Mowed Over Gasoline Mower

[Ashful]

People who mow 3 acres with a large displacement riding mower....like my 18HP Kawi twin John Deere....not a postage stamp. Still, I can mow my lawn about 3 times on 3 gallons. Pretty efficient mower.

Check your math, rider. Are you saying you do 3 acres x 3 times on three gallons? That’s nine acres on 3 gallons, or 0.33 gallons per acre? If so, you have the world’s most efficient lawn mower.

I am mowing about 3 acres of grass (4 acre plot minus house, driveway, barn, gardens), and average about 4 gallons per mowing. Since I mow twice per week, excepting the hot weeks of July and early August, I burn about 8 gallons per week in my mower. Mine is also a Deere ZTrak, but with the 25 hp Kawasaki OHV V-twin, bone stock.

Now, to back what begreen is saying, that’s 8 gallons per week thru a completely non-emissions engine. That’s more gas than I use in my cars during the summer, which is really saying something, as my primary summer vehicle has a 6.4 liter motor.

I looked at electric mower options when I moved onto this property, primarily robotic mowers. In fact, I’m surprised jebatty isn’t headed in that direction. I’d have done it, but the tech wasn’t where it needed to be, to cover 3+ acres at least back then.

 

[begreen]

"Each weekend, about 54 million Americans mow their lawns, using 800 million gallons of gas per year and producing tons of air pollutants. Garden equipment engines, which have had unregulated emissions until the late 1990's, emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation's air pollution and a good deal more in metropolitan areas."
http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/faq-environment.htm

 

[Dobish]

don't forget about all the people that leave their gas in the mower, can't get it started, then dump a bunch of old gas down the storm drain.

 

[begreen]

don't forget about all the people that leave their gas in the mower, can't get it started, then dump a bunch of old gas down the storm drain.

They say the more gasoline is spilled annually by mower owners than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez.

 

[bholler]

don't forget about all the people that leave their gas in the mower, can't get it started, then dump a bunch of old gas down the storm drain.

Thats why i use startron i never remember to drain it

 

[Ashful]

Thats why i use startron i never remember to drain it

Ditto. When it starts getting cold toward the end of the season, I just start mixing stabilizer into my 5 gallon cans each time I fill the mower. You rarely know which mowing will be your last of the year (except maybe the New Years Day mowing that ended the freakishly warm 2015 autumn season).

Likewise, the two larger chainsaws all get drained and run dry in the spring. Most summer usage is just limbing with my top-handle saw.

 

[iron]

it's amazing how quiet those battery operated mowers are. even my 2014 model electric plug in model is considerably louder than the battery ones.

 

[Ashful]

it's amazing how quiet those battery operated mowers are. even my 2014 model electric plug in model is considerably louder than the battery ones.

You just reminded me that, in my grandfather’s fleet of three walk-behind mowers, there was one electric model. Ran on 110 volts, so managing the cord (which were always black and never orange, back then) was always a big part of using it. It was already very old, when I remember using it 35 years ago, if I had to guess it was maybe late 1960’s vintage.

 

[venator260]

don't forget about all the people that leave their gas in the mower, can't get it started, then dump a bunch of old gas down the storm drain.

I've never actually had this problem, and I don't use any sort of gas treatment. I just leave whatever gas was present in the mower there over winter. Fill it up and started in the spring, no problem. This spring my push mower, lawn mower, rototiller, and weedeater started just fine with last fall's gas still in there.

 

[Ashful]

I've never actually had this problem, and I don't use any sort of gas treatment. I just leave whatever gas was present in the mower there over winter. Fill it up and started in the spring, no problem. This spring my push mower, lawn mower, rototiller, and weedeater started just fine with last fall's gas still in there.

I always did the same in the pre-ethanol days, but the horror stories of others prompted me to start using the stabilizer when E-10 and E-15 became the norm. I have also never had a problem, but a $12 bottle of StarTron is cheap insurance on a $2000 (+s/h) OHV V-twin engine.

