How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

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SteveHGraham
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How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by SteveHGraham »

A while back I asked questions about mowers and tractors. I have been in Ocala for over a week now, and I finally managed to get my garden tractor going. I mowed the yard around the house, and today I cleared the grass road in the big pasture so the golf cart and whatever can pass easily. Now I have more questions.

First of all, when it comes to grass, how tall is too tall? I was mowing in desperation today because I didn't want the road to get so overgrown it would have to be bush-hogged. In some places, I would say the grass was eighteen inches high, but on average it was more like a foot. The mower did fine, but the grass didn't look too hot. It was not cut cleanly. I assume that's because I was asking the mower to deal with a lot of material.

How high would you let grass get before you would give up on using a 20 HP tractor?

I'm not sure what to do with the grass up against the fences. I wonder if the cattle used to handle that. I am not anxious to walk the better part of a mile with a weed eater.

I clipped a sandstone lump with one of the blades the first time I ran the mower, so I guess I'll have to get under it and check the blade. Not sure how to do that. The previous guy had some little ramps, but they didn't look like they would be much help.

I haven't figured the big tractor out yet. The front end loader has a thing attached to it with four-by-fours and turnbuckles, with four big tines projecting forward. I assume it's supposed to be a sort of forklift for dead trees and so on. I assume this thing has to come off before I can use the bush hog. With it in place, the whole rig has to be over 20 feet long, and it would not be easy to maneuver.
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BadDog
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by BadDog »

It's been a long time since I cut grass, but in general, as usual, it depends. The type of grass, how sharp the blades, mower width, etc. But generally small mower tractors (which includes the likely ambitious "20 hp" unit) are better if you sorta keep up with the grass. They really like to just cut the leafy blades. Once it goes to "stalking", it becomes substantially more difficult to cut for a light mower. Good sharp blades and a mower deck in good shape become even more important, or you get hacked grass stubble. I would probably sharpen the blades, then make a quick pass over the remnants once they stand up good to cut them below the final desired level, then start keeping it cut. Grass will generally adapt and then you'll get better results cutting it while it's still leafy. But that depends on the type of grass too. Might be better to retrain it once the summer fades, might stress it pretty bad right now if you scalp it back. Many variables, but that's my outdated take from my experience growing up in N AL. With the mix we had there, I generally kept it cut before I had to remove 2" or so at most if I wanted it to continue looking good. The outer areas just got "bush hogged" a few times a year.
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John Evans
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by John Evans »

Steve: Can you say Goats? 4 legged lawn mowers ,fence line maintainers. Fence needs to be goat proof though.
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ALCOSTEAM
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by ALCOSTEAM »

If your mower will run and cut grass with the deck up high you can get maybe half the height and then come back in a day or two and cut it lower. I have also made half passes thru tall grass or only using half the deck width.
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BadDog
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by BadDog »

Oh, that thing on the front is probably a brush fork. Take it off, or if just worried about low obstacles, raise the bucket high enough to clear fences etc in turns. Just watch out for trees, and never do that with a loaded bucket, it gets tippy. Also may need rear ballast when working with a heavy bucket. You can probably also off-load the loader completely if needed, but I find it more of a hassle than just dealing with it. So far I have not knocked down a wall or the house.

Be careful with it, you'll get the hang.
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steamin10
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by steamin10 »

In abusing the lawn tractor in tall grass, I usually cut it with the deck at full high. That allows the folded over too tall grass to get clumped up and ground down. After it dries in the sun and loses its ability to stick together, I run it down to full cut level of three inches or so, that being the second notch on my deck. This rolls the dead grass off the top and keeps the clumpy stuff disturbed so it doesnt make rot spots in the turf.

Worrying through the rough spots of paths and roads is about a once a month deal, and the cutting forces the grass to thicken in defense. Otherwise it is thin and stalky and winds up around the blades, and that stalls the belt for a smoke out. I push the speed of the machine and prefer a hydrostatic drive that I can regulate ground speed tokeep an ear on engine load. I keep it happy and spinning well with this method, as if it loads up it fails to grind up the grass and eject it, leading to a clog. The showwy parts of the yard up front get mowed about every ten days at the least, in order to keep a good look.

