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Kordoba
Well-known member
I call it the best of both worlds!
Keeps the ants in check too!
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Robostyle
Well-known member
Goth Lawn lol
JTyson
Well-known member
311boogieman
Well-known member
You guys have some nice rigs but I'm just not a fan of zero turn mowers despite the ease. Something about being behind the motor and having a steering wheel 
JTyson
Well-known member
ZTRs are a pain in the ass to do anything deeper than regular maintenance on, and even some of the grease fittings on the shaft u joints are tough to get to but you have to keep them up or you will predictably be in repair hell.
Regular front engine mowers are easier to keep up and work on and cost less up front too.
If it’s stupid hot where you live having all that heat from the engine behind you is kinda nice as opposed to driving through it constantly.
It really comes down to how much do you need maneuvering ease of a ZTR vs a regular front engine mowers, if you are cutting open land with little obstacles I wouldn’t get a ZTR, but if you have lots of stuff to cut around they are tough to beat. We are cutting roughly 11 acres that is heavily wooded on more than half of it, so it is well worth it. If it was a square lot with few things to go around it would be kind of a waste of money when a front engine would do fine, and is easier to keep up. The ZTR’s have to be blown off a lot to keep shit from gathering up on the hydrostatic cases or the hydraulic oil will break down faster from the added heat they generate when it can’t escape. You can choose not to do it but you will be changing fluids and filters faster.
Everything is a trade off
Regular front engine mowers are easier to keep up and work on and cost less up front too.
If it’s stupid hot where you live having all that heat from the engine behind you is kinda nice as opposed to driving through it constantly.
It really comes down to how much do you need maneuvering ease of a ZTR vs a regular front engine mowers, if you are cutting open land with little obstacles I wouldn’t get a ZTR, but if you have lots of stuff to cut around they are tough to beat. We are cutting roughly 11 acres that is heavily wooded on more than half of it, so it is well worth it. If it was a square lot with few things to go around it would be kind of a waste of money when a front engine would do fine, and is easier to keep up. The ZTR’s have to be blown off a lot to keep shit from gathering up on the hydrostatic cases or the hydraulic oil will break down faster from the added heat they generate when it can’t escape. You can choose not to do it but you will be changing fluids and filters faster.
Everything is a trade off
MadAsAHatter
Well-known member
Every problem has a solution if you get creative.
Floyd Eye
Well-known member
You guys mow your lawns ? Lame.
I also have two houses. Properties are connected. Wife does the yardwork, including mowing.
Next you're going to tell me you do dishes and laundry.
I also have two houses. Properties are connected. Wife does the yardwork, including mowing.
Next you're going to tell me you do dishes and laundry.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
I do dishes, laundry, and mow. Next to my Gibson and my rifle my clothesline is one of my favorite things.You guys mow your lawns ? Lame.
I also have two houses. Properties are connected. Wife does the yardwork, including mowing.
Next you're going to tell me you do dishes and laundry.
I wish I could use a mower, it's too rocky here. I got a DR push trimmer for that.
Floyd Eye
Well-known member
The southern boundary of my properties is the river which has a northern bank probably 50' wide and 50' tall ( this is a guess). In other words it is a fairly steep hill with trees, brush and fucking wintercreeper all over it. That is the only area I take care of. Every couple weeks I go down there and raze as much of it as I can to the ground ( not trees). Mostly using a line trimmer with .110 Echo line. I have approximately 2/3 of it clear. The last 1/3 is going to take more than a weed eater. Massive trees down, thick brush, etc.. This time of year is ideal for reclaiming ground since most of the brush is down from winter and floods. Then I just keep it in check the rest of the year.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
There are a few areas here I try to knock down to reduce fire risk and critters coming too close to the house. The rest of it is a waste of time and money. I guess I could get a handheld line trimmer and manage more of it, but that's too much work. The DR uses .175 thick line and is 7 horsepower and some of the grass is still tough to cut, never mind the brush aspect. To put it in perspective my last DR fell apart because after 8 years of bumping into rocks the aluminum bumper piece at the front cracked to pieces and by the time I got a new part and repaired it it just made more sense to buy a new unit. Thanks for reminding me of the hassle of mowing this place....part of why I'm sick of living here lol.
JDs Couch
Well-known member
I'm genuinely curious - you guys who have big properties in the acre + size: why do you keep it all in lawn?
Depending on your ecosystem type, why not make it a native prarie or forest? I.e. let grow what wants to grow there naturally? Keep a small lawn close to the house that you actually use.
Unless you have football games why do you need such a big mown lawn?
For most people it's just a hurdle of "what would the neighbors think", they'll think it's messy, they'll think I'm lazy, etc.
