Mowing Field Mowing Tips

[garth466]

I haven't been on here in a while. I bought my first tractor, a JD 3120, a hair over a year ago. I guess I've been too busy putting the 280 hours it has on it now. I decided to leave my acreage kind of rough for now so I dumped my X320 mower and got myself an RC1060 for the tractor. I'll get another mower at a later date when I have a yard worth manicuring.

I'm just seeding most of my dirt right now so I don't really have anything to play on right now but my neighbor wants me to mow his field. Apparently the old guy that has been doing it for many years recently passed away. Anyway, the grass is 3'+ and I was wondering the best way to attack it. Do I do it twice at different heights, or do I just set it as low as he wants it and go slow?

THanks in advance.

Garrett

 

[ampsucker]

depends a lot on the type of growth, how long you want it to take, what's been in the field, what it should look like when done, etc.

if you just want to knock it down, one pass at medium height will do that.

if viney growth like hairy vetch or cowpeas, you'll have a devil of a time trying to mow it at one pass. you'll have to start really high and cut up the vines so they don't tangle around the blade spindle. another reason to go high the first time is because you don't know what's in the field. you might find large rocks/stumps/pieces of old equipment/fench posts/manhole covers/etc. with your eyes instead of with the blades if you mow high the first time.

once you get it knocked down, you can go back over it in reverse direction or from different angle and take it a couple notches lower. if it's really thick, you may need to let it sit a week or two so some decomposition can occur. that will also give any live vegetation a chance to straigten back up where the wheel ruts are and then you have a better chance at actually cutting it instead of bending it over.

if you want it to look nice when finished, i would plan on at least two cuttings and spread them out over a week or two. possible three if you do the first two on day one and then go back later and do a finish cut.

just my .02. other's will most likely disagree... ;-)

wish my neighbor would bush hog his field next to us. parts of it are taller than me! the deer love to bed down there and sneak over to our yard at night for snacks....

amp

 

[jbrumberg]

Garth466:

I like ampsucker's advise, especially the part about mowing an "unknown" field with its "anomolies" Jay .

PS: I also leave my FEL bucket on for this reason as well as for balance.

 

[Mike_Kanzer]

I agree also with ampsucker's advice. Last year I let my front pasture grow and finally mowed it with the bushhog when it was at about 12-15" tall. I made the first pass with the mower at 9" and the second at 3-4" - It lessened the amount of thick thatch when I was done. Also the higher pass does allow you to go over the field looking for any hidden dnagers. - Mike

 

[flusher]

I haven't been on here in a while. I bought my first tractor, a JD 3120, a hair over a year ago. I guess I've been too busy putting the 280 hours it has on it now. I decided to leave my acreage kind of rough for now so I dumped my X320 mower and got myself an RC1060 for the tractor. I'll get another mower at a later date when I have a yard worth manicuring.

I'm just seeding most of my dirt right now so I don't really have anything to play on right now but my neighbor wants me to mow his field. Apparently the old guy that has been doing it for many years recently passed away. Anyway, the grass is 3'+ and I was wondering the best way to attack it. Do I do it twice at different heights, or do I just set it as low as he wants it and go slow?

THanks in advance.

Garrett

I agree with ampsucker--walk that field before you mow it. I mowed my neighbor's field for the first time last May and hit a concrete block, an old olive tree stump and an irrigation ditch hidden in the weeds. Didn't hurt the mower or the tractor (Mahindra 5525 and a 6-ft Hawkline brush hog), but there's a definite pucker factor here when stuff like that happens.

 

[greggh]

And when you do it twice... you get more seat time.

 

[garydc]

Today I was hogging the back corner of a fairly large property when all of a suden I hear
a flailing noise, shut off the tractor get off and look under the mower and unwind about 40 ft of invisible dog fence that the installer only laid on the surface.of the ground. the property owner was calling him back to properly install. Gary

 

[garth466]

I'll definately do it twice. It is just grass, but I'd rather find obstacles with my eyes. I know about those invisible fence installers and their propensity to just lay those wires on top of the ground where they think you'll never notice them. I've found my own a few times.

 

[jsboening]

At my old house I probably caught my invisible fence line a dozen times. We rented a trencher to run water and power out to a 32x40 garage we had just built. I had time left on the rental so I used it to trench the invisible fence line about 4 feet deep. Thats how sick and tired of fixing it I was. Of course my father in law had to stop by. He just shook his head and rolled his eyes. I do have a tendency to over do things, but hey I haven't seen that wire since.

 

[garth466]

Well I mowed my first field yesterday and did it twice as advised. Some grass was actually 5' high because it hadn't been donw this year. It was a little over 2 acres and took me about 4 hours. There's a few nice trees to go around but I think the next time will be a lot quicker. My neighbor told me to come mow it whenever I want from now on.