Mowing bx mowing on hills

riptides · Mar 22, 2003

Man I am scared for you just reading your post.

Please be safe.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

nitronut1 · Mar 22, 2003

The slope averages 45 degrees. It is absolutely the most exciting part of mowing my property. The best way for me to tackle it is to mow up it, back down, move over and mow back up. Thank god for the 60" deck.... For me, the tractor feels better doing it this way.

About the ROPS hitting the tree - that was really exciting. I was so used to the garden tractor (without one) that the first time I circled the tree on the slope with the BX, well, you can guess what happened next. It's one of those things you don't forget and you kick yourself later for not thinking of. See when it hit, the tractor doesn't just lift up in the front...it also scoots sideways - deck first into the tree.

Anonymous Poster · Mar 22, 2003

Out tooling around on the bx this morning moving driveway gravel off the lawn. What a beautiful machine to work with /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif! You can knuckle the bucket down, float it and the loader frame has just enough give in it that it will roll the stone right out of the grass, even if the blade isn't dead even with the grass. And it doesn't slip and slide all over creation either. As far as the hills go, I looked at some of them from the standpoint of maybe cutting them down a bit. I never looked at it with an eye to fixing it as I never had equipment to do the job. The old owner aparently had dumped fill on the one and never groomed it out. It slumped down the hill and left a "roll" at the bottom. Then he added insult to injury by grading down right below that point. Thats the point that really creates problems. I think I could take a box blade and back up the hill, pick a point along the line of the hill, and start cutting it down. I estimate that by cutting off the slumped portion, and by cutting the crown of the hill back, I could possibly taper the slope out to 25-30 degrees or so. There is plenty of room below to spread any excess and to feather the slope out. Once the weather improves, and once I get more proficient with the machine, I think I'll try it.

I will say this; I am thoroughly impessed with the feel and operation of this unit. It is a far cry from a "garden" tractor with a loader. It is a sweet machine /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif!!!

Only one problem. I think the wife will be a tractor widow this summer.
Thanks all for your input.

Hopin' for max seat time,
DaveL

Anonymous Poster · Mar 22, 2003

Dave...why not consider planing something "low maintenance" on those really steel slopes. Something that doesn't need to be mowed! That's about the safest option you can go for...

Casimir · Mar 22, 2003

Actually, Bird, a 45 degree slope is a 100 percent slope. For every foot you travel forward, you go up or down a foot. Just think of it as a triangle, with two 45 degree angles and one 90 degree angle. Very few 4WD vehicles of any kind will climb a 45 degree slope easily, even if it is concrete or solid rock. When we were fighting fires, we wouldn't even take bulldozers on 45 degree slopes unless they were moving downhill, with the blade down for extra braking - and sidehilling???? - a recipe for a quick rollover, and over, and over, and over...... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Anonymous Poster · Mar 22, 2003

jbecker,
I would put gardens in but here in MD everything grows so darn quick: weeds, locust saplings, thistle, and every other durned nasty plant created. And the deer only like the good plants. If I could get the deer to eat the bad stuff I would put it into plantings but they pass up the stuff I want them to eat and chew up the azaleas /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif!!!!!!

I've found that the only thing the deer don't eat is barberry, but barberry doesn't do well in shade (this area is a shaded, north facing slope). And as much as I'd like to take my frustration out on them with the 30.06, I'd never get all of them(anybody up for a big barbecue? Venison anybody? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif). So after 15 years of trying to outwit them I've pretty much given up /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif.
The one thing besides weeds that they won't eat to the ground is grass. So grass it is. And I have mowed it for a long time.
I'm looking at box blading it but if it gets too hairy a friend of mine has an old green cleat track dozer that I may be able to borrow.
Don't worry folks. I may be dumb but I usually "figger" it out eventually (I think) /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.
DaveL
BTW :It must be that I am frustrated due to a severe lack of seat time but how do I get the colors to work for text /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif???????????

ps to casimir: No way I'd try to mow that hill sideways! My wife would kill me for not having enough insurance to keep her comfortable and able to retire after the tractor landed on me.

Anonymous Poster · Mar 23, 2003

DaveL... I have the same problem as you. I have a bank that is about 45 degrees which is not safe to mow. Although I have mowed it when dry with my Wheel Horse. Even when dry the tractor slides to the bottom of the slope. I sold my Wheel Horse and bought a BX2200. I don't plan to cut the bank with the Kubota (too dangerous). Next month I plan to plant Pampas grass on the slope to eliminate the need for mowing. I have used it on another bank and it seems to be a good solution. It is attractive and the deer won't eat it!

We have had major problems with deer in our area. As you pointed out they eat just about everything. Last year I installed three strands of electric fence to protect our young fruit trees and to protect our vege garden. It is only three feet high but the deer won't cross it. They could easily jump the fence but they don't. I have the fence on a timer. It comes on after dark and goes off just before light in the morning. IT works!

Anonymous Poster · Mar 23, 2003

JWE,
Thanks for the info. What is Pampas grass? Is that the real tall stuff that gets a white frond (????) on top?? Is it invasive? Not sure if its for me but interested in investigating the possibility. Will it choke out the junk weeds? How much care does it require?? Will it grow well in shade?
I would still like to keep it in grass and kept both the Snapper and the Dixson just in case. Sliding down in one piece is definitely preferable to arriving at the bottom in a lump.

Regarding the deer; The one thing they don't like is blood meal sprinkled over the plants. That works in the veggie patch most years. But it gets expensive to throw around liberally. Have tried mothballs, hair (wifes, mine is scarce)with no effect on them. Tried fence once. Wife went down to pick and jumped a doe bedded down between the tomato cages(jumped in and probably couldn't figure a way out until it had a reason to do so. Plenty of food so she was happy). Wife went screaming one direction, doe over the fence in the other. I thought it was hilarious; wife didn't.
 BTW, you are right. You really can do anything on this site if you can "figger" it out. Now you get to see my ugly mug on my posts as well.
Thanks for all of the input folks. You have my mind slowly churning.....................................
DaveL

Anonymous Poster · Mar 23, 2003

There are quite a few ornimental grasses that would be great for this kind of thing...and they are available in a variety of heights. In addition to keeping your tractor away from a dangerous slope, they give habitat and food to birds and other creatures and do well at controlling errosion. And they are definitely more interesting to look at than "plain old" grass!

Anonymous Poster · Mar 23, 2003

DaveL... Pampas Grass comes in all shapes and sizes. We have about three sizes and various colors. I put plastic down before planting and then each spring I cut a couple of inches of plastic away from the base of the plant to let it expand. The Pampas Grass that I have is not agressive but the root crown will expand each year.