Why opt for a zero-turn riding mower instead of a lawn tractor? Zero-turn mowers offer the ability to cut tight contours, meaning less time on foot with a hand trimmer or push mower. They also offer improved visibility and faster cutting speeds, so you can spend less time maintaining the lawn and more time enjoying it.

Like any other investment, a zero-turn mower can be a great asset if you take the time to learn as much as you can before you buy. The lawn-mowing experts at Toro offer some tips on what to look for when you’re ready to buy:

1. Durability– Overall sturdiness of the frame and deck construction are key elements of durability. Comparing specs on steel frame design and dimension, the gauge of the steel (the lower the gauge, the thicker the material) and protection surrounding the rear-mounted engine can give you a good idea of overall durability.

2. Deck construction – Is the deck stamped? Commercial zero-turn mowers typically have decks made of several pieces of continuously welded heavy-gauge steel, while residential mowers have decks of lighter-gauge steel stamped in a press. For homeowners, stamped decks will be more than adequate, but for properties with rough terrain they may be less durable than the welded decks found on most professional mowers. Welded decks appear on commercial-grade products and are constructed to stand up to more ruggeddaily use. Also look to see if the mower has small wheels designed to raise the deck over uneven terrain to protect the lawn from getting cut too short, or scalped. How many gauge wheels does the deck have, and are they adjustable to accommodate different cutting heights?

3. Engine design –Zero-turn mowers at the lower end of the pricing spectrum may come equipped with a single-cylinder engine. Twin-cylinder OHV engines are becoming more prevalent, and arewidely used on commercial grade zero-turn-radius mowers. These engines are more powerful and run smoother (less vibration).

4. Easy-to-adjust cutting height – Adjusting the cutting height on the mower should be easy and fast. Look for a foot assist, if you want the extra leverage, in addition to a hand lever, to quickly raise the deck for short periods, such as when you’re mowing over an exposed tree root. Avoid mowers that require you to get off and manually adjust the deck height, since that will reduce your productivity.

5. Wider tires – Look for a mower with wider tires, which distribute the machine’s weight over a large area and are easier on the grass. They also provide improved traction. Opt for more durable four-ply-rated tires.

6. Comfort– Granted, you’ll spend less time riding your zero-turn mower than you would a lawn tractor, but comfort is still key. Is the seat comfortable to sit on? You will be leaning back against the seat instead of leaning over a steering wheel, so back support is an important consideration.  Is the control panel easy to see and reach from the seat? When all the controls are on the same side, it makes operation easier.  Does the mower manufacturer make and sell the accessories you want?  Mowers can be personalized to fit your needs whether it is bagging, mulching, or another need.

7. User friendly – Are you a novice or an expert operator? Some zero turn mowers allow you to adjust your mowing speed to match your level of comfort and control.  Choosing the “high mode” gives you maximum speed for mowing flat, open spaces in your yard. The “low mode” allows for enhanced maneuverability when cutting around trees, landscaping, or other tight spaces – reducing the amount of time you’ll spend with a hand trimmer when done mowing. The low-speed option also provides more graduated speed changes with your control arms.

8. Price – Zero-turn mowers range in price from just less than $2,500 to a little more than $6,000 for residential versions, and more for commercial ones. While it’s possible to get a quality zero-turn at the lower end of the price range, keep in mind riding mowers at higher range of the spectrum usually come equipped with more features and added durability.

Finally, while zero-turn mowers can significantly reduce the amount of time and effort involved in caring for a large acreage, you’ll still need to follow appropriate lawn mower safety practices. To learn more about lawn mowing and zero-turn mowers, visit www.toro.com.

Fortunately, you don’t need the budget of a television landscaping celebrity or the storage space of a production studio to get your hands on the perfect tools for your summer do-it-yourself project. Just rent a compact utility loader with a few attachments, use it to do the work faster and easier, and return it when you’re done.

Contractors have been using compact utility loaders – the landscaping equivalent of a Swiss army knife – for years. And thanks to renting, homeowners can use the same machine without having to buy one themselves. These multi-purpose units do the work of several different tools with a simple change of attachments, saving time and substantial effort compared to doing tasks by hand.

The Toro Dingo is one example of a compact utility loader that’s especially useful for residential applications, since it’s easy to use, reliable and compact enough to fit into tight spots.