 

[maple1]

Check your math, rider. Are you saying you do 3 acres x 3 times on three gallons? That’s nine acres on 3 gallons, or 0.33 gallons per acre? If so, you have the world’s most efficient lawn mower.

I am mowing about 3 acres of grass (4 acre plot minus house, driveway, barn, gardens), and average about 4 gallons per mowing. Since I mow twice per week, excepting the hot weeks of July and early August, I burn about 8 gallons per week in my mower. Mine is also a Deere ZTrak, but with the 25 hp Kawasaki OHV V-twin, bone stock.

Now, to back what begreen is saying, that’s 8 gallons per week thru a completely non-emissions engine. That’s more gas than I use in my cars during the summer, which is really saying something, as my primary summer vehicle has a 6.4 liter motor.

I looked at electric mower options when I moved onto this property, primarily robotic mowers. In fact, I’m surprised jebatty isn’t headed in that direction. I’d have done it, but the tech wasn’t where it needed to be, to cover 3+ acres at least back then.

I think I'm at around 1 gallon per acre on the 42" LA135 ride-on, doing around 2a between ours & parents next door. I could do a lot better if it weren't for all the hills & obstacles. Obstacle mowing - gotta like that (not really).

I only do mine once every 2 weeks though. Twice a week would be a real drag.

 

[Ashful]

I only do mine once every 2 weeks though. Twice a week would be a real drag.

If I backed my mowing down to once every two weeks, my lawn would look like hell, and I might get roped into doing more domestic chores. I’d rather be on the zero turn than washing dishes and scrubbing grout, any day.

 

[begreen]

We have to mow weekly early in the season but not now. Our lawn and fields are going brown, more than a month earlier than normal. Fortunately most locals also have long since given up on manicured lawns here and with it weekly mowings. Summer droughts are becoming increasingly more common. By August, if we wanted a large green lawn we'd have to paint it green or take out a mortgage for the water bill.

 

[Ashful]

That happens next week here, and lasts until about Aug.14, almost every year. No need for water, if you have good soil and plant the right grass (tall fescue, for our climate) the lawn goes dormant, and recovers just fine in late August.

 

[maple1]

We have to mow weekly early in the season but not now. Our lawn and fields are going brown, more than a month earlier than normal. Fortunately most locals also have long since given up on manicured lawns here and with it weekly mowings. Summer droughts are becoming increasingly more common. By August, if we wanted a large green lawn we'd have to paint it green or take out a mortgage for the water bill.

Bigger growth earlier in the season here also, but even with that I couldn't see myself mowing more than once a week, max, at the most active times. Maybe a higher weed/grass ratio and somewhat shallower topsoil depth keeps growth rate down to a more manageable level - and ain't so bad after all.

 

[Ashful]

If I waited more than 5 days, I’d have the clippings matting up on top and looking like cut hay, while not doing any favors to the lawn buried below. I’d likely be able to wait longer if I had a mulching deck, but the commercial mulching decks from Deere were full of problems, back when my mower was purchased. So, I just have a standard 60-inch 7-Iron deck.

I suspect some of you who wait longer either bag your clippings, which ain’t possible on a property this size, or your lawn is not exactly golf-course quality.

The newer houses here have very poor (clay) top soil, due to modern construction methods. However, most of my lawn is as God made it, they didn’t tend to strip off top soil when they built houses 250 years ago.

 

[maple1]

Uh yeah, no golf course stuff going on here.

It is all mostly green though.

 

[begreen]

If I waited more than 5 days, I’d have the clippings matting up on top and looking like cut hay, while not doing any favors to the lawn buried below. I’d likely be able to wait longer if I had a mulching deck, but the commercial mulching decks from Deere were full of problems, back when my mower was purchased. So, I just have a standard 60-inch 7-Iron deck.

I suspect some of you who wait longer either bag your clippings, which ain’t possible on a property this size, or your lawn is not exactly golf-course quality.

