Open Association of Landscape Industries
long grass
Would like some opinions/advice on cutting a large lawn/s (tot half acre) which have been left to grow (shut down nursing home), they have asked me to get the grass cut to make it look neat for september.
the grass is long 12" (has not been cut this year) what do you suggest?
I ve though of a few methods considering time, cost, effectiveness and practicality
1. strim and rake off (cons: long time, physically taxing)
2.flail mow mulch clippings, (cons:repeating needed as too long)
3. strim dont rake off (cons: clippings will damage turf?)
help!
It will be cut after this initial cut once a week with a ride on side discharge.
any ideas welcome!
cheers
alan
Replies to This Discussion
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Adam Pilgrim on -
A lot depends on access to the site and if there are flower beds/ border/ slopes.
If it is just flat grass, I would probably get a local farmer to run over it with his 'pasture topper' on his tractor to bring it down to size, another friend of mine has a mini tractor and rear mounted flail mower that would do the same job if access is tight.
I wouldn't even contemplate strimming 1/2 an acre (unless you have a wheeled strimmer of course).
Can you hire a really heavy duty ride on mower like an etesia attila 88 and do it with that? (something like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ETESIA-ATTILA-88-BRUSH-MOWER-/120732947160?pt...)
Some pictures of the site would be useful to help you on this....
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Permalink Reply by Anne Wareham on -
I would have thought from experience of using quite a small Countax that you'be be able to mow and take it off on your ride on, though side discharge is a bit dodgy. I mow a meadow about same size every end July/August that way. (Especially since it has been so dry this year)
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gary Hedges on -
Agree with Paul, I use an Echo SRM 5000 and guess it would take 2 hours max. As you have until September I would leave it where it falls and just mow 2 weeks later, also agree a side discharge is never going to give you a good look.
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gardens4u.co.uk on -
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Permalink Reply by Alan Mackenzie on -
though about the contractor farmer, but the size of toppers and tractors wont do the tight corners etc. plus in Cumbria we grow good grass, its not like the southeast! it does rain up north!
Adam Pilgrim said:A lot depends on access to the site and if there are flower beds/ border/ slopes.
If it is just flat grass, I would probably get a local farmer to run over it with his 'pasture topper' on his tractor to bring it down to size, another friend of mine has a mini tractor and rear mounted flail mower that would do the same job if access is tight.
I wouldn't even contemplate strimming 1/2 an acre (unless you have a wheeled strimmer of course).
Can you hire a really heavy duty ride on mower like an etesia attila 88 and do it with that? (something like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ETESIA-ATTILA-88-BRUSH-MOWER-/120732947160?pt...)
Some pictures of the site would be useful to help you on this....
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Permalink Reply by Alan Mackenzie on
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Gary Hedges said:Agree with Paul, I use an Echo SRM 5000 and guess it would take 2 hours max. As you have until September I would leave it where it falls and just mow 2 weeks later, also agree a side discharge is never going to give you a good look.great thanks
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Permalink Reply by Paul @ Ashgate Garden Care on -
Ditto. Half an acre aint that big, but wear a harness to reduce the strain on your arms.
Plus you can see what's hidden after you've done that. Then mow and collect the grass.
GL Services said:Thats what I would do. Use a good brushcutter and knock it down in no time then you can see what is there for your returning visits.
Paul @ PPCH Services said:
Cutting and droping with a side discharge, no matter weekly or fortnightly or the grass length you will never have a very atractive area anyway!
I regularly strim areas of grass greatly in excess of a mere half acre with my FS400 or FS450, it would would take me no more than about an hour 1/2 ish tops. I can't see what the fuss is about unless your using a smaller machine.
I would strim initially due to posibility of bricks or rubbish, corall the clippings with a backpack blower and remove then maintain using the Pro53 and multch plug.
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Dan Frazer Gardening on -
If it were me I would cut it with the ferris walk behind, or a scag if you have one, then on subsequent visits cut with a mulch mower. 2000m2 - 45m x 45m or so? Won't take long at all. it's a 1hr cut with a mulching mower or 40 mins with a bigger scag etc.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Mackenzie on
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great thanks,
its been mown previously last year with ride on side disharge so its not too rough, i'll strim i think, rake off or leave?
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Dan Frazer Gardening on -
I cut and collected a 3000m2 lawn today that was 8-12 inches long in all areas. Took 3 hours with the etesia hydro 80, 42 boxes of clippings dumped in the adjacent field!
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Paul McNulty on -
12 inches isn't really that long, the wet conditions are more of a factor this year.
I've cut a 2000 m2 meadow that was a mix of grass, nettles and docks up to well over 12 inches with my Kaaz as a desperate last-resort, when the owner's ride-on was broken and they needed pictures for the sales brochure. I went in with the handle pushed down to raise the front a bit, and it did plough through it in a few hours.
Your main problem is cutting it too short, and the grass looking brown and dead. Ideally you don't want to blitz it, but reduce the height over a few cuts. If you cut it too short now there's every chance it won't have recovered by September.
12 inches can't be grass that's not been cut this year, can it? I've got to cut a rental next week that's at least a foot high, and beginning to fall flat. That was last cut by me before the tenants moved in, only about a month ago!
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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd on -
Would strim it first. I've got a Stihl FR450 back pack strimmer which would just munch it for breakfast!
Cedar Garden Services said:Thats what I would do. Use a good brushcutter and knock it down in no time then you can see what is there for your returning visits.
Paul @ PPCH Services said:
Cutting and droping with a side discharge, no matter weekly or fortnightly or the grass length you will never have a very atractive area anyway!
I regularly strim areas of grass greatly in excess of a mere half acre with my FS400 or FS450, it would would take me no more than about an hour 1/2 ish tops. I can't see what the fuss is about unless your using a smaller machine.
I would strim initially due to posibility of bricks or rubbish, corall the clippings with a backpack blower and remove then maintain using the Pro53 and multch plug.
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