Modern lawn mowers have a life-span of 5-10 years - if your mower is at the 5-year mark or close to it, don’t miss out on these tips to help your mower perform better, for longer.
These simple steps will save you time and money in the future when you could’ve been buying a new lawn mower entirely.
Day-to-day trimming won’t have an immediate impact on your lawn mower's performance but without regularly cleaning out grass deposits, it will build up over time and eventually clog your mower catcher. When grass is chopped up, it sticks to the top and underside of your machine, and can even make its way into the engine too.
So, maintaining a cleaning schedule for the grass catcher mower is essential to making it work efficiently for the long-term. Particularly if your lawn mower gets quite dirty after every time you use it.
Scraper
The best way to scrape any packed grass from under your mower deck is by using the easy-to-grab T-handle of the Pro/ Scraper.
The heavy-duty design of lawn tools like this allows you to get leverage and then scrap your mower deck clean of packed grass, mud and debris.
Degreaser
Ballard’s Mower Magic is the market-leading cleaning product for mowers. Catch Pro provides this degreaser for landscapers because the formula is built for lawn maintenance. Mower Magic will power through grime, grass stains, grease and anything else that you need to clean on your machine.
With all deposits being disposed of, your lawn mower will be able to perform at its best each time you trim your lawn.
For your mower, the proficiency of the blade system is what dictates the ability to cut grass effectively - but all blades wear down over time. Specifically, they can fall victim to irreparable damages whilst on the job, such as blades splitting, getting chipped, or incurring worn-out bearings.
If you’re noticing that you’ve been pushing your mower for longer hours and it produces poorer results, your blades may be damaged or need sharpening. We recommend sharpening your mower blades at least once a year.
Here are some products that Catch Pro provides to assist landscapers with blade sharpening and performance.
Mower Mulching Blade Adapter | Mower Blade Sharpening Guide
By sharpening your blades or cleaning your mower deck, the inside of your mower will be effectively preserved. But don’t forget about the exterior protection of your machine.
To protect your mower from any weather damage whilst you’re not using it, look no further than the Universal Mower Cover. This cover is made with thick UV waterproof protection, and a strong elastic bottom-closure to wrap around most ZTR, Stand on machines, and Lawn Tractors.
For advanced landscaping equipment maintenance, the best way to lift and secure your mower, or to protect it in-transit is by using a mower lift. The MoJack EZ Max Mower Lift has a unique clutch system for easy lifting, with an automatic safety system featuring a smooth release handle.
This ensures your safety by alleviating the pressures of handling a mower yourself, and providing the right amount of torque for lifting a light or heavy-duty lawn mower.
Catch Pro Mower Grass Catchers & Chute Blockers allow you to catch or mulch discharge with complete control. The advanced chute systems can accommodate various industry leading mowers, and are engineered to perform lawn maintenance and landscaping maintenance tasks effectively and safely in high-density areas.
]]>If you’re new to garden maintenance or landscaping tools, it’s easy to go overboard when buying new tools.
Landscaping gear can be expensive, and take up lots of space in your shed or garage - so, you should focus on purchasing the garden equipment that all the experts have, that anyone can use!
Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. Investing in the best quality landscaping tools and keeping them maintained will go a long way instead of going after the most expensive options.
Luckily for you, Catch Pro only sources the best gardening equipment and landscaping accessories from industry leading brands. We are partnered with BAD Workwear, Ballard, ComfortTrim and more, to create the most enjoyable landscaping experiences for Australians.
Inexperienced landscapers may overlook the importance of hand protection. Gardening duties can be a fulfilling hobby, but without a good pair of gloves - it will become a hassle with plenty of splinters and thorns. The best gloves for gardening are durable, water-resistant and ultimately provide a comfortable fit.
We recommend Ballard’s “Hard Work” Gloves. Why?
Although your hands are the one’s getting dirty, you must consider the chance of any dirt or debris getting into your eyes. For this reason, safety glasses are an essential accessory for all landscaping maintenance tasks. Must-have features for safety glasses include: premium frame materials and rubber padding.
Look no further than the BAD Safety Sunglasses - Clear Lense. Safety glasses that look like your favourite sunglasses!