Ever mindful of the chute direction, I never blow the clippings on to gravel drives, or adorn the fence line with trash clipping. So I try to be skillful at rubbing the rounded deck edge right against the fencing to suck the grass under the deck, so that there is minimal hair at the base. A weed wacker loses its string when you try to cut along a fence, as it wraps around the wires and gets jerked off. Line trimmers are not an option for me with my mobility problems. Any problem grassy areas are treated with Round-Up type products and thats good for the year. That includes defending the margins of the gravel driveway.

As for blades and sharpening, I have a set of blocks made of 2 x 4 nailed liincoln log style so the rear tires sit in a cradle on top. this raises the back of the machine nearly a foot, and allows me to reach under the deck and touch off the blades with a 4 inch grinder, to sharp up the blades without taking them off. A real time saver. Of course, they can be removed if need be with a quick zip with an impact gun. Sharp blades make a big difference on the cutting action, you can tell the difference between cutting and tearing the grass.

And I am using goats, dwarf Nigerians, to control weeds around the piles of stuff too valuable to scrap. And I know how to have a clean garage too, dont own anything.
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warmstrong1955
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

I've done the same as Big Dave.
Place we bought in Oregon had an orchard, about an acre and a half, that was never mowed. Grass was taller than the tractor. I just left the deck up, and went at it. First pass was real slow. Easy to plug up the deck. After the first pass, I just did a half pass at a time till I got it done, and could travel quite a bit faster that way.
Each time later when I mowed, I dropped the deck down a couple notches, till I got it down to normal.
All done with a 20HP John Deere. After I found all the logs & rocks & things with the rental, I bought my own.

As far as sharpening, I remove the deck, and flip it upside down most of the time. That way I can clean up all the built up grass stuck to the thing. Makes a big difference with the vacuuming effect when cutting the 'real' grass.
I also always keep an extra set of blades around. As you sharpen them, they get shorter, and it's easy to tell when you don't have enough blade left, with the windrows of uncut grass you leave behind. Real pain with a 3-bladed deck, and you can't get blades locally.

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earlgo
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by earlgo »

You can sometimes tell when you are in too deep grass when the engine stalls.

I have done what everyone else does, pull deck up, lower gear, once or twice over. Lower deck, normal gear, finish.
I sharpen my own blades on the Delta Toolmaker. Same setup every time and it does a good job. I have 2 sets of blades so it is a simple swap-out, if pulling the deck is simple.
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spro
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by spro »

There was a time when garden tractors didn't have much engine hp but they were built differently. The frames were high or arched to accommodate high mowing decks. There were attachments like a powered sickle bar and other cutters for fences and scalping over ditches, without falling into them. This was all done before but the machines are relatively heavy and the engines do not like ethanol, at all.
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by spro »

When it comes to "garden tractors" with vertical engines, there are a few things. Many are sold with a general, all around type deck with baffles which mulch. We aren't thinking mulch with high grass. There was another deck of "wind tunnel" design. It is noticed by the tapered wide chute/ ejection design of deck. These appear on craigslist and may need arbor bearings or blades but remember. These were used to get things down to where you want them now.
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warmstrong1955
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

The ol' "They don't make 'em like they used to", really applies to garden tractors Spro.
They were spendy....but the real deal, in a smaller version.
The one that Steve got, is an old heavy duty one. It has some iron in it! And,....you can actually put some real attachments on it!

Most everything out there now is light duty, and the PTO is only a belt. Can still get the good ones, but they sure squeeze your wallet!

Bill
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SteveHGraham
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Re: How Much Grass Can a Garden Tractor Handle?

Post by SteveHGraham »

Lots of useful information here; too much to acknowledge everyone separately. Thanks.

Dave, this property is set up for goats. The prior owner's daughter was considering veterinary medicine as a career, so they decided to get her some goats. I don't know how this would help. Anyway, we have a goat shelter and about 3/4 mile of appropriate fence.

I considered getting goats to eat the brush on the wooded part of the property, but a friend says goats are delicate and cause a lot of problems. She recommended dwarf zebu cattle. It would have to be something low maintenance. Maybe that's an unrealistic hope.

I'm going to take a photo of the front end of the farm tractor and post it.
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