The high cost of cutting grass

[prs]

I noticed regular grade gasoline (E-10) at $4.15 here this morning. Up from $3.75 last Saturday at two local Exxon stations. No option for sober gas here and no option for off road gasoline. Diesel is CRAZY out of line at $4.17/gal! There is off road here for diesel, but a 40 mile round trip for me. My CUT is diesel. I am cutting less often and slightly reduced RPM, the Ventrac 4500Z handles it.

prs

 

[hube2]

I generally only mow every 2 weeks. I might be extending that to 3 this year. Diesel is currently over $6.69/gallon here. I want to stretch what I have and hope that the price comes down before I need more.

 

[johara1]

They are setting you up for the big one, Diesel is in short supply..... but the fuel companies are sell it every where to other countries. Just wait till winter approaches and you need to fill your tank for home heating oil..... Jim

 

[johara1]

I generally only mow every 2 weeks. I might be extending that to 3 this year. Diesel is currently over $6.69/gallon here. I want to stretch what I have and hope that the price comes down before I need more.

It would be a foot high by then if I did that, I cut back to once a week, got 10 gallons of gas 47.00.... Jim

 

[bdhsfz6]

I generally only mow every 2 weeks. I might be extending that to 3 this year. Diesel is currently over $6.69/gallon here. I want to stretch what I have and hope that the price comes down before I need more.

You'll use more fuel mowing high/thick grass so the economy is questionable.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Talked to the owner of my favorite golf course about their gas costs for keeping the course in shape. Obviously that cost has doubled this year. The rough really needed mowed but it seems they're mowing less this year. Our foursome lost a lot of balls last Saturday!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

You'll use more fuel mowing high/thick grass so the economy is questionable.

I had no choice but to put off mowing a couple weeks ago due to weather and schedules. So when I did do it, I took 2x as long and ran the equipment harder.

The neighbor is in the hospital, as he did the same, and his ZTR loaded up with so much grass, it caught fire and he has 3rd degree burns covering one arm. I don’t have the full story yet, but I’ll probably go mow his fields down this week.

Gas is $4.599 here now, and reports say it will go to $5 soon.

Fuel costs are more of an annoyance for me. I’m blessed that my livelihood doesn’t depend on it, in a way. Granted when fuel prices get high, and I go burn 100s of thousands of pounds of Jet A at work, that does typically tend to slow the airlines. Which right now, would almost be welcome, because we are very short staffed and cannot meet our current obligations. A 10% reduction in block hours would be perfect about now.

 

[hube2]

My lawn takes me the same amount of time to mow and there is no noticeable difference is how hard the tractor needs to work or how much fuel I use no matter how long I let it get... well within reason. I have let it go for up to 3 weeks in the past due to weather and the only thing that I don't like about that is the rows of grass that look ready for baling when I get done. My wife may need to get use to seeing that.

I mow with the deck as high as it will go. Leaving your lawn longer is better for the lawn and the environment. When you cut the lawn higher it actually grows slower, meaning you can cut it less often. After 1 week I can barely tell that there has been any growth except where my leach field is located.

As you might tell, my lawn is not something I worry too much about. People's obsession with their lawns is something that I will never understand. I have better things to do with my time and money than mowing my lawn.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

My lawn is 8” tall in 6 days... so... I’d be hurting if I waited 2 weeks

I mow at 4”

 

[hube2]

My lawn is 8” tall in 6 days... so... I’d be hurting if I waited 2 weeks

I mow at 4”

If mine grew that fast I'd be in trouble as well, glad it doesn't.