Anyone have a mulching kit or just mulching blades on a zero turn?

[sixdogs]

I bought a 61" Grasshopper mower with a side discharge, out-front deck. Presently I mow with a 7' rear discharge Woods finish mower. The question regards the side discharge and windowing of grass clippings.

Over the years I've read comments here on the desirability of a mulching kit that forces the grass to stay under the mower deck until chopped to little pieces. As well, I've read comments that say to skip the mulching kit and just get the mulching blades that are almost as effective. This is a new mower and I haven't used it yet so don't know of the windowing potential.

Does anyone use a mulching kit or just the blades that can comment on the effectiveness of either?

 

[tallyho8]

I have a 60" Kubota Z326 with a mulching kit added on. The yard looked terrible after I cut it when I first got it. I added the kit and the yard looks great after being cut now. You can see no cut grass or leaves lying around as it mulches them so fine that they blend in. The mulch is good for the lawn as it adds some fertilizer. There are no big clumps of cut grass lying in the yard to kill the living grass.

The only downside is that you must cut tall and wet grass slower as it bunches up under the mower.

 

[sixdogs]

tallyho8
Thanks for great info. Very helpful.

 

[MF2604h]

I have two zero turns with mulch kits. The mulch kits are great for mulching dry grass and leaves. You can’t cut as fast with a mulch kit.

One thing you can do on the side discharge is raise the deflector up with a bungee cord that way it spreads the clippings out more.

If you don’t run a mulch kit, and you pull the deflector up make at least three passes throwing the clippings to the inside. Then you can throw the clippings back toward the cut areas. That way you don’t throw the clippings into flower beds.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I run gator blades on my ZT. Chops the cut grass into finer pieces and blows them 2X further out the chute. You don't need to slow down in the thick stuff like a mulch kit with chute cover often requires. I also have my chute deflector pulled up so the grass spreads out nicely. Don't do this if you have neighbors or roads nearby. I have neither.

 

[mikester]

Gator blades work well and lasted a long time for me. I don't like the way they leave clumps so I switched back to high lift blades. I don't want to cut my lawn 2x a week to minimize the clumping.

 

[Ford850]

I have 2 Grasshoppers, a 722DT6 and a 725DT6 with 61"decks and high lift blades. I keep the blade height slightly above 3" for my tall turf fescue lawn. I took the side chute deflectors off shortly after buying each mower, but did try cutting with them on more than a few times. Without the deflector, the grass is blown 2-3 passes away and spreads the heaviest clippings pretty well. Light to medium clippings (most of the year) there are almost no grass clippings visible after I cut (weekly). Without the deflector I can cut right up next to obstacles on either side of the deck, and use the open chute side to stop and rotate the mower sideways over small trees and brush occasionally (along woods, trails, etc). But without the deflector, it does blow the clippings out and up, so on windy days they can get blown back on you. With the deflector, clippings are blown down and in the immediate pass to the side. If you operate without the deflector, it can be dangerous and you must be aware of the blade exposure 1/4" inside that opening. My dealer told be about a guy who cut off a utility pole guy wire anchor stake that way.

 

[RalphVa]

I plan to use the discharge cover on the Ryobi when I get it (probably early June). Have always mowed with mulching mowers except for the bush hog.

Plan to remove that deflector from the Ryobi ZT.

 

[tradosaurus]

I bought a 61" Grasshopper mower with a side discharge, out-front deck. Presently I mow with a 7' rear discharge Woods finish mower. The question regards the side discharge and windowing of grass clippings.

Over the years I've read comments here on the desirability of a mulching kit that forces the grass to stay under the mower deck until chopped to little pieces. As well, I've read comments that say to ship the mulching kit and just get the mulching blades that are almost as effective. This is a new mower and I haven't used it yet so don't know of the windowing potential.

Does anyone use a mulching kit or just the blades that can comment on the effectiveness of either?

The mulching "kit" that I have for my Toro Titan HD 2000 with 72" cut are just mulching blades (3) and a cover plate for the side discharge. I only use the mulching blades when the leaves fall. When I mulch the leaves as soon as possible I don't have to burn.

For regular mowing I use normal blades with the cover plate off. I live out in the country so I'm not trying to have a manicured lawn.

 

[MoKelly]

For regular mowing I use normal blades with the cover plate off. I live out in the country so I'm not trying to have a manicured lawn.

^^^ This is me as well.

MoKelly

 

[sixdogs]

Great advice so here's what I did. I ordered the Grasshopper mulch kit today to use most of the year except when the grass is thick and lush. I also decided to keep my 7 ft Woods rear mower and will use that when needed. The rear discharge will spread clippings better and as growth slows down I can use the Grasshopper with mulch kit.

 

[tallyho8]

The worst part about the mulch kit on my Kubota is that it is extremely hard to put on and take off. In the time it takes me to change it I could cut my grass 6 times.

 

[Dftodd]

I have a 60" Kubota Z326 with a mulching kit added on. The yard looked terrible after I cut it when I first got it. I added the kit and the yard looks great after being cut now. You can see no cut grass or leaves lying around as it mulches them so fine that they blend in. The mulch is good for the lawn as it adds some fertilizer. There are no big clumps of cut grass lying in the yard to kill the living grass.

The only downside is that you must cut tall and wet grass slower as it bunches up under the mower.

Have you tried your original high lift blades with the mulching kit?

I got your mowers half brother and just installed the kit. Even with going slow, I still have to hit spots more then once.

 

[shooterdon]

Not a ZT, but I use the Gator blades on a rider and love them. I am waiting for delivery of a Bad Boy ZT and will be getting Gator blades for it. With the Gator blades, it is not recommended to use a mulch kit.

The Gator Mulcher blade

The Gator Mulcher blade continues to grow in popularity as a replacement mower blade.

gatorblade.com

 

[RjCorazza]

I run Gator blades on my two ZD mowers year 'round, without a mulching deck kit. I find they leave finer clippings than standard blades, but not mulched like a real mulching deck.
I mow about 16 rural properties weekly (30 acres) and need to move along at a brisk place, so real mulching is not feasible.

What I really like about the Gator G5 and 6 blades is that they are heavy duty and keep a nice edge. I generally sharpen them every 3 weeks / 90 acres. Even then, I'm just touching them up.
As far as chutes, I use Advanced Chute Systems discharge covers in the open position most of the time. Close it up and the mowers do very well grinding up leaves in the fall or keeping clippings out of undesirable areas.

 

[sixdogs]

So, would Gator blades be good for early spring when grass is thick and then switch to the mulch kit for most of the Sumer when things are dry?

 

[RjCorazza]

In reality, every deck is different in performance with mulching blades or blades of various lift. I do recommend trying Gator blades though.

 

[RalphVa]

Best mulching mower I've ever had is a Honda with dual blades. Now have a Ryobi 40v 21 inch crosscut with same dual blades. Why are zero turns any different? Just put those dual blades on there and block off the outlet.

 

[tallyho8]

Have you tried your original high lift blades with the mulching kit?

I got your mowers half brother and just installed the kit. Even with going slow, I still have to hit spots more then once.

I used the blades that came with the mower and then the blades that came with the mulching kit. I did not notice any difference.