how long does it take you?

[exotion]

I would imagine the engineers thought that through. They both look appealing to me the toro always looks better. Its probably something you get used to like riding the sulky . you just kinda dont lock your knees and use your human shock absorbers

 

[MSlandscaping]

I would imagine the engineers thought that through. They both look appealing to me the toro always looks better. Its probably something you get used to like riding the sulky . you just kinda dont lock your knees and use your human shock absorbers

When SCAG brought one out to our jobsite i tried mowing a field with it and wasnt too big a fan. They seem like they are only good for small spaces, like what you would use a 36" walk behind. keeping straight lines and trying to hold on while mowing at full speed (8mph) is harder than it looks. Im sure with time you obviously get a lot better at operating, but with workers comp being expensive as it is we just cant afford to throw our guys onto a machine they arent 100% comfortable with.

 

[MBTRAC]

So as I was finishing my weekly lawn maintenance today (started yesterday) I was thinking to my self am I the only one that takes 5-6 hours a week to maintain there yard. I have just shy of 2 acres on a lake in Florida and it takes on average of at least 2 hours of mowing, an hour of trimming, an hour of push mowing, and and hour for misc. stuff and blowing off driveway/bricks.

Nice place you have there.
Whllst I too like large gardens/lawns I don't have the time (nor the inclination) to spend 5-6+hrs/week maintaining our 3acre+house yard on the farm -at most in spring/summer I probably average 2-3hrs/week (& in Autumn/Winter maybe tops an 1hr/week).

To stop it all being a long"chore" I've tried to be a little "creative" to save time & worked to our long term landscaping plan - I like to have more time to admire & enjoy our "outdoors" wth friends than actually doing the garden "work" (& I also farm fulltime, so garden maintenance isn't viewed as relaxation ) :-
- Landscaping via garden beds, walls, ponds, tree planting/shading to slow lawn growth ..etc & breaking it into various smaller lawn areas (that way if I'm pushed for time I can keep the area closest to the house in top condition & leave other areas for a week or so) & grading "rolling undulations" so none of it is bowling green level (breaking up the view IMO makes it a bit more "park like" & smaller lawn areas don't seem to look untidy so quickly), there's also a feeling of "accomplishment" as you can take time to tidy up or even major rejuvenate small areas without compromising the whole look of the yard
- Having easy care plants, the "right" gear(ours still isn't the newest or most expensive, most is old/ secondhand, though we can now also afford a few nice extra's like task specific ride on's, including 1 to "bash" around in those tough areas) & designing the layout to enable the use of the largest/quickest most practical tool for the task - generally my philosophy is I'd rather trim 1/yr with a chainsaw than use a hedge trimmer every other week, so most plants are either big tree types or very slow growing/low maintenance ornamentals/vines/hedges
- As for weeding/edging, with me it's either a flame gun or "round up" & as a last resort mulch.

The photo's below are a small selection of the yard/work we've done to make the regular maintenance a lot less time consuming which also may give you a few time saving options to consider:
1. Looking back across same pond referred to in "5", reeds used for pond "edging" to save work, sandstone retaining wall/garden on right breaks direct view of lawn on right of house
2. More front lawn,mostly deciduous tress to shade/slow lawn in summer, the driveway gravel spills/mulches to the bordering jacaranda trees mid frame, the bushy paperbark tree on the far right is the same tree mid fame in "3"
3. Top of sandstone wall garden ( brick edging to lawn) & lawn/shade trees & unseen garden beds beyond
4. Taken a little to the right of "5" showing lawn almost to garden (low maintenance moss covered brick edge/border just visible which also borders driveway to lawn) & sandstone retaining wall garden against driveway to right
5. Lawn directly in front of the house, on the right sloping towards one of the ponds (keeps the moisture in the ground keeping the grass green & more water means less lawn to mow + crayfish to catch !) mid frame driveway with culvert under sandstone drain running to pond & slow growing trim vines to create hedge "bridge" effect

Took a few years to get it to this stage, we followed the original plan we created & broke it down into bite sized "development" chunks as time & money allowed, must admit I have more fun "buillding/creating" than "maintaining"....just wish I had some of the learnings & gear I have now as when we started out...

 

[Ric]

Have you ever had any problems with your Toro Grandstand? a couple companies in our area started picking them up and very soon after sold them due to problems and switched to the Scag V-Ride.
I was looking into buying a V-Ride, but they just dont seem that safe to me. I feel you will fly off the thing if you hit a bump at full speed.

I've never Had any problems with my Grandstand. I guess when they were first introduced they had some problems but they fixed all the bugs.
I don't think you can compare the V-ride to the Grandstand because the way the mowers are set up are entirely different. To begin with the V-rides engine is in a fixed position, the Grandstand is not giving it a lower center of gravity, the Suspension Platform on the V-ride has a metal star pattern and coil springs for the suspension. The Grandstands Flex-Ride operator platform suspension is all rubber
and the ride is great, and with the variable speed control it's easier too learn and control because the controls are a lot more sensitive than a ZTR.

