Qualcast

Qualcast

Qualcast is one of the leading names in British garden equipment.

The Novice’s Lawnmower Selection Guide

To celebrate “National Love Your Lawn Week� (April 25th – May 1st), leading British lawn mower manufacturer Qualcast has provided a handy checklist to help you decide which machine best suits your needs.

Considering the average life of a quality lawnmower is seven years it is important to select the right one!

1) Size of lawn: If you don’t know this exactly, measure it in strides so you have a rough idea. 1 stride is approximately 1 meter.

2) Type of finish: Do you want the finest finish, or just neatly cut grass? This will help you to determine which type of cutting system you choose. Cylinder – for a fine scissor-like cut. Rotary – for all round use. Hover – to tackle undulating gardens

3) Frequency of cut: Lawns that are cut short frequently, require a different type of cutting system (cylinder) to those that are only cut once a fortnight (rotary)!

4) Rear roller or 4 wheels: Do you want a striped finish? If so, you will need a mower with a rear roller. The heavier the mower the better the stripe.

5) Grass collection Non collection is more suited to awkward areas and steep banks where the clippings will be left behind. Rear or centrally mounted grass boxes are ideal where there are border plants or overhanging bushes, whilst front fitting grass boxes are more traditional.

6) Power source: Sounds obvious, but an important point. If you don’t have electricity running to your garden, you should consider a hand mower for small lawns or a petrol mower for larger areas.

7) Type of lawn Decide if your lawn is flat or bumpy and if there are areas where you will need to steer round flower beds etc. If steering is a major factor in mowing your lawn, you will need to ensure that you select a mower that is lightweight and easy for you to manoeuvre.

8) Storage: Consider where you will keep your lawnmower and how much space you have for storage. Look for features such as fold-down handles.

9) Weight Always ‘try out’ mowers in-store to make sure that they are not too heavy for you to push, carry or manoeuvre. Most hover mowers need to be carried, so a mower with rollers, wheels or integral carry handles may be best.

10) Guarantee: Always make sure that your lawnmower and its parts are covered by a good guarantee, the longer the better. All petrol mowers in the Qualcast range come with a 3 year parts guarantee and most electric models have 5 years.

Qualcast’s brand manager, Liz James, comments, “Buying a lawnmower shouldn’t just be a case of nipping down to your store and finding the cheapest. There are a number of important factors that should be considered to ensure that you choose the right mower for your type of lawn. “

Qualcast lawnmowers are engineered by Bosch. To find out more about the range of Qualcast products available, ring: 01895 838 782, visit www.qualcast.co.uk, or pop into your local B&Q, Homebase, Focus or independent retailer.

SEX WARS ON THE GARDEN LAWN PUT MEN IN A POOR LIGHT

On the eve of the first ever National Love Your Lawn Week (26 April to 2 May) national research by leading lawnmower producer Qualcast puts men firmly in their place when it comes to who does what on the green sward.

A survey of garden owners who have purchased a Qualcast lawnmower in the last two years reveals an extraordinary catalogue of greenfingered negligence amongst the men of Britain.

Although 76% of male respondents claimed to be more interested in gardening and lawncare than their partners (52% for women), a more in depth analysis paints a different picture. And one of the reasons that the blokes prefer to sunbathe in the garden rather than mow the lawn is that they don’t like getting their hands dirty. Ah.

The girls take the lead when it comes to mowing the lawn, edging it, cutting the hedge and even taking responsibility for buying garden equipment. The men are more interested in planting, weeding and watering.

And, exhausted by all that garden care, it’s the chaps who first head for the sunbeds. Whilst both men and women appreciate the relaxing nature of a well maintained lawn, almost 30% of men hit the sunbed first compared to 22% for women. Al fresco entertaining is high on the list of priorities for both and 44% of men like playing games with their children on the lawn (25% women).

When it comes to selecting a new lawnmower women look for the reputation of the brand (47% and 39% of men) 13% of women consider the weight of the machine as the key element. Price is the third most important factor and it’s more significant to the girls (22% women and 12% men).

Most British lawns are mown weekly and the main benefit of cutting it is because the garden owners find it relaxing (79% men and 72% women).

Gary King, head of marketing for Qualcast, said: “The results are a bit surprising – but then I would say that, wouldn’t I? So as the summer warms up and the grass really starts growing, it looks as though it will be the girls rolling the mower out of the shed while we men watch from the comfort of the sunbed – or perhaps indulge in a little gentle weeding. Not in my garden!â€?

This light hearted snap-shot survey was taken among 150 people across the UK in April 2004 on behalf of Qualcast by Claritas.