Which is a good lawnmower to buy?

[awa355]

The mulching capability sounds quite good. My Masport is 14 years old, still runs okay but has lost some of its guts. The wheels are getting knackered. In those 14 years, it has only ever been in to the shop once, for a carb clean out. It has never missed a beat. I always wash it after using it and re fill the tank before putting it away.

Reading reviews of new masports suggests the quality of the brand has dropped off.

I should just replace the wheel bearings, cam locks on the handle and keep running it, but new mowers come all shiney and clean.

[Winston001]

LOL understood. If you want to get into the specifics, then a mower with 200mm wheels is ideal. Most mowers run 160mm which makes them hard to run over bumps and uneven surfaces. Too low to the ground. The difference is subtle but significant.

And yes in time the wheels splay which is a real biatch. I bent mine back into place on the Rover plus bolting on steel plates on the rear to keep the damned thing running square and straight. Good fun and interesting to learn.

However if I'm honest the effort cost $2/hour for a lot of work, some satisfaction, and a delayed trip to the mower shop two months later. No regrets, learned a lot but bothered if I'll do that again.

[Swoop]

... and don't scalp the lawn.

Good point.

It amazes me that so many people think "cutting the lawn" means removing as much grass as possible. This allows the sun to dry out the ground easier, so an even drier rock hard dust-bowl quickly eventuates.

I keep the grass as long as possible by raising the cutting height to leave a good 30-40mm length. The lawn still looks nice.

Turfix twice a year.
Roundup on the pesky weeds.

Sweet!

[awa355]

Went out and got a new Masport. It has the mulching feature. I've been guilty of being one of the 'scalp em' brigade as Swoop alludes to so will let the grass live a bit longer from now on.

[Moi]

... so will let the grass live a bit longer from now on.

Think of it as "lawn comb over"

[Swoop]

Think of it as "lawn comb over"

You'll require a rake for that.
Or kikuyu grass!

[Moi]

You'll require a rake for that.
Or kikuyu grass!

Don't mention kikuyu

A few years ago the council rebuilt all the kerbs and gutters in the street - nothing wrong with them but they wanted to waste more money and inconvenience everyone for several weeks - and when the contractors restored the berms they introduced kikuyu into them. So far we have kept it out there but needs constant vigilance...

[Swoop]

Don't mention kikuyu

A few years ago the council rebuilt all the kerbs and gutters in the street - nothing wrong with them but they wanted to waste more money and inconvenience everyone for several weeks - and when the contractors restored the berms they introduced kikuyu into them. So far we have kept it out there but needs constant vigilance...

I was astounded that the seeds are sold in your local plant shop/Bunnings/Palmers/etc.
'Orrible stuff!

[Reckless]

I was astounded that the seeds are sold in your local plant shop/Bunnings/Palmers/etc.
'Orrible stuff!

Came with my new supposedly processed top soil. Then slowly over the years spread.
Cant be fucked killing it and rotary hoeing and reseeding.
If its green and short and I can go ride my bike, its ok. So Just mow it.
It actually has quite a nice thick bouncy layer to walk on, mulches good and looks good as.
Maybe the mulcher thing helps here as I mow it regularly?

[george formby]

Came with my new supposedly processed top soil. Then slowly over the years spread.
Cant be fucked killing it and rotary hoeing and reseeding.
If its green and short and I can go ride my bike, its ok. So Just mow it.
It actually has quite a nice thick bouncy layer to walk on, mulches good and looks good as.
Maybe the mulcher thing helps here as I mow it regularly?

Yeah, we have Kikuya rampantly and not an issue. I don't play golf or bowl. Got to keep me edges trimmed to stop it wandering but on the bright side I can absolutely scalp it at this time of year & the lawn stays green.

Speaking of scalping. My ride on has a driveless hydrostatic drive and needs to be moved on as parts. Any recommendations for reliable ride ons which can cope with slopes? Been looking at MDS which get very mixed reviews and Husqvarna which have generally good reviews.

Soz for changing the question but two lawnmower threads seems OTT.

[gsxr]

I used to do lawns,we always used rover mowers with a Suzuki two stroke 5hp engine,basic,expensive but bulletproof...don't know if you can still buy them but they were around $1000 new

I also used to do lawns and also used 21 inch Rover .Alloy body,4 blades, with Suzuki 2 stroke motor. Bullet proof.
Also used Lawnmaster 20 inch. Also 4 blade and naturally the Suzuki 2 stroke motor.
Rover is offset to the left for close edge cutting.
The Suzuki motor is totally bullet proof and no need to do oil changes. Honda 4 strokes are OK but have no oil filter so oil changes are important.
Briggs and Stratton are OK if you are just going to do small domestic lawns every now and then when the urge takes you.

[Moi]

I was astounded that the seeds are sold in your local plant shop/Bunnings/Palmers/etc.
'Orrible stuff!

Agree, as with all plants - if in the wrong place then it is a weed! Kikuyu does have its uses - you want a grassed area and you have heavy traffic on it and suffer from dry periods then kikuyu or a mixture with something else is a good way to go. However, if you want a lawn then it's a pest.

[unstuck]

Yeah, we have Kikuya rampantly and not an issue. I don't play golf or bowl. Got to keep me edges trimmed to stop it wandering but on the bright side I can absolutely scalp it at this time of year & the lawn stays green.

Speaking of scalping. My ride on has a driveless hydrostatic drive and needs to be moved on as parts. Any recommendations for reliable ride ons which can cope with slopes? Been looking at MDS which get very mixed reviews and Husqvarna which have generally good reviews.

Soz for changing the question but two lawnmower threads seems OTT.

Have a look at some of the TYM and Kubota stuff, little cheaper than Husky and John Deere but still good mowers.