Here are five ways you can use a compact utility loader and the right attachments to help ensure your outdoor projects have professional-looking results:

1. Digging holes

Many outdoor projects involve digging a hole, whether you’re building a deck or fence or preparing to install a fish pond. Set aside the shovel and post-hole digger, and use the loader’s auger attachment – available in widths from a 6” bit up to a 30” bit. These powerful tools significantly reduce digging time, allowing you to move quickly past this basic first step for many projects.

2. Leveling ground

Virtually every outdoor building project requires you to start out with level ground. A level surface will make gardening chores easier, ensure a good base beneath a patio or deck, and protect landscaping from erosion and run-off. But manually leveling uneven ground can be very labor-intensive. A loader with a leveler, tiller, utility blade or soil cultivator attachment greatly reduces time and labor, and allows you to achieve smoother, more even ground.

3. Digging/filling trenches

Digging or filling a trench is another labor-intensive soil-moving chore that can be much easier with the right equipment. A loader with a trencher attachment can quickly create a trench, even in the hardest soil or clay. And once you’ve placed the irrigation pipe or other material, you can use the trench filler attachment to fill and close the trench.

4. Lifting and Carrying material

Need to move a load of stone, piles of dirt or lots of lumber? Lifting and carrying heavy loads by hand is not only time-consuming and difficult; it can be downright dangerous. For instance, it can lead to back strain – not to mention mashed fingers and toes if you accidentally drop what you’re carrying. Instead, consider renting a compact utility loader with a bucket, adjustable forks, multi-purpose tool or grapple rake attached to do the heavy lifting for you.

5. Cleaning up debris

If you have brush, small tree limbs or rocks to clear away, a loader with a bucket or grapple rake attachment can make the job much easier. You’ll be able to carry more debris with every load – and with a lot less effort – than pushing a wheelbarrow. Need to remove a stump? A loader with a stump grinder attachment is another big time-saver.

Bottom line: If your project involves multiple tasks, renting a compact utility loader and the appropriate attachments can be a great alternative to renting multiple tools. You can find out more about the Dingo at www.toro.com/dingo.

The professionals at your local rental store

can help you identify the right tool to rent for your project. To find a rental store near you, visit www.rentalhq.com.

Outdoor projects don’t have to be back-breaking work. You just need the right tools for the job. A compact utility loader can help make your summer DIY project easier – and ensure those TV guys have nothing on you when it comes to creating a great outdoor environment.

Aeration, or aerification, is a method of perforating your lawn with small holes to allow for more water circulation and oxygen flow to the soil and roots.  Aeration can help fix lawn challenges like poor drainage or gas exchange, soil compaction, layering in the soil profile, heavy soil in the root zone, and thatch.  It’s one of the best conditional processes you can do for your lawn, and is absolutely essential in restoring a worn lawn.  

“From a grass health perspective, it’s probably the single most valuable thing you can do for a lawn along with mowing, watering and fertilizing,” says Ross Hawley, marketing manager for Toro.  “Aerating leads to healthier, stronger lawns, which minimizes weeds and pest problems.”

So how often should you aerate your yard?  It depends on where you live, and the soil conditions of your yard.  According to Hawley, aeration tends to be done in the spring, when the grass is coming out of winter dormancy, or in the fall, after the stress of summer and root movement.  Aeration is more effective when there are higher levels of moisture in the ground, because you can pull deeper cores than with dry ground.  It’s generally recommended that you water your lawn a day before aerating, and watering it again once the job is done.

So how can you get your lawn aerated?  More and more contractors are adding aeration to their list of services, seeing the benefits of aeration on lawns and sports fields, particularly golf courses.  However, with the right equipment, it’s easy to learn the process and do the job yourself.

Aerators come in different models, some similar enough to a lawnmower that it doesn’t take long to get a feel for the equipment.  Most aerators have simple-to-use controls and can be operated by the average property owner.  There’s also no need to get a license to operate the equipment, but the operator should be sure they understand how to use it so they are getting the best results for their lawn.  

Aerating equipment, although easy to learn to use, can be costly for the average homeowner who is only using it once a year.  A basic, mechanically driven “starter” aerator still costs around the $2000 range, with higher-quality hydraulic aerators running between $3000 and $5000.  Fortunately, aerators are available to rent from most equipment rental stores.

“Because aerators are pretty easy for a homeowner to handle, it can make a lot of sense for them to do their aeration themselves, and the easiest and most cost-effective way to do that is to rent equipment when you need it,” says Anna Foster, rental product marketing manager at Toro.  “In fact, a great way to save is to get a pool together with your neighbors. Everyone can chip in on renting the aerator for a day, and it can just be passed along.

