right tool for the job?

[Groo]

I am negotiating the purchase of a new house. If the sale goes through, I will need some new tools/toys to maintain the property.

lawn care;
Compared to my current place that I manage (barely) with a push mower, this place is quite a bit larger, and wetter.

Snow removal;
I currently take a few swipes with a truck mounted plow on my way to plow other properties.
The new place does not shaped right to take care of with a truck mounted plow. There would be much more hand shovelling than I want to do to finish it off and I would likely cause some collateral damage.


options:

a) let more than half of the lawn return to its wild state and get a walk behind snow blower.
downsides; less lawn, more work and I've never found a walk behind blower that "fits" and the controls often make customization difficult. I sold my last snowblower because I got a back-ache from constantly walking around with a slight stoop to use it. shovelling was easier on my back believe it or not.

maybe add in a walk behind rough cut?

b) get a (4x4 ?) used garden tractor with a mower deck and a plow or blower
downside; I think the ground pressure might be too high for the wet ground.

c) get a used 4-wheelers with a tow behind mower and a front mount plow or snowblower
downsides; crappier cut.
tire tread not generally optimized for yard work.
much more follow-up with a walk-behind than I'd have with a garden tractor I've got to think.
Are semi modern 4 wheelers going to live worked like this? I haven't messed with them since the 80s models.
Up side; get a toy out of the deal.

 

[Goose69]

my opinion on buying a used ATV, is that it is about the same as playing Russian Roulette with five rounds instead of one.!
I've owned too many of them that ended up used and abused, but had covers on the plastic to keep it looking like new, when in all actuality they had been rolled several times, underwater a few times, and generally beat on.
But I'm sure that's just me.
I don't like the idea of pull behind mowers on ATVs as a primary lawn mower, there is an extra engine to run and maintain, they are more of a hassle to mow around stuff, and I think the ATV and then mower tires will be just as bad on the grass in wet areas as a lawn tractor would be.
I would like a Zero Turn for mowing, and then an ATV for plowing the drive, and as a toy.

 

[Groo]

my opinion on buying a used ATV, is that it is about the same as playing Russian Roulette with five rounds instead of one.!
I've owned too many of them that ended up used and abused, but had covers on the plastic to keep it looking like new, when in all actuality they had been rolled several times, underwater a few times, and generally beat on.
But I'm sure that's just me.
I don't like the idea of pull behind mowers on ATVs as a primary lawn mower, there is an extra engine to run and maintain, they are more of a hassle to mow around stuff, and I think the ATV and then mower tires will be just as bad on the grass in wet areas as a lawn tractor would be.
I would like a Zero Turn for mowing, and then an ATV for plowing the drive, and as a toy.

I can certainly understand a reluctance to buy a used toy for work.

I question greatly using a ZTR mower on wet ground. It strikes me as a recipe for a rutted up lawn and stuck equipment.

I am leaning more towards a new wide area walk behind and a new snowblower with adjustable control height. together they should be less than a bottom of the line quad.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

I used an atv with a plow for years and a separate lawn tractor for my 2 acre yard and 500' driveway after we bought our place. I had the atv already and with money being tight due to the new house the lawn tractor fit the budget. Since then I have upgraded to the Massey and a 60" ztr which both work way better but everyone has budgets to work with.

Ztr's will tear up a yard if it is wet but you also don't need to mow when it is wet. Be careful with ztr's there is a lot of junk out there. Used commercial units are way better than big box junk or get a heavier duty one from an independent dealer. You can always get something that will get you buy for now and upgrade when the budget changes.

 

[aczlan]

I question greatly using a ZTR mower on wet ground. It strikes me as a recipe for a rutted up lawn and stuck equipment.

I have used a ride on zero turn (60" eXmark), a walk behind zero turn(48" eXmark), a rear steer out front mower (72" 4wd Deere), a regular riding mower (numerous) and SCUT (BX2660).

THEY WILL ALL GET STUCK IF YOU DRIVE THEM IN THE MUD. The 4wd mowers will in many but not all cases take more to get stuck and more to get unstuck. I have seen where the lighter two wheel drive Exmark Rider would go through when the heavier four-wheel-drive Deere would have gotten stuck.

Aaron Z

 

[Groo]

I used an atv with a plow for years and a separate lawn tractor for my 2 acre yard and 500' driveway after we bought our place. I had the atv already and with money being tight due to the new house the lawn tractor fit the budget. Since then I have upgraded to the Massey and a 60" ztr which both work way better but everyone has budgets to work with.

Ztr's will tear up a yard if it is wet but you also don't need to mow when it is wet. Be careful with ztr's there is a lot of junk out there. Used commercial units are way better than big box junk or get a heavier duty one from an independent dealer. You can always get something that will get you buy for now and upgrade when the budget changes.

The house is surrounded by some very swampy land. I suspect some areas will never dry out very deep. That is why I was thinking and ATV's lower ground pressure might be the answer, but the more I think of it, no.

Either a 30-36" walk behind, in adition to a sno blower, or maybe something like this would be the real do-all for me;
https://www.toro.com/-/media/Files/...mmercial-Mowers/lce_ss_16_490-9317_GS_MF.ashx
but maybe I should have looked at the price before getting my hopes up.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

If the ground really holds that much water I wouldn't mow those areas. I have one spot in my yard that holds water on occasion. I can drive through it no problem with my ztr but it leaves ruts. If I notice it is real wet I just don't mow that spot until it dries out.

 

[Groo]

hmm....World's best-selling robotic lawn mower, reviews and comparisons

 

[MESSMAKER]

Tile the swampy part or cut a swale to move the water. Can make a huge difference if you have the right grade. I suspect a walk behind is the best choice for a mower.

 

[Groo]

It's not legal to mess with wetlands, but did consider putting an elevated walkway over the wettest area
Leaning more towards skipping on that house anyways. The usable lands keeps shrinking. The claimed lot size was way off, much of what is left is wetlands, and there is a huge gas pipe easement right through the longest part that nobody want to let me know the details of before the closing.
If I do end up with it; I'll probably let much of it "go wild" and mow the remainder with a push mower.