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Posted on here many times Honda Hrx Hy 476 (19 inch) and the 537 (21 inch) are without question the best mulching mowers on the market in ease of use reliability and most importantly quality of finish. We've tried them all !
Last year we took on our first Parish Council contract for mowing verges and in the spec it said that we had to "collect arisings and remove from site" Sometimes I think the specs have been carried over for many years without the councillors or clerks really knowing what they mean. I quoted saying that we would mulch and they wouldn't know the difference and we got the job and have since agreed a 3 year contract. As long as the end result is what they want, do it the best way to suit yourself. Sorry this doesn't directly answer your question but it may give room for you to be more flexible in your approach.
It appears that what they mean is to use one of these –
Rather than using a strimmer.
I have one. They have their use, but in no way could you ‘strim’ a cemetery with one. Firstly, they are 20 or 30 times slower than a strimmer. Secondly and perhaps more importantly, they will damage a headstone if used on the edges of it. So whoever came up with that idea has obviously never mowed commercially.
I mow several churchyards and cemeteries. I have always mulched [on all work not just cemeteries]. But I use ride on machines. The point is that whilst mulching is the way to go, it won’t solve the issue of strimming around the graves. You can’t mow right up to stones with a mulching mower [or any mower]. Some strimming will still be needed. Hence the reciprocating tool in the specifications.
The only way to proceed it to strim and then blow.
Unfortunately, this is what is specified in the contract!! Hence looking for a mulching mower
Anywhere that can be mowed rather than absolutely needing to be strimmed with no other alternative, should me mowed in any case.
You will still need to cut the grass around the gravestones and the above machine is almost usleless for this. As I said, it is very likely to damage the stones if you get close enough to 'strim' right up to them. It is also incredibly heavy and I mean, heavy. It is the kind of machine that should ony ever be used for very short periods. Really it is designed to remove weeds and grass growing through cracks in hard standing, not as a strimmer replacement. I hardly ever use mine. It's much easier and faster to strim at low speeds/revolutions.
out of interest, are you dealing with a lot of talking heads when it comes to a Parish Council? Or one bod? Are they patient enough for you to discuss and clarify this "picking up offerings or whatsits" ? Also ,can they say what year this contract was written? Maybe time for an updated contract spec
Contract is for a Parish Council.
Trouble is "bods" influence Parish Council with very imotive concerns for grass on graves previously.
Parish Council respond by insisting on recipricating blade use on new 3 year contract in 2022.
Above comments all valid, but when specification requests particular equipment, we cant go back to them with alternative (Mulching mower) unless I can use one (hence recommendations required)
So the cost of the work is higher than it may need to be as it is more labour intensive.
They just need to be aware of that.
I often use a Stiga multiclip in one graveyard. It is 19-inch and is front-wheel drive, which makes it easier to manouvre (you only have to lift the front wheels off the ground slightly, without having to dis-engage the drive power). In wet grass (I am in Cumbria) it is relatively quick to scoop out accumulation. I'm not a big operator, but it works for me, and it fits your criteria.
I have a contract with a local Parish Council which totals over eight acres and includes a cemetery. You will find that they are very open to professional advice from the contractor. At least that has been the case here. I have guided them with differing issues on various occasions and they have been very appreciative of my input and gone with my advice.
Also it’s worth mentioning that some specifications are there in name only. Most councils will specify that the grass should be no longer than two inches long at all times. This is an odd requirement and entirely ridiculous. They never try to enforce this or expect this to happen. All they care about is that the grass is kept neat and tidy and that there are no complaints from the parishioners.
In this case [with the cemetery of this thread] it is obvious that a recent contractor has been strimming large amounts of grass onto memorial stones and then leaving it there [not blowing it].
I would suspect that they have been strimming too greater area, i.e. using the strimmer to mow rather than to strim the small bits that the mower cannot cut and/or not mowing often enough, therefore spraying long grass everywhere.
I have every confidence that you could strim in a proper fashion and blow afterwards and they would be perfectly happy with that. They are merely trying to set parameters that in their minds will avoid the problem created by the previous contractor. They only care about the finish you leave.
Some of the work I do for Chatsworth was originally specified as ‘grass collection’. I said that I would mulch which they accepted. It was only after I started mowing for them that the residents were happy and gave very complimentary feedback to the estate office.
So in this case the previous contractor actually followed the specs and ‘collected’ but never made a really good job. I didn’t follow the specs and produced a perfect finish. It’s the finish that matters, not how you achieve it. So just strim what needs strimming and blow anything that needs it. No one will be watching how you work.
I would go and talk to them. It’s worth explaining that the machine they specify is likely to cause damage to the memorial stones and that strimming is fine if carried out by a professional.
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