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how long does it take you?

#1

m&p45

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.

Here's some pics to break it down

Front yard
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...D9-9B1E-ADE0B5C04D63-749-00000069339550B6.jpg

Back yard
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...95-A389-5318CE72A685-749-00000069361FB57F.jpg

West side yard
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...18-BBF4-98F5AE2A1503-749-0000006938BE3E63.jpg

East side yard
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...2D-B58E-5CEF3B7AFA05-749-00000069303F2E86.jpg

Lake bank (push mowed)
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...28-A79F-C0581F7B1AAC-749-000000693B3679B1.jpg

this part in the cypress trees is also push mowed (LOTS of cypress knees)
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...D5-995B-9DE44993DAF5-749-000000693DDEAD07.jpg

Man it's making me sweat just thinking about it. How long does it take you guys to maintain your yards?


#2

EngineMan

EngineMan

Make's me sweat just looking at the photo's, would love to live there...!:thumbsup:


#3

scott47429

scott47429

it use to take me 5 hours to mow my yard till i went to a ZTR and cut 2.5 hours off my time the got a bigger one now I'm down to a hour and 15 to mow 2.5 acres


#4

S

SeniorCitizen

Some years it takes a while and other years not so long.

The Golden Girls probably had a lawn service so what's your problem m&p45 :laughing:

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#5

m&p45

m&p45

EngineMan said:
Make's me sweat just looking at the photo's, would love to live there...!:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Yea at least I get to do some fishing when I'm done with my lawn duties.


scott47429 said:
it use to take me 5 hours to mow my yard till i went to a ZTR and cut 2.5 hours off my time the got a bigger one now I'm down to a hour and 15 to mow 2.5 acres
Click to expand...

Wow five hours just to mow? I thought I had it rough. My next mower will definitely be a ZTR


#6

exotion

exotion

If done correctly and efficiently (no offence) You could probably cut that in half that should definantly no take more than 20 mins max for trimming. With the correct mower you could use one mower on the whole yard IE: 36 scag ZTR you could do that whole yard except prolly around all the trees but still doable with creative trimming.


#7

m&p45

m&p45

SandburRanch said:
Some years it takes a while and other years not so long.

The Golden Girls probably had a lawn service so what's your problem m&p45 :laughing:
Click to expand...

lol i did have a lawn service for awhile but i wasnt satisfied with the job i was getting


#8

Ric

Ric

m&p45 said:
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.

Here's some pics to break it down

Front yard
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...D9-9B1E-ADE0B5C04D63-749-00000069339550B6.jpg

Back yard
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...95-A389-5318CE72A685-749-00000069361FB57F.jpg

West side yard
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...18-BBF4-98F5AE2A1503-749-0000006938BE3E63.jpg

East side yard
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...2D-B58E-5CEF3B7AFA05-749-00000069303F2E86.jpg

Lake bank (push mowed)
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...28-A79F-C0581F7B1AAC-749-000000693B3679B1.jpg

this part in the cypress trees is also push mowed (LOTS of cypress knees)
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums...D5-995B-9DE44993DAF5-749-000000693DDEAD07.jpg

Man it's making me sweat just thinking about it. How long does it take you guys to maintain your yards?
Click to expand...

What lake are you on?


#9

m&p45

m&p45

exotion said:
If done correctly and efficiently (no offence) You could probably cut that in half that should definantly no take more than 20 mins max for trimming. With the correct mower you could use one mower on the whole yard IE: 36 scag ZTR you could do that whole yard except prolly around all the trees but still doable with creative trimming.
Click to expand...

hmm no offense takin :rolleyes: I could probably do it in 20 minutes if I didn't do it all :biggrin: that time includes trimming all the weeds that grow up through the 1,000s of brick pavers in my driveway and the walkway that goes all the way around my house (and a couple big sections of bricks that are not attached to the driveway/walkway), and edging all of said bricks. I may have rounded up a little bit but not much... trust me its not a 20 minute ordeal. It would probably take 20 minutes to do just around the house and trees.


#10

m&p45

m&p45

Ric said:
What lake are you on?
Click to expand...

They call it Lake Hernando. Its part of the Tsala Apopka chain in Citrus County.


#11

Ric

Ric

m&p45 said:
They call it Lake Hernando. Its part of the Tsala Apopka chain in Citrus County.
Click to expand...

Was just curious, I have a place on the Harris Chain in Lake county.


#12

m&p45

m&p45

Ric said:
Was just curious, I have a place on the Harris Chain in Lake county.
Click to expand...

That's cool :thumbsup: Not to far up the road from me.