“Aerating can be hard work, which is why many people choose to have a professional handle it,” Foster continues.  “If you are going to tackle it by yourself, selecting the right aerator can help cut down on how labor-intensive the job is.”  Foster encourages homeowners to look for brands they are familiar with when renting an aerator.  “At Toro, we’ve adapted the same controls we have on our mowers to our aerators.  This helps cut down on the learning curve on an unfamiliar piece of equipment.”

In addition to providing nutrients for plants, earthworms aid in thatch decomposition, improve soil aeration, and increase water penetration through their extensive burrowing.

By David Adams, Retail Finance Manager, The Toro Company

You’ve heard those obnoxious jingles on television – ones that relate bad credit scores to working in seafood restaurants or driving beat-up cars. So how do you keep that credit score high in order to make use of financing on the mower of your dreams?!

The first step may be understanding what a credit (FICO) score actually calculates. Simply put, a credit score is the numerical representation of your credit worthiness based on your history of using credit. The FICO range is between 300 and 850, with the higher score being better.

Calculating exact scores is a trade secret, but it can be broken down into the following categories:

• Payment History (35%) – Do you pay your bills on time?
• Credit Utilization (30%) – What’s your ratio of current revolving credit debt to available revolving credit?
• Length of Credit History (15%) – How long have you managed credit?
• Types of Credit Used (10%) – What’s your mix of revolving, installment, or other credit?
• Recent Credit Searches (10%) – Have you recently been applying for, or opened, new lines of credit?

Keeping scores high can be as easy as paying bills on time. If you’ve made late payments in the past, changing this behavior going forward is the quickest way to raise your score.

Closing any unused credit lines, like credit cards, won’t improve your score and will likely hurt it. You want to have a low ratio of debt to available credit. Closing down lines of credit reduces your available credit, which increases your debt ratio.

For example, if you have $3,000 of debt on Credit Card A with a total credit line of $5,000 and no debt on Credit Card B with a credit line of $5,000, your total credit available is $10,000 with a debt of $3,000 (30 percent debt ratio). If you were to close that unused Credit Card B, your total available credit would drop to $5,000. With your outstanding debt still at $3,000, your debt ratio has now doubled to 60 percent, which lowers your score.

The bottom line is your score plays a big role in your chances of being approved, not just for credit, but for the best available rates and terms. Scores over 700 are generally considered good and will likely get you approved. The best available terms – like zero percent interest or no payment financing promotions – usually go to those with higher scores. A lower score could land you with interest rates in the teens or not qualify you at all.

By working on paying bills on time and keeping a low debt ratio, your FICO scores will start to rise. But scores aren’t the only thing lenders look at. They will look at how stable your life appears to be, too. Things like the length of time at a job or living at an address can also play an important role in the decision.

So start living smartly and establish a stable playing field — and maybe those nagging TV jingles will leave your head for good!

Snowblowers

• Toro Power Max Snowblower Operator Safety Training Video – English
• Toro Snowblower Operator Safety Training Video – English

Zero-Turn Mowers

• Timecutter Z/ZX Operator Safety Training Video – English | Spanish
• Toro Zero Turn Operator Safety Training Video – English | Spanish

Lawn and Garden Tractors

• Toro Riding Mower Operator Safety Training Video – English

View the Toro Product Safety page for additional information.

“Having old gasoline in the tank is the most common reason snowblowers won’t start,” explains Mark Daly, senior technical service representative for Toro. “One of the most important things you can do to promote good starting is to have fresh fuel.” Stale gas can leave harmful deposits in your product’s fuel system, he reveals. If the gas in your snowblower is more than thirty days old and your machine won’t start, he suggests taking it to a dealer so they can remove the gas. Then put fresh gas in your tank. Adding a fuel stabilizer can help keep the gas fresh through the entire snow season.

The same is true for oil. “Changing the oil at the end of the season is a good rule of thumb,” says Daly. “That way, you’re ready to go when the season starts.” If you haven’t changed the oil yet, he suggests doing so now. Consider using oil specifically made for outdoor equipment. Toro’s full synthetic 4-cycle engine oil is designed to protect your outdoor equipment. This oil contains higher anti-wear additives not found in automotive oils and helps your engine start, even in bitter cold temperatures.

