First Large Lawn

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GregGeis
Posts: 53
Joined: April 2nd, 2016, 11:24 pm
Location: Fort Worth, Tx
Grass Type: St. Augustine
Lawn Size: Not Specified
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First Large Lawn

Post by GregGeis » August 22nd, 2020, 9:33 am

I’m buying a house with my first large lawn. It’s a 1 acre lot, probably around 30-35k sq ft of Bermuda. I know sizing is a personal choice but I’m looking for some advice to help guide me. I don’t want to buy my equipment and then want to upgrade later but I’m also hoping not to go crazy with the budget. I’m really more concerned about how much I’d lose on resale value than the initial investment itself. I’d really like to be able to knock the lawn out in an hour and a half or so. I dont care if I’m walking or riding, just want to get it done pretty quickly. I borrowed a timemaster once and was surprised at how fast it cut, but I’m also used to 1/3 of an acre lots and 21” residential mowers so I just really don't have much reference.

I’m planning on mowing it with my 21” Ego just to get a baseline of how long it takes me to mow. I was thinking about upgrading to a Timemaster or step up to a Zero turn. I’d like it to be fairly easy to maintain or repair, but I’m only using it for my house so I dont know that it needs to be commercial grade.

Any guidance or advice would be appreciated.

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: First Large Lawn

Post by andy10917 » August 22nd, 2020, 11:20 am

It's pretty hard to figure out what you're trying to optimize, from the wording of your posting - so it's hard to try to respond.

Are you trying just to minimize mowing time, or looking to get advice on the management of a larger lawn? Focusing on the time spent mowing is just one factor - the costs and time spent maintaining a large lawn will mean significantly larger budget/time hits for water/fertilizer/herbicides too. Are you factoring that in, too?

GregGeis
Posts: 53
Joined: April 2nd, 2016, 11:24 pm
Location: Fort Worth, Tx
Grass Type: St. Augustine
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: First Large Lawn

Post by GregGeis » August 22nd, 2020, 12:22 pm

That’s a good point, I need to think about spreading and fertilizer. I’m not a full lawn care nut, I don’t love working on my lawn but I don’t mind it so I just try to get it done pretty quick, mow once a week during high growth. I throw down prodiamine twice a year, in Bermuda I’ll throw a lot nitrogen at it 3-4x a year and water. Enough to keep a nice looking lawn but nowhere like the showcase carpets on here. I haven’t looked into the other fertilizer spreader or sprayer options yet but I probably need to consider that as well.

I’d like to minimize mowing time but at the same time I only have an acre so I’m trying to keep it within reason. Right now I’m thinking somewhere around the 42” residential zero turn like the Toro timecutter or the extra wide walk behind residential or maybe a used commercial model.

GregGeis
Posts: 53
Joined: April 2nd, 2016, 11:24 pm
Location: Fort Worth, Tx
Grass Type: St. Augustine
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: First Large Lawn

Post by GregGeis » August 22nd, 2020, 12:39 pm

I think I may hire a lawn crew for a few weeks and see what they’re using to help figure out what size may be appropriate for me, then do more research on what models offer a price point/transmission/engine quality that might be a good match.

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: First Large Lawn

Post by andy10917 » August 22nd, 2020, 1:17 pm

You could do that, but you might want to think about other options too. A mowing service is going to bring a mower that is single-purpose. A quality lawn tractor will allow you to attach pull-behind attachments (think fertilizer spreader, tank sprayer, lawn cart, etc). If you go with single-purpose equipment, two things are going to happen concurrently: your garage/shed will fill quickly, and your wallet will empty quickly.

Regarding your wallet: you will need to learn to shop where larger amounts of (mostly generic) herbicides are sold when you go past an acre. Your days of buying 8-oz bottles at the Home Depot are done. I'm a little over an acre, and buy herbicides/marker dye/surfactant/Pre-M/etc in 1-gallon and 2.5 gallon sizes, at a fraction of the cost per ounce of the brand names in small bottles at the big-box stores.


GregGeis
Posts: 53
Joined: April 2nd, 2016, 11:24 pm
Location: Fort Worth, Tx
Grass Type: St. Augustine
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: First Large Lawn

Post by GregGeis » August 22nd, 2020, 2:59 pm

Thanks Andy, that’s definitely some of the guidance I’m looking for. I definitely want an efficient setup, storage, cost and use. I’m just trying to get a feel for what setups people like for around that sized lawn. I drove a lawn tractor once on a small lawn with lots of small trees and corners to get around and I didn’t really get along with its handling, but this lawn is more open so I’d consider it. I suppose either a tractor or Zero turn could pull spreaders, but that’s an advantage I didn’t think about over the walk behinds.

What setup are you using? Would you change anything?

Pway
Posts: 771
Joined: May 29th, 2014, 5:42 pm
Location: Piscataway NJ
Grass Type: Northern Mix
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Some Experience

Re: First Large Lawn

Post by Pway » August 22nd, 2020, 4:00 pm

I have a bit more than an acre. I have a JD lawn tractor but I most often cut with a 30” Exmark that I like much better. I can cut the lawn in under 90 minutes with either mower, the lawn tractor may be slightly quicker (larger deck). I use a Scott’s EdgeGaurd for dry fertilizer and DieseaseEx. I use a My4sons backpack sprayer for liquids. Good luck!

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: First Large Lawn

Post by andy10917 » August 22nd, 2020, 9:04 pm

What setup are you using? Would you change anything?
I have a Craftsman tractor and two Honda HRX-217's. The front yard is pretty heavily sloped, so no tractor use on that (tipping danger), as well as it is the showpiece and I want the prefect cut of the Honda. The back yard gets the tractor sometimes and the Honda sometimes - 95 degrees means I'll be on the tractor, and if my wife joins me for mowing we may use the Hondas. Yes, a tractor means follow-up with the Hondas anyway for the tight spots.

No need for two Hondas, other than one is over a decade old and spends a bit of time in the shop or me fixing a part or two - I was a small-engine mechanic in my college days, but often lack the time to do my own work/repairs.

I actually enjoy the "zen" of being on my lawn mowing, and I after almost 50 years of this, I can estimate the shape/state of the soil by the "foot feel" of the soil under my feet. There is no way to get that "touch" without walking the lawn, and I'm right far more then wrong. There is no way to explain that feel other than it's automatic when you do it for enough time.

I wouldn't change my mix of equipment at all - the last "change" (2010?) was to evict the pull-behind core aerator from the barn to rust away in the rain -- I don't believe it is a piece of equipment I ever want to use again.

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