Tips on Mowing Pattern for New Lawn Tractor?

[velvetfoot]

A new Ariens 42" hydro. mower is on the way. It's my first riding mower. With my push mower, I ususally go down one row and come back right next to it. What are things to consider with a lawn tractor? The yard is irregularly shaped in front (flower beds) and has a leach field mound in back.
Everytime I mow with the walk behind, I'm thinking about how I'm probably not doing this the most efficient way, then I try something else, etc. I'm sure it'll be the same with the new contraption.
Thanks.

 

[smokinj]

Its the same pattern I like to do 2 rowes on the outside edge then put my first strip in what ever direction and just go back and fourth. Change directions each time you mow. I have 6 different patterns I use/

 

[oilstinks]

Smokinjay right. Mow different to keep from making ruts in your yard. Mow the same way a long time and youll never see it cause the grasss in the ruts will be taller but mow perpindicular and youll think you are mowing a was board. My ferris hydrowalk weighs almost 800lbs and i was ignorant to that tip when i first got it.

 

[dave11]

I agree with the tip to avoid mowing the same pattern repeatedly, as you will surely get ruts. But if you've got a lot of obstructions/barriers/beds you might be limited in how much you can vary your pattern. For example, there's only one way to cut along a retaining wall.

Try hard not to mow on days when the ground is even a little damp, as it will aggravate the compression of the soil by the tractor's weight. Also, you can expect once a year or so to need to fill in at least a few sunken spots, caused by the tractor, especially if you have moles or voles.

 

[Shari]

As a courtesy to my adjacent neighbors, I mow at least to swaths of the perimeter of my lawn blowing the clippings onto my uncut lawn. I think the rider type mowers shoot the clippings out much farther that a walk behind mower. I do the same thing around the edges of our sidewalk and driveway to avoid having to sweep clippings off the cement. If I forget and blow clippings on the cement I just run the rider back and forth on the cement with blade engaged and blow the clippings back on the grass. If our grass is exceedingly long and I 'over blow' clippings onto my neighbors driveway, I run my rider back and forth on her drive also, blowing clippings back on or lawn. I've explained to her why I do this on her driveway because she's 85 and a couple of times I saw her come out to sweep her drive after our clippings ended up on her driveway. No brooms here and be a nice neighbor - in our case that means sweet home baked goodies once in awile from the 85 yr. old neighbor!

Shari

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Saw an interview with grounds keepers for ball parks- they said to change the patterns wildly for a few reasons. left right one time, up down another, circles, angles...

 

[LLigetfa]

The pattern you choose will depend on the striping effect you desire and your particular mower creates.

I mow around two acres of very irregular shaped yards with a 42" rider and would never be able to duplicate the pattern of my push mower simply because of the obstacles I need to mow around. Also, it's easy to do a 180 with a push mower, not so easy with a rider unless you have a ZTR. Repeated sharp turns in the same spot will also scuff the sod resulting in bare spots so one needs to vary the pattern somewhat.

I mulch mow in circles so what would be my discharge chute on the right side, points toward the centre, which would be the reverse if one were side discharging. When it comes to mowing around the many obstacles, I use what I call my "Drunken Moose" pattern.

 

[smokinj]

The pattern you choose will depend on the striping effect you desire and your particular mower creates.

I mow around two acres of very irregular shaped yards with a 42" rider and would never be able to duplicate the pattern of my push mower simply because of the obstacles I need to mow around. Also, it's easy to do a 180 with a push mower, not so easy with a rider unless you have a ZTR. Repeated sharp turns in the same spot will also scuff the sod resulting in bare spots so one needs to vary the pattern somewhat.

I mulch mow in circles so what would be my discharge chute on the right side, points toward the centre, which would be the reverse if one were side discharging. When it comes to mowing around the many obstacles, I use what I call my "Drunken Moose" pattern.

lol

 

[savageactor7]

...It’s my first riding mower...

Well congratulations...the worm has turned for you.

As far as patterns go, I dunno, depends on your yard. My only advice is to settle on a pattern that has the fewest demands to go in reverse as possible. Not that going in reverse is a bad thing but that was the way I was schooled.

 

[iskiatomic]

I use what I call my “Drunken Moose” pattern.

Here I have about an acre and a quarter to mow. The way I see it, it takes and hour and a half or six beers. So the "Drunken Moose" pattern tends to apply at times.


KC

 

[velvetfoot]

So I take it some make a 180 at the end of a row and go back next to the last row?
I didn't think that was that feasible with a rider, but I'll soon find out.

 

[LLigetfa]

Ja, doable with a zero turn rider. Not practical with a conventional yard tractor.

Do you go for the striping effect and if so does the mower have a striping bar?

 

[velvetfoot]

I don't go for the striping effect and I'm sure the model I got doesn't have one.
I did order the mulching kit though.

