Zero-turn Mowers: Buying the Right Equipment for the Job

Four years ago, when we moved to our present property, Dave and I purchased a John Deere L130 lawn tractor. Going from a city lot where I pushed mowed our entire yard to 3.8 acres of ground, I knew we were going to need a riding lawn mower. Unfortunately, I didn't do enough research. Yes, the L130 could handle the amount of acreage that needed to be mowed but no, it didn't do it quickly or efficiently.

What I don't mow is taken up with house, barn, garden beds, septic pond and blackberry patch---(possibly the .8 I always tack on to be correct instead of just saying 4 acres.) The rest is grass that can easily get so thick, it was nearly impossible to get the L130 through without clogging up the mower deck. So then I'd have to get off the mower and clear the deck before I could proceed. What a pain!!!

Besides the clogging problem, I was literally working the tractor to death. During an average season of mowing, I could easily log 80+ hours. That's a lot of wear and tear on a lawn tractor. I was filling the gas tank twice as well, using all of both full tanks. At the price of gas, it was getting very expensive. Needless to say, it was wearing me down too. All the tight turns required stopping and backing and going forward so that I could get as close as possible to a target object, i.e., trees, utility box, shed, etc. I do all the mowing while Dave does all the weed eating. I assure you he has the worst of it and yet, fighting that lawn tractor for six hours a trek was taking its toll on my neck, arms, and back.

My neighbors, who'd all been mowing their properties a bit longer than me, used zero-turn mowers. They would get on their mowers long after I had started and were finished long before I was done. After two seasons of mowing with the lawn tractor, I decided it was time to reevaluate my equipment needs. This posting is not to advocate for one brand of tractor over another. Mr. Smith, my neighbor to the northeast, just bought a brand new Kubota last spring and really likes it but, I can't talk about it because I have no experience with it. So, I'll tell you what I do know.

Why did I choose the John Deere brand? Simple:

1. My husband's grandfather swore by his John Deere farm equipment.

2. The John Deere dealer is 6 miles from our house.

3. The performance of the lawn tractor impressed me enough to want a zero turn of the same

kind.

My rule of thumb for everything is: Compare all brands for manufacturing and features. I love my 757 but it does have a couple things I'd change. For overall performance I'm still impressed.

So what did I get?

1.Speed/Efficiency

My mower runs up to 9.5 mph. It's not only fast but its fun---kinda like riding on a go-cart while doing my work. Moreover, it's taken my mowing time from six hours a week to two and a half hours. Less time on the mower, more time in the garden!

Fuel wise, I'm filling the tank once and one tank will last two mowings. Yes the tank is bigger so I'm probably saving roughly a couple gallons each week. When gas was $4 a gallon, that was nothing to sneeze at.

2. Manufacturing/Construction

The 757 has a rugged, 300 pound steel cutting deck. The mower is commercial grade. I can sit and spin in place (dig a hole in the ground) because of its hydraulic capabilities which make mowing around objects a snap. It's tough. I hope its the last mower I'll ever have to buy.

3. Power

I am able to mow down the toughest grass situations without worrying about the cutting deck clogging up.

I'm sure John Deere would say I didn't quote exact specs as good as they might have liked me to but, I know what's important to me and all that other jazz can be found on their website!

As for the L130? Still a great lawn tractor. And it still gets its share of the work. We bought a small wagon for it to haul around for moving dirt, mulch, gravel, etc. It's not sitting in the barn collecting dust . . .

Estate Sale Procurement

New or used? Most of the time I apply the philosophy that new isn't always better, it's just more expensive. Let me say, right from the start, I don't apply that philosophy to power equipment. When I'm laying out big bucks, as I did last year for my commercial grade mower, I want to be the only owner and I want a warranty backing up my purchase. I do, however, apply that philosophy to a myriad of other items I buy for my gardens.

As a personal preference, I rarely stop at garage sales unless I know the person holding the sale is a gardener. If I want to dig round in an unorganized jumble of cast-off paraphernalia, I can do so in my own basement. Likewise, I'm not a big fan of auctions. The waiting around for my item to come up on the block and then losing it to a higher bidder is not only a waste of my time but is also downright annoying. For those reasons, I'm a conniseur of the estate sale venue only.

So let's get right to it. There are four distinct areas of a property to search during an estate sale: 1) the garage, 2) the shed and/or barn if the property has one, 3) the back yard, and 4) don't forget to take a look around the furnace or the hot water heater where many a good gardening tool hides in a layer of dusty cobwebs.

Back in the day when my gardening appetite was turning from hobby into obsession, I happened upon a lovely old wheelbarrow and purchased it for five dollars. At the time I assumed it was thirty, maybe forty years old because of its rugged steel frame construction and hardwood handles. I've pushed it around for close to a decade now and the only repair it's needed was a tire replacement. The old one dry rotted.

Then there's my two favorite hand-held tools, my turning fork and my furrow hoe, (at least that's what I call the latter because the metal implement at the end of its long wooden handle is shaped like a golf putter and cuts a neat furrow in a garden row), both found at estate sales. Much to my dismay, but after many years of loyal service, my turning fork broke. I'm actually thinking of replacing it with a brand new implement. I've got my eye on the Radius Garden NRG Pro Border Fork because of its ergonomic design and its rugged all-steel construction. It's the only one on the market that I think could keep the dogged pace of my old turning fork.

If tools aren't enough of a reason to brake for estate sales, what about putting the car in park for outdoor furniture? Early in the summer, I bought a five piece patio set for $47.50---that's four swivel rockers and a table. I had been considering two new resin wicker rockers and a matching table to the tune of $500. I feel I got a better deal.

Putting money aside, how cute is this set??? Love those quirky little clam-shaped chairs. The round rings at the bottom for balance of both chairs and table, compliment the circular structure of the gazebo. All summer long, we enjoyed this quiet retreat for just pennies on the dollar. Nice.

Because cottage gardening is an ecclectic mixing of many elements, annuals, perennials, shrubs, and even small trees in one garden bed, there needs to be an occasional anchor to give the look stability. Estate sales are a great place to find those objects that draw and demand our attention. My slat-back rocking chair was well weathered when I acquired it. Many people had passed right by it without as much as a cursory glance on their way through the front door. As I stopped to appraise its intrinsic value, I heard a woman behind me exclaim, "Oh, yuck!" Immediately the hair on the back of my neck began to bristle and I felt compelled to defend it. Ten well spent dollars later, my maligned friend's dignity was restored as it rode away from the sale in the back of our truck. The worn gray wood will never again hold paint but it has no problem at all holding an overflowing basket of brilliant blooms every spring. Sweet!

There are so many other great estate sale finds that I could go on and on. I won't. Here's the short list: wire baskets, old tin buckets, cast iron pot dollies, wooden flower boxes, concrete statuary, and last but not least, those obtuse but wonderful old metal storage cabinets that are great for keeping garden supplies safe and dry.

New or used? The choice for me is evident without further reasoning.