While you won’t need a riding mower for ¼ acre, it will definitely save you a lot of time if you have one. Typically, riding mowers are recommended when you have a lawn size of ½ acre of more, though very larges plots of land might be better suited for a riding tractor or Zero turn mower.
Today we’ll talk about riding mower, cutting rates of various popular mowing options, and standard charges for commercial work. Keep reading to out more about riding mowers, their perks, and limitations!
Does a 1/2 acre need a riding mower?
If your lawn is over ½ acre, then a riding mower is definitely a good idea. With a standard, 21-inch mower, to mow a half an acre will take you about 1 hour, provided that it’s flat and fairly obstruction-free.
By contrast, a riding mower with a 36-inch blade will do the same in half the time. On a riding mower like that, you could mow a whole acre in an hour!
Is it worth getting a ride on mower?
For large lawns, Riding mowers are definitely a good investment. Properly taken care of, they can last 10 or even 20 years, and they will significantly cut down the time that it takes to mow a larger lawn – sometimes halving it or even more!
It is also a must for commercial mowing, just be sure to get regular tune ups and sharpen your bladed every twenty to twenty-five hours of use.
How long does it take to mow a quarter acre with a push mower?
With a 21-inch standard push mower blade, it would take approximately 25 minutes to mow a quarter of an acre, 50 minutes to an hour for a half acre, and about an hour and 45 minutes to mow a full acre. With dual blades or a larger deck, it will take less passes and these numbers may be lowered considerably.
What size mower do I need?
For a small yard, a 21-inch blade standard push mower should be quite sufficient, although if your yard is a half-acre or more than you definitely want to consider a riding mower.
If it’s over 1 acre or more, a riding tractor is also worth considering, though generally a riding mower is going to be fine unless you really have a large chunk of land containing multiple acres to maintain.
How long does it take to mow 4 acres?
That really depends quite a bit on the type of mower that you have, but here are some examples. With a 54-inch Zero turn style mower, you would be able to mow 3 to 4 acres in approximately 1 hour. A 54-inch blade lawn tractor, by contrast, would be able to mow around 1.5 to 2.5 acres per hour.
A 66-inch Zero turn mower could even do 4.5 to 6 acres in an hour!
How much HP do I need in a riding lawn mower?
Ideally, if you’ve got a 42-inch deck or a bit under that, you’ll want to go for at least a 14 horsepower engine. This will make sure that you’ve got a good amount of power for the wheels and for your deck.
For 42 to 46-inch deck sizes, 14 to 16 horsepower is what you’ll want at a minimum and 18 to 24 horsepower is good for 46 to 52 inch deck sizes.
What is the smallest riding lawn mower made?
The smallest mower that we know of is the Snapper RER11. This little riding mower is 39 inches high, 64 inches long, and 32 inches wide. Compact as it is, it offers a cutting range of 1.5 to 4 inches, so this little riding mower definitely packs a punch.
How big is a riding lawn mower?
On average, the majority of riding mowers will be somewhere between 30 and 85 inches in overall width, with most rear engine models averaging 30 inches wide. By comparison, Zero turn mowers are quite a bit larger, with a commercial riding Zero turn mower sometimes having a width, once assembled, of around 80 inches!
Can a zero turn mower cut tall grass?
Zero turn mowers are great, but as far as tall grasses go they are designed to tackle sizes of up to 6 inches. Provided that you mow fairly regularly, this won’t be a problem, and the results are definitely quite nice – a Zero turn mower can give you a golf-course quality finish and the wide decks makes the work go very quickly.
How much should I charge to mow an acre?
Rates vary state by state and you also have to factor in terrain, but assuming that we’re talking about 30,000 to 43,000 square feet or 1 full acre then a ballpark figure would be $80. If the acre is overgrown and quite untended, fraught with hills or obstructions, then of course the rates would be more, but that gives you a general idea.
Can a ride on mower cut brush?
Ride on mowers are designed more for grass, rather than for brush. With brush, you need blades that are angled to optimize cutting for brush, and this is a different from what you would need with just grass.
You can modify a blade or simply purchase brush blades if you need to deal with brush on your property – just don’t try your standard blades, as they will likely be damaged.
Can you bush hog with a riding mower?
No. Think of your riding mower as a ‘finishing mower’. Once the brush has been cut down by a bush hog, you would then use your riding mower to give the landscape more of a polished, neat look. The riding mower is perfect for this, but simply doesn’t have the right blades to bush hog.
Can a riding mower cut tall grass?
Riding mowers will cut grasses and weeds that are up to 8 inches in height. Anything taller than this is going to be inefficient and will put a lot of wear and tear on your mower. If you need to cut grass over 8 inches high, try using your string trimmer to bring it down to 8 inches and then your mower will find it much more manageable.
Hi, I’m John Stephens, chief editor and writer for Totalgardener.com. I’ve been gardening and raising animals for over 15 years starting with a small backyard plot in Northern Virginia where I grew corn, potatoes, squash, and using a high mulch technique called the Ruth Stout Method. I also raised ducks and small mammals for meat and eggs in a movable pen similar to the ones used by Joel Salatin. I later moved to Colorado where I experimented with growing greens using aquaponics inside. I eventually added a microgreens setup and home sprouting operation. I’m excited to share everything I’ve learned plus more from the other local gardening and animal raising experts I know.