Having the best gardening tools means that they are kept cleaned and maintained. To keep your tools in prime condition, you need the best cleaning product on the market. A degreaser will power through any tough-to-clean items in your garage - and Ballard has created the last cleaner you’ll buy.
A formula built specifically for garden maintenance that will work on anything you need to clean. Explore Ballard Mower Magic - Degreaser & Degrasser:
Australians know the sun’s heat too well. So, you’ll want to protect yourself from excessive UV exposure, especially across your face and neck. The best hats for sun protection are wide-brim or legionnaire options provided by BAD Workwear.
BAD Sun Protection Legionnaires Hat - Features Include:
Bad Sun Protection Wide Brim Black Hat - Features Include:
The biggest inconvenience for landscapers is packed grass getting caught under your mower. If too much grass is built-up, it can hinder the performance of your mower - so finding an easy way to scrape off excess grass will maximise the performance of your machines.
Ballard has helped landscapers by creating a scraper that makes it easy to get leverage and scrape the deck clean of packed grass, mud, and debris.
Some more features of their Pro/Scraper include:
Now you know the best garden equipment that any landscaper can use in suburban Australian homes. From here, having these essential garden tools will make your landscaping life so much easier.
Need to add more to your toolset? Browse more from Catch Pro’s collections below.
]]>An often overlooked factor of house valuations is the need to keep up lawn maintenance and landscaping duties. Landscaping is a proven method to boost the value of a property, recommending that home owners invest 10% of the property value into landscape upgrades.
If you are looking to sell your property, ensuring adding a nice garden feature is a surefire way to add value for your home and help create an emotional appeal for your property for prospective buyers.
Having a lavish garden will create a great space for entertaining guests, and provide more appeal to your home. Landscaping and lawn maintenance is the way to increase your house’s value from the outside, by enhancing the look of a property to boost its curb appeal.
Curb appeal is a phrase often used in real estate that describes the attractiveness of a home from the perspective of a buyer from the sidewalk. When you want to increase the value of your home, first impressions matter.
A property that is displayed neatly, and low-maintenance will help in convincing prospective buyers that they would feel comfortable in the home to enjoy the outdoors. Performing lawn maintenance and adding garden features boosts the curb appeal of your home. Good landscaping can add up to 28% to your home’s overall value according to John Harris, landscape economist.
The best part is, lawn maintenance is one of the few home improvement projects that increases in value over time - paint peels away, where plant life will grow stronger. Additionally, implementing new plant life promotes environmental benefits that improves the quality of air, increasing the usability and enjoyment of outdoor areas. Whilst it isn’t always ideal to spend time in the garden all year, the visual appeal of a functioning yard space is timeless.
All home improvement measures will help increase a property’s value, but the visual appeal created by outdoor gardens are on display for all to see. So taking time to add some of these garden features will enhance your home’s value.
Installing a sprinkler system into your lawn will help with maintenance, also benefiting from less water usage. Water features such as a fountain or small pond are appealing additions that create a calming atmosphere. It is important to note that adding a water feature into your garden will have to factor in the size of your yard, size of the feature, its decoration, and where it will be located.
An assortment of herbs will greet buyers and guests with irresistible fragrances and aromas - the most common options being dill, rosemary, lavender and peppermint. Also, growing vegetables is making a comeback in modern neighbourhoods, as a cost-effective way to put organic food on the table. By growing your own herbs and vegetables, your garden will be practical whilst also being desirable to look at, a great feature buyers will look for.
Setting down a new turf makes a great impact on visitors, with Kikuyu lawns being a more cost-effective option compared to Buffalo grass. A lush lawn is complemented by a collection of colourful perennial plants and flowers, using a diverse range of pots to add to the aesthetic appeal of your garden and its features.
Implementing new features and plant life is a great way to improve the value on the surface, but you need to keep up lawn maintenance to sustain a long term value increase to your property. Mulching shrubs and plants will help to prevent weed growth, reduce evaporation, inhibit erosion and moderate soil temperature. By mulching your greenery it makes landscaping more economical over time and replenishes any dull soil to have a better appeal. For most homes, utility mulch is the best choice for low lawn maintenance - forest fines and pine bark makes gardens look neat and tidy.
