John Deere for large lawn and garden(s).

   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s). #1  

WillysWoodPile

Bronze Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2010
Messages
61
Location
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Tractor
Only garden tractors and tillers at this time. But our family farm(s) have lots of John Deere tractors.
--- Can anybody suggest a decent priced combination of a John Deere larger-than-average lawn mower with a sturdy rear-tiller?
--- My one garden is about 60' x 125'. Then there is the "melon & squash" garden. Then there is the Church garden etc., etc.....
--- The lawn at the main farm takes about 5 hours to mow on an average lawn tractor.
--- Needless to say, my "Quality" Farm & Country mower is a money-pit and I will not put another dime into it. I am currently using a 14.5 horse MTD that was given to me by my neighbors when they moved to Vegas. Our large lawn is just too much for that tractor and nobody wants to sit for 5 hours mowing a lawn.
--- I have a Husqvarna 650 CRT Tiller but it's worse on my back than the 17" Sears front-tine tiller, and whoever designed the Husqvarna tiller was smoking some wacky tobaccy.
--- I need a combination larger than average mower deck and tiller. Easy on, Easy off, Easy maintenance, and the [for sure] possibility] of future attachments. So no brands that I would have trouble getting parts for. Although I am not opposed to having to search for parts, if they can be found.
--- My back cannot take horsing around a tiller anymore, and I need to be able to mow our lawn at any time. At night with dew on the grass included [so obviously I need lights].
--- And I do not think spending all that money on a new set-up will happen. So a good used set-up will suffice. That is where all you guys come in. I have been stuck in limbo for the past 20 years using "off-brand" stuff and am in need of rehabilitation. [I used to mow with a John Deere 212] when younger.
--- How about recommendations on a "ready-to-go/turnkey" set-up, and maybe a buy for thousand and a thousand worth of work set-up.
--- Either "The Farm" is paying for this, or granny is. Either way I am the one who has to do everything and give my uncle information for his approval.

Thank you everyone.
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s). #2  
Look for a good used tiller for the 4320 listed in your signature

Tell us more about your lawn, wide open or conjested, how many acres ?
Flat or hilly? All makes a big difference as to what I would recommend.
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s).
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Look for a good used tiller for the 4320 listed in your signature
--- The large lawn tractor is a little easier to move around. Although I must brag that I have never taken out any mailboxes with the duals on the 4320. That baby can sure sling some mud.
--- And I may want to use the tiller to weed throughout the year to save my back. I may have to have a larger space in between rows but I want everything to work to take the pressure off of my back.

Tell us more about your lawn, wide open or conjested, how many acres ?
Flat or hilly? All makes a big difference as to what I would recommend.
It's about 3 acres. Basically open except for 10 walnut trees, 4 or 5 50 foot pine trees [No branches up to 12 feet], and some 20 foot pines that the branches are down to the ground. And a few scattered bushes. And there is some slightly tight spaces around the bins.
So a good 95+% of the mowing will be done by the new larger mower. The rest by a smaller average MTD given to me by my neighbors [in town]. And the MTD will be used in the places that are prone to having rocks/gravel and things that "the good mower" won't be used for. I have removed some rocks that have been chipping blades for the last 30 years, so I can mow now without harming the blades.
As much as it pains me to say this I didn't really treat equipment with much respect when I was a kid, even though I did perform detailed maintenance.
--- If I ever get married and have kids, one of the lessons I will teach my kid is to respect equipment. We tend not to respect something we did not pay for.
--- So in summary, the average lawn tractor is too small for mowing our large lawn(s) and a zero-turn only has one purpose. Anything larger than the Allis Chalmers CA [we have, somewhere] would be too large for my purposes.
--- In short, I need the perfect-sized lawn tractor for mowing large lawns, tilling large gardens, able to till in-between rows to take the brunt of weeding off of my back. And a snow-blower attachment to be added soon. I need to be able to get parts and attachments without trouble. And I have to get a decent deal because either the farm, or grandma, is going to pay for it.
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s). #4  
What Willy is refering too is there is a compact tractor model 4320 as well as a regular 4320 full size farm tractor . I would recommend a jd 345 355 model for a 54" deck but they also have some smaller sizes as well to "conform" to your yardscapes . They have a tiller option - check your local deere dealer as they have good used trades come in . Yes they have lighter cheaper models with tillers but that is your decision how much you value your work on your tractor. Hoddykubody
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s).
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I found a John Deere 316 with an 18 horse Kohler, snow blower, rear tiller, 46'' mower deck, wheel weights and tire chains. Runs great. Everything in well working condition. And it's only a half hour away from me. All for $2,500. Any advice before I call the person?
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s). #6  
I found a John Deere 316 with an 18 horse Kohler, snow blower, rear tiller, 46'' mower deck, wheel weights and tire chains. Runs great. Everything in well working condition. And it's only a half hour away from me. All for $2,500. Any advice before I call the person?


