First mow of the season

First Mow 2013
Thanks for the bump Brian. I was meaning to bump it as I did a partial mow last Tuesday (April 9th). I mowed about 3/4 of the yard. Got where the dog had fertilized and other areas that were ready. Still had some brown areas that were just not ready to be mowed. This was weeks later than last year, thank goodness. With the rain we got today I suspect I'll be mowing the whole yard on the 16th.

bakerg said:

Don't even talk about mowing yet, got so much rain that the lawn looks like a lake.

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Then it's time to use the lawn roller.

Cut 1 lawn so far this year, hoping for some sun on Sunday to get on another. Cant wait to get out on the tractor this year and start earning some money!

Freezing rain, Ice pellets, snow and rain....mom nature can't decide what form of precipitation to hand us today....no green to be seen other than the spruce and balsam trees that the wind is whipping about....will be well into the month of May before the mower blades need sharpening

Kanook said:

will be well into the month of May before the mower blades need sharpening

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OK, since were talking about mowing, a poll question. Do you clean and sharpen everything at the end of the year or wait until needed in the Spring?

BTW Kanook, since you can't mow or do anything outside, isn't it a good time to sharpen the blades so you have something to do in the shop?

I had time last fall to sharpen the blades when I cleaned the deck before I took it off the tractor and put on the box blade for winter snow. Usually I do it in the spring though.

bczoom said:

OK, since were talking about mowing, a poll question. Do you clean and sharpen everything at the end of the year or wait until needed in the Spring?

BTW Kanook, since you can't mow or do anything outside, isn't it a good time to sharpen the blades so you have something to do in the shop?

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To be honest, I clean the deck, sharpen the blades and oil down the underside of the deck with 'fluidfilm' before retiring the mower in the autumn.

Once the snow season is safely gone for another year the snow blowers get serviced, cleaned and 'fluidfilm' applied. The RTV snow blade gets the same treatment but the RTV itself doesn't get to sleep for the summer.

Kanook said:

To be honest, I clean the deck, sharpen the blades and oil down the underside of the deck with 'fluidfilm' before retiring the mower in the autumn.

Once the snow season is safely gone for another year the snow blowers get serviced, cleaned and 'fluidfilm' applied. The RTV snow blade gets the same treatment but the RTV itself doesn't get to sleep for the summer.

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Glad to hear you do it in the fall and I do the same.

I too use the Fluid Film. Do you use the spray on or brush it out of the 1-gallon can? I do the latter since it's so much thicker.

I pulled my lawn roller out and rolled the lawn yesterday.

bczoom said:

Glad to hear you do it in the fall and I do the same.

I too use the Fluid Film. Do you use the spray on or brush it out of the 1-gallon can? I do the latter since it's so much thicker.

I pulled my lawn roller out and rolled the lawn yesterday.

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Got a spray applicator that runs off the air compressor...similar to a paint spray gun that will spray undercoating and Fluid Film...Holds about 2 cups of film from the gallon can..However, like you I find the brush does a better and quicker job on some areas like the auger and impeller of the snow blowers or the underside of the mower decks...I do cheat and keep a couple of spray cans handy..the innards of the wood chipper likes a quick spray before it gets parked..

Lawn rolling....don't have a roller but I suppose if I did I could coat it with FF....that might keep the turkey and deer poop from sticking to it, 'course I'd have to wait for that white frozen stuff to disappear 1st.....There must be some benefit to living at this latitude other than no wild hogs, gators and snakes. The snakes you just pick up and snap in two when they're frozen.

Bump.

Had to mow part of the lawn today. Over the septic and where the dog goes it was getting pretty tall.
Saw 3 people mowing around here yesterday, while it was snowing! Crazy weather... four days ago it was 80, yesterday it snowed and today back up near 50.

There should be a hex put on anybody who mows before May 1st. I have some ruts to repair and will need the roller and stone rake this year. Lot of driveway stone ended up in the grass from plowing snow before the ground was froze. Wet sticky snow lifts the stone when I plow.

May14...1st mow of the season...partial only as some areas are still brown...it was a harsh winter for lawns...looks like S##t.

Wow, there are some advantages to livin in the great white north ..much shorter mowing seasons.

I ended up mowing probably around the 24th or 25th of April. It needed it before that, but with having a heart attack on April 10th, it didn't get it. I still haven't push mowed or trimmed. Maybe this coming Sunday.

After a crappy start to the year with relentless rain and constant storm cycles, things have warmed up a little here in Ireland and it was time for our first "mow of the season" last weekend! it was nice to get back in the seat! My little mower is old and a bit tired, but it refuses to die, so i'll keep it going until it takes it's last gasp. Every year I need to do some work on it to keep it going and this year was no exception. The machine is a 1996 White(MTD) ET13 rear bagger yard mower that I picked up for small money back in 2003. It has served me well so far.
Last season, I noticed the chain drive to the rear right wheel was clicking a bit every now and then when driving up steep slopes. As the season went on, this clicking became worse. I changed the bronze axle bushings which helped, but the teeth on the drive sprocket were worn out pretty good from years of hard service and a bit of neglect. Prior to buying my Kubota B7100, I used this yard mower for towing heavy trailers & implements which were far beyond it's design intent I'm sure.

Anyway, I managed to see the 2013 season out without replacing the drive sprockets on the mower.

I knew I'd have trouble this year if I didn't do anything, so I replaced the drive shaft assembly last weekend. The cost of the replacement parts was more than what I originally paid for the mower back in 2003!! But anyway, we're good for the coming season or three I hope! lol

I guess I should go and find myself a finish mower to hang off the back of the Kubota, but this little bagger mower is tough...

(Old photo)

Hey Quincy, good to hear from you. You got the first mow before anyone here as far as I know. I'm late this year. I have mowed the previous two years the last week of March, this year winter hung on a little longer so I won't be mowing for another week or two. Course the next four days rain is predicted so that might wake up the grass and turn it from brown to green. I have a flat on my rear left tire I have to fix before that first mow. Might just put a tube in as that tire has had a slow leak the past couple years.

Think it will be a few days before this lawn will need mowing...photo from Apr1 ...note the coffee can sap bucket for our small time maple syrup undertaking.

Doc said:

Hey Quincy, good to hear from you. You got the first mow before anyone here as far as I know. I'm late this year. I have mowed the previous two years the last week of March, this year winter hung on a little longer so I won't be mowing for another week or two. Course the next four days rain is predicted so that might wake up the grass and turn it from brown to green. I have a flat on my rear left tire I have to fix before that first mow. Might just put a tube in as that tire has had a slow leak the past couple years.

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Put some 'Green Slime' in it....worked for me.

I'll second the slime.

No mowing here for awhile yet. Absolutely no signs of growth.

Not to rub it in, but one of my boys is mowing the yard for the second time in about 2 weeks. Going to mow my newly-planted hayfield the second time probably tomorrow. (Grass didn't sprout like it should have, mowing the weeds to keep 'em close for the sun to get to the grass & keep the seed heads from maturing.)
Just got thru fertilizing the hayfield & pasture, hoping for rain this weekend then cut hay in another week or 2.


Gotta love this Florida weather.....high projected of 85 today, 90 & 91 Sun & Mon!!