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Lawn Mower for Rough Grass
Scott Edwards
Posts: 227
in Talkback
Can you please offer any advice with regard to lawn mowers for rough grass on uneven bumpy ground - a small to medium sized churchyard to be precise. I am currently cutting the grass with a petrol strimmer but it takes several hours. Is there a lawn mower that would be suitable that isn't too expensive. An ordinary lawn mower is simply not able to cope with the uneven ground or the grass being a bit longer than it would be in an ordinary garden.
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Hi scott
There is plenty of lawnmowers what will cut any type of grass but at a price. A lot of professional machinery is very expensive, a brand new 20 - 21inch mow can set you back £1000 easy, even 18inch mowers are not much cheaper.
Depending on how uneven the ground is you might not have much choice but to use a strimmer. Even the large machine bottom out even more than the little cheap one from B&Q etc.
Have a look on ebay, most pro mowers have 5.5hp + engine. you be surprised how much grass it can cut down, keep any eye out for known brands for a decent mow.
If you mange to get on top of the job you could try a cheap mow from B&Q etc throw away mows in my opinion, got to be careful in grave yards. If you hit a stone especially with a cheap mow its like to put it through the deck or bend the crank.
Probably be easier to get a larger strimmer like a Husqvarna or stihl - johnsered , any 3 of these machine brands will destroy any type of grass.
My dad got a fleet of garden machinery he most have at least 20 mowers
if you give me an idea of your budget i might be easier to recommended you something
I have a Billy Goat brushcutter, it would be ideal as it also cuts through brambles with ease. Not cheap but lasts well, mine is 8 years old and has tamed a large overgrown field.
At my mum's church they don't cut they grass, they grow wildflowers instead.
Would a hover mower work?
I normally cut the grass immediately around the church on a fortnightly basis and leave the grass in the rest of the churchyard to grow longer with a couple of paths mown so that families can still get to the graves. I do however cut the whole of the churchyard a few times a year hence the grass being longer. Whilst we get some wild flowers growing its mainly an ugly mass of weeds and in my personal opinion an eye soar rather than a romantic wildflower meadow. It amazing how many people have commented positively on the fact that the churchyard looks cared for. I would love a Billy Goat brushcutter but they are so expensive! Is there anything cheaper that is still good quality?
It might be an idea to check out some local Auctioneers' deadstock sales - you'd be surprised what you can pick up in the way of gardening equipment for very little expense - and a petrol motor mower can usually be got into reasonable shape for that sort of work by someone with a knack for that sort of thing.
We had a rough area that needed to be mown a few times a year and that's how we got our mower.
Good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.