Yeah, I tend to agree with you on the mulching. I tried it 2 years ago all the way through the summer but found myself having to cut 3 times a week or else having to cut once, then go over the lawn again the same day to shred the clippings... My wife was not impressed either with the kids dragging grass into the house if they were out playing on the lawn. As much as I enjoy my seat time, I didnt enjoy being a slave to the lawn. I only mulch in spring and autumn when the clippings arent a big problem. Didnt find the decomposed clippings were beneficial to the lawn. A bag of fertiliser every 4-6 weeks was way more effective.
I got a set of high lift blades for my mower which I found to be very effective in taking up all the clippings, even wet clippings (going a little slower over ground)
Here is a pic, my hi lift blades are on the right of the gators...
The blades fitted originally to my machine when I bought it didnt have as much of a lip at the trailing edge and as a result were not as efficient at picking up clippings. The hi lift are awsome, not a blade of clipped grass left behind. I find them really good for picking up leaves in the autumn too.
BTW the gators didnt work out for me. I ordered them from a MTD p/n off some lawn tractor supplier on the net but when they arrived (from the USA) I noticed they were all designed to rotate in clockwise direction where as the blades on my White are contra-rotating. Tried to get a couter clockwise blade from gator but they dont make them to suit my european machine. They live on a nail in my workshop now... never been used... pity.
Mith, The photo of the lawn was taken last year, I've changed that area significantly since. Now theres a curved retaining wall, raised bed, planted 150 silver birch trees and currently building a steps going from one level to the other. I'm also building a seating area in the middle portion... Hoping to finish it before the winter comes. I use my rider mower to haul everything. I have a bad back so I use it for all the heavy stuff. I try to avoid using wheelbarrows etc. The tipper trailer is worth its weight in gold.. It holds about 4-5 wheelbarrow loads of material and is used regularly. The poor ol White struggles with it though... The Kubota will be far more suited to the task I expect. I was looking for a 7100 with a FEL but they are above my budget. I plan to make a 3pt box loader (sorry I dont know exactly what they're called) that I can use for moving material around my property.
Trying to buy a kubota in Ireland is tough, not too many around. The one I have zoned in on is over in the UK so I'm going over there on Sat hopefully to buy if its as good as the seller says it is. I only have photos and the sellers word that the machine is in good working order... a bit nervous about travelling so far but with some luck all will work out.
Would like to build one of these too... time permitting, maybe next year...