The newer houses here have very poor (clay) top soil, due to modern construction methods. However, most of my lawn is as God made it, they didn’t tend to strip off top soil when they built houses 250 years ago.

250 years ago you can be sure they didn't have mowers either. God most likely made it rocky and forested. A large group of people were probably hired (or slaved) to clear it. Then it was planted as fields for crops and the stones went into building structures and walls. Manor lawns were just impractical.

At our house the entire neighborhood was part of one large farm. Once the entire hillside was clear cut, stumps were pulled, burned or dynamited and then currants, lingonberries and elderberries were planted. These fruit crops fed the Scandinavian population in Seattle and Tacoma. That was in the late 1800's early 1900's. Now the trees are regaining hold and mostly only 1-2 acre home plots remain cleared. The original farmhouse remains intact though the last of the granddaughters has recently passed on. It's a modest Scandinavian farmhouse still primarily heated by the kitchen woodstove last I was down there.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Yea Dont wait till its 4 ft high like i did. This is after all last year,and up until mid june this year of no cutting at all. I dont live at this location yet,but try to keep it maintained. The JD chewed right through that without a wimper.

 

[venator260]

I always did the same in the pre-ethanol days, but the horror stories of others prompted me to start using the stabilizer when E-10 and E-15 became the norm. I have also never had a problem, but a $12 bottle of StarTron is cheap insurance on a $2000 (+s/h) OHV V-twin engine.

Seems like a good idea.

 

[begreen]

I looked into electric riding mowers, but I'm not impressed. I could found 2 models and both had issues. They are probably not suited for our more rough terrain.

 

[venator260]

If I waited more than 5 days, I’d have the clippings matting up on top and looking like cut hay, while not doing any favors to the lawn buried below. I’d likely be able to wait longer if I had a mulching deck, but the commercial mulching decks from Deere were full of problems, back when my mower was purchased. So, I just have a standard 60-inch 7-Iron deck.

I suspect some of you who wait longer either bag your clippings, which ain’t possible on a property this size, or your lawn is not exactly golf-course quality.

The newer houses here have very poor (clay) top soil, due to modern construction methods. However, most of my lawn is as God made it, they didn’t tend to strip off top soil when they built houses 250 years ago.

For me, it's the last thing. My lawn is a mixture of some sort of fescue and Dutch White Clover. But I've also got dandelions, crabgrass, a patch of creeping charlie, and these little broadleaf plants that get little purple flowers in the spring. Still needs done about weekly when it's rainy, although some parts need done more than others. Looks good enough for me, and it doesn't really need anything done to it. I don't particularly want to fertilize, I mow plenty.

 

[begreen]

View attachment 227549 Yea Dont wait till its 4 ft high like i did. This is after all last year,and up until mid june this year of no cutting at all. I dont live at this location yet,but try to keep it maintained. The JD chewed right through that without a wimper.

What model JD?

 

[Ashful]

250 years ago you can be sure they didn't have mowers either. God most likely made it rocky and forested. A large group of people were probably hired (or slaved) to clear it. Then it was planted as fields for crops and the stones went into building structures and walls. Manor lawns were just impractical.

C’mon, begreen... you know this was a Mennonite farm, so no slaves were ever used here. They were staunch abolitionists.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_slav3.htm

It would have been forested, but we are not particularly rocky here. The mix of stones in my house and barn indicate they were looking beyond field stone on this property, to obtain enough to build a house. My current front yard was the “barn yard”, between the house and barn, from the 1770’s until the mid-1980’s. That’s when they put in the new road, tore down the main barn, and ran a driveway to the house. So, it was probably mostly grass and dirt, kept low by constant traffic and grazing animals.

My aunt, who was born in 1916 and spent her life on one of the family farms used to say, “on a farm, the ‘lawn’ is anything green that you mow.” They had a large lawn around the house and barns, which was very weedy.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

What model JD?

X350