MOWING? How close are your passes.

[Industrial Toys]

No one ever seems to talk about this. Depending on what machine I am using, my passes are never very close. I think if I measured it, I might be shocked how much deck width I am wasting. Sometimes it's a case of not wanting to drive on uncut vegetation, or not wanting to cut so close, that you leave a strip and have to go back. Mostly, it's just easier not to have to pay such close attention.

What I'm getting at is that maybe a 60" deck really is only cutting 48" and so forth.

Curious how close other guys make passes.

 

[Jstpssng]

I try to get as close to the edge as I can to reduce wasted passes. That comes from mowing lawns for a landscaper in a previous life, and the owner was a she bi$$$ about efficiency. It also does look a lot better on a lawn when your tracks line up neatly.

 

[japody]

I mow with the inside of the tire on the edge of the row I'm cutting. I realize I lose some but it gives a nice result with no fringe.

 

[MossRoad]

It depends how long and thick the grass is for me. Sometimes it's only 3-4". Other times its a foot. I make a pass, and on the next time around if I see clippings from the last pass, I overlap those clippings. If they're gone on the next pass, I stay at that overlap. If there are still clippings, I adjust my overlap. However, we had a very cool wet period where the grass went crazy, so I have to tow the sweeper behind me. Then I just keep the 4" overlap as the sweeper gets it all.

 

[MossRoad]

Forgot to mention that I have a rear discharge mower as well. It does a good job, but leave a slight to heavy windrow on the right edge.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I find it's different to if you have out front equipment , mid or trailing equipment.

If I have a patch that is just slightly larger than a pass, I often cut that in half. I guess, sometimes with me, it's just about fighting boredom and mixing things up. At the end of the day, I dislike going over ground that is already cut to get to some spot that isn't.

A guy could loose sleep over those split second decisions.

 

[MossRoad]

Yep. I don't like to go over areas more than once if I have to. It's inefficient. I also don't mow the same pattern each time. I have about 4 different patterns.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If you have windrows, it also increases the chances of matting down grass.

 

[MossRoad]

Yep. That's why I overlap the windrow and it's gone. If I'm getting windrows, I'll just switch from back and forth to clockwise. That keeps the windrow on the right side and each subsequent pass gets rid of the last one.

 

[Diggin It]

I mow with the inside of the tire on the edge of the row I'm cutting.

I also don't mow the same pattern each time. I have about 4 different patterns.

Those two basically. I don't care what it looks like afterwards. I don't care what the neighbors think since they can't even see my lawn areas. I cut to keep it from getting overgrown, not for appearance. No magazine cover stuff here.

With the riders and push mowers I basically overlap wheel tracks. I try not to do that with the SCUT due to the extra weight. I try not to go the same way over the same spot more than twice if possible when using it.

 

[oosik]

I overlap about 4" to 6" and mow in a clockwise circular pattern. Each pass re-mows any windrow. When I'm done - no grass to rake.

 

[kthompson]

I try to have my tire just outside of the last cut which on my mower leaves about the 4 to 6 inches many are quoting here. On our other ztr that would be near a 10 inch over lap and my brother in law who has cut lawns for hire over laps by half his mower. The overlap is one big reason the wider decks are more efficient. Have wondered about an ag quality gps. But $1500 will pay for a lot of over lapping.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My intention is pretty much park quality. Not Golf Course or Rich part of town look. People that "STRIPE" kill me. I mean, if that's what turns you on.

Too much grass (hay) lying on top is never nice, and I have a sweeper I use just around the house if it's gotten to long. Too much work to do the rest.

Walked around with a handheld garden claw thing yesterday and just scraped up the odd matted clump that would have killed the grass and promoted weed growth. Good excercise.

 

[two_bit_score]

I overlap about 4" to 6" and mow in a clockwise circular pattern. Each pass re-mows any windrow. When I'm done - no grass to rake.

I do that with leaves. Cuts out need to rake most of them. After leaf season I go back to regular order.

 

[Ford850]

With my lawn and my out front mower, I try to keep it within an inch or two. I can see where I'm cutting with that deck out front, but sometimes I drift off a bit and leave a strip unmowed. That ticks me off and I stop, reverse or loop back quick, and clean it up before I continue.
When pulling my rotary cutter cutting brush, grass, and weeds, I try to keep it close but I'll bet it's 6" or 8" of overlap.

 

[Industrial Toys]

216 Hustler(R) Product Video - Super 14 - YouTube

Just posted this for the heck of it, as I had cut and pasted it to another thread. Never owned or wanted a ZT but this is somewhat different and hence of interest to me.

 

[Thomas]

2/3 of the deck chopping 1/3 get any left overs from the previous pass,thats if the grass dry.