Encouraging biodiversity in your gardens and lawns is an excellent way to promote colour and reduce the impact of pests. But it is important to not grow too many plant species in order to help you create a cohesive look for your yard. A well-designed garden can even help the interior of your home - shady trees, hedges or bushes that are nearby windows provide visual, sound and heat barriers. Increased shade can decrease the need for air conditioning by approximately 20% in Australia’s warmer months.
The best way to ensure your lawn and garden remain neat and tidy is by edging and trimming. This enhances the overall appeal of your home and creates a strong first impression with potential buyers. You can perform your own edging - you just need to have the right mower blades for a more manicured or mulching method.
So, now you know the best lawn maintenance tips anyone can do to boost the value of your property on the market. The next step is to get access to the best gardening tools and accessories in Australia to save you time and money in the garden.
Luckily, Catch Pro specialise in providing Australians with the latest landscaping tools and accessories to help them achieve a high quality lawn. Find everything you need to get started on your lawn maintenance today - Grass Catchers & Chute Blockers, Safety gear, landscaping accessories and much more.
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Which Bad Workwear Work boots are best for you?
Ben gives the rundown of the stylish and durable range now in stock at Catch Pro:
- Bad Storm Zip Side Safety Work Boots
- Bad Cyclone Zip Side Safety Work Boots
- Bad Signature Zip Side Safety Work Boots
- Bad Surge Elastic Side Safety Work boots
Find out more today!
]]>Ben and DJ discuss the Scag V-Ride II 32" and the advantages found after spending more than 150 hours with the small footprint stander:
- Accessibility: fitting through residential gates
- Increased productivity
- Decreased push mowing
- Reduced back strain
]]>A couple of questions we see all the time:
“Why would you put a seat on a stander” and
“Why not just buy a sit down”
Ben gives his view on the advantages and flexibility of having a removable seat on a stand on mower, and gives a rundown of the optional seat for the Spartan KG Stander.
]]>Inspired by the many great rigs in US lawn Care setup videos we have put together our rough and ready Auzzie version!
We cover our three multi-purpose rigs:
- Bens multi-purpose rig, Scag, and Bushranger Mowers + range of Bushranger battery equipment
- Rustys push mowing/yard focussed rig, Bushranger Zero Turn + & equipment. and;
- DJs unit complex & yard focussed rig, Scag stander 32 + Sthil battery equipment
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With 30 hours on the clock demoing Spartan KG, Ben takes another look at the Spartan KG and his trusty Scag V Ride II
- Platform and padding
- KG Caster Suspension
- Control tower & hand controls
- KG Deck Pedal
- KG Smart Switch Ignition
- And Bens ongoing battle with the cup holder!
]]>How have they held up?
Ben takes a look at the racks, the mounting points, the engine supports, and the all-important combination locking system.
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We take the Wright Stander B 32" through the twists, turns, and gates at a complex retirement village site.
The Wright Mowers Stander B finally made its way to Australia!
- Coming in deck sizes 32, 36, 48, 52 (all fabricated decks)
- 18.5hp Kawasaki engine
- A full range of Wright spare parts and consumables are available from Cox Mowers
For sales inquiries and more info visit cox-commercial.com.au
]]>The Wright Mowers Stander B finally made its way to Australia!
Ben visits the team at Cox Mowers to get the low down...
- Coming in deck sizes 32, 36, 48, 52 (all fabricated decks)
- 18.5hp Kawasaki engine
- A full range of Wright spare parts and consumables are available from Cox Mowers
For sales inquiries and more info visit cox-commercial.com.au
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Check out the video below to see it in action
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Ben demos the simple and quick process to change the blades on a bushranger spartan Zero Turn Mower.
PLUS an extra tip: How to remove extra tight spindle bolts that don’t want to budge.
Tools required for the blade change:
- New blades (Hurricane or Wolverine?)
- Impact drill
- 24mm socket
- Socket bar / breaker bar (optional)
- Knuckle Socket (optional)
- A block of wood /chock (optional)
- a trolly jack, or similar to lift the mower
]]>Ben and Rusty have been putting the Bushranger Spartan through its paces and pulled no punches during the first 20 hours of operation.
A handsome and bulletproof lawn mower.
