered zero-turn. This day was a good one for mowing. Try to always mow when the grass is dry. We only mow dry grass at the farm. Mowing a wet lawn doesn’t harm the grass, but it can fill and clog a mower, and make the cut look uneven. Mid-morning mowing is the healthiest for your grass – it’s cooler, drier and allows time for the grass to recover after cutting.
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- Also remember to avoid scalping the grass, which means cutting it too short. A scalped lawn is vulnerable to grass burn, diseases, and weed infestation. Scalped turf also tends to be more weak and sparse.
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- And adjust the mower height throughout the growing season. Shift higher in summer and allow the grass to grow longer. Taller grass helps shade the soil, which prevents weed growth and slows water evaporation. Taller grass also develops deeper roots, which help the lawn to withstand drought. In late autumn lower the cutting deck for the last mowing of the season to help prevent snow mold from forming on the grass.
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- And always be ready to mow with the proper safety gear. Luna and I took some photos before I tested the zero-turn myself. I’ve used STIHL equipment for years. I’m looking forward to using the right tool, the right mower, for the right lawn space at the farm.
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