via John Deere
Summertime is the season of gathering. Family beach vacations, leisurely golf outings with friends, and hosting backyard cookouts filled with laughter and delicious food hot off the grill.
If you’re having people over for a cookout, a well-manicured lawn isn’t a suggestion – it’s a must. After all, your lawn is the outdoor extension of your castle; it’s the pride and joy of your dominion.
As you prepare for these enjoyable summer moments, don’t neglect your backyard – especially when company is coming over. Along with that fancy grill with all the bells and whistles, a well-maintained lawn is the ultimate conversation starter. Plus, who doesn’t love a “your lawn looks great” compliment from a neighbor or friend?
The Importance of a Well-Maintained Lawn
“At my house, it’s an awesome feeling to look out when you’re sitting on the deck or patio and see a nice, healthy, weed-free green lawn and be the envy of my cookout guests,” go-to-market manager, Eric Halfman, at John Deere, tells BroBible. Halfman is the Wisconsin-based Riding Lawn Equipment expert for John Deere.
“Of course, the perfect lawn doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes some planning and effort, year after year,” says Halfman.
As backyard grilling and chilling season kicks into high gear for summer, we consulted the experts at John Deere on how to prepare your backyard oasis for warm weather festivities. We also discussed the state-of-the-art John Deere equipment that makes these tasks quick, easy, and – dare I say – fun.
Whether it’s creating flawless edges or using a mower that properly mulches to maintain lush greenery, John Deere has you covered.
Allow us to introduce you to the John Deere line-up of exceptional lawn care solutions this summer…
Save Time with John Deere Zero-Turn Mowers
“Time is a really big buzzword in lawn care these days,” Halfman tells BroBible.
When it comes to mowing, “it’s not quite as simple as cutting tall grass short,” Halfman explains. “A healthy lawn takes some healthy practices.”
“We like to try to make it that way, but we also like to make it fun. One of the newer products we’ve come to market with over the last few years is a Zero-Turn.”
“Our Z300 and Z500 residential Zero-Turns make lawn mowing fun. They’re also fast and leave a really nice finished product. Saving people time to do other things like, hey, get ready for a barbecue,” says Halfman. “With a Zero-Turn, you can save up to 40%-50% of your time versus mowing with a conventional lawn tractor. So it really does free up time for you to do other things like prep meals.”
via John Deere
The Z530M ZTrak™ Mower with a 48-inch Deck is one of John Deere’s flagship Zero-Turn mowers. Equipped with a powerful 24 hp V-Twin engine, this mower ensures optimal performance and reliability. The operator station offers a comfortable experience with generous legroom and a fully-adjustable seat, allowing you to mow for extended periods without discomfort.
What sets this mower apart is the John Deere innovative ComfortGlide system, providing a unique sensation of floating over the ground, even on uneven terrain. The mower deck is intelligently suspended from the vehicle, resulting in a smooth and level cut that enhances the overall quality of your lawn. The Z530M features forged Accel Deep Mower Decks to cover more ground and offers a smooth, even discharge of clippings at all speeds. An optional MulchControl™ attachment mulches grass clippings so your yard can look soft and lush from their powerful nutrients.
More on that below.
Embracing Electric with the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak™ Mower
As the world gradually pivots to electric vehicles, John Deere is charging ahead with their own innovation in electric lawn care technology. No more trips to the gas station or worrying about missing an oil change. Just plug it in for a charge in your garage and let it rip.
Announced in February 2023, the Z370R Electric ZTrak™ Mower with 42-in. Deck is now available for preorder via Deere.com.
via John Deere
This high tech electric Zero-Turn mower is part of a larger sustainability initiative from the John Deere brand, which means more electric options are coming down the pike. “We’ve committed to deliver an electric option in each of our turf and compact utility tractor categories by 2026,” Halfman explains.
Halfman says it’s “perfect for that acre to two acre property,” powered by a 3.2 kWh (3.56 kWh maximum) Sealed Lithium-Ion Battery that can handle up to two acres on a charge.
“With the new Z370R electric mower, one of the most significant benefits is sound,” Halfman explains. “It doesn’t necessarily make much noise, because there’s no engine making noise. Therefore, all you hear is the mower deck and the blades spinning, which gives it a different sound, but a much quieter sound. So if you want to be the envy of your neighbor, that’s certainly one way to do it, because you’ll be noticed in a positive way.”
