Iplayfarmer
Super Member
I'm only every mowing small parcels (<2 acres), but I do what Ford850 says. I'm still turning, but I never have to back up. Each turn takes about half as much time.
Mowing Efficient mowing pattern?
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tommu56
Elite Member
I cut grass for a contractor in school and he wanted square corners with no misses and did it this way
tom
tom
MikeInEburg
Veteran Member
It is also a good idea to vary the method of mowing a particular field - so that you're not always pushing over the same grass. I'll do the same as others have described - a loop a couple of rows wide, but mow it diagonally one time, lengthwise one time and across the short side another time.
Mike
Mike
Danno1
Veteran Member
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The Zamboni pattern (mentioned in a prev post) seems most efficient to me. Those drivers need to lay down new ice of a uniform thickness and quickly. Both of which translate into not driving over the same area twice and not missing any areas either.
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The Zamboni pattern (mentioned in a prev post) seems most efficient to me. Those drivers need to lay down new ice of a uniform thickness and quickly. Both of which translate into not driving over the same area twice and not missing any areas either.
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ampsucker
Platinum Member
can sombody draw the zamboni pattern?
on a small, square or rectangular yard, i do the 90s. if i "peninsula", i go back and clean up the corners. with hydrostatic, it's also easy to clean up the corners as you go - similar to going around a tree. just overshoot, back up a little and tighten the corner. keep repeating until around the tree or corner.
if irregular yard, i just do concentric "circles" and eventually find the geometric center of the yard.
none of this applies to the zero turn crowd who don't have this problem
amp
on a small, square or rectangular yard, i do the 90s. if i "peninsula", i go back and clean up the corners. with hydrostatic, it's also easy to clean up the corners as you go - similar to going around a tree. just overshoot, back up a little and tighten the corner. keep repeating until around the tree or corner.
if irregular yard, i just do concentric "circles" and eventually find the geometric center of the yard.
none of this applies to the zero turn crowd who don't have this problem
amp
aczlan
Good Morning
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- Tractor
- Kubota L3830GST, B7500HST, BX2660. Formerly: Case 480F LL, David Brown 880UE
I like square corners but don't have the room to do the 270 turn, nor do I like the way turning that sharp digs in the front tires. Plus the extra driving compacts the lawn more on the edges and corners.
With my hydro, reversing quickly is not such a big deal. So on each corner, I over-run about 1/2 tractor length and start turning into the corner. Then I back and turn the opposite direction, and then pull forward straightening into the next side. The whole turn takes only 3 or 4 seconds.
I start by going around the permiter and work towards the middle. Once the rectangle gets down to the last few passes, I skip the short side and just U-turn around to the other long side.
One thing I learned is that two quick passes over the lawn makes a much nicer looking cut than going slow once over. Especially if you change the pattern, you catch all the ratty stragglers that somehow escaped being cut the first time around. So once I complete the pattern, I keep going in the opposite direction around the rectangle.
The 2nd pass is in the direction so the discharge chute pushes the clippings back towards the outside leaving the whole lawn completely clean of clippings, leaves, and the goose feathers that collect down by the lake.
- Rick
With my hydro, reversing quickly is not such a big deal. So on each corner, I over-run about 1/2 tractor length and start turning into the corner. Then I back and turn the opposite direction, and then pull forward straightening into the next side. The whole turn takes only 3 or 4 seconds.
I start by going around the permiter and work towards the middle. Once the rectangle gets down to the last few passes, I skip the short side and just U-turn around to the other long side.
One thing I learned is that two quick passes over the lawn makes a much nicer looking cut than going slow once over. Especially if you change the pattern, you catch all the ratty stragglers that somehow escaped being cut the first time around. So once I complete the pattern, I keep going in the opposite direction around the rectangle.
The 2nd pass is in the direction so the discharge chute pushes the clippings back towards the outside leaving the whole lawn completely clean of clippings, leaves, and the goose feathers that collect down by the lake.
- Rick
hdbikercouple
Bronze Member
find the center mow till you have the same distance you have on your sides in front of you turn 180 around and make your return to the begining (mow). stop and turn around like at the other end. now you can keep mowing by working from the inside to the outside. no non mowing time. then finish up any side that you missed judged the distance. next time agjust where you start.
The zamboni method looks like the same pattern I was trying to explain.
funny farmer
Silver Member
The guy I bought my haybine from showed me how to make a 90 degree cut. When your coming about 4 inches to the end of the row, turn as fast as you can, when the front of the tractor just about hits the uncut hay, make a sharp left so your lined back up again, and if you watch, the right side of the haybine will actually be in reverse as your completing your turn. He never missed any hay, but I have a 50% success rate and still have to go back and cut my corners. I always thought that it was hard on the pto. but so far nothing has broke.