Method of bush hogging

[remington270]

What is your preferred method in wasting as little time as possible in cutting a field that's roughly rectangular? Spiraling around the edge going inward, long straight parallel paths, etc. My pet peeve is backing up, or riding and not cutting.

 

[tow653]

I like to start spiraling until I have a turn row on short side,then just turn back onto last swath.

 

[E/S]

X2

E/S

 

[rekees4300]

I start on the outside and work toward the inside. Due to the geometry of a rectangle and the turning radius of a tractor I think it's impossible to mow without wasting some time remowing the ends (width).

 

[spruce Deere]

I like to start spiraling until I have a turn row on short side,then just turn back onto last swath.

+1:thumbsup:

 

[Folio]

I curve my corners as soon as possible so that, as I make my turns, the cutter is still doing its work on the tall grass. This means doing some backing-and-forthing in the initial passes, but it's more efficient over the long haul in my opinion.

I've also learned that the direction of travel makes a huge difference in the quality of the cut, even on corners. The blades of my cutter travel counterclockwise, so that's my direction of travel. Going the other direction leaves many, long strips of uncut grass.

 

[LD1]

This is a few years old, but still a good read

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/145724-efficient-mowing-pattern-2.html

 

[Zebrafive]

Two or three laps around the outside. Then cut parallel about 8-10 cut widths over from the longest edge, turn and return down the long edge. Keep this "circle" going untill everything is mowed between your first cut thru the field and the edge. Make another parallel cut 8-10 cut widths over. Continue until complete.

 

[nickel plate]

Two or three laps around the outside. Then cut parallel about 8-10 cut widths over from the longest edge, turn and return down the long edge. Keep this "circle" going untill everything is mowed between your first cut thru the field and the edge. Make another parallel cut 8-10 cut widths over. Continue until complete.

This too is my method but I each time I mow, I change the pattern 90 degrees to be sure to get any remnant of higher weeds left over from the time before.

 

[Zebrafive]

This too is my method but I each time I mow, I change the pattern 90 degrees to be sure to get any remnant of higher weeds left over from the time before.

I do the same :thumbsup:, unless it's a real long narrow parcel, then I try and run 1/2 a width over from the last time I mowed.