# Professional Lawn Tools
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Mowing Tools
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Rotary blades protrude from the bottom of a riding mower. Landscape maintenance professionals use motor-driven mowers to cut fields of grass. In general, professionals use two types of mowers: push mowers and riding mowers. Push mowers consist of a motor assembly mounted on wheels and attached to a waist-high handle. Although most push mowers have long, straight-edged rotary blades, some push mowers have cylindrical, reel-mounted blades. Push mowers are easily portable and allow professionals to work in small areas, such as private residences. Riding mowers feature tractor-like controls and may have either rotary or reel blades. For fine applications, such as golf course turf management, reel blades provide a more uniform cut.
Edge Maintenance Tools
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Professional edging tools shape a lawn's edge by removing chunks of soil. Professional edging tools, called power edgers, consist of a series of sharp blades that rotate on a vertical plane, like a windmill. The blades attach to a wheel-mounted motor assembly and push-bar handle. As landscapers push the machine along a lawn's perimeter, the machine's blades cut a uniform strip of sod from the lawn to create a clean edge.
Trimming Tools
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The most common professional edging tool is the gas-powered string trimmer. The string trimmer's motor drives the rapid rotation of a plastic string. The motor and string assembly attach to a long, curved handle held around waist-high. To use a string trimmer, the landscape maintenance professional runs the rotating string through plant material, particularly tall grass along a lawn's edge.
Pest and Fertilizer Management Tools
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Landscape professionals often apply fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides in liquid form. Spraying tools are the most common distribution method of liquid compounds. Professionals use both manually operated backpack sprayers and vehicular spraying machines. Backpack sprayers typically employ a hand pump to generate pressure and spraying machines have motorized compressors. Backpack sprayers emit a small spray from a hand-held wand, allowing landscapers to spray in tight areas or around buildings. Vehicular spraying machines quickly distribute compounds across large areas.
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