But if you explain to them that you're intentionally growing a meadow, you can change their thought process one house at a time.
A polyculture meadow is beneficial habitat for insects, birds, small mammals, and great for soil health. Less watering, less mowing (maybe once a year), and you can mix in some beautiful wildflowers as well for the wife
We design and install this type of thing quite often and our clients are always very happy. They need some water to establish and then almost no maintenance.
Just curious...
Depending on your ecosystem type, why not make it a native prarie or forest? I.e. let grow what wants to grow there naturally? Keep a small lawn close to the house that you actually use.
Unless you have football games why do you need such a big mown lawn?
For most people it's just a hurdle of "what would the neighbors think", they'll think it's messy, they'll think I'm lazy, etc.
But if you explain to them that you're intentionally growing a meadow, you can change their thought process one house at a time.
A polyculture meadow is beneficial habitat for insects, birds, small mammals, and great for soil health. Less watering, less mowing (maybe once a year), and you can mix in some beautiful wildflowers as well for the wife
We design and install this type of thing quite often and our clients are always very happy. They need some water to establish and then almost no maintenance.
Just curious...
IndyWS6
Well-known member
Our yards are of average size (~10,000 and ~13,000 sq. ft.) in residential neighborhoods. Neither fit your scenario. If I had acreage, I certainly wouldn’t maintain all of it as lawn…
Floyd Eye
Well-known member
Mine is not all lawn. It's also not actually that big. And it's bordered by woods and a river.I'm genuinely curious - you guys who have big properties in the acre + size: why do you keep it all in lawn?
Depending on your ecosystem type, why not make it a native prarie or forest? I.e. let grow what wants to grow there naturally? Keep a small lawn close to the house that you actually use.
Unless you have football games why do you need such a big mown lawn?
For most people it's just a hurdle of "what would the neighbors think", they'll think it's messy, they'll think I'm lazy, etc.
But if you explain to them that you're intentionally growing a meadow, you can change their thought process one house at a time.
A polyculture meadow is beneficial habitat for insects, birds, small mammals, and great for soil health. Less watering, less mowing (maybe once a year), and you can mix in some beautiful wildflowers as well for the wife
We design and install this type of thing quite often and our clients are always very happy. They need some water to establish and then almost no maintenance.
Just curious...
It's also essentially a bird sanctuary. Various other animals live here. I spend no small amount of time running stray cats out of here.
JDs Couch
Well-known member
Yeah, I was more thinking of JTyson and others who said they spend hours every week mowing.
Not to mention all the gas, probably fertilizer and weedkiller...that lawn is an expensive and time consuming resource drain....
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
So was mine until people started letting their cats run loose. I had a half dozen road runners nesting here. Guess how many I have now....
JTyson
Well-known member
It’s not all yard grass, the yard is not very big and then blends into woods. 5 acres of it is horse pasture that I could cut with pretty much anything that had some balls but I cut it with what I have, my tractor (it’s 41 years old) has a valve that’s not right on the #3 cylinder so the bush hog is waiting for me to tear that motor down
Right now I just don’t have time to do it, my dad is on hospice protocol and I’m having to do the best I can with my time at his place.
You gotta keep horse pasture down or they end up with hoof problems due to the constant wet climate here.
We had 1 that went navicular and it ended very badly for him. He was a great horse too.
You would think the horses would keep the grass down, but it grows so fast here they can’t keep up even though they graze 24/7
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
Sorry to hear this JTyson. Didn't realize you were going through this right now.
JTyson
Well-known member
Thanks man, I appreciate it.Sorry to hear this JTyson. Didn't realize you were going through this right now.
It is what it is..
He’s 91 and told me the other day when I was trying to get him to do something he did not want to do “I’ll still whip your ass”
He was half kidding and half not
We are circling the wagons and doing the best we can. He has always been a great father, I’m lucky he didn’t drown me when I was a pup
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
91....what a blessing. I hope my old man lives that long. He's bumping up against 80 now. He saved me from drowning one day when we was snorkeling in the lake....Thanks man, I appreciate it.
It is what it is..
He’s 91 and told me the other day when I was trying to get him to do something he did not want to do “I’ll still whip your ass”
He was half kidding and half not
We are circling the wagons and doing the best we can. He has always been a great father, I’m lucky he didn’t drown me when I was a pup
Your family and your pop is in my prayers now J.
JTyson
Well-known member
Thank you, I appreciate it.91....what a blessing. I hope my old man lives that long. He's bumping up against 80 now. He saved me from drowning one day when we was snorkeling in the lake....
Your family and your pop is in my prayers now J.
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