 

[m&p45]

So as I was finishing my weekly lawn maintenance today (started yesterday) I was thinking to my self am I the only one that takes 5-6 hours a week to maintain there yard. I have just shy of 2 acres on a lake in Florida and it takes on average of at least 2 hours of mowing, an hour of trimming, an hour of push mowing, and and hour for misc. stuff and blowing off driveway/bricks.

Nice place you have there.
Whllst I too like large gardens/lawns I don't have the time (nor the inclination) to spend 5-6+hrs/week maintaining our 3acre+house yard on the farm -at most in spring/summer I probably average 2-3hrs/week (& in Autumn/Winter maybe tops an 1hr/week).

To stop it all being a long"chore" I've tried to be a little "creative" to save time & worked to our long term landscaping plan - I like to have more time to admire & enjoy our "outdoors" wth friends than actually doing the garden "work" (& I also farm fulltime, so garden maintenance isn't viewed as relaxation ) :-
- Landscaping via garden beds, walls, ponds, tree planting/shading to slow lawn growth ..etc & breaking it into various smaller lawn areas (that way if I'm pushed for time I can keep the area closest to the house in top condition & leave other areas for a week or so) & grading "rolling undulations" so none of it is bowling green level (breaking up the view IMO makes it a bit more "park like" & smaller lawn areas don't seem to look untidy so quickly), there's also a feeling of "accomplishment" as you can take time to tidy up or even major rejuvenate small areas without compromising the whole look of the yard
- Having easy care plants, the "right" gear(ours still isn't the newest or most expensive, most is old/ secondhand, though we can now also afford a few nice extra's like task specific ride on's, including 1 to "bash" around in those tough areas) & designing the layout to enable the use of the largest/quickest most practical tool for the task - generally my philosophy is I'd rather trim 1/yr with a chainsaw than use a hedge trimmer every other week, so most plants are either big tree types or very slow growing/low maintenance ornamentals/vines/hedges
- As for weeding/edging, with me it's either a flame gun or "round up" & as a last resort mulch.

The photo's below are a small selection of the yard/work we've done to make the regular maintenance a lot less time consuming which also may give you a few time saving options to consider:
1. Looking back across same pond referred to in "5", reeds used for pond "edging" to save work, sandstone retaining wall/garden on right breaks direct view of lawn on right of house
2. More front lawn,mostly deciduous tress to shade/slow lawn in summer, the driveway gravel spills/mulches to the bordering jacaranda trees mid frame, the bushy paperbark tree on the far right is the same tree mid fame in "3"
3. Top of sandstone wall garden ( brick edging to lawn) & lawn/shade trees & unseen garden beds beyond
4. Taken a little to the right of "5" showing lawn almost to garden (low maintenance moss covered brick edge/border just visible which also borders driveway to lawn) & sandstone retaining wall garden against driveway to right
5. Lawn directly in front of the house, on the right sloping towards one of the ponds (keeps the moisture in the ground keeping the grass green & more water means less lawn to mow + crayfish to catch !) mid frame driveway with culvert under sandstone drain running to pond & slow growing trim vines to create hedge "bridge" effect

Took a few years to get it to this stage, we followed the original plan we created & broke it down into bite sized "development" chunks as time & money allowed, must admit I have more fun "buillding/creating" than "maintaining"....just wish I had some of the learnings & gear I have now as when we started out...

That's a very nice looking place you have there!:thumbsup:

 

[big daddy ray]

in your own yard time doesent matter because the better it looks the more to be proud of .people take notice of a well maintained yard . your yard looks grate if your doing it for a pay check then you hire a yong agressave worker that takes pride in his work

 

[jenkinsph]

I get to spend about 10 hrs a month spring thru fall on my lawn, hopefully with a little more time and money I can develop it further. This is a picture of my backyard, this is easy to mow and maintain I can mow this with my Deere x749 in about 45 minutes. The rest of the time is working around the house and buildings mowing smaller broken up areas, takes the brunt of the time.

Both of the prior lawns look great, it takes alot of work, time and money to develop an attractive interesting landscape. I enjoyed looking at the pics of both.

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

I get to spend about 10 hrs a month spring thru fall on my lawn, hopefully with a little more time and money I can develop it further. This is a picture of my backyard, this is easy to mow and maintain I can mow this with my Deere x749 in about 45 minutes. The rest of the time is working around the house and buildings mowing smaller broken up areas, takes the brunt of the time.

Both of the prior lawns look great, it takes alot of work, time and money to develop an attractive interesting landscape. I enjoyed looking at the pics of both.

Nice yard!

 

[Jeep Man]

Great area to live. I live in Ocala but my lawn does not compare to yours.

 

[possum]

That yard in that place is worth 5 or 6 hours of work per week. The health benefits alone from the excercise and quiet time after its done is worth it. Most fellows I know spend more time complaining about politics at the gas station than you are spending on your yardwork. You have a fantastic place. Work it and enjoy it.