Ride-on tractors are a huge help when it comes to mowing large areas of grass, but there is an increasingly diverse range of attachments which turn garden tractors and ride-ons into an all-year-round workhorse.
So here we have compiled our list of ten top attachments which can ensure that you make the most of your machine throughout the gardening year.
Great value: MD 40T tow-behind dethatching rake
First comes the MD 40T Tow-Behind Dethatching Rake which can solve the problem of keeping the lawn in top condition.
Removing rubbish to let moisture and light to the lawn is vital and this little machine which is easily fitted to the back of any ride-on will certainly do the job.
It has a working width of 40 in and has 20 steel spring tines to drag out the moss and thatch to let the air in.
It is suitable for a large lawn thus saving hours or raking and probably a bad back as well.
Simple to use and simple to fit using a half inch hitch pin it can be used behind any garden tractor or ride-on.
It comes with free next working day delivery and a two year manufacturer’s guarantee.
And it costs just £69.95.
Heavy soils: MD 48T tow behind plug aerator
Another machine for keeping large lawns in top condition is the MD 48T Plug Aerator.
This one has a working width of 1.2 metres and is perfect for larger lawns and has a lever to raise the working parts so it can be towed around the garden with ease.
It works through 32 hollow tines which penetrate the surface to allow air and moisture in. These are particularly useful heavier or compacted soils.
It has a tray at the top on which you can place weights to give deeper penetration – it can go as deep as 75 mm.
Wide rubber tyres prevent damage to the lawn and give better grip when it’s wet.
It has a hitch pin which enables it to be used behind any lawn tractor or ride-on.
Delivery is free the next working day, there is a two year manufacturer’s guarantee and the machine costs £179.
But no matter how you de-thatch or aerate the lawn you’ll still need to spread fertilizer to encourage new verdant growth.
To promote growth: MD 176T towed broad cast spreader
The MD 176T Towed Spreader is a simple machine with a polypropylene hopper with a capacity of 80 kg. suitable for larger areas.
The material to be spread falls on to a rust-proof spinning plate and will spread from three to 3.6 metres.
This spreader is also very handy for use in the winter for spreading ice melt and salt on car parks, drives and forecourts and has been designed for hard work and a long life with aluminium gears.
A lever will vary the flow rate of the material being spread.
It has 14 in pneumatic tyres to minimise the impact on lawns in the summer and give greater grip in the winter.
It fits on a ride-on via a pin and hitch tow bar.
It comes with free next working day delivery, a two year maker’s warranty and costs £149.95.
Two machines in one: MD Spike n’ Seed aerator spreader
Now for a machine which combines several functions, the MD 100T Spike ‘N’ Seed Tow-Behind Aerator Spreader.
This machine is an aerator and spreader so you can carry out two jobs in one pass.
We have explained that lawns need aerating and this model has star shaped spikes to penetrate the surface and has a working width of 80 cm.
The 43.5 litre hopper spreads fertilizer at the same time and can be lowered into position and then raised for easy movement around the garden by a single lever.
Rubber tyres make it easy to manoeuvre in the winter and cause less damage to lawns in the summer.
A hitch pin means it can be used with an ride-on.
This two in one machine has a two year manufacturer’s guarantee, free delivery the next working day and costs £149.
MD-36T-Towed-Lawn-Roller-300cLarger lawns benefit from rolling after damp weather to iron out the lumps and bumps and can add the finishing touches to well-tended larger areas.
The MD 36T Steel Towed Lawn Roller is ideal for compacting newly sown grass seed or new turf to give a better end product.
It has a working width of 36 in, a diameter of 14 in and has smooth outer edges. It has been designed to give even weight distribution and will give that tradition striped finish after use.
It has a hitch pin attachment which will fit any make of ride-on.
The roller costs £139 compared with the manufacturer’s recommended price of £229.
Delivery is free the next working day and there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Spraying fertilizers or weed treatment can be a long challenging job if using back pack sprayer, not to say exhausting if you’re not used to it and the Agri-Fab ‘Pro’ Tow Sprayer with a 15 gallon capacity is a machine made to help owners of larger gardens and small estates.
It is easily attached to a ride on with a hitch pin and has a boom bar sprayer adjustable up to 80 inches which operates just off the ground so reducing the risk of sprays drifting where they are not wanted.
A hand held sprayer has a 15 ft hose and the jet from the sprayer will reach up to 20 feet.
The sprayer has a 12 volt pump which works by attaching it to the tractor battery via connections and cable supplied.
A switch on the pump stops it draining the battery when not in use.
The 15 gallon tank has a drain which makes flushing out easier.
It is delivered free the next working day and has a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
It costs £229, a substantial saving on the manufacturer’s recommended price.
A similar machine but one designed for larger areas is the Agri-Fab ‘Pro’ Tow Sprayer with a 25 gallon capacity.
This one has a heavier steel axle and large pneumatic tyres and the bigger tank means less time spent filling up.
This tank has external markings to make it easier to get the right mix when filling with chemicals and water.
The sprayer is delivered free the next working day and has a two year manufacturer’s guarantee.
It costs £379 compared with the maker’s recommended price of £499.
Every owner of a ride-on needs a small trailer for a host of tasks around the garden, indeed people who have bought one say they don’t know how they ever got by without.
The MD 272PT Dump Cart has a huge number of uses around the garden, carting earth and fertilizers for flower beds and gravel for drives, wood for the fire and dead leaves to the compost heap.
It has a polypropylene body gives it a long life and there is a slanted back for easier dumping.
Two large tyres make it very manoeuvrable and a strong axle gives great stability.
It can take up to 500 lb and the internal base measures 11 in high by 30.5 in wide and 41 in long.
And yet it is very light and easy to attach with a standard pin hitch.
It is delivered free the next working day, has a two year manufacturer’s warranty and costs £129 as it is currently on special offer. The manufacturer’s recommended price is £199.
If you are fortunate enough to own a small estate with plenty of trees you will need an MD Petrol Chipper Shredder.
Chipped branches make excellent material for paths and mulching around shrubs and this machine offers unbeatable value for money.
A strong flywheel has both a flail and shredding knives for better performance and can deal with branches up to two in diameter.
The shredding power comes from a 208 cc engine and the tow bar lets you tow it to wherever it is needed.
Not only is there a special price at the moment but there are free accessories as well like a free set of spare shredding blades and a cloth collection bag.
There are also free goggles and ear muffs. And together they are worth over £50.
Delivery is free within two to three working days and there is a one year manufacturer’s warranty.
The price is £549.95 and huge discount on the manufacturer’s recommended price of £749.95.
And finally there is a real robust machine made for clearing though large areas of overgrown meadows and brambles.
The Agri-Fab 42″ Rough-Cut Mower with Electric-Start is towed behind ride-ons and uses a 14.5 hp Briggs & Stratton electric start engine to power designed to swing away when coming up against tree stumps of rocks.
It has working with of 42 in and there are 22 adjustable height settings.
Protective chains at the front of cutting deck stop the chopped down material from flying forward.
It has an offset hitch system so you can drive alongside the mower for better control and enabling better control when in use.
This mower has been designed to be towed by a variety of machines including quad bikes.
It is delivered free the next working day, has a two year manufacturer’s warranty and costs £1949 compared with the manufacturer’s recommended price of £2149.
There is a huge variety of lawn tractors and ride-ons on the market today and if you investing in one it pays to add extra equipment to get the most out of them.
