Any recommendations? Warnings?

Don't be lazy and drink while you're driving it.
(aww - no one answered your C&C topic?_)

Jovial Monk wrote on May 14^th, 2023 at 9:04am:

Any recommendations? Warnings?

We’ve got a couple now as we recently bought a 2nd hand 4WD ride on so it won’t get bogged when mowing in winter… our soil here is clay…anyway… I asked hubby… he said there are that many different ones you can buy used… but hydro-static are the best.

Hydro static, OK.

Dad came around and I asked him about his ride on mower. He got his from a private sale from my brother's friend. He does not know what kind it is.

Zero turns are march quicker to use but more expensive
Toro probably make the best ones

I think they would nearly all be hydrostat now days which really just means you have a forward and reverse pedal and then a hand throttle to put the revs up

We've got a John Deere e120 for use around the house
It's pretty reliable

Service is a breeze
Typical lazy Americans you just screw off the oil filter and the new one comes prefilled with oil and you just have to do that once a year

The biggest problem I have found with ride ons is the belts can jam up if you tired to tackle really long grass
And when they throw a belt that is tricky to get back on

I got really long grass.

Think a normal mower might be better, a self propelled one.

But must be electric—both shoulders are rather stuffed.

I mow the lawn, my wife rides me so that makes me a ride on mower, but that won't help Monk, an old gay man who lives with a dog.

;D ;D ;D

Jovial Monk wrote on May 15^th, 2023 at 8:13am:

I got really long grass. Think a normal mower might be better, a self propelled one. But must be electric—both shoulders are rather stuffed.

Just get someone to do it for you the first time to get it down to a reasonable height, then you can use your ride one. As long as you mow it regularly, it won't get to long again.

You use a ride on mower for when you have to mow a large yard, or the grass height is so long that you have to use the ride on to be able to properly mow the yard.

John Smith wrote on May 15^th, 2023 at 7:44pm:

Jovial Monk wrote on May 15th, 2023 at 8:13am: I got really long grass. Think a normal mower might be better, a self propelled one. But must be electric—both shoulders are rather stuffed. Just get someone to do it for you the first time to get it down to a reasonable height, then you can use your ride one. As long as you mow it regularly, it won't get to long again.

Good idea John, thanks.

As well as long grass I have many trees to be lopped and some old structures demolished.

Some fruit trees long past their best—want to keep lots of the wood to use in the smoker. When that is all gone—be plenty of apple/peach/cherry/quince wood to use.

The trees might rebound when you get rid of the grass.

Thanks FD I never would have thought of that, much.

Getting a smart meter installed today. Unfortunately—the antediluvian fuse box (actual fuses!) won’t be changed.

Also, I think Toro brand are good.

Are cats critters, FD?

If you have enough area to need a riding mower I highly recommend a zero turn. Mine is a 50inch from Lowes that sat outside the store as a display and got a little sun faded. I bought it for about 60% of list price and have used it for more than 10 years. It has only needed simple maintenance, oil changes, replacing belts, replacing the spindle's and blades after a decade of use. All the Yard Services use Zero Turn that I have ever seen.

No pollution, no CO2, hands-free fertilizer delivered direct.

Recommended by Lisa Jones. Bobby also endorses this brand for limited off-road travel.

Denizen Lee has poo-pooed this model because he claims it ate his loin cloth leaving him exposed in public.

https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/uploads/mythumbs/4573.jpg

Goat would eat the leaves off my trees, leave the grass alone. A sheep would be better.

If the grass gets too long at my place for my regular mower use, Dad comes around with his ride-on mower and does much of the mowing in about 15 minutes. I have a 40 x 25 metre yard. It takes me an hour to mow it properly with a regular mower. But, it is all done tidying up after Dad has knocked over the long grass for 90% of the yard.

freediver wrote on May 18^th, 2023 at 6:37am:

The trees might rebound when you get rid of the grass.

When you dump the grass clippings at the base of the trees, that creates a mulch over time. My trees are regaining their earlier vigor.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 26^th, 2023 at 10:20pm:

No pollution, no CO2, hands-free fertilizer delivered direct. Recommended by Lisa Jones. Bobby also endorses this brand for limited off-road travel. Denizen Lee has poo-pooed this model because he claims it ate his loin cloth leaving him exposed in public. https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/uploads/mythumbs/4573.jpg

I might seriously think about getting/agisting a sheep once I have some colorbond fencing done.

1.5m is not high enough to keep Socks in the yard, but the main fence will be 1.5m colorbond. Pardon?

I will buy trellis from Bunnings (most likely) and put them on the fence, then fasten say 50% shadecloth to that.


If you try to block the wind like with a fence you will get strong, turbulent wind coming over the top. So the top part of my fence will slow the wind down, reduce the turbulence.

Sock’s breed means she loves being outside. Can’t have that at the moment—she could easily jump the pathetic fence on the western side of my north western block where sheep graze—and be shot by the owner of the field and sheep. This charming guy was described to me as “A cockhead with an itchy trigger finger.”

Re clippings—will compost them then in the spring when danger of frost is past spread them around my vege and herb patches. Trees will have gravel mulch—if a grass fire was to hit the orchard compost would lead the fore to my trees. No thanks. Gravel mulch around the trees, short grass in between the thing to fight frost (with other measures too of course—could I use smudge pots?

Get a goat instead of a sheep.  You won't need to shear it

Doubt a ride on will be needed, apart from the initial slashing.

Thinking of either an electric mower or a petrol mower with an electric starter.

Two decent options, 4stroke w/electric starter or 60V electric, about $1000 each.

I have a mate's niece come over to mow my 5m square patch of buffalo. She does it in a bikini and I pay her $100 for it.
Shame I'm an old oak now and part of the Brotherhood of the Whistling Wood. But hey, I like to watch while drinking a pint of Guiness.  :D

John Smith wrote on Jun 27^th, 2023 at 8:50pm:

Get a goat instead of a sheep.  You won't need to shear it

Goat would eat my trees not my grass. Not enough lawn to bother getting a sheep for.

Vege patch—raised beds for when I truly am 80yo  ;D and more. Thick layer of gravel should suppress weeds/grass and if not, apply herbicide! Patch will include my currant bushes along street frontage and the C-channel fence posts cemented into place will provide convenient anchorage for frost sheeting then bird netting. Patch runs 1.5m from garage by the western boundary. Will put cherry and peach trees there I think, again easy to attach frost sheeting and bird nets to posts holding the shadecloth.

Apple/pear/quince trees planted in 10 rows of 6 trees—1m wide strips of grass between rows. In front of that, behind the house polytunnel and blueberry/raspberry raised beds will go. In front—flower meadow.

Not that much mowing needed!

Gordon wrote on May 15^th, 2023 at 11:33am:

I mow the lawn, my wife rides me so that makes me a ride on mower, but that won't help Monk, an old gay man who lives with a dog.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

As I said, not much grass will be left to be mowed.

I will create a 167sqm vege/fruit patch like my bil’s vege patch:

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I might put wire birdnetting over the top, then only have to cover fruit trees/bushes for frost.

Jovial Monk wrote on Sep 10^th, 2023 at 12:36am:

Doubt a ride on will be needed, apart from the initial slashing. Thinking of either an electric mower or a petrol mower with an electric starter. Two decent options, 4stroke w/electric starter or 60V electric, about $1000 each.

As I remember any petrol mower with a hex head bolt to hold the wheel/whatever for the pull start can be started with a socket and an electric drill.

Much cheaper.

That is true, something to think about.