Archive for ride on tractor

Mowing advice on getting your lawn fit for Spring

Spring has finally arrived, which means it’s time to prepare your lawn for the upcoming season. Our garden lawns are the ‘go to place’ for outdoor summer activities, such as hosting parties and providing a space for relaxation, play, and dining. So to set your lawn up for the summer, follow these practical tips for the first cut:

1. Clear up beforehand

After months of bad weather, remove any debris like dead sticks, leaves, and rubbish. Check for stones and thick branches hidden in the grass that can damage the lawnmower blade.

2. Timing is key

In the first two weeks of April, it’s usually the best time to give your garden lawn a good trim. However, the timing can vary depending on your location.

3. Follow the “one third” rule

When mowing for the first time, never cut more than a third of the grass blade. Gradually reduce the grass length over a few weeks to avoid stressing the grass and prevent disease and weed infestation.

4. For longer grass

If your lawn has grown longer than desired, still follow the one third rule but decrease the cutting height gradually over multiple weeks until you reach your preferred length.

5. Pay attention to the edges

Trim the edges of your lawn after mowing to avoid a messy appearance and wasted effort.

6. Consider new grass seeds

If you’ve recently repaired your lawn with new grass seeds, wait until it has grown over three inches in length before mowing to allow it to strengthen.

7. Make it a habit

After the first cut, maintain the desired grass length by mowing once or twice a week, as warm weather encourages grass growth.

8. Choose the right equipment

Consider the condition and size of your lawn, as well as your gardening needs, when selecting a lawnmower.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your lawn is ready for a summer of enjoyment. If you need any help or advice on whether your lawnmower or ride-on-mower is ready for the new season then please call us on 01403 283814 and we’ll be delighted to help.

 

Book a full service now and save 10% with NO VAT! Offer ends 1st April 2022

Our Winter Service Supersaver offer is back, with a 10% discount on parts and labour, plus FREE isolated local collection and delivery when we service your garden tractor, lawn tractor or ride-on mower.

Due to Covid – 19 this service is in line with Government guidelines. This means collection and delivery will be in isolation and arrangements for payment and delivery without contact will be discussed prior to collection for this service.

The 10% saving is for full services only, on any machine. And now we are no longer VAT registered there’s no VAT added to your bill, making your overall service even cheaper. Our Winter Service Supersaver is always popular so book now to be sure of your 10% saving. And remember, this offer must end on 1st April 2022 .

So what’s included in a WG Gardencare full lawn tractor, ride-on mower or garden tractor service?

The answer is a thorough and meticulous check on every element of your machine including cleaning, lubricating and tuning.

For petrol mowers, for example, we steam clean the machine, strip the carburettor, flush the fuel tank and replace the pull starter cord, fit a new spark plug, replace the air filter, sharpen and balance the blade, check and adjust the drive belt, lubricate the height adjuster and all control levers and cables. Finally, we tighten the engine mounting and handlebar bolts, run and test all machine functions, check the running speed and tune the carburettor. You can find out more about our full service here.

As part of your full service, we also supply a complimentary fuel stabilizer, which means you don’t have to drain the tank prior to storing your machine for the winter – a practical, time-saving touch that’s typical of WG Gardencare’s service.

Why not book your garden tractor or mower in for its full service now to be sure it’s running smoothly and ready to go this spring? Email us now or call us on 01403 283814 and we’ll be happy to help.

Preparing a petrol lawnmower for winter storage

With the growing season coming to a close, you should be looking forward to putting your lawnmower away for the winter. The best time to service your lawn mower is immediately after the last cut of the season. By doing this you will miss the mad rush next spring when everyone else has left it to the last moment to get their lawnmower or ride-on-tractor serviced. Also it is not good to put the mower away for the winter if it is wet and caked in grass clippings as it will cause it to rust and deteriorate.

Have your lawnmower serviced

At WG Gardencare we specialise in servicing and repairing all types of professional and domestic garden machinery including mowers, four and two stroke machines and commercial diesel tractors.

When we service a lawnmower, ride-on-mower or tractor we will look at a whole host of things. For a full list of what is included in our winter service click here. We will collect your mower and return it to you at home once the service is complete. Our Collection and Delivery Service covers West Sussex and Surrey.