Another common issue during the snowblowing season is foreign objects getting stuck in the machine. “Believe it or not, the most common object to get stuck in snowblowers is the newspaper,” says Daly. Before you set out to clear your driveway or sidewalk, be sure it’s free of debris and objects.

Daly suggests doing a simple inspection of your snowblower, which can also help keep it ship shape. “Before you do any work on your machine,” he cautions, “be sure the engine is off and the spark plug wire is disconnected.” If you have a single-stage snowblower, inspect the rotor blades for wear. When a rotor blade edge has worn down to the wear indicator hole, both rotor blades and the scraper should be replaced. If you have a 2-stage machine, check the skids (the part attached to the side of the auger housing). This part lifts the auger and scraper off the ground, preventing the auger from coming in direct contact with the pavement. Be sure the skids don’t show signs of significant wear. If they are damaged or very thin, they need to be replaced.

Sometimes starting problems can be simple operator error. Check your owner’s manual for the proper starting procedure for your machine.

If you like to perform your own maintenance or product repair, Toro offers genuine Toro® replacement parts online at www.shoptoro.com. Toro’s easy-to-use parts look-up tool utilizes your model and serial number to help you quickly identify the parts you need to keep your Toro equipment running like new.

How Single- and Two-Stage Snowblowers Work
Single- and two-stage machines remove snow using different throwing actions. With a single-stage snowblower, a high-speed rotor gathers and throws the snow in one efficient motion. Toro’s Power Curve technology allows the rotor to help propel the unit forward, making it easier to use and more maneuverable. Single-stage snowblowers also clean down to the pavement, eliminating the need to go back and shovel or sweep to finish the job. Single-stage machines are great for most paved driveways and sidewalks. Because they clean down to the pavement, they should not be used on unpaved surfaces. They are best used to clear up to 9” of snow at a time. Single-stage machines are also great for wet, slushy snow because of the scooping action of their curved paddles.

A two-stage snowblower is typically bigger and more powerful, making them a good choice for deep snow. If you live in an area that gets a ton of snow each year, a two-stage snowblower can be the way to go. Perfect for tackling “lake effect” snow, snowfalls of 12-inches or more, or big snow drifts, Toro two-stage machines first gather the snow in with a heavy-duty, serrated auger. Then a high-speed impeller takes over, launching the snow from the chute, throwing it out of your way. Two-stage snowblowers are perfect for large driveways, gravel surfaces, and hard compacted snow.

Electric Snowblowers Pack Plenty of Power
For small areas such as decks, steps, patios, and small sidewalks — where a larger snowblower won’t reach — you might consider an electric snowblower like Toro’s Power Shovel or 1800 Power Curve. Both are easy to use and virtually maintenance free. Just plug one in, and you’re ready to take on whatever Mother Nature dishes out. The Power Shovel is great for those lighter snowfalls when your snow removal service doesn’t cover the job. This powerful machine will tackle snow up to six inches deep on any hard surface.

Visit Toro’s snow selector tool at www.toro.com/snow to help determine which model is right for you.

1. Don’t fight the wind.  Whenever possible, point the chute downwind so that the wind helps you blow the snow.
2. It is usually best to move up and down the length of a driveway, not perpendicular.
3. In strong crosswinds, start on the upwind side and then work downwind:
   
4. If little or no wind, first cut a path down the center of the driveway and then work in “circles” so that you can keep the chute throwing to one side.  This pattern allows you to always throw snow to the right and reduces the need to change the direction of the chute:
   
5. Throw snow as far into yard as possible.  Throwing snow only to the edge of a driveway or walkway will lead to high snow banks and will make it more difficult to remove snow during the next snowstorm.
6. Keep up with the snowfall.  Most of the time, it is easier and faster to clear 6 inches of snow twice than 12 inches of snow once.

Safety Tips
This is only a partial list.  Please refer to your snowblower’s Operator Manual for all safety instructions.

1. Keep the area clear.  Make sure people, kids and pets are far away from area to be cleared of snow.
2. Clear objects that might be under the snow.  The morning newspaper or the dog chain love to hide on the driveway, buried under snow.
3. Do not wear loose fitting clothing, such as scarfs or bulky jackets, that may get caught in the machine.
4. Turn off the machine when stepping away from the operator position for more than a few seconds.
5. NEVER use a hand or foot to clear clogged snow from the machine.  If the chute is clogged, TURN OFF the engine, WAIT 10 SECONDS and then use the chute clean-out tool or a broom handle to remove the clog.