Lawnmower advice needed

Hey there all,

My trusty Rover has broken down once too often over the last 18 months to justify fixing so I am in the market for a newy.

Have been onto choice mag and found some info, but their test was for straight mowers.
Wondering if anyone has a mulching mower out their or have experienced one.
What are they like?
I know they are a bit more expensive than normal mowers, but do the benefits outway this? I am kind of sick of throwing away clippings in the bin - compost will never be big enough to deal with the amount of clippings. I thought this might be worth it in environmental terms, but maybe there are pitfalls I don't know about, like do they work OK in long grass??

Thanks in advance.

used to use a mulching mower at work years ago (mtd maybe? cant remember exactly...), was pretty good and left little evidence that there was no catcher used. They have to work a bit harder to mulch though so usually need to go a bit slow on thick grass. Sometimes need to go back over twice in areas too. Good for yards where you dont want to have grass clippings in piles everywhere, or in garden sacks.

I had to mow wet bracky with it that was a couple of feet high or more in the wet season and it worked ok, going slowly, so they can handle high stuff if they've got a decent enough motor.

best results are mowing regularly to keep the mulch layer to a minimum.

I only have a normal pushie at the moment, and HATE emptying the catcher all the time!!

They seem to be OK if you mow regularly just skimming off the top. The grounds guys where I work have one but they then have to rake up the unsightly windrows of mulched grass. Why don't you consider growing some basic veges and use your clippings for that? Or, when rotted down, use as mulch for trees, shrubs and the like? With a tumbler type composter, you get useable compost in a fairly short time.

Cheers,
Keith

I prefer to do the same, great source of mulch and compost. I got sick of the amount left behind with the mulcher type.

Could always get a sheep or two, no need to empy as they do it themselves? But therein that does become a problem, plus you get visitors from across the Tasman........................

A good mulch mower doesn't leave rows of cut grass, unless the lawn has bare patches. The advantages of mulch mowing are that you don't have to empty the catcher, and the layer of mulch helps retain moisture in the topsoil (therefore less watering needed). The disadvantages are that you really need to mow regularly for the best results (but that's the same for catcher mowers), and that if you have a shady or damp area in the lawn, the mulch can make the grass stems rot and prevent the soil from aerating - I'm from NZ where that is a consideration (therefore mulch mow regularly in summer, catch the clippings monthly over winter), but can't imaging that being much of a problem in NSW. A lot of mulch mowers for home use have a plate that can be fitted or removed to convert it from mulcing to catching. Good luck

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Originally Posted by channa

A good mulch mower doesn't leave rows of cut grass, unless the lawn has bare patches.

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It does if the grass is too long to start with. And this occurs weekly in the summer months. Its a walk-behind Toro so its not a crap machine.

Having said that, I haven't used one personally. It may also be the operator??

I must admit to being a bit biased towards composting. I live on one & a half acres and use a catcher on my Greenfield all the time. Makes for a lot of clippings though. My compost heaps are better than one cubic meter each. Then again, we've got a lot of gardens to put it on. But with only limited water, composting is the only way to go...:)

Honda 4 stroke. Honda 4 stroke. Honda 4 stroke.

Did I tell you that the pro lawnmowers around here use a Honda 4 stroke.

My advice is get a Honda 4 stroke.

Honda 4 stroke? 500cc, two wheels? and knobbies to rip the grass out?

The old Brigs and Straton motors just seem to go on and on and on and on............

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Originally Posted by Termite

Honda 4 stroke. Honda 4 stroke. Honda 4 stroke.

Did I tell you that the pro lawnmowers around here use a Honda 4 stroke.

My advice is get a Honda 4 stroke.

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I agree.

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Originally Posted by bennylaird

The old Brigs and Straton motors just seem to go on and on and on and on............

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Yeh to the workshop. :p

Nah, they are better than they used to be, and Honda may not be as good, but our 18 year old Honds starts first pull everytime, or hornets have built a nest in the exhaust. :D

I am on 1/3 acre and have a Victa Corvette mulching mower with a Briggs & Stratton donk.

The guide with the mower said that for best results, only cut a maximum of 1/3 off the length of the grass. My experience with it is that you can cut maybe over 2/3 of the length, without it leaving excessive grass everywhere.

I find that if I mow every weekend during summer (which I would do anyway with the catcher attached) then I (and 2 landscaper mates) can't tell that it was done with a mulcher mower. If the grass if a little longer, I just throw the catcher on, or go over twice.

The upside is that there is no longer the need to stop, remove the catcher, empty it, replace it etc..... Just keep on walking. I guess in the end I prefer it to my old mower with just the catcher.

I avoided a mulcher mower when my old Rover with a B&S motor gave up after 20 years. Acuatlly, the cast casing broke, not the motor. :D

Anyway, the mulchers need to be done regularly as everyone has said BUT you tend to let it go sometimes (we all do) and the grass is a bit long and the mulcher struggles. I got a normal catcher mower and if I do it regularly it isn't too much of a problem stacking the grass in a corner. It doesn't leave clippings all over the lawn that way and I get a few since we have a 1/4 acre block. The mulch on the lawn also makes it grow quicker 'cos it's feeding itself. I don't like that - it grows quick enough now. If I don't want to use the catcher, I just mow it and then spend a few minutes with the blower-vac and blast the clippings around. Same result as a mulcher but the option of the catcher is still there.

Termite said, (almost) Honda,Honda,Honda. I have one and would never buy anything else in future . It is a mulching mower, and comes with a catcher supplied. My catcher has never been on the mower. Think very carefully if you are tempted to get the 4 stroke whipper snipper, the honda I have is a little too heavy Doug

I got tired of emptying the catcher so often and the enormous pile of clippings that grew and grew. SWMBO wanted me to put the clippings in the wheelie bin but I couldn't see the point in buying fertiliser, have it go through the plant once and then throw it away. Bought a mulch n catch (convertible) Victa and used it for over a year before SWMBO asked where I was putting the clippings! The only time it leaves a mess is when I let it go too long between mows and the grass is 5 or 6 inches long. That hasn't been a problem with the water restrictions in Sydney, the lawn (? yard) needed mowing once last year.
Cheers
Graeme

without running the risk of repeating everyone, they a great keep the grass short and all is good, I have had one for 2yrs now and would not have anything else, bought a Victa Commando (blue), easy to start.

I bought a Victa Razor about a year ago. It's mulch or catch, you take the catcher off & put a plastic thing in the back & it makes it a mulcher. It's been great & the few times I've let the lawn grow to long, just put the catcher back on for that week.

Redgy