Hi all,

Kind of an unusual question and unusual application. We grow some veggies for farmers' markets and sow clover between the plastic mulch in the tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. We've been using a modified push mower, but it's a pain, and I'm considering the possibility of using a modified RE rider. It needs to be quite narrow, and it needs to have significant overhang (~6 inches) of the mower deck outside the wheel track on one side (preferably the side that DOESN'T have the discharge). The way we use it, the wheels need to ride in the grassy space between beds, but the mower deck needs to overhang the edge of the plastimulch. We use this biodegradeable mulch stuff that really doesn't stand for physical abuse, so we can't have the mower rolling on it. It doesn't matter to me if it's not easy to undo, and I'm willing to give up some flexibility in deck height so long as i'm able to set it where I want it once.

I'm thinking that something like an older snapper rear engine mower might be able to modified like this pretty easily, so long as I maintain the right geometry with the belt (or get a slightly longer one). I'm handy enough in the shop to weld a bit but don't want to tackle a project that isn't reasonably straightforward just based on time constraints. Without the mower in front of me, though, I don't have any idea if it's as simple as it seems. Anyone with a knack for shade tree fabrication and some experience with one of these able to chime in?

Thanks!

Luke