One nice thing about a lawn tractor is that there are plenty of attachments available for a number of tasks. Some of these attachments can work for anyone, regardless of the size of their lawn, while others are only suitable for professionals. So what are some of the available attachments, and which ones are worth having?
Cart – Carts are the most useful attachment you can get for your lawn tractor. Perfect for hauling equipment, dirt, mulch, and more to the garden, or hauling debris away from the garden, they are a vital piece of equipment. Anyone who has a lawn tractor should have a cart to go with it.
Blade – Front-mount or rear-mount blades are attachments that can be used to push dirt and debris around to grade or fill an area. Snow blades are available for winter use to clear snow
Lawn Sweeper – A pull-behind attachment that collects debris ranging from branches to leaves, and including grass clippings, a sweeper is an alternative to a bagger system.
Tillers/Cultivators – These attachments stir and pulverize the soil to make it plantable and workable for a garden. Recommended for those who plan on keeping a small garden year after year.
Disc – If you’re just keeping lawn a disc is not really worthwhile for you to purchase. However, if you plan on having a small garden year-after-year, a disc is great for breaking up chunks of plowed soil in to seedbeds with even, uniform soil that is ready for seeding.
Spreader – Available in disc and electric models, the pull-behind spreader evenly distributes seed and fertilizer, making it an important attachment for the person looking for the perfect lawn.
Aerator – A lawn aerator on steroids, the aerator attachment for a lawn tractor is usually three or four feet wide, and will help condition the soil to allow more water and nutrients to seep in. Behind the cart and spreader, it is still a piece of equipment that the serious lawn keeper should have.
Thatcher – Essentially a rake that is pulled along behind the tractor to pull up and break up thatch, this attachment is unlikely to be used often, and so is more appropriate for the professional instead of the residential lawn owner.
Lawn Roller – For the lawn keeper who wants the perfectly lined look that is reminiscent of the outfield at Wrigley Park, tow-behind rollers are great. For the rest of us, they’re rather unnecessary, and we don’t recommend investing in them unless you have a landscaping business.
Snow Blower – Simply a walk-behind snow blower modified to attach to the front end of a tractor, these are useful for those with large parking lots or extremely long driveways
Many of these attachments can be quite expensive, so think about long-term usage when you are making the decision. If you feel you may only use and attachment two or three times, you’d be better off seeing if there is a place you can rent the attachment from, or see if a neighbor has one you could borrow.
