mowing pattern help and hill question

[newguyjosh]

I just bought a ferris is700z with 60 inch deck. Was wanting some advice on the most efficient and best pattern to mow my yard.

Also I have a somewhat steep ditch to mow in one corner. I measured it as 25 degrees with an iPhone app but not sure if it's accurate. Is it safe to mow with the ferris? Do I mow up and down or across it? I've included pics of the property and of the ditch.

 

[Citydude]

You should be able to mow it side to side. I would put your ROP's up however and seat belt on.

 

[DHD]

It's hard to tell from a picture what degree a slope might be, but it doesn't look like a 25 degree slope.

Here is a picture of an 18 degree slope, where the mower is, it is less than 18 degrees in the foreground.
This is the tool I used to measure the slope

 

[Creamer]

Mowing pattern - any way you want to - that is the reason for a ZTR. Just keep going back and forth til you are done. The time spent in turning should be very negligible.

That ditch is not steep and should be no problem at all for your Ferris. I have put my Deines on a much steeper slope and the guy who mows it now uses a Deere and there are no problems.

 

[KennyG]

Doesn't look like a problem. I would mow in along the slope one time and across the next to vary the path. I would also plant a bunch of trees and shrubs on the property to cut down on the amount of grass that needs to be mowed (and keep my neighbors from seeing what I'm up to).

 

[Gary Fowler]

That looks like about 12-15 degrees at most. I have mown much steeper with my IS700Z going side ways. The problem you may get with mowing it sideways is some scalping. It is almost always better to mow straight up and down on a slope. I have one in my back yard that is about 20 degrees (measured with a Craftsman degree finder and a long 2x4) that is dome shaped and just about any way I mow it, it scalps at some point. I get minimum scalping when I adjust the direction so I am going in the most direct route straight up the hill so the mowing pattern gets sort of like a slice of pie. with the wide end at the bottom and narrow at the top.
In your case, I would mow it in any direction I chose due to the slight rise and almost uniform slope.

 

[rswyan]

Pattern ?

... vary it if possible ... to reduce compaction, avoid creating ruts, and to give it that manicured look.

I use 4 different patterns myself on the front (which is large - 4 or 5 acres):

1. north/south ---> south/north

2. southeast/northwest ---> northwest/southeast

3. west/east ---> east/west

4. southwest/northeast ---> northeast/southwest

At least the last previous pattern used is still visible and can be seen after mowing ... sometimes the last two.