Name: Parkland Products
Price range: $$

A robotic mower is only as good as the way you set it up and look after it. Buy one, drop it on the ground and forget it, and you will get mediocre results and wonder what the fuss was about. Set the schedule and zones thoughtfully and keep it maintained, and the same machine will quietly keep your areas tidy for years while your crew gets on with everything else. The difference is entirely in the management.

Parkland has supplied turf and golf equipment to New Zealand courses since 1988. If you would rather talk it through, call the team on 0800 807 333.

Smart scheduling and zones

The core principle is to let the machine cut little and often rather than in long bursts, which keeps the turf even and the blades working lightly. Schedule it for the quiet windows a crew cannot easily use, overnight or before play, when the quiet electric running is an asset rather than a nuisance.

On larger sites, split the ground into zones so coverage matches how each area grows and gets used, and adjust the frequency with the seasons as growth speeds up in spring and slows in winter. A robot set to a sensible little-and-often schedule, tuned to the season, does far more good than one hammering the same area on a fixed daily loop regardless of growth.

Keeping it maintained

Robotic mowers need less attention than a ride-on, but they are not maintenance-free, and the small jobs matter. The little blades need checking and replacing regularly so the cut stays clean rather than tearing. The machine and its charging dock should be kept clear of clippings and debris so charging and navigation stay reliable. Keeping the firmware and settings current gets you the best navigation and any improvements the maker has released. And a quick look over the wheels and sensors keeps it tracking accurately, since a robot that has drifted off its lines is a robot doing half a job. A few minutes here and there is all it takes.

The mistakes that stop it paying off

Most disappointing robot installs come down to the same handful of errors.

Asking a machine to cover more than its rated capacity leaves the whole area under-mown and the robot permanently behind.
Running dull blades gives a poor, torn finish that undoes the point of a fine little-and-often cut.
Setting a schedule once and never touching it through a spring growth surge means the machine falls behind exactly when the grass is growing fastest.

Avoid those three and a robotic mower does what it promises. For where robots fit best in the first place, see robotic vs ride-on mowers. We will help you set up zones, schedules and servicing so your machine genuinely earns its keep. Browse the autonomous mowers range, read robotic mowers explained for the background, or call the team on 0800 807 333.