What equipment to mow a slope with?

[sendero]

I have a pond with a 250' long dam. The front side of the dam is pretty steep,the back side a little less so.

There is no way I can use my Kioti DK35 on this. But I'm wondering what the right equipment would be. Right now I'm using a modified push mower (added 12" wheels " and it does the job but is it a grueling bit of work.

I've considered one of those DR field brush mowers, a low-center-of-gravity rider like a cub cadet or whatnot.

Like most things, I don't really want to spend thousands so I'm looking for ideas.

 

[blueriver]

How about a sickle mower??

 

[KennyV]

BlueRiver is right a sickle mower!

 

[jimmer2880]

How about some pictures? If it's just a couple feet of pitch, then the sickle bar may be your best bet. But, if it's more than just a couple feet, I know something that may be able to help.

We once watched someone with a Steiner 4x4, articulating mower. It had dual wheels on all 4 corners. That thing was mowing stuff side-ways that I wouldn't even consider to mow straight up & down. On the Steiner, the mower is mounted on the front, which makes it very easy to see and to mow around stuff.

 

[Egon]

Sheep or Goats!

Convert the slope to no maintenance with shrubs, flowers, grass and trees.

 

[SpringHollow]

My tractor - rated for crosswise on a 45 degree slope

PowerTrac - there is a forum here on them.

But then you said you did not want to spend thousands.

Ken

 

[JoeL4330]

I have the DR with both mowing "heads" and would not recommend it for slopes...it wants to keep veering off downhill if you work across. Nor would it work well (IMHO) up and down because there is no engine braking and the brake is not designed for this ...and, anyway, up and down is a lot of wasted effort on something long and relatively low like a dam.

 

[ToadHill]

It might be worth your time to look at roundup for the slope and then plant a low growing ground cover like vetch or clover. You won;t have to mow it at all then.

 

[Zephrant]

I'll second the negative on the DR- I hate it on slopes. I actually went back to using a hand-held string trimmer- nearly as fast and a lot easier on me.

Hmm... maybe I should sell the DR. I don't think I used it once last year.

 

[MossRoad]

It might be worth your time to look at roundup for the slope and then plant a low growing ground cover like vetch or clover. You won;t have to mow it at all then.

That sounds like the best advice and overall least costly solution. Just watch out for erosion until the new cover is established.