Cutting a lot of rough grass

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Cutting a lot of rough grass
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Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2571
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 16 1:27 pm Post subject:
Would WWOOFers or Help-X be an option to start the clean-up?

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 16 6:38 pm Post subject:

I did think about it, but not I'm not really comfortable with someone else staying in the house. It's just me and my five year old, so I would feel vulnerable. I'd love to pay someone to do it, but I think they'd just do the middle and ignore all the difficult bits. Also, I like the flexibility of being able to do it when I have the opportunity with my own kit.

I'm quite sure I can do it myself with a suitable mower, that will mow the current grassy bit and the brambly bits once I have cut them back with the brush cutter. It's just finding a mower that's suitable that I'm struggling with. A smallish ride on that can cope with rough grass and lumpy land. Surely it can't be that hard to find?!

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 16 6:57 pm Post subject:
Our ride on was awful on anything that wasn't already a bowling green. Mid deck, grounded on everything. Suggest the kind of thing councils use for verges would be best.

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2571
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 16 8:12 pm Post subject:
I've had a couple of day tripping WWOOFers. They'd come like 2 days / week. One would bicycle here and I'd drive him and his bicycle home. Other would drive. Lunch provided, of course. Shared plants with them when I had extra of something they liked. So consider that as an option.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 16 8:34 pm Post subject:
Do yourself a favour,get a contractor in with a proper tractor and flail/bushwacker,get the bulk done and you can play with the rest yourself, It`ll be a lot cheaper in the long run,and you`ll have a base to work from.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 16 8:46 am Post subject:

Well, yes. Even if I could get someone in who's happy to do a proper job round all the fiddly bits, that still leaves me with nothing to keep on top of it with. I'd still need a mower that will cope the rough grass and the terrain, or it will just revert back and I'll be in the same position again in a month.

Nick wrote:

Our ride on was awful on anything that wasn't already a bowling green. Mid deck, grounded on everything. Suggest the kind of thing councils use for verges would be best.

That's what I figure. I just need to know what they're called so I can stop men in machine shops pointing out ladylike mid deck mowers that do stripes!!

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 16 9:26 am Post subject:
Take pics in to show them if they get patronising?

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 16 11:19 am Post subject:

[quote="wellington womble:1460963"]Well, yes. Even if I could get someone in who's happy to do a proper job round all the fiddly bits, that still leaves me with nothing to keep on top of it with. I'd still need a mower that will cope the rough grass and the terrain, or it will just revert back and I'll be in the same position again in a month.

[quote]

Well you won`t know till you phone around a few contractors,after cutting the brambles and scrub,gather it up and burn it,then get the whole area spike harrowed and rolled,then you won`t have rough grass and terrain that a toy mower will struggle with.

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 16 6:30 pm Post subject:
DS scyth party? You provide the chickpeas...

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 16 8:46 am Post subject:
I loathe chickpeas. I do have a spit roaster though.... I'm most concerned about being able to cut the grass there is at the moment. There is a good acre that is grass(ish) that needs cutting last week.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 16 9:54 am Post subject:
Hire someone to get in and get it done ASAP, then you can see what you're working with in terms of terrain and pick a suitable vehicle for yourself?

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 16 11:03 am Post subject:
Yes, with all due respect this thread is verging into piss or get off the pot territory. Lots of options have been brought up, and those that won't work have been discussed. It doesn't seem like that leaves too many that will work, so the decision should be a bit easier now, yeah? Time to purchase or rent and get it done, or time to hire someone to get it done for now and go from there.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 16 8:47 pm Post subject:
I don't reckon it's a one size fits all job: you want a strimmer/brushcutter to deal with the fiddlier bits and some kind of mower for the bulk of it. You can picjk up a fairly decent strimmer for not a lot of money though. I have been wondering if I should offer to come visit with my brushcutter, but it sounds like it is more urgent than I can find you a window for...

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 16 9:54 pm Post subject:

That's very kind of you. I've got a stihl brush cutter, and using it is working out ok for me. The issue is the mower, specifically what kind of mower do I need?

I think I'm going to take a risk and buy this, with a topper.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/EXCELLENT-4WD-YANMAR-COMPACT-TRACTOR-WITH-592-HOURS-NO-EXTRA-VAT-/231891290046?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

I'm sure a topper will handle the grass, which is something. And if gradually brush cutting back and following on with the topper doesn't work I can get a flail mower for it. I can also get a roller, harrow, trailer and mole relatively cheaply. I should be able to get the whole package for around 5k, which is about what I have budgeted. The rotavator is a bonus, because I want to extend the vegetable beds which it should make quick work of. I can sell on the flail, mole, roller and rotavator when I've got it under control.

I've just got my fingers crossed its not a heap of scrap and I can figure out how to drive it!

I have spent the last two days hauling stuff into a big pile to assess what size skip I will need. I'll get on the phone when the weather breaks tomorrow. I'm also taking the oldest of the caravans to a breakers tomorrow. That should improve the view a bit!

How on earth does one get rid of tyres and gas canisters? Does anyone want a lot of roofing slates and a gazillion scattered bricks? And old swing? About twenty metres of armoured cable that's been outside for three years? 50 or so empty wine bottles that have also been living al fresco? And I haven't even looked in the garages yet or the dumpy bags....

Last edited by wellington womble on Fri Apr 22, 16 9:31 am; edited 1 time in total

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 16 10:40 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

The issue is the mower, specifically what kind of mower do I need?

That is something I cannot help you with, sorry.

Quote:

I think I'm going to take a risk and buy this, with a topper.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/EXCELLENT-4WD-YANMAR-COMPACT-TRACTOR-WITH-592-HOURS-NO-EXTRA-VAT-/231891290046?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

I've just got my fingers crossed its not a heap of scrap and I can figure out how to drive it!

I would be wondering why the seller only has a rating of 6... But he appears to be some kind of dealer so that should give you some statutory rights.

Quote:

How on earth does one get rid of tyres and gas canisters?

Gas canisters should go back to the gas depot. Tyres are a bit of a problem... stack 'em up and grow spuds in them?

Quote:

Does anyone want a lot of roofing slates and a gazillion scattered bricks?

Yes, but not enough to come down and get them: my car isn't big enough.

Quote:

About twenty metres of armoured cable that's been outside for three years?

It's armoured, so it shouldn't much matter that it's been outside. The ends may have got corroded, but the bulk of it should be fine.

Quote:

And I haven't even looked in the garages yet or the dumpy bags....

Sounds like you've been having loads of fun.

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