Music to the ears of anyone who wants to mow the lawn at the break of dawn on Saturday morning.
John Deere MulchControl™ Kit for a Clean and Nutrient-Rich Lawn
When you’re having people over for a function, the last thing you want is clumps of grass that stick to someone’s shoes after a round of cornhole or croquet.
“Some people tend to cut their grass really short, but that can lead to issues if the lawn gets out of control,” says Halfman. “My advice is to be flexible and work with what nature gives you. It’s important not to cut more than a third of the grass blade because excessive cutting results in grass clippings that take time to decompose. They can stick to your feet, shoes, or get trampled into patios and even inside the house.”
John Deere offers optional MulchControl™ kits to help diminish pesky clippings, all while enhancing the look and feel over your lawn. It’s an ideal upgrade for anyone entertaining in the backyard this summer.
“With just a simple flip of a lever or switch, your mower deck can switch from side discharge to mulching, breaking the grass clippings into finer pieces,” Halfman explains.
“This allows for quicker decomposition, so you can mow closer to the time of your barbecue. Additionally, mulching returns nutrients like nitrogen or other fertilizer from recent applications back to the soil, promoting lawn health.”
Achieving a ballpark-quality backyard: How John Deere can help
Cosmetics are an important distinguisher in the lawn care game. A great lawn isn’t finished just because the grass is cut. Going over it with a striping kit will give your lawn that golf course fairway finish.
Plus, it makes for a great conversation piece at the cookout.
“John Deere offers striping kits for our mower decks, whether for lawn tractors or residential Zero Turn mowers,” says Halfman. “Striping kits allow it to attach to the back of a mower deck that allow you to give that baseball ballpark type look to your lawn. So as you’re mowing, that striping kit brushes the grass behind the mower and folds it over a little bit to give you that pattern look. You can change that pattern as you mow every time you mow to even make it a little more enticing to those guests that you might have over at your house.”
Halfman suggests trying a crisscross pattern over four six mowings over a couple weeks.
“By the time you get four or six mowings done, you’ve got a really nice crisp checkerboard type look,” Halfman adds.
Where can the serious backyard enthusiast buy John Deere equipment?
No matter where you live and what you need to take care of your backyard slice of paradise, John Deere is making it easier to track down equipment in the direct to consumer era.
“We kicked off a website just recently called shop.deere.com. It is the place to go for tools like a pressure washer. Who doesn’t want a pressure washer to help keep the patio or deck clean for summer guests?” says Halfman. “You can find pressure washers, you can find air compressors, hand tools, storage cabinets to put your tools in.”
“You can even buy safes,” jokes Halfman. “So, if you really have a secret barbecue recipe, it should probably be stored in a giant safe.”
And of course, the John Deere website also features mower home maintenance kits to keep your machine running… like a Deere.
via John Deere
“I just wanted to highlight the fact that we have solutions for everyone,” emphasizes Halfman. “So, if you’re looking for a gas, diesel, electric, whatever the case might be, whatever the need might be, or whatever your interests are, we’re really trying to span that and offer new innovative solutions at John Deere.”
A Year-Round Strategy for a Picture-Perfect Summer Lawn
The dirty secret to a great lawn isn’t just what you do when the summer’s finally here and you want to have people over. It’s a year-round commitment.
“Over the past decade living in the Midwest, I’ve adhered to a plan using various John Deere equipment such as aerators, spreaders, and sprayers,” says Halfman. “These products, available on shop.deere.com and through our dealers, have been instrumental in achieving my desired lawn look.”
“I’ve remained committed to aerating in the fall, following a fertilizer plan, and overseeding in areas where the lawn may be weak or patchy,” Halfman adds.
“It’s really been a John Deere solution from front to back that’s allowed me to get to the lawn, the look that I have today,” says Halfman. “When I sit on my deck and look out in my backyard today, I don’t see dandelions or pesky weeds popping up because I’ve committed to the plan. And I’m a little bit of an envy to guests that go, man, your lawn looks awesome.”
“It doesn’t just happen overnight, but you want people to think that when they look back at your property.”