Willy,
I should have looked more closely at your picture, I was thinking you had a newer 4320 CUT.

I would make the call about the 316, it may be a good solution for you and I guarantee you that is alot cheaper than buying a new X7XX garden tractor.
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s). #7  
my brother-in-law has a 4320 on his dairy farm. It's quite a machine. It has a Heineker (SP?) cab on it. They use it for harrowing and corn chopping mostly.

Personally, I'd rather have a used JD lawn and garden tractor than a new one. Keep your eyes peeled and you can probably find a nice GX325, 335 or 345 reasonably priced with a 54" deck. I have the 30" mechanical tiller for my 1994 325 and I can switch from mow to till and back to mow in about 15 minutes. It has ag tires and hydraulic lift and cruise control. I love it.
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s).
  • Thread Starter
#8  
my brother-in-law has a 4320 on his dairy farm. It's quite a machine. It has a Heineker (SP?) cab on it. They use it for harrowing and corn chopping mostly.

Personally, I'd rather have a used JD lawn and garden tractor than a new one. Keep your eyes peeled and you can probably find a nice GX325, 335 or 345 reasonably priced with a 54" deck. I have the 30" mechanical tiller for my 1994 325 and I can switch from mow to till and back to mow in about 15 minutes. It has ag tires and hydraulic lift and cruise control. I love it.

--- As far as I am concerned the 4320 is the ultimate [all-around] tractor, or the 20 series if you will.

--- I'll take under advisement your recommendation. I really appreciate it.
--- I tried to tell my uncle about the JD 316 but he was shelling corn at the time. So I am just going to be patient. I'd rather have the 54" deck than the 46" one on the 316.
--- How are the 325, 335, and the 345 at powering through heavy wet morning grass, because average mowers seem to have a limit and you have to slow them down to a snail's pace.
--- And it is important to me how a deck moves grass through it's guts and slings it out the chute. I've seen some terrible designs that must have been thought up at the same time as the person who thought up reverse tines on a rototiller bottle-necking everything with the tires. Effectively stopping all operation. Buts that's for another thread.
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s). #9  
my 325 is an older one and has the 17HP single lung Kawasaki. The newer one came with a twin cylinder 18 HP. Honestly, I never mow wet because I need to bag for my compost pile. wet grass plugs the chute. I think it would depend upon how thick the grass and the width of the mower. The Edge decks seem to have a nice distribution out the side.
 
   / John Deere for large lawn and garden(s).
  • Thread Starter
#10  
my 325 is an older one and has the 17HP single lung Kawasaki. The newer one came with a twin cylinder 18 HP. Honestly, I never mow wet because I need to bag for my compost pile. wet grass plugs the chute. I think it would depend upon how thick the grass and the width of the mower. The Edge decks seem to have a nice distribution out the side.

--- Our "Quality" Farm and Country lawn tractor has a 18.5 Briggs but it does not seem to cut the mustard. Even though I won't put another dime into this tractor I am already thinking about using the motor somewhere else.

--- I frequently get the urge to mow at night {another benefit of living in the Country}, and when I worked on a golf course we had to mow before the first tee time, which means there was always dew on the grass. I used an old zero-turn Jacobsen but I can't remember what size engine it had.
--- A buddy of mine has one of these at his farm and it will power through heavy grass at [too] high speed. We were taking turns mowing and got a little carried away but she held up just fine.
--- Both my uncles have zero-turns but a zero-turn can't till a garden, blade a pile of dirt, or snow-blow half the County. Nor is a zero-turn fun to ride down to the Amish neighbors and get eggs. Or ride down to the local creek and catch shiners and chubs for Pike bait.
--- One time I had my step-dads John Deere 110 and drove it 6 miles to my buddies house and helped him mow his lawn.
--- I will look into and for a JD 325, 35 or 45. And from what I have read just in the last few days it seems that finding one with the Kawasaki motor is the way to go.
--- If I remember right, back in the day, a Kawasaki 1100 was the king motor on a motorcycle.
 
 
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