Tow-behind broadcast spreader for riding lawn mowers, Digi Mart USA News: Spreading fertilizer or grass seed by hand can be slow and tiring, especially on a large lawn. According to a House Digest article, a riding lawn mower owner can avoid this work by using a tow-behind attachment such as the CRAFTSMAN 85-pound broadcast spreader, which was listed at Lowe’s for $156.
The spreader has a universal hitch and is described as compatible with most ride-on lawn mowers. Its polyethylene hopper holds up to 85 pounds of material, and the product description says it can cover about 12,000 square feet with a spreading width of 4 to 8 feet.
It also has a steel frame, pneumatic tires and an adjustable flow control lever that can be operated from the mower seat.
Reviews cited in the article give the product a 4.3-star rating from 28 reviews on Lowe’s. Reviewers often praised its ease of use, construction and value, although opinions on assembly were mixed.
The article notes the spreader weighs about 20 pounds, and roughly 105 pounds when full, so owners should check their mower’s towing capacity before loading it fully.
The article advises driving at a slow, consistent speed, avoiding sharp turns, overlapping passes slightly and closing the flow gate before turning or stopping. It also cites manufacturer flow settings of 3 to 5 for granular and pelleted fertilizers and 3 to 4 for fine grass seeds.
Powdered lawn chemicals should not be spread with this model, and the instruction manual advises against using it for ice melt despite a Lowe’s product description mentioning that use.
