Rotary Cutter Dealing with grass clumps

[DavidAubke]

I frequently mow a ~5 acre field. I use a 4' rotary mower which leaves big clumps of cut grass strewn about the field... as bush hogs do. I'm looking for something I could use to either collect or just break up and distribute those clumps after mowing.

I don't want to invest in a finish or flail mower for various reasons. Also, I need to be able to run the clean-up pass at higher speeds. The job already takes a long time as it is.

I'm thinking a landscape rake but if I have to stop frequently to dispose of the piles it collects, that would take too long. Also, I'm guessing I wouldn't want to tear along at top speed with one of those.

Would a drag harrow work? what about a homemade chain-link harrow? I don't really care about removing the grass. I just want to break up the clumps... quickly. Maybe I could even drag the harrow behind the mower.

 

[beenthere]

Mow more often, and avoid the clumps ??

Or get a finish mower with three blades to chop it up finer.

Or just don't worry about clumps (not sure why I don't seem to have clumps that would cause me to worry, but then don't see a pic of yours that may be worse).

 

[SandburRanch]

I frequently mow a ~5 acre field. I use a 4' rotary mower which leaves big clumps of cut grass strewn about the field... as bush hogs do. I'm looking for something I could use to either collect or just break up and distribute those clumps after mowing.

I don't want to invest in a finish or flail mower for various reasons. Also, I need to be able to run the clean-up pass at higher speeds. The job already takes a long time as it is.

I'm thinking a landscape rake but if I have to stop frequently to dispose of the piles it collects, that would take too long. Also, I'm guessing I wouldn't want to tear along at top speed with one of those.

Would a drag harrow work? what about a homemade chain-link harrow? I don't really care about removing the grass. I just want to break up the clumps... quickly. Maybe I could even drag the harrow behind the mower.

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To disperse the clumps, behind the bush hog, pull two trailing mowers with de-thatching blades set just high enough to make full contact of the clumps.

 

[Localmotion]

Would a drag harrow work? what about a homemade chain-link harrow? I don't really care about removing the grass. I just want to break up the clumps... quickly. Maybe I could even drag the harrow behind the mower.

I'd go with the chain harrow - you can even drag it inline behind the mower so long as you don't need to back up at all :thumbsup:

 

[DavidAubke]

Mow more often, and avoid the clumps ??

I'm trying that this year. I don't think I can mow frequently enough to avoid clumps. I really only let it grow a few inches last time and it's still a mess.

Or just don't worry about clumps (not sure why I don't seem to have clumps that would cause me to worry, but then don't see a pic of yours that may be worse).

I'm thinking running with the deck fully lowered may be helping cause this problem. Grass piles up in front of the front skids.

Yeah, so I'm trying to get a finish mower job out of a bush hog.. I know. I'd just like to try to improve the outcome a little bit and breaking up those clumps would really help.

I'd go with the chain harrow - you can even drag it inline behind the mower so long as you don't need to back up at all :thumbsup:

Oh yeah.. backing up. That would be an issue but it'd be worth it if this worked.

 

[TrenaryDucks]

Free range chickens will flatten any grass hump in a heartbeat.

 

[jake98]

Free range chickens will flatten any grass hump in a heartbeat.

No doubt about that! I let mine out a couple times last week and they did half my raking for me! :thumbsup:

 

[bikerdib]

If you are getting clumps that are piled up higher than the grass cut height, you can run the shredder back over the clumps. I run mine over the clumps with the clumps in the middle of the wheels so they go in the middle of the shredder. This chops up the cut grass even more and disperses it. And since you won't be cutting as much grass, you can do it at a higher travel speed. Works for me anyway.

 

[wedge40]

Is your mower side discharge? This is going to sound weird to most people, but what I do is keep cutting over what I've already cut and create windrows. After about 4 passes I make one round in the oppisite direction to put the windrow out the way. When I'm dont I have a bunch of rows of piled up grass that I can run the sweeper through or pick up by hand.

Wedge

 

[Carykong]

If ya want to make pretty with a brush hog,you can avoid clumps by raising your mower deck. Let the cut grass dry a few days and then make another pass with your brush hog at a lower setting. You can avoid the clumps with more frequent mowing but then again that is what a brush hog is good at--infrequent mowing.

In the end, if ya really want a pretty cut, a finish mower or flail will be the most efficient answer to your problem.