So once spring arrives you will be ready to go with only a few spot checks needed.

Check the oil level before use

Once any faults have been repaired as part of the annual service, all you’ll need to do before use is check the oil level using the dipstick and top up if needed.

Clean after use

After use, clean the underside of the mower with a damp cloth to prevent a build-up of grass and rusting. Be sure to tip the mower toward the back of the sump, rather than toward the carburettor. Consult the manual if you’re not sure.

Consider a conditioner

If you’re storing more than one can, you can prolong the life of fresh fuel by adding an ‘additive’ or ‘conditioner’.

Servicing your lawnmower with WG Gardencare

Our comprehensive workshop facilities offer a service – second to none. Our service price is carried out at an hourly rate with free estimates. Please call us on 01403 283814 or email us for a quote. And from the 1st November 2017 until the 1st April 2018 we are giving 10% off our winter service.

Caring for your lawn in January and February

General maintenance

Your lawn still needs work in the winter months when you have stored your lawnmower or Ride-on-Tractor away.

If the weather is mild you can lay a new turf or repair hollows and bumps in an existing lawn. For the latter, make a ‘H’ shaped cut in the turf, peel back the grass and either fill the hollow with loam, or scraping away the soil from a bump. Re-lay the turf, press it into place and pinch the cut edges together.

Repair lawn edges, especially around flower and shrub beds, with turf cut from other areas of the lawn.

If your lawn suffers dieback from treading during the wet, muddy season, then laying stepping-stones through it to allow easy access across it without causing damage is a good idea.

Troubleshooting

As the weather gets wetter watch your lawn for signs of waterlogging. If you missed the opportunity to carry out autumn lawn maintenance, then you can still remedy the situation a bit, by spiking the lawn with a garden fork or mechanical aerator. Then fill the holes with a mixture of sharp sand and loam, brushed in using a stiff broom.

In January and February mole activity will increase due to mating and nest (fortress) building. You will need to move the largest molehills and re-firm before overseeding the bare patches in the spring.

Worm casts are particularly troublesome at this time of the year so keep brushing them away so that there is not a build up of soil on the turf surface.

Snow mould can be a problem in wet weather, particularly on overfed and lush lawns that have been left a bit too long. During wet conditions these small patches of yellowish, dying grass become covered in a white or pinkish, cottony fungal growth. The only fungicide available to buy over the counter is Bayer Garden Lawn Disease Control and can be used all year round except when there is a drought or the ground is frozen or covered with snow. However, use should be kept to twice yearly and combined with other non-chemical control methods.

Algae can be a problem on lawns where there is poor drainage, excessive shade, or under the drip-line of trees.

And remember if you have not already had your lawn mower serviced ready for Spring then please give us a call on 01403 700743 to see how we can help or click here for more information.

Lawn mower servicing

At this time of the year getting your lawnmower, ride-on-tractor or any other garden machinery ready for storage or use is as important as keeping it maintained through the spring and summer months.

At WG Gardencare Machinery Ltd when we service a lawnmower, ride-on-mower or tractor we will look at a whole host of things. Our full service on a petrol rotary mower, for example, includes: 

1. Remove all covers and guards

2. Steam clean the machine to remove any grass build up and oil residues

3. Remove and strip the carburettor and clean it in an ultrasonic tank

4. Flush the fuel tank to remove stale fuel and contamination

5. Replace the pull starter cord and re-wind the return spring and lubricate all moving parts

6. Check the air gap on the ignition coil and fit a new spark plug

7. Replace the air filter

9. Sharpen and balance the blade

10. Check drive belt and cables and make any necessary adjustments

11. Lubricate height adjuster mechanism and all control levers and cables

12. Tighten the engine mounting and handle bar bolts

13. Run and test all machine functions

14. Check the running speed and tune the carburettor.

We also supply a fuel stabilizer with each service with our compliments. This addition means that there is no need to drain the tank of fuel prior to storing your machine for the winter.

Our service price is carried out at an hourly rate with free estimates. Please call us on 01403 700743 for a quote.