#13

txzrider

txzrider

wow nice place... I have to believe a ztr would cut that time down alot. No more push mower at least from the pics. Get the bigest deck that will fit through your tightest space! I only have a 38 inch deck on mine but I am sure I could beat your time. In any case I love the pics and I hope you enjoy your place.


#14

m&p45

m&p45

txzrider said:
wow nice place... I have to believe a ztr would cut that time down alot. No more push mower at least from the pics. Get the bigest deck that will fit through your tightest space! I only have a 38 inch deck on mine but I am sure I could beat your time. In any case I love the pics and I hope you enjoy your place.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I know a ZTR is the way to go my next mower will be one. As far as the push mowing goes I would still have to do it, the bank is way to steep for any kind of ride on mower and the area in the trees I could mow with my rider but it will beat you to death it's not good for me or the equipment, if I had a ZTR I would still push mow the same amount. Matter of fact the company I had mowing my yard used a ZTR mower and they push mowed that area.


#15

exotion

exotion

I have to say they may have push mowed because it looks better but its not impossible. I believe a stand on ZTR with a sulky or vulky wheel is the way to go


#16

lawn mower fanatic

lawn mower fanatic

m&p45 said:
Man it's making me sweat just thinking about it. How long does it take you guys to maintain your yards?
Click to expand...
It takes me around 45 mins.


#17

m&p45

m&p45

exotion said:
I have to say they may have push mowed because it looks better but its not impossible. I believe a stand on ZTR with a sulky or vulky wheel is the way to go
Click to expand...

No they told me they did it because of all the cypress knees. Its mostly weeds so it don't look very good either way :laughing: trust me I did it on my rider for awhile and it's to rough I didn't like beating on my mower it needs to last a long time.


#18

Ric

Ric

Something you may want to consider if you're looking to invest in a ZTR would be a stander like exotion mentioned but I'd stay away from the sulky. Try looking at the Toro Grandstand, the deck sizes range from 36" to 60" and with the Toro you have the best of both worlds with the Flex ride operator platform which flips up you have a walk behind to do your slopes. They work great, it's the best investment I've ever made. I can also tell you it will work rings around any ZTR.


#19

m&p45

m&p45

Ric said:
Something you may want to consider if you're looking to invest in a ZTR would be a stander like exotion mentioned but I'd stay away from the sulky. Try looking at the Toro Grandstand, the deck sizes range from 36" to 60" and with the Toro you have the best of both worlds with the Flex ride operator platform which flips up you have a walk behind to do your slopes. They work great, it's the best investment I've ever made. I can also tell you it will work rings around any ZTR.
Click to expand...

I will keep that in mind, though it will be some time (hopefully) because I just bought my mower a little over a year ago. So either when it craps out or I come into a LARGE some of money :)laughing: yea right) that's when I'll be shopping for a new mower.


#20

MSlandscaping

MSlandscaping

Ric said:
Something you may want to consider if you're looking to invest in a ZTR would be a stander like exotion mentioned but I'd stay away from the sulky. Try looking at the Toro Grandstand, the deck sizes range from 36" to 60" and with the Toro you have the best of both worlds with the Flex ride operator platform which flips up you have a walk behind to do your slopes. They work great, it's the best investment I've ever made. I can also tell you it will work rings around any ZTR.
Click to expand...

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.


#21

exotion

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 :)


#22

MSlandscaping

MSlandscaping

exotion said:
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 :)
Click to expand...

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.


#23

M

MBTRAC

m&p45 said:
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...
Click to expand...

Attachments













#24

Ric

Ric

MSlandscaping said:
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.
Click to expand...


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.


#25

m&p45

m&p45

MBTRAC said:
m&p45 said:
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...
Click to expand...

That's a very nice looking place you have there!:thumbsup:
Click to expand...


#26

big daddy ray

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


#27

J

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.


#28

lawn mower fanatic

lawn mower fanatic

jenkinsph said:
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.
Click to expand...

Nice yard!


#29

J

Jeep Man

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


#30

P

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.


#31

m&p45

m&p45

possum said:
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.
Click to expand...

Thank you I enjoy it for the most part but between work, kids, and everything else not everything gets done like I wish it could every week. Especially getting close to the end of the season I know everything will be dead soon anyway lol.


#32

m&p45

m&p45

Jeep Man said:
Great area to live. I live in Ocala but my lawn does not compare to yours.
Click to expand...

I really enjoy living in Citrus County, small town life with just enough of the extras. I make it up to Ocala every now and then, usually every 5k miles when my VW needs a oil change. I noticed your name. Do you ever go riding in the Ocala forest?


#33

m&p45

m&p45

jenkinsph said:
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.
Click to expand...

Wow you lawn looks great! I wish mine was that green.


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