For Bushranger sales inquiries reach out to your local dealer: https://bushrangerpe.com.au
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Ben gives his thoughts after the first 80 hours on the Scag V-Ride II 48" Stand on mower Videoed running an Advanced Chute System & Catch Pro Grass Catcher
For Scag sales inquiries reach out to your local dealer: https://www.scag.com https://scagaustralia.com.au
Be sure to:
- Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://shorturl.at/sKOV5
- Follow us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/catchprograsscatchers/
- Check out our Instagram page: http://instagram.com/catch_pro_australia/ http://catch-pro.com.au
]]>Ben and Rusty demonstrate how to fit the Advanced Chute System and Catch Pro Grass Catcher Bundle to a Bushranger Spartan Zero Turn Mower.
Catch, Mulch or Throw with this versatile setup.
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Hills, rocks, trees, rough rolling terrain, sounds like a great track for a motor bike and NOT for a Zero-Turn!
Ben and Rusty (Greenscapes Solutions) and BJ (TBL Property Maintenance) put their mowers and themselves to the test on this complicated motor-cross track mowing job.
Equipment on the job:
Mowers:
Scag V-Ride II 48
Scag Tiger Cat 48
Bradley/Parklander
Line Trimmers & Pole Saws:
Shindaiwa
]]>As some of you may know, we also run a lawn care business, Greenscapes Solutions here in Brisbane Australia.
We have recently taken on a new big job, 40 acres of moderately maintained lawn surrounded by bush on the outskirts of Brisbane
For this job we have teamed up with BJ and team from TBL Property maintenance so we can tackle this entire job in under a day. 4 lawnies, 2 stand on mowers, 2 sit down Zero Turns, and litres of iced coffee.
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Powerup Lawncare Products dropped by with a couple of big rig commercial Zero Turn Mowers to test out:
- Bushranger Spartan 61"
- Hustler Super Z Hyperdrive 60"
We take a look at some of the unique features, and check out the mowing performance at a big bumpy acreage site 👍
Explore the Catch Pro Grass Catcher for both models below:
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Safe, easy and convenient trailer mounting system for holding safety cones and displaying a message or marketing sign.
Comes with the display sign.
Be safe, be smart, be seen.
Explore our Cone Cady With Marketing Sign
]]>Will from Rosebud Mowers in Victoria Australia demonstrates how to fit an Advanced chute system chute blocker to a Scag V-Ride.
With thanks to Will from Rosebud Mowers in Victoria for the demo.
Browse the Catch Pro for Scag here!
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BJ from TBL Property Maintenance brought his brand spanking new trailer over to Catch Pro HQ to get kitted out with new Equipment Defender and Ballard gear:
- Equipment Defender 4 place Trimmer Rack
- Spool rack - Ballard Cone Caddy
]]>Check out how to easily secure your ride on mower, zero turn mower or ATV to your trailer using the Erickson tie downs.
The Erickson Wheel Chock & Strap Kit is available in Australia!
]]>Ben reflects back on his time with his Bradley / Parklander stand-on mower, now that it has clicked over 200 hours.
In addition to covering the pros and cons of the mower, Ben points out the many go-go-gadget mower mods that have been bolted on, including:
- Catch Pro Grass Catcher - Aluminium grass catcher
- ZTR Trimmer rack - a rack so you always have your trimmer with you
- Cup Caddy - magnetic holder for drinks, keys, etc
- Advanced Chute System - mulch or throw your clippings
- Sit on seat - bolt on seat for your stander
]]>Taking a closer look at the latest product we are stocking from Ballard-inc: The ZTR trimmer rack.
The rack bolts to the roll over bars of your zero turn mower so you can take your whipper snipper with you. Particularly handy on those bigger jobs.
The trimmer racks comes with a couple of mounting options to suit your preference
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New to the Australian Market, the Hustler Super S has been clocking up hours across a varying Brisbane terrain.
Ben gives his thoughts after opening 6 months and 100 hours on this compact 36" Stand on mower.
]]>We have been putting the Bushranger BR9000 through its paces in our landscaping business, how does it perform?
Ben gets up close with the features, then takes it outdoors for a demo.
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Ben and BJ have a chat about their love hate relationship with the various flavours of trimmer line, and the configurations that work best in their respective lawn care & maintenance businesses.
Trimmer line featured in the video:
Available at your local dealer
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