 

[Highbeam]

I spent 11 hours mowing fields on Friday, the grass was chin high and when you mow this much area you have a lot of time to think about how efficient your mowing can be. If my blades aren't in the grass then I am wasting time and fuel. I use the same approach on my 3/4 acre lawn and my manual trans riding mower. First you make three laps around the outside. This is to allow you room to turn around when you begin mowing rows and to be sure that the non mowed jungle area doesn't encroach on the lawn. After the first three laps you find the longest diameter of your circle and run straight across. Be sure to focus on a tree or something so that your line is straight. Then flip a 180 and mow back. You will need to make a decision here. Do you like to stare at the left side of the mower or the right? You will be going in a circle so you can choose. Generally you will put the left side of the machine towards the previously cut row. This is tradition since most mowers/baggers/sickle bars hang to the right and you always dismount to the left. Just like a horse. Anyway keep going in a circle making more rows until you hit the sides of your circle. In addition, I will usually do a lap around the obstacles before I begin so that the striping pattern isn't too messed up when I need to divert around the obstacle. Wear ear muffs as the mower deck on a rider makes a loud drone.

You might notice your mower leaves ridges if the mower deck is unlevel. My newest rider was about an inch out of level which was easily adjusted until the scallops went away.

My tractor is hydrostatic which is excellent for fields that require lots of reversing and maneuvering. The manual lawn mower is a pain to reverse. You'll love that hydro.

 

[velvetfoot]

Good news about the hydrostatic drive. I'm hoping not to trim too many of the wife's flowers.

I can't say I totally understand though-don't you recut the areas where you switch directions?

 

[Highbeam]

Yes. My turn around area takes place on previously cut grass. Some folks take their victory laps around the perimeter at the end to stripe the turn around area and that's fine too. Just know that you will be thinking about turning around at the end of the row to get back on the line and not so worried about cutting all the grass at the ends of the row and grass will be missed. If you really like the 180 degree turn arounds then you can ditch the big circle method and mow back and forth so that the uncut grass alternates between left and right side of the mower. Still beginning with the center long cut. The stripes look better this way, more like a baseball field. The turning around can be tiresome if your field is not big, you'll spend more time turning around than mowing.

You'll see. Just go mowing and think about how you could refine the job next time. These newer mowers don't suck much fuel at all so a little waste is no big deal.

 

[smokinj]

Yes. My turn around area takes place on previously cut grass. Some folks take their victory laps around the perimeter at the end to stripe the turn around area and that's fine too. Just know that you will be thinking about turning around at the end of the row to get back on the line and not so worried about cutting all the grass at the ends of the row and grass will be missed. If you really like the 180 degree turn arounds then you can ditch the big circle method and mow back and forth so that the uncut grass alternates between left and right side of the mower. Still beginning with the center long cut. The stripes look better this way, more like a baseball field. The turning around can be tiresome if your field is not big, you'll spend more time turning around than mowing.

You'll see. Just go mowing and think about how you could refine the job next time. These newer mowers don't suck much fuel at all so a little waste is no big deal.

Its really the same pattern that you would use if your fertilizing weed control or any product apply to the lawn. Once you have a good understanding of it. (and even plowing a field)

 

[LLigetfa]

So, is this new mower a ZTR or front wheel steer? It would get tiresome right quick doing 3 pt turns at the end of every line. If you do the plowfield routine, you will travel over previously cut areas a lot and not have alternating stripes to show for it. Probably better off to just go around in diminishing circles like I do. That probably shows the least amount of striping as there are no straight lines to draw the eye.

Mind you, if you have some interesting contours in the yard, you can lay down some really neat looking stripes. If you don't have a striping bar, it might be worth considering. Here are some videos on the Simplicity site.

(broken link removed to http://www.simplicitymfg.com/Lawn-and-Garden-Videos/)

Some nice pics on striping.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=87902

 

[velvetfoot]

Those Simplicities are cool. I like the floating deck. Unfortunately I don't believe that'll be a feature on my low end Ariens front wheel steer unit.

 

[smokinj]

So, is this new mower a ZTR or front wheel steer? It would get tiresome right quick doing 3 pt turns at the end of every line. If you do the plowfield routine, you will travel over previously cut areas a lot and not have alternating stripes to show for it. Probably better off to just go around in diminishing circles like I do. That probably shows the least amount of striping as there are no straight lines to draw the eye.

Mind you, if you have some interesting contours in the yard, you can lay down some really neat looking stripes. If you don't have a striping bar, it might be worth considering. Here are some videos on the Simplicity site.

(broken link removed to http://www.simplicitymfg.com/Lawn-and-Garden-Videos/)

Some nice pics on striping.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=87902

yep turning can get quite old fast. You where kinda graded around here on the stright lines you could pull on a field makes it easier for the combine later and the lawn and hay fields where like a training.