Maintaining a garden can bring food on the table and joy to a gardener’s heart. But there are tedious tasks to handle as what experienced and beginner gardeners know very well. Tending a garden requires tools and equipment to make such tasks easier. This is where the importance of heavy equipment comes in for every gardener.
Here is a list of heavy equipment gardeners should consider having:
1. Mini excavator
This heavy equipment comes in wheels or rubber tracks, for which you can easily find rubber track replacement if you ever need one. The mini excavator is an equipment that’s useful for landscaping and gardening because of its many capabilities. Here are some of the uses of a mini excavator:
- It is highly useful in excavating purposes for the yard or garden
- I can help you easily trench for drainage or install irrigation system
- It has the ability to turn 360 degrees, so it is great for lifting heavy rocks or in digging dirt
- It is also simple to operate since you sit in the cab comfortably with full visibility of the location you are working on
This equipment is available with different attachments, each with a specific purpose for your gardening needs including the following:
- Buckets for moving more material in lesser time
- Couplers for swiftly moving from one task to the next
- Hammers for separating the toughest surfaces
- Rippers for tearing up more terrain
- Shears for minimizing metal
- Thumbs to help switch from digging to material handling
2. Trencher
A trencher is a heavy equipment that is mainly used for digging trenches. They vary in size and tasks depending on the type of trencher. The trencher also comes with rubber tracks. Replacing your rubber tracks for the trencher is also very simple. This equipment should be used with care since it is high-risk equipment if not handled inappropriately.
It should not be used on rock-prone areas as the teeth that comes with the equipment does not have the ability to cut through solid rock. If this happens, torn teeth traps shards of metal causing problems. The following tasks are possible with the help of a trencher:
- Making a full-featured garden calls for an irrigation system, which can be easily designed using the trencher.
- This equipment is helpful for underground plumbing because it comes with a conveyor system that can help carry excavated materials.
3. Scraper
The scraper is an equipment that is useful in cultivating large open areas. Its main application is the easy application of aggregates and dirt. Scrapers can be used even in wet and rough ground conditions, making it very efficient in agricultural or farming applications. Here are some of the advantages:
- Its back part has a moveable hopper with a horizontal front edge that’s sharp. The hopper can be lowered, which can then cut into the soil, filling the hopper. Once the hopper is full, it is raised, and the scraper transports the load to another area.
- One good thing about this heavy machine is its ability to run at high speeds, making it indispensable for cut-and-fill activities in a large garden or even on a farm.
- Another advantage of this machinery is that it can be used all on its own without the help for additional equipment.
4. Garden Tractor
A garden tractor is an equipment that comes with large tires and heavy front axle and frame. It is mainly created for mowing lawns but it can also perform other tasks using different attachments. Its ground clearance is high and is designed to house ground-engaging attachments such as the following:
- Tillers
- Snow blowers
- Snow plows
- Garden trailer
Some garden tractors are versatile enough to accommodate more than one attachment with one in front and the other at the back.
5. Compact Track Loader
In any gardening work, a compact track loader is essential heavy equipment because of its versatility and ease of operation. Here are some of the tasks that can be done with compact track loaders:
- Loading, digging, grading, and carrying plant materials are the usual uses of the compact track loader.
- This compact machine comes with tracks that can float over minor dips, giving it the ability to achieve a smooth grading performance.
- It can also be used for rough ground conditions whether they are sandy, wet or soft.
6. Backhoe Loader
The backhoe loader is slightly similar to tractors, but this machine comes with an adjustable shovel in front, and a small bucket is located at its back for digging. Here are some of the uses of a backhoe loader:
- It can move dirt, backfill and dig trenches.
- It is also useful when it comes to digging different widths of trenches.
- It is also tire-mounted so it can be used in patios and urbanized areas.
7. Skid-Steer Loader
This heavy equipment comes with rubber tires, making it an essential tool for landscaping and gardening projects. As you may have noticed, versatility in heavy equipment is essential for gardeners, and this tool gives you just that. The skid steer is truly important in landscape and agricultural operations. Here are some of the reasons why:
- They are powerful, compact, and versatile machines and they can fit into small spaces and perform various jobs in a garden or farm.
- They are designed to lift a tree into a new location, scoop out animal wastes and swiftly move feed, rock, manure and even building materials.
- It comes with several attachments designed for various tasks in the garden including the following.
- Tree pullers
- Stump grinders
- Soil conditioners
- Landscape rakes
- Bale handlers
- Backhoes
- Forestry mulchers
- Mowers
- Tree saws
Final Thoughts
If you are a gardening enthusiast who wants to accomplish all your gardening tasks with ease and efficiency, you need to invest in heavy gardening equipment. There are various heavy tasks involved in gardening including moving dirt, planting or transferring shrubs and trees, and installing an irrigation system. All these tasks can be done carefully using the right heavy equipment.