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• PRO

  Adam Pilgrim June 5, 2011 at 2:07pm

  A lot depends on access to the site and if there are flower beds/ border/ slopes.

  If it is just flat grass, I would probably get a local farmer to run over it with his 'pasture topper' on his tractor to bring it down to size, another friend of mine has a mini tractor and rear mounted flail mower that would do the same job if access is tight.

   

  I wouldn't even contemplate strimming 1/2 an acre (unless you have a wheeled strimmer of course).

  Can you hire a really heavy duty ride on mower like an etesia attila 88 and do it with that? (something like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ETESIA-ATTILA-88-BRUSH-MOWER-/120732947160?pt...)

   

  Some pictures of the site would be useful to help you on this....
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  Anne Wareham June 5, 2011 at 2:19pm

  I would have thought from experience of using quite a small Countax that you'be be able to mow and take it off on your ride on, though side discharge is a bit dodgy. I mow a meadow about same size every end July/August that way. (Especially since it has been so dry this year)
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  Gary Hedges June 5, 2011 at 4:21pm

  Agree with Paul, I use an Echo SRM 5000 and guess it would take 2 hours max. As you have until September I would leave it where it falls and just mow 2 weeks later, also agree a side discharge is never going to give you a good look.
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk June 5, 2011 at 4:35pm

  always strim 1st if over 1ft.... i use a stihl or stihl back -pack..
  
  www.gardens4u.co.uk
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  Alan Mackenzie June 5, 2011 at 5:01pm

  though about the contractor farmer, but the size of toppers and tractors wont do the tight corners etc. plus in Cumbria we grow good grass, its not like the southeast! it does rain up north!
  
  Adam Pilgrim said:

  A lot depends on access to the site and if there are flower beds/ border/ slopes.

  If it is just flat grass, I would probably get a local farmer to run over it with his 'pasture topper' on his tractor to bring it down to size, another friend of mine has a mini tractor and rear mounted flail mower that would do the same job if access is tight.

   

  I wouldn't even contemplate strimming 1/2 an acre (unless you have a wheeled strimmer of course).

  Can you hire a really heavy duty ride on mower like an etesia attila 88 and do it with that? (something like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ETESIA-ATTILA-88-BRUSH-MOWER-/120732947160?pt...)

   

  Some pictures of the site would be useful to help you on this....
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  Alan Mackenzie June 5, 2011 at 5:03pm

  
  
  Gary Hedges said:

  Agree with Paul, I use an Echo SRM 5000 and guess it would take 2 hours max. As you have until September I would leave it where it falls and just mow 2 weeks later, also agree a side discharge is never going to give you a good look.

  great thanks
• PRO

  Paul @ Ashgate Garden Care June 5, 2011 at 6:28pm

  Ditto. Half an acre aint that big, but wear a harness to reduce the strain on your arms.
  
  Plus you can see what's hidden after you've done that. Then mow and collect the grass.
  
  GL Services said:

  Thats what I would do. Use a good brushcutter and knock it down in no time then you can see what is there for your returning visits.
  
  Paul @ PPCH Services said:
  

  Cutting and droping with a side discharge, no matter weekly or fortnightly or the grass length you will never have a very atractive area anyway!

   

  I regularly  strim areas of grass greatly in excess of a mere half acre with my FS400 or FS450, it would would take me no more than about an hour 1/2 ish tops. I can't see what the fuss is about unless your using a smaller machine.

   

   I would strim initially due to posibility of bricks or rubbish,  corall the clippings with a backpack blower and remove then maintain using the Pro53 and multch plug.
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  Dan Frazer Gardening June 5, 2011 at 8:01pm

  If it were me I would cut it with the ferris walk behind, or a scag if you have one, then on subsequent visits cut with a mulch mower. 2000m2 - 45m x 45m or so? Won't take long at all. it's a 1hr cut with a mulching mower or 40 mins with a bigger scag etc.
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  Alan Mackenzie June 5, 2011 at 9:20pm

  great thanks,

  its been mown previously last year with ride on side disharge so its not too rough, i'll strim i think, rake off or leave?

   
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  Dan Frazer Gardening June 14, 2012 at 5:17pm

  I cut and collected a 3000m2 lawn today that was 8-12 inches long in all areas. Took 3 hours with the etesia hydro 80, 42 boxes of clippings